Show me a more poignant time of the year than the end of August, I dare you. It feels like we are coming to the close of yet another summer, which went either too quickly or too slowly, and there’s a whole list of seasonal whimsies left unticked, languishing till next Memorial Day.
Well, I have good news for you. Despite what Big Pumpkin Spice would have you believe, summer is not over. We are now entering Summer II.
This important and novel breakdown of the seasons comes from Jake Cornell. Summer I might be over, but we have another solid month of Summer II to enjoy. By Summer II, the ocean has finally warmed from shocking to merely bracing and the crowds have thinned from the beach in favor of staging photoshoots in pumpkin patches while they sweat through their chunky knits. Theo and I revisited our wish list from Summer I and have transferred the items to Summer II.
The lemonade stand of Summer I is now a “sidr” stand of Summer II
So, to “Labor Day,” I say thank you for your sales and for the day off to observe Beyonce’s birthday. To Summer II, I say bring it on.
Some recs for the long weekend:
Anthony Lane at the RNC. Sounds like the wind-up to a joke, and the joke is on Matt Gaetz.
This super candid and remarkable interview with Nikki Glaser on Fresh Air. Nikki and Terry walk into a recording booth… also the wind-up to a joke.
Though the Olympics are over, the teenage girl skateboarders still have my heart. In this house we stan Poe Pinson!
I’m looking forward to every Monday morning so I can devour Jen Glantz’s newsletter
This article on migrants’ journey through the Darién Gap. Haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.
Sour cherry creamsicle at Van Leeuwen UNREAL!!!
In honor of the band getting back together, Liam and kids. Owing back taxes is real, guys.
I ripped through the excellent Worry by Alexandra Tanner.
And also The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne, another addition to the “bedtime book” genre
I’ve been revisiting Gretchen Rubin’s writing as inspo to get me across the finish line of my own manuscript. Love her latest.
The mentoring organization I work with gives volunteers a subscription to MasterClass and RuPaul’s course is a spiritual teaching!
Vacation sunscreen, the scent of Summers I, II, and infinity
I love you.