June. JUNE.
Goodness, you were a busy month.
The month was dominated by our move. And while we’re still waiting on quite a bit, a handful of items have emerged as firm favorites.
HOME
The first – my husband’s mistress, the Amazon Echo.
Voiced by Alexa, the Echo can do, well, anything. And politely.
Want to hear a specific album. Alexa will play it for you (as long as it’s in Prime’s limited library).
Need to know the weather forecast? Alexa’s got you.
Ran out of paper towels? “Alexa, add paper towels to my Amazon cart.” Done.
I get it, husband. I love the Echo too.
My favorite item, on the other hand, is the iHome vanity mirror. I have a vanity in my new bathroom, which makes ‘putting on my face’ a pleasure. This mirror is the ultimate – provides excellent light and two mirror options, charges my phone, and plays music/calls through its Bluetooth speaker. Basically, it’s the Holy Grail.
If applying my makeup has become a daily morning ritual, curling up in my Acapulco chair with a glass of wine and a book has become an evening one, once Rho is asleep. We purchased this set for our new outdoor space, and I enjoy it every warm (and dry!) evening we have. A word to the wise – throw a blanket over it or wear pants to minimize the marks that the chair will inevitably make on the back of your legs.
BOOKS
I managed to finish a few books this month that are Hit List-worthy. Game Of Crowns was a fascinating look inside the top English women monarchs – Elizabeth, Camilla, and Catherine. And you can’t talk about any of them without discussing Diana, which this book satisfyingly does. While it’s a nonfiction book, it reads like a juicy novel. I highly recommend picking it up, especially in the wake of the Brexit vote. Another book I devoured (literally as well, as I cooked several recipes from it) was Padma Laksmi’s raw and powerful memoir. I had the incredible fortune of attending a reading and private lunch with the author, who is truly lovely (and yes, she eats). As she promised, Love, Loss, And What We Ate was her story, in her words. Everything – growing up in India, her marriage and divorce, endometriosis, navigating various careers, motherhood – was on the table. I’m an unabashed Padma fan, and was happily satisfied by this book. And quite impressed by her writing skill.
Similarly impressive – Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cookbook, It’s All Easy.
I know. I know. But when a white girl is delivering truly superb Indian recipes, I must give credit where it’s due.
My ultimate favorite from this book is the cauliflower kimchi fried rice, which I make twice (and sometimes thrice) a week. #teamgoop
FASHION
I added another pair of the world’s most comfortable shoes to my roster when I re-injured a toe (which sounds so lame, but in reality is insanely painful). Truth be told, I wouldn’t have said no to another pair of Star Wars ones…but I own all of them already. The shoes happen to pair perfectly with this 10 Crosby by Derek Lam blouse-dress set, which I’ve been wearing nonstop (also this, this, and this one). Have I found my summer uniform? I think so.
Discover my random monthly favorites for May, April, and March. More here.Â
Have you made any discoveries this month that are too good to not share? Let me know below!
