I discovered the most perfect lip product. The product is Laura Mercier’s Petal Soft Lip Crayon, a sheer, ultra-hydrating lipstick that reads more like a lip balm with the most easy application, perfect for someone who favors a low-maintenance beauty routine. And while my discovery of it was in part due to a sponsored advertisement I was running on my Instagram (please don’t let this deter you from my recommendation—keep reading!), I think I would have discovered it anyway. I’m always looking for a product like this! Glossier’s Gen G was once my favorite lip product because it was exactly that: a sheer, tinted lip balm type stick. But I found it a bit drying and the smell would go rancid pretty fast. So I’m really excited about this one. Here’s a screenshot of a text I sent my sister when I tried it on for the first time:
Yeah.
I finished reading “The Maid” by Nita Prose and if there’s one last easy read you’d like to get in before the end of the summer, consider this. The Maid is a murder mystery written in the perspective of a hotel maid who is on the autism spectrum. She’s uniquely drawn and so endearing. The writing is witty and dry and the plot is easy to follow yet engrossing. Perfect for lounging poolside or sunbathing on the New York roof you’re not supposed to be on.
I reached out to an Instagram friend to get dinner, instead of letting our friendship get lost in the endless “we have to do something soon!” black hole of could-have-been friendships. This is noteworthy for me because I’m a New Yorker and this is what we let happen far too often. This friend and I spent months dming each other on our loose plans of hanging out after meeting at a mutual friend’s goodbye dinner. There was so much back and forth of “I’ve been so busy!” and “we actually have to do something when we’re both back in town!” that we just made it happen so we didn’t need to say it anymore. The prospects of any new, budding adult friendship are so unique in feeling and tender in its intentions. Forming any meaningful relationship after a certain age (namely, 25 or so) is a real feat and very rarely do people admit that they can still seek out those relationships they feel lacking in their lives. Is there someone in your dms you’d like to befriend for real? Reach out to them! Invite them to an event! Ask them to check out a new bar or restaurant with you! Like to try Caffè Panna’s delicious gelatos, as I will outline below!
I tried the gelato at Caffè Panna and it was everything I dreamed it would be. After weeks of staring at photos on Caffè Panna’s instagram of their decadent sundaes, my boyfriend and I finally made the trip to the quaint corner cafe on Irving Place to try what we’ve been told is the best gelato in the city. The line moves fast and the toppings are free! So go! I got pistachio gelato and chocolate sorbet with olive oil and sea salt on top. He got stracciatella with olive oil and oreo on top. All delicious. Melted very fast. Stomach got upset from the dairy. But worth it!!!
I downloaded the BeReal. app and it’s actually really cute… I imagine this app is kind of like what finstas would be like if finstas were still a thing. The premise of the app is simple: “BeReal is the first Uncontrollable social media to share authentic moments in photo. Everyday at a random time, everyone has to capture a photo in 2 minutes. Capture and post in time to discover what your friends are up to.” The photo you must capture is both a regular photo and a selfie at the same time, so you get the full picture of that exact moment. And it doesn’t feel like instagram at all. The picture taking is not even thought out. It feels mindless but wholesome and organic, everything Instagram isn’t anymore. It’s refreshing, I promise. Perhaps you could give it a go?
I enjoyed this heirloom tomato carpaccio on a porch upstate with friends and that’s what summer is all about. I’m still on my GO AND GET TOMATOES FROM THE FARMER’S MARKET bullshit because tomatoes are a big metaphor for the ephemerality of summer and the short but sweet—ohhhhh sooo sweet—time we have in this season. You can pretty much do this any way you want, just have salt, olive oil and acid (we used fish sauce) on handy. Really, make it however you want!
I’ve been listening to August at least once a day because it’s now August. There is a lot packed into this song.
rich (taylor's version)@richardmz13it's officially salt air & the rust on your door month, so let's talk about how 'august' by taylor swift captures that nostalgia & settling for the bare minimum not 'cause you deserve it, but you think it's your only option & it's better than not being treated in any way at all.4:00 PM · Jul 31, 202217.3K Reposts · 66.3K LikesIt reads like, and is, a song of summer heartbreak, from the perspective of someone who is chasing after someone who doesn’t reciprocate. Taylor herself said, “someone who always has the upper hand.” But beyond this fictional love story, August brings a very specific feeling of the wistful ache of nostalgia, which can be applied to so many narratives. August is a month to look back at how fast time has slipped (away like a bottle of wine~~) and mull on the what could’ves of the summer. But even though the passing of time is often panic-stricken and a little woeful, it points towards what was enjoyed, regardless of the result. And the acknowledgement and reminiscing is something to note. Nostalgia does not negate happiness and you can be both sad at the fleetingness of any chapter while remaining hopeful that there is always more to come :)
Wishing everyone a beautiful week ahead xxx