For the sake of posting...

Drummers on Gedimino Prospektas

It's been a most unexceptional weekend here in Lithuania's capital. My daughter, for example, did on Saturday what she's done on many Saturdays before - have a swimming lesson in the morning, followed by a schoolmate's birthday party in the afternoon. There's really no reason for this post except to celebrate the fact that now (and the coming summer months) is the best time to be in Vilnius, with sunny skies and temperatures sitting at a very comfortable 25° Celsius (77° Fahrenheit). Though my better half still prefers to stay indoors and swipe at iPhone and iPad screens all day long, like many Lithuanians this window of beautiful weather is just too good to pass up. So I took a long walk on Saturday afternoon, admiring the view along the Neris:

After the birthday party, the three of us went out for dinner at a recently-opened Sushi Stop not far from our apartment building. On the way there, Amber paused to ogle a chair suspended from in front of the Russian Drama Theater of Lithuania:

You don't visit Lithuania expecting to eat great sushi 寿司, so there wasn't any disappointment about the meal, but the availability of Sapporo Beer サッポロビール was a pleasant surprise:

Dandelions are everywhere at the moment, much to my daughter's glee:

While Shu-E went back home to be with her electronic devices, Amber and I took a long post-dinner stroll through Old Town. There was a Street Music Festival taking place throughout Saturday, and every corner we turned there would be a band performing. These drummers on Gedimino Prospektas drew a big crowd:

The above video was recorded at some point between 8:00 and 8:30 pm. With the days getting longer, it's easy to lose track of the actual time (and also making it difficult to sleep in on the weekends without the help of blackout curtains).

Sunday was just as bright and warm as the previous day, and my wife, daughter and I went out for lunch at Vilnius' only Korean restaurant, JHK & DD's Place. The bulgogi there isn't bad, but the best thing about the restaurant is its outdoor seating (on AstroTurf!) on Vokiečių gatvė:

After lunch, Shu-E elected to return home for an afternoon of monster slaying and message reading on Line, so Amber and I mingled with the tourists as we made our way over to Cathedral Square. The Cathedral Belfry there turned out to be closed on Sundays, so instead we visited the Museum of Applied Art (Taikomosios Dailės Muziejus). The museum, sitting at the foot of Gediminas Hill, is located in the Old Arsenal, built in the 16th century and restored in the 1980's. It houses temporary collections, the current two of which we visited on Sunday afternoon. On the first floor is Tamed Nature. 18th–21st Century. Exhibition from the fashion historian Alexandre Vassiliev collection:

 "Isn't that illegal?" asked my daughter

 A reminder that the Seventies were a "special" time

 Swinging London (and a few other places)

 Amber wonders why anyone would wear a hat with a dead bird on it

 A Kenzo from 1968

Upstairs is the Roundabout Baltic Exhibition, showcasing the works of designers from the Baltic Sea region:

 Concrete Meets Porcelain

 My daughter's favorite was this "deformed" chair

Blue Line Tableware

There were also displays of the "Good Design" Lithuanian design prize winners, such as Ignorance is Bliss tableware:

The Museum of Applied Art also houses a small collection of more traditional art pieces:

Back outside and basking in the sun:

Father and daughter enjoying some doughnuts and 珍珠奶茶 in Savivaldybės aikštė (Municipal Square) before heading home for dinner:

We've been in Vilnius for just over a year now, with one more to go before we move on. It's been a great tour so far, and having survived our first long, dark Baltic winter, it's time to celebrate the change in seasons. I'm looking forward to the next few months of late sunsets, warm temperatures and dining al fresco on cobblestoned streets.

And checking out all the craft beer places that seem to be emerging from the woodwork...

Friendship