“July, with its days of blue skies and time that seemingly stands still, holds a special place in my heart.” — Daisaku Ikeda
Here’s a review of what I read, watched, listened to, and enjoyed in July.
READ:
Minimalista: Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Better Home, Wardrobe, and Life by Shira Gill — “Elevate your personal style, trim your belongings, and transform your life, one room at a time. Built around five key steps: Clarify, Edit, Organize, Elevate, and Maintain…Minimalista makes it clear that if the process is fun and easy to follow, anyone can learn the principles of editing and organization” (Goodreads).
The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz — “In Paris, 1958, Grace Kelly’s royal wedding dress is still all the rage in fashion circles. Rose, a seamstress at a famous atelier, has just been entrusted with sewing another gown in its image. An orphan, she needs her job to survive. But when Rose finds herself in love with the bride’s handsome brother, she must decide what matters most: love or security. Sixty years later, Rocky is thrilled to be marrying the love of her life. He truly is her perfect fit. But there’s just one problem: her family’s heirloom wedding dress isn’t. Rocky knows this admission will break her mother’s heart. What she doesn’t know is why her mother is so set on the dress—or about the shocking secret that changed her mother’s life decades before, as she prepared to wear the dress herself. As the wedding day approaches, the mother-daughter pair will finally confront long-buried heartaches, and it might just be the dress that brings them closer than ever. Life-affirming, heartwarming and timeless, Brenda Janowitz’s The Grace Kelly Dress is about the importance of tradition, new and old, and the power of a dress to fulfill even the most impossible of dreams” (Goodreads).
The Champagne Letters by Kate Macintosh — “Reims, France, 1805: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot has just lost her beloved husband but is determined to pursue their dream of creating the premier champagne house in France, now named for her new identity as a Veuve Clicquot. With the Russians poised to invade, competitors fighting for her customers, and the Napoleonic court politics complicating matters she must set herself apart quickly and permanently if she, and her business, are to survive. In present day Chicago, broken from her divorce, Natalie Taylor runs away to Paris. In a book stall by the Seine, Natalie finds a collection of the Widow Clicquot’s published letters and uses them as inspiration to step out of her comfort zone and create a new, empowered life for herself. But when her Parisian escape takes a shocking and unexpected turn, she’s forced to make a choice. Should she accept her losses and return home, or fight for the future she’s only dreamed about?” (Goodreads).
WATCHED:
New-to-me YouTube Channels:
French Countryside Diary — The channel’s description says, “Bonjour! My name is Audrey, I am French and I live a rather slow life in the Charente Maritime region of France. Welcome to my diary. Walk in the French countryside with me and let's share a moment together. I look forward to sharing simple moments, recipes, lifestyle ideas, and my interests with you all. À bientôt!” Audrey’s channel is a treat of all senses. She inspires me to slow down, to find inspiration in nature, and to fill my home with special things that bring joy to our everyday life. C’est la joie de vivre.
Kahvihuone8487 — “Everyday life in Finland: Self care, baking and cooking, slow living in a cozy Nordic home.” I especially enjoy the Nordic recipes and spotting Scandinavian brands in their decor like Iittala and Marimekko — some of the same treasures that we have in our home.
Billy Joel: And So It Goes (HBO Max) — “An extensive look at Billy Joel's life and music career, featuring exclusive interviews, performances, home movies, and personal photographs” (IMDb). I’m so impressed by Billy Joel’s talent for song writing and performing. We were supposed to see him in concert with Sting back in April, but the show was postponed and eventually cancelled. I hope we get another opportunity in the future.
Son of a Critch (Netflix) — “An awkward boy on the cusp of adolescence endures the complications of family life, Catholic school, and youthful romance in 1980s Newfoundland” (Netflix). This show is light, funny, and heartwarming. It’s like a Canadian Wonder Years with a touch of Derry Girls. I especially enjoyed the episode when the class goes to France (aka Saint-Pierre et Miquelon just 12 miles off the coast of Newfoundland).
LISTENED TO:
Our favorite curated summer playlists:
Sailing and Jimmy Buffett for days on the water and evenings on the deck
ABBA for Sunday morning Scandi breakfasts
Chansons françaises for making macarons or dreaming of Paris
Our wedding playlist offered as favors (CDs) to our wedding guests twenty years ago
July Mini-Playlist:
C’est si bon (Émilie Claire Barlow)
Sailing (Christopher Cross)
Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band)
Café Crème (Le Petit Croissant)
Wildflowers (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
All Summer Long (The Beach Boys)
Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes (Jimmy Buffett)
Vacation (The Go-Go’s)
July (Art Music)
ENJOYED:
Slowing down — The two YouTube channels that I mentioned above really did inspire me to slow down this summer. It seems that during the school year the days feel frenetic and I tend to bring that energy home with me. Rather than enjoying everyday tasks like cleaning, organizing, decorating, cooking, and even spending time with friends and family, I feel rushed and stressed. This summer, I am taking my time. I’m enjoying slowly resetting our spaces, decorating with seasonal items and hydrangeas from my garden, savoring meals, trying new things, reading, and lingering in the afternoons while Piper naps on my lap.
Baking macarons — I took a course at Sur la Table and now I’m determined to master the art of creating beautiful and delicious macarons. As with all things, I’ve learned that you definitely need the right tools for the task. Now that my kitchen is equipped, I am practicing and experimenting with flavors.
Our 20th anniversary — Eric surprised me with Champagne and white roses and I surprised him with homemade vanilla bean macarons filled with Champagne buttercream. We enjoyed our treats after having dinner at The Commodore where we had our wedding reception twenty years ago (Sevens Seas back then). We sat on the terrace and watch the Tuesday night sailing races. The company, the food, and the view were lovely.
