Oh, what a beautiful day!

Any work doldrums aside (conference days = nothing to do), yesterday was as fabulous as can be. Let me enumerate the reasons why I loved this gorgeous, sunny Tuesday.

It was gorgeous, sunny, and not too hot — enough said.

Over my lunch break, I caved in and bought an iPhone 4 at the local AT&T store. Although I appreciate Apple products, I’m by no means a die-hard Apple fan and would never wait in line to get a new gadget the day it’s released. However, realizing that iPhones that are ordered now won’t be shipped until mid-July and being somewhat anti-online shopping, I thought I’d drop by the store to place an order in person. I was in luck: they had two black 16GB iPhones left, so I snatched one up right away.

So far, I’m very pleased with my decision, but that’s a story for another post. What matters most is that it allowed me to document the rest of my day without resorting to a regular camera.

After work, Claire and I got together for some girl talk. Claire is a great hostess and always offers her guests something to munch on. I brought a few things over, too, and we ended up having a nice and healthy mid-summer afternoon snack.

Nectarines, apricots, raspberries, cheese, sugar snap peas, and grapes, all lit by the warm glow of the sun.

In honor of the World Cup and of Claire's love for Germany.

Delicious peach sangria at The Icon, with apples, oranges, and lemons.

I then met up with Megan, whom I hadn’t seen in a couple of years (!), for some wine and sangria at The Icon. I’m not a big wine drinker, and red sangria usually feels a bit “heavy” for my liking, but white sangria is just the bee’s knees. Perfect for the summer!

Last, but not least, I made an exciting purchase. After diligently checking Craigslist a dozen times a day, test-riding a few bikes, and carefully evaluating the delicate balance between comfort, condition, and value, I am now the owner of a vintage Motobécane mixte.

A relic from the early 1970s. I have yet to pin down the exact year.

In need of some body work and a good cleaning, but definitely workable.

Next step: hunting down some parts. The brakes, crankset, pedals, and gear shifters are salvageable, but the handlebar is rusty beyond all repair, the chain is crap, and the rear derailleur is non-existent. Some wheels might be nice, too.

Then comes all the pretty stuff. I’ve already got my eye on some wooden fenders!