Happy Sunday everyone! As one commenter pointed out, after we said the year was half over, it wasn’t actually half over until July. Well. So that’s tomorrow! Hopefully the first half of the year went as well as it could have, and hopefully the second half will be even better. It’s hot in LA and warm in Portland, so we’re definitely grateful that it really feels like summer right now! Speaking of summer, have you seen the blueprint for the backyard of the riverfront house? Talk about a perfect summer spot. Okay, links?
This week’s home tour is beyond words. It should be illegal for Reath Design to be this good. It’s the antique Tudor jewelry box of our dreams and you just have to go see it to believe it. But set aside some time because you’ll be going over every detail.
From Emily: Summer family movie alert: Three great summer movies you should watch. First up: Fall Guy. Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, romance, adventure, thrills, and humor. It’s our generation’s Romancing the Stone (but kid-friendly aside from some of the dramatic fighting, innuendo, and regular swearing). Guys, this was two hours of pure family fun. We loved it. Second up: Inside Out 2. So good. This movie is about the emotions of puberty—anxiety, envy, boredom… and it’s more about friendship than parental relationships, but the way they tell the story of our emotional world is absolutely genius (lots of fun puns like stream of consciousness, brainstorming, and my favorite, sarcasm). The next day, I had an anxiety attack due to the situation (and exhaustion), and Elliot and I talked about how anxiety takes over my brain, and how while its job is often to protect (and defend), I was honestly able to self-correct faster after just watching this movie (and a 5-mile walk helped, lol). I know anxiety isn’t always easily resolved (and it took a good night’s sleep, too), but I don’t know, and watching the movie so close to this day I was at least able to think about it better using such a visual metaphor. Third: We recently watched Paddington 2 , which has an almost viral following for being one of the funniest and most artistic kids’ movies ever made. The thought and attention to detail in the production design is astonishing for a movie “just” for kids (the same group of people as the new Wonka movie, which was amazing). If you haven’t seen it, it’s a must-see for all ages if you like beautiful, thoughtful movies. But before you go: you should definitely check out The Hit Man (NETFLIX). Glen Powell is the best. He’s basically the new Brad Pitt (or George Clooney) and he’s brilliant at playing several roles in one movie. I’ve been a huge fan of his since Set It Up (a great romantic comedy) and he’s a friend of good friends who have nothing but nice things to say about him (which shouldn’t matter, but it kind of does). But even if he’s the worst person ever, this guy can act. My brother watched the movie twice (in a row!! That’s not normal guys) and I’d watch it again in a second. It’s directed by Richard Linklater, so in case you think it’s just a big blockbuster, it’s much more thoughtful and artistic than that. One of the most enjoyable movies I’ve seen in years.
From Jess: Back in December, Arlene wrote a great post about 7 easy, nutritious meals that she loves to make (and I trust her taste as someone who has the privilege of feeding her at least once a month :)) Recently I tried the Avocado Mojo Bowl and it was very good. Avocado mojo sauce is so easy to make, which is why I didn’t think to season my baked fries with taco seasoning, I’d never know! I just chopped up some pieces of roasted chicken I bought and I was ready. So I can attest that it’s easy, nutritious, and there are thousands of ways to play with it. Oh, I added mayonnaise when I made the saw 🙂
Also from Jess: A little over a week ago, I decided to embark on a personal challenge to walk 10,000 steps a day for a month straight. I know this is very original. It was pretty annoying aside from having to push my sunglasses up my nose 100 times during said walk. The sun is blazing and my sweaty little face doesn’t stand a chance. But fashion designer Abby Arad just posted a video about a product called Nerdwax that is an anti-slip for your glasses. It was also on Shark Tank according to the box 🙂 I hit the add to cart button pretty quickly. Can this daily annoyance be solved? Fingers crossed. Sorry I don’t have an official review but time is of the essence in this heat, right? I also really trust Abby (love her content) and the reviews are pretty damn compelling too.
From Caitlin: Why didn’t anyone tell me how good the $8 shirts at Target are now? I’ve been singing the praises of this $6 shirt for a long time (it’s lasted me 5 years with no complaints!) but man, I love these shirts. I bought the light blue and black/white ones on a whim before our trip to Mexico, but ended up stocking up on them recently at the store—I bought them in pink, olive, white, another blue, and plain black—because they’re my new favorite design for the rest of the summer. Target tanks last forever—they’ll replace the ones I bought in 2015 (!!!) and I love the look and feel of them! The high neckline makes them feel a little cooler/more special and they’re easy to pair with wider pants. 10,000 stars!
From Gretchen: I went to Target to buy some basics and somehow came out with an adorable new summer bag! Doesn’t it always seem like this? I was initially drawn to the look of them, then I almost bought them in all the colors because they were all so cute and I couldn’t decide which was my favorite! I took the safe bet and chose the plain, lightweight straw bag, but my mind was really making a case for the plain black color and I might have to go back and buy that bag again. If you like bright colours, the natural blue striped bag was also a major winner. I love that it’s a small bag with a unique shape, but it still holds a lot, and looks just as cute when worn with the shoulder strap as it does without it. And it’s only $20!
From Mallory: I’m the type of person who puts my earrings in, never takes them off, and then forgets about them for months at a time, so I like to have some basic gold hoops/studs that are easy to wear and aren’t too expensive (because when you wear earrings 24/7, things can happen to them). I ended up getting this pack from Nordstrom for only $15 because you get so many good options to choose from. Right now, I’m wearing the little rope hoops with the gold shell studs (I have a double piercing) because they’re super lightweight and go with everything!!
From Arlyn: If you love supporting small businesses, are a die-hard Swiftie fan, and are looking for premium, non-toxic candles, I have the brand for you! Aembr is fairly new to the scene and the founder really cares about creating a quality product at a reasonable price, you know… for bougie candles. (I actually followed them for over a decade when we were both bloggers and they were one of my first interviews!) They’re big on seasonal releases and special collections (like their Taylor Swift-inspired collection), but if you need someone to start with, may I suggest Bibliotek?
As always, thanks for stopping by and see you all tomorrow!
Editorial Image Credits: Photography by Kailtin Green | From: River House Patio Design Plan – Enjoying your first summer as soon as possible!
