This year’s summer retrospective continues, as we look back at the season of the sun, so recently departed. We’ve made it up to mid-late July, when summer reaches its peak in many ways. That includes reminiscences about the date Andy and I met each other. Fourteen years ago things were very different, but somehow we’ve survived the changes.
The journey of the season included this creeper and these caps of lace.
It was the summer we welcomed a new baby: this Ice Blue Show Queen.
It was the season for skinny-dipping. Over and over again.
It was another summer of family fun and group photos. Sunny days by the pool and ravenous grillfests.
Sometimes it means lighter fare too, and stargazing.
It was the time to take lazy naps and sleepy afternoons, and pass rainy days with ‘Dirty Dancing.’
It was all about big ears and summer adventure.
Summer somehow makes music mean more, especially when it has a capital ‘F’ in it. Or when Mika is involved.
It also brings back memories.
It was the moment to take your shirt off, and these gentlemen did just that (and more): Chris Pratt, James Whiteside, Chase Finlay, James Magnussen, John Barrowman, Chris Campanioni, and Trey Songz.
All teasing, some pleasing and a little bit of lusting.
It was the summer I stepped away from the computer, and dove into the pool, into real life, without looking back. Almost.
Summer is also when I was born. This year I did what I swore I would never do on my birthday: spend it in New York City. And it was wonderful. Thanks to these lodgings, this birthday cake, and this bubble bath. Lord knows I love a hotel. The flowers were cool too.
Summer is also when Tom Ford was born.
And my Dad.
Summer is… August.
This was nothing like hanky panky, but this birthday suit post was.
Summer can be dangerous.
Madonna usually makes a summer splash, but this year kept the waters relatively calm. Still, the Madonna timeline continued with ‘Like A Virgin.’
It wasn’t his very first time, but Nick Jonas got shirtless and it was just as good. Kind of like Chris Evans.
Summer is apparently the time to get stupefyingly stupid, like this guy did.
It was also the summer when we all did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. (Dan Osborne even did it naked. Steve Grand got nude for it too.)
No matter how hot it got, David Beckham stayed cool. Alex Minsky, on the other hand, just kept it hot.
It was the summer of the Mr. Gay World competition, and, spoiler alert, they crowned a winner.
It marked our first trip to the Troy Farmer’s Market, and the end of ‘Bullets Over Broadway.’
Even more hunks disrobed, doffing shirt and dropping trou, including Charles Dera, Willie Gomez, Kerry Degman, Idris Elba, Noam Ash, Duncan Mais, Liam Payne, Brad Pitt, Aiden Leslie, and Gary Lucy.
In summer things get sweet and sticky.
Summer always has to end – and it helps to have a fragrance to see you into fall. A spell of dreamy music helps too.
Let’s do it again next year. For now, it’s back to school…
