“Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August.” — Denise Levertov

READING:

Books:
- The Hepburn Estate by Brenda Janowitz — “When Emma Jansen discovers that the grand Long Island estate where she grew up is set to be demolished, she can't help but return for one last visit. After all, it was a place filled with firsts: learning to ride a bike, sneaking a glass of champagne, falling in love. But once Emma arrives at the storied mansion, she can't ignore the more complicated memories. Because that's not exactly where Emma grew up. Her mother and father worked for the family that owned the estate, and they lived over the garage like Audrey Hepburn's character in the film Sabrina. Emma never felt fully accepted, except by the family's grandson, Henry—a former love—and by the driver’s son, Leo—her best friend.”(Goodreads). This was a quick read and immediately familiar. I wanted to like it more, but it was sort of cobbled together with characters, scenes, historic events, and even dialogue from Audrey Heburn’s life and movies. These “Easter eggs” quickly became a substitute for good writing and strong plot development.
- The Manhattan Girls: A Novel of Dorothy Parker and Her Friends by Gill Paul — “It's a 1920s version of Sex and the City, as Dorothy Parker--one of the wittiest women who ever wielded a pen--and her three friends navigate life, love, and careers in New York City” (Goodreads).
Links:
- Travel Photography: How to Make the Most of Your Cell Phone’s Camera (NYT) — I always appreciate tips.
- 16 Movies and TV Shows to Make You Feel Like You’re Vacationing in France — I have seen 12/16. I enjoy frequent visits to Paris.
- The Little-Known History of Champagne (BBC) — Because "Champagne is one of the elegant extras in life." – Charles Dickens

WATCHING:

The Lincoln Lawyer - Season 2 (Netflix) — “An iconoclastic idealist runs his law practice out of the back of his Lincoln Town Car in this series based on Michael Connelly's bestselling novels” (IMDb).
Only Murders in the Building - Season 3 (Hulu) — “Three strangers - who live in the same New York City apartment building and share an obsession with true crime - suddenly find themselves embroiled in a murder” (IMDb). This season features Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep.
Find Me in Paris (Hulu) — “A young ballet dancer from 1905 is transported into the 21st century with the power of a magical necklace. While her boyfriend looks for a way to bring her back, she must find a way to fit in and dodge the sinister time agents” (IMDb). It’s clearly a teen show, but I love Paris and the ballet and it’s a good primping show (IYKYK).
Green Bay Packers pre-season games — This year is a fresh start and I’m hopeful.

LISTENING TO:

Shaun Cassidy on the Naked Lunch Podcast — “In every way imaginable, this ‘Naked Lunch’ is a moving feast -- and a hilarious one, too. Teen sensation turned successful TV writer/producer Shaun Cassidy gets caught in traffic, and so thus this fun and freewheeling conversation begins with Shaun on the road. Phil Rosenthal, David Wild, and Shaun retrace Cassidy's remarkable life and career thus far, from growing up a Hollywood "nepo baby," the son of Oscar-winning legend Shirley Jones and actor Jack Cassidy, as well as the half-brother of David Cassidy, to becoming a stadium-packing "Teen Dream" with big pop hits like "Da Doo Ron Ron," "That's Rock 'n' Roll" and "Hey Deanie," to creating TV shows like "American Gothic," "Roar" and writing in recent years on the popular medical drama, "New Amsterdam." All this, plus Shaun tells a hugely funny story about Andy Warhol and how Oprah Winfrey and his wife Tracey helped set the stage for Shaun to return to the road after three decades for his acclaimed touring show The Magic of the Midnight Sky."
August Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:
- Sunflower (Neil Diamond)
- It’s a Lovely Day Today (Ella Fitzgerald)
- Walking on Sunshine (Katrina and the Waves)
- I Want You to Have It All (Jason Mraz)
- august (Taylor Swift)
- Happy Little Things (Holly Kluge)
- Living in the Country (George Winston)
- Wildflowers (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)