The Recently Enjoyed Things Summer List
38 Things to Do, Read, Buy & Eat Before Fall
Guys, this is not a fall hype post, I swear. This is a celebration of the lingering days of summer. This is basking in the hot, sweaty dog days, and appreciating them. It’s writing a strong to-do list with every single intention of clearing the entire GD thing. I’m talking start to finish. We’re wringing out the good bits of summer and we’re gulping them down.
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A book to read at the beach
Recommended by your friend who reads backlist beauties, usually available at the library.
The Vacationers by Emma Straub// a multi-POV on this family trip to Majorca where everyone seems to be dealing with a crisis that they don’t want to talk about. An elevated beach read that feels smart and funny.
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume // A classic for a reason! Starting in 1977, this story of two best friends spans decades as they spend their summers together on the east coast. Their friendship is rocked by the usual ups and downs, boyfriends, different paths and eventually kids and marriages.
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An album to listen to all the way through
Kacey Musgraves // Anything from her discography really, but I’m particularly enjoying her latest album, Middle of Nowhere.
Ariana Grande // petal. Girl can sing a bop and as a side note, I admire her commitment to the lowercase letters.
Fleetwood Mac // Rumours. FULL of bangers that still resonate and also feel nostalgic. Dreams always feels right.
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A $20-ish thing worth buying
Hear me out - September is January with better weather. I’m talking about the fresh start vibes and not one single thing says fresh start to me more than a crisp new agenda. They don’t make those mid-year calendars for nothing, baby.
May I also suggest a fresh notebook?
Addendum: I never expected to be the kind of person with a pen preference, but here we are. These pens are elite, inexpensive, and make writing my to-do list a joy.
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A summer outfit formula
There is still plenty of time to really hone it in and nothing will make your life easier than a uniform. Get multiples and then it’s all just plug and play. I will evangelize all day for my personal summer uniform which is precisely this + this + this:
Target makes a great ribbed tank top for $8 but often on sale for $. I’m historically allegiant to Old Navy’s athletic shorts, but they’re sold out for the season. Amazon has a nice alternative in a whole myriad of colors. I remain allegiant to the elite J Crew Factory flip-flop, which comes out like freaking clockwork every year and is a total workhorse in my closet. I’ve already purchased next years pair (on sale, duh).
Bonus points: anklet. We deserve zjush in our lives!
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A nostalgic movie
I love something that feels like the end of summer, you know? Gotta feel some of Lana’s summertime sadness and include some mention of Labor Day.
Dirty Dancing - leave before the weekend to miss Labor Day traffic. But Daddy!
The Parent Trap - theeee famous Labor Day camping trip.
Grease - no mention of Labor Day but the back-to-school vibes are there.
Now and Then - girlhood remains the same forever, doesn’t it? I bet this will still speak to women in 1,000 years.
The Sandlot - okay fine, more 4th of July than Labor Day, but can’t you just feel how hot it is outside every minute of this movie?
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Drink of the summer
This could mean one of two things, depending on how your summer has been going. Perhaps you have already established your drink of the summer and now is the time to celebrate that! Keep the ingredients on hand, make one on a Friday night. Really lock in the taste memory that will remind you of summer 2026 every time you drink one ever after. Alternatively, maybe it’s time to start now and establish a drink of the summer! It’s not too late!
I’m in the latter group personally, and I have some ideas.
Cocktail // Tomato Margarita- sounds very Bloody Mary adjacent, which is a compliment.
Mocktail // Orange Spice Mule - oh my god, yum!
Coffee // Fluffy Seagull Latte- a riff on a fluffer-nutter in beverage format. Allegedly famous on the East Coast. Okay!
Canned // Surf Side Ice Teas have been the seltzer of summer for me and a real cooler staple. For non-alcoholic options, I love the Raspberry Rose from Recess.
A few years ago, I drank coconut la Croix + coconut rum exclusively and I wouldn’t say no to one now, but ultimately it tastes like summer 2023 in the best way. See? Our summer drinks can be laughably simple and still do the trick!
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A day trip
First and foremost, baby girl use your PTO! But even if it has to be a Saturday or whatever, hop in some kind of transportation and go somewhere new. Throw on a podcast for the drive. Stop somewhere for lunch. Walk through a downtown and pop into an antique store. Dedicate your whole day to this trip and then fall into your own bed at the end. This is therapy!
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Something for the kids
Open to interpretation! But I have some ideas -
Craft time together - we love to set up shop with a full scale bedazzling station and throw on some tunes or a podcast. Obviously kids are all different, but mine can hunker down for a good hour of quiet concentration and fam, this is a gift.
Projector movie night. Watching a movie outside is somehow better than watching it indoors. I don’t make the rules. We’re working our way through the Tom Holland Spiderman movies, which will culminate in a trip to the movie theatre to see the newest one right before school starts.
Order something silly and make sure it arrives in packaging addressed to them. Mine went bananas for this butter squishy that showed up unannounced.
Summer Picnic Dinner. Toss some sammies and bevs in a cooler and go somewhere for a picnic dinner after work. Ideally on a random weekday so it feels particularly special.
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A recipe
The truest gift of summer is how a salad can constitute an entire meal. I say load your plate up with this couscous salad and call it a whole GD day.
Let’s also use up all the readily available produce! I personally grow exactly one tomato plant every year which yields 3-4 tomatoes that do not in any way pay for themselves, but bring me big joy to cultivate. A 10 minute tomato vinaigrette feels like a worthy use.
Anyone else have strong childhood memories of the 90’s dirt cake? Gifting my kids with the same nostalgia.
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a weird historical rabbit hole
Instead of scrolling instagram again, may I interest you in a seasonal rabbit hole to fall down and research all night long?
Become an expert in the history of MTV, which premiered in August 1981.
Or how about when the NYT published a front page obituary for a fictional character. Lol.
Read about halo effect and question everything you’ve ever thought about people.
Get really familiar with Anna Wintour ahead of the annual and iconic September Vogue issue.
Related: this year, Cindy Crawford’s daughter and Richard Gere’s son are on the September cover together, which is really interesting given that their parents were married to each other in the 90’s. Personally, that’s a rabbit hole I fell down a few days ago.
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A tiny luxury
This body wash that I don’t need but want very much.
A book so new, it’s not at my local thrift store yet. My two Roman empires, in one tidy book.
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Your end of summer to-do list
Go for a long drive on a Sunday afternoon with no real destination. Stop for ice cream. Drive around a lake. Look at the houses and people going for a walk and big trees or huge fields or whatever. Just take it all in.
Root beer float night. Quintessential summertime stuff, here.
Buy an in-season food item locally and roll your eyes into the back of your head as you bite into it. Moan a little too. I mean really experience it! The way things taste when they’re picked fresh and eaten quickly is unreal, particularly in a society that is used to everything being available all the time - we forget what peak ripeness tastes like! I’m talking sweet corn, peaches, tomatoes, etc etc. You get it.
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