brain dump, vol. 4
this weeks thoughts & favorites + my August wishlist.
things that I hope the month of August brings:
A great catch up session with an old friend.
More books that make you never want to stop reading.
All of the aperol spritz’s and iced coffees.
Going for a walk instead of scrolling.
Wearing your brightest most colorful outfits before fall fashion hits.
Citronella candles.
Looking at the clock at 9pm and being thankful for a long light-filled day.
The patience to know it gets easier with experience and giving yourself time to learn and grow.
Grilled dinners. Grilled veggies. Grilled peaches. Grilled tomatoes.
Happy lake dogs.
Letting joy guide me instead of fear.
Fresh garden zucchini in every recipe (see below!).
“One thing i’m finally going to get done this week is _______”
A positive plot twist we’ve been waiting for.
reading,
I’ll be honest that I fell off of the reading wagon for a bit and I wasn’t even filling my time with anything good (aka my phone and love island). But we’re back and the kindle is loaded up!
swan song by elin hilderbrand - I think i’ve read every one of her books as they are the perfect summer reads. Although it took me a moment to recollect the familiar cast of characters, it was a great story per usual. The fact that this is her last Nantucket novel makes me sad - why end a good thing? Apparently we have a short story set on the Galapagos Islands coming our way instead to test the waters.
the summer pact by emily giffin - I cruised through this book in a matter of 24 hours. I don’t think it was the best book i’ve read recently, but I still enjoyed the plot and ending. note: this book has a trigger warning at the beginning.
on deck,
summers at the saint by mary kay andrews - My mom suggested this and thought I’d like her books. We love a mom suggestion!
a novel love story by ashley poston - My friend Katie (hi Katie!) said this is her #1 book of 2024 so far, so obviously I must read it.
long island compromise by taffy akner - Keep seeing this pop up will great reviews so it’s been added to the list.
“Remember there’s a difference between your history and your legacy. Your history is what happened. Your legacy is what you set in motion.”
eating,
puma detroit - In Detroit’s Core City neighborhood and by the same owners as the (also incredible) Barda Detroit, I absolutely loved Puma. A bit more casual with lots of bar seating and a DJ, the food, drinks and ambiance were 10/10. There is something magical about the Core City neighborhood.
freya - In Detroit’s New Center neighborhood, Freya never misses. Save this for a celebration because it’s on the pricier side and a five-course menu, but I couldn’t imagine a better celebration spot. My favorite detail: you get to chose a record to play out of a beautiful leather bound book filled with every genre you could ever want.
lerouge bakery - A hot spot in Grosse Pointe Park, this bakery has wonderful breakfast options but I personally stand in the ever-present line for the homemade sourdough loaf and vanilla iced coffee.
zucchini bread - Kudos to my mom on this recipe - she added walnuts and instead of 1 cup oil, she did 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce and 1/2 cup oil. Agree with her on that call, this is the perfect way to use up some fresh summer zucchini.
greek meatballs + couscous - My new weeknight favorite - personally I cook the meatballs in a large pan so they get a little browned then finish them in the oven until they get to 165 degrees. Healthy, yummy and great lunch leftovers.
hot honey peach margarita - I’m sorry, this looks insane. Imagining this with mezcal? Sold.
You can also check out this recipe I’m still loving and documented for y’all:
proud of,
I’m so happy to be back on here and soaking up everyones goodness. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again that this substack world is the best social media space. Although I am not feeling bad about being a bit MIA - enjoying these summer days and doing the things I daydream about during those awful winter months has been a good thing. Prioritizing cooking, reading, and going for a bike ride has been a good thing. Turning off work and screen time at the end of the day has been a good thing.
obsessing + recommending,
I have been on a saving spree and really focused on cutting unnecessary things - thrive market, see ya, buying lunch and coffee, nope, that random pura subscription, unnecessary, any new clothes, very proud to say no, buying groceries at the fancy (and expensive) market, not anymore. I almooost cut my New York Times subscription last night but I got it down to $4 a month instead. Cutting out a news source felt sad? All of this doesn’t mean I haven’t been eyeing and obsessing over many, many things - brace yourself!
I stumbled upon IVO Angel from
’s recent post and love the unique shapes and patterns - particularly this large footed bowl, this dessert bowl is so pretty, and although I don’t like deviled eggs, this would be a great gift for that friend you know always brings them. Reminds me of crow canyon home but ceramic and homemade - I’ve always eyed these big crow canyon bowls.These ceramic hooks from June Child Ceramics are a fun addition to your space, whether you use them for a coat hook or to hang necklaces on.
Some fun jewelry saves,
Heaven Mayhem’s new watches are giving timeless vintage. I also love this necklace in red or silver. Have added it to cart multiple times, would be fun to layer @hannahlovey-style.
I keep seeing Timeless Pearly pop up on my feed, a must stop shop in Paris filled with charms and unique jewelry finds - I love this chunky necklace and their keychains.
Was targeted on insta by Bixby and co - these cherry drop earrings are too good, I like the unique shape of these squiggle hoops, and these chunky carnival hoops are fun add a bit of color.
Naturally I want to add charms to my sneakers. Love these for adding initials or a cute word (in silver or gold). This shop also has such cute charms + charm necklaces.
This white coral chain would be fun to add colorful charms to.
My friend (hi Caroline!) said she’s loving this laneige cream skin toner and moisturizer. Will definitely try it out in my next Sephora order.
Has anyone ever purchased furniture from Anabei? Spotted this bed that is giving Six Penny vibes but at a much better price.
I’m eyeing this Wolf Gang bag for fall - its a great size, love the suede and mix of colors and materials.
These heeled loafers would be great as we transition into fall paired with frilly socks. I need to hunt for a dupe of these though because that price ain’t it.
The frilly scalloped trim on dolce vita sneakers has kept me away in the past, but this brown pair would be perfect for fall and I love the thick gummy base.
I’ve almost bought this set from Ancosti multiple times this summer, it looks so comfy and easy to dress up or down. Buy it so that I can live vicariously through you.
traveling,
I spent a week in San Francisco for a work conference - anyone also go to Config this year, what did you think? The crowds were so overwhelming, I found myself needing a break every so often and loved the green space around the convention center. I totally see the appeal of SF - blue skies + sun and temperature-wise it was like our best fall days. Noted that next time I need a real jacket, it was much chillier than I expected for a summer month.
Other than that, its been chill weekends at home soaking up time on our back porch and biking around the city or weekends spent up north at my family’s cottage. As much as I wish we were jet setting to Europe, slowing down and enjoying time at home while we can has been great.
listening to,
I’ve been back on my podcast game over here. I recently found Smosh Reads Reddit Stories and have been highly entertained on my commutes - sometimes you need something that isn’t a deep interview, crime or health based, am I right?
A friend recommended the Shameless podcast, which I’m planning to try out this week (specifically the episode with Martha Stewart).
I enjoyed this Armchair Expert episode with Ke Huy Quan (actor from Everything Everywhere All at Once), his life story is pretty nuts!
on my mind,
My pinterest saves continue to be the world I am aiming to create!
There truly is a reddit thread about anything (as I go down the bagels reddit thread rabbit hole, idk how I even got here).
Have y’all heard of the daylight computer? Side note that their branding and web experience is so lovely.
We really are all thinking about how to be different (and make money) in a world where it feels like everything has been done and there are no unique ideas. Deep thoughts as I read You’re not famous (and other reasons why your newsletter isn’t paying the bills) and How To Differentiate From The Rest. Also the idea of a portfolio career is all the rage right now, promising ‘infinite earning potential and creative freedom’. What do you think about this?
Staying up to date on everything interesting is best done through Substacks like
and
One thing i’m finally going to get done this week is:
Organizing my crazy closet clean out pile + researching ‘how to have a successful garage sale’. Any tips?
Hope you all have a great week and that August brings you your own list of hopes and wishes. If you enjoyed this, subscribe and you’ll get my posts right on your Substack home feed or inbox. Here’s my last brain dump, if you want more.
Can vouch for the Long Island Compromise! So good
Zucchini bread is one of my favorite things and I love Pinterest for all the inspiration 🤍