Friday nights are alive again

The gloom is persistent, but the approach of summer is unmistakable. For one, Claremont is once again quiet. That is I can easily bike down Sixth Street without fear of hitting a student and the lines at 21 Choices are gloriously short.

I also have the Pitzer College hammock all to myself. It's the little things in life.

Despite the population decline, things are still lively thanks to the return of Friday Nights Live. This weekly concert series put on my the Claremont Chamber and a great way to enjoy a night out without the wallet strain. Every Friday evening, all corners of the Claremont Village are alive with the strum of guitars and the thud of the bass. I love it.

I am especially fond of the summer accompaniment because I am within walking distance from the shows. Living in the city center might not allow for much parking (or peace and quite), but there are definitely a lot of perks. I can easily pack up my dinner, stroll down the block, and write to the front of any one of the performances set up at the plaza in Village West, in front of city hall, in front of the depot, or at the newly-renovated Shelton Park, my favorite new spot. This little park has always been very cozy, and very convenient right off Second Street and Harvard in the heart of town. This past year they renovated the space to include a walking path, more sitting areas, and a stage for performances. It's the perfect place to read a book, enjoy a picnic, or catch a live performance, like we did last weekend.

My family came equipped with lots of blankets (thanks to the cold) to enjoy a picnic dinner and the original tunes of Mick Rhodes and the Hard Eight. We inhaled my dad's famous French bread sandwiches while listening to the country-influenced rock and roll. And getting "Back to the 909" officially lodged in our heads. An evening highlight: the guest harmonica performance from a man in the audience. My nephew would have appreciated it too.

We returned to my apartment to thaw out and promptly refreeze with the help of a little treat I made special for the occasion. Weather be damned. Monica and Nathan went to New York last month and made me insanely jealous my visiting the trendy Momofoku Milk Bar, a sweet shop known for its creative, and insanely delicious, creations such as Cereal Milk Soft Serve, Crack Pie, and Compost Cookies (thank butterscotch, chocolate, pretzels, etc. all rolled into one crumbly, enticing morsel. Mo and Nate indulged my inner foodie (and insane sweet tooth) by bringing me back this beauty.

Along with this delightful little package.

I immediately knew two things: 1. I will be straining this cereal right into my belly.

[large wooden spoon=weapon of choice]

And 2. I'm bringing Momofoku to Claremont. I did just that. With the help of Cenk, author of Cafe Fernando, I turned my cereal milk into a cereal custard that I hope would make Milk Bar proud.

The custard was velvety, creamy, and absolutely luscious. I swapped the vanilla for a little bit of maple syrup and personally thought it took the ice cream where it needed to go. I wish I had some with me right now... I am definitely on a cereal-turned-dessert kick this year. First with the lucky charm chia seed pudding, next with the ice cream, and next weekend I have every intention of indulging in a piece of Cereal Killer at the Pie Hole.

[Photo Courtesy @taylormadefff__]

I have something extra special in the works that plays right into this theme. Stay tuned. Until then, I am grabbing myself a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and digging in!