Seen, Read, Heard, Made (and Loved): June/July Edition

Time flies, right? I do apologize for being lax on the posting lately. Things have been busy! I traveled to Wyoming for the first time for a photo shoot, had a bunch of other projects since, then I spent a weekend painting my guest bathroom, hosted guests two weekends in a row, etc.. Real life getting in the way of internet scrolling is probably a good thing, I suppose…

The in-between of June/July was filled with a lot of great cultural moments, and these things were worth pausing to enjoy:

Movies & Television

Besides The Odyssey (which I loved. Hi, Edith Hamilton founded my high school), I absolutely cackled watching The Invite. Directed by and co-starring Olivia Wilde, this play-like film captures the awkward and ever-evolving dinner party dynamics of two couples living in neighboring apartments in San Francisco. The acting brings it home. I laughed, cringed, laughed again, and was touched when it wrapped up in a very real way. Expect the unexpected.

The second chapter of The Four Seasons debuted this summer on Netflix. It’s maybe even more delightful than the first, with more travel, laughs, and fights than ever. This show is just a hug to me, although it is insanely unrealistic to have a friend group of that size able to travel together multiple times a year (ha!) My favorite characters are played by Tina Fey and Colman Domingo… Their imperfect friendship is important to me. :)

Books, etc.

I’m not breaking any new ground here, as these are best-sellers (and both are on Obama’s Summer Reading List), but I very much genuinely enjoyed them:

This novel follows two childhood best friends as they grow up in the Jim Crow South without parents, head off on diverging paths after high school, and finally reconnect at very different stages of life in adulthood. The story is moving, at times heartbreaking, and offers lessons on the pressure we put on ourselves to try to fix what’s broken—sometimes instead of really living. 4.5/5

Patchett’s ability to turn small, low stakes stories into something effervescent should be studied. She does it every time. I’m trying to keep this vague on purpose: In Whistler, a middle-aged New Yorker has a surprise reunion with someone important from her childhood. This person’s reemergence leads her to assess present relationship dynamics, and revisit a piece of family history. Maybe it’s the meet cute at the Met, or the distinctly northeast setting, but I enjoyed every moment. It is not tragic, it is not abuse-related, it is just personal and touching, and it’s beautifully written. 5/5

Podcasts & Music

The Alabama Shakes have a new album coming out this month, I Must Be Dreaming. Singles are dropping every so often. I Feel Hope Coming is a song I (and I think many of us) need right now.

As for a standout podcast episode from the queue:

This week on Good Hang, host Amy Poehler talked to legendary (to me) writer Anne Lamott, a match made in heaven. Two brilliant women talking about life? Yes. An important soundbite: “We’re not all nuts in the same day.”

Food!

I’m adding this section because I absolutely love to cook, and great recipes must be shared. Since it’s been such a fantastic peach season, I’ve been including them in everything where I can. These three are fantastic (all gift articles):

Halloumi, Peach and Cucumber Spoon Salad

Roasted Chicken with Fennel and Peaches

Peach Upside Down Cake

Enjoy!

Thank you for being here,

And in case you missed it…