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Shitters! July… was a weird one. To be honest, most of the month felt stagnant and hot and frustrating and slow (it seems like the sentiment was shared by a lot of people around me too?). But it still had its good moments—I’m grateful for all the quality time I got to spend with family and friends in Chicago, NYC, LA, and now in Rehoboth Beach (where I’m obviously on Hunter watch). (Speaking of Rehoboth, one of you recognized me here last summer via my SIBAL tote! Crazy! If you ever see me out in the wild, PLEASE say hi! I love when the world gets a little smaller.)
Those are a few snaps from my first time back in LA in nearly two years (!). I spent most of my 20’s living there, and it will always be a special place to me. The highlight for me is always seeing friends (and that morning light), but the food and shopping are the cherries on top. Shitter’s Guide To LA soon?!
Back on the East Coast it’s been nonstop heatwaves and humidity (and the errant monsoon?), but summer always starts slipping away too quickly, so I’m doing my best to lean into simple pleasures before they’re gone: Stone fruit salad. Summer beers. Long morning coffee walks with friends (or the sunset shift on the West Side Highway). Hate-watching The Summer I Turned Pretty (I *cannot* with these kids). Getting good tables on Resy while everyone’s out of town. A classic turkey sandwich (why do I only crave these in the summer?). Big bouquets of dried lavender. Running lukewarm baths to read in (or just to scroll on my phone). Streaming a workout class outside (SO hot, but the sweat feels amazing).
Like my month in general, my favorites included a mix of new and old: I finally found my perfect fragrance in this serene scent, and this woodsy plum candle skyrocketed to the top of my personal ranking. I became a broken record about this compact for spot concealing (PRIYANKA15), and I rediscovered my love of this moisturizer (an all-time great + under $50). For the TSITP viewers among us, I realized I’ve been wearing a stack of Belly’s ring for years… unlike Jeremiah, I actually sprung for one of the bigger ones 😭 The Fatty Stick came with me on all my trips (you never know what a guest bathroom moisturizer situation will be, plus it’s great for when you’re feeling lazy post-shower—PRIYANKA20). This $30 contraption was the reason behind at least four separate hair compliments from friends. And random, but these sports bras are the first ones I reach for when I finish a load of laundry. I’m a racerback hater, and they’re the perfect alternative (and comfy enough to spend the day in).
Also on my radar:
The recipe for Golden Diner’s honey butter pancakes.
Yael Cohen (formerly Braun via Scooter)’s weird blood filtration?? There were at least four lines in this article that made me lol, including “medicine is my passion” from someone with ostensibly zero medical training.
I liked this idea about how to have more interesting conversations.
Reneé Rapp deserves an Oscar for prank calls.
- ’s art newsletter. Such a great way to dive into stories I’d never heard before!
Now for what’s on my eye…
Ballet Flats: There are no hard and fast rules about where to spend vs. save, but if there’s one place I’ll splurge a bit, it’s with shoes (per
’s dive into recent Lyst data, that’s how a lot of people are feeling these days). My mesh flats? I never shut up about them. These Acne boots? My CPW is less than a red state coffee. These vintage Gucci sandals? In the words of 2009’s greatest hit, fuck the price on the tag, just throw it in the baggg.This is all to say that if it’s a shoe I know I’ll get good use out of, I’m inclined to spend (within some amount of reason… I know I’d wear these everywhere, but I’m stuck drooling for now). I’ve put the few flats in my collection to work over the past year or so (especially the mesh and clear pairs in the summer), and I’ve been wanting to add some more to the rotation for a minute, so I compiled my leading contenders. My taste skews towards interesting materials (think calf hair, crochet, fleece), but there’s something about pairs that lean directly into the dainty ballet inspiration that does it for me too. Above all, I prioritize comfort, a casual feel, and for me, the flatter the shoe, the better (this is crucial for casual, IMO):