Greetings from Maine! I’m nearing the end of my annual trip to “Vacationland”, aka the state I’d move to in a heartbeat if I wouldn’t miss my family so dang much. The state is covered in rugged beauty; rocky shorelines, towering pines, pristine lakes. I love it so much, it’s always very hard to leave. I’m working toward having a little cabin of my own here one day, but until then, I’m making the most of our summer memories here. So far, we’ve spent a lot of time swimming in the lake, having early morning and evening cruises on the pontoon boat, looking out for wildlife (we saw a bald eagle yesterday!), blueberry picking and subsequent baking of all the blueberry things (pie and pancakes!), cooking big family dinners and reading. Basically, my version of heaven. I’ll try and do a little roundup of our time in the surrounding Southern Maine area for paid subscribers soon!
Even though I missed my typical Thursday deadline to send this newsletter out (sorry!), I have a great roundup of favorite things for you today. I hope you’ve all been having a great August. Once I’m home, I’ll be gearing up for the fall, my favorite season for many reasons! It’s truly the best time of year to cook. I always find inspiration once the temperature dips and the array of produce at the farmer’s market shifts to more substantial, grounding foods. But for now, I’m still enjoying tomatoes and blueberries.
Here’s what I’ve been loving:
I’ve made a concerted effort to read more this summer (before kids, I was an avid reader; becoming a parent…changes things, ha!). I recently finished Olive Kitteridge (good, but didn’t quite meet my expectations given that it’s a Pulitzer Prize winner) and The Woman in Cabin 10 (a solid, fast-moving beach read - enjoyed, though it was a bit formulaic). I’ve also just begun Why Buddhism is True, which I’m really liking so far, as I’ve been exploring and re-defining my spirituality a lot as of late.
Eyeing the Sezane take on the classic Breton stripe shirt - I love the button detail on the shoulders and the big variety of color combos available. So classic and chic.
I know I’m a decade late, but we recently started watching Suits - I’m generally not into legal dramas, but curiosity got the best of me since a) it’s currently in the Top 10 Netflix Shows and b) I am admittedly intrigued by all things Harry and Meghan (personally, I feel like they’re getting a bit of a raw deal right now, from a PR perspective).
I recently listened to this episode of the Ellen Fisher Podcast featuring Simon Hill (Ellen and Simon are two of my favorites), and thought it was a really excellent, objective view of many popular diets and current nutrition trends. Ellen asks great questions, and Simon’s commitment to evidence-based, scientific research provides some eye opening information.
If you’re looking to reduce your meat/dairy consumption, this NY Times piece by Melissa Clark is an important read (NYT gift link)
I’ve owned this Patagonia jacket for many years, but I have newfound appreciation for it lately (and a few colors are currently on sale!). I made a last minute decision to pack it for my trip to Italy; it takes up barely any space, is lightweight, and extremely waterproof. Given the torrential rain we dealt with our first few days, I was beyond grateful to have it on hand. I also threw it into my luggage for Maine, and the weather has been cooler than expected - having a warm, light jacket on hand is clutch when the weather is unpredictable (which seems like ALL THE TIME now, wahhh).
A few new-to-me grocery finds: recently made these Organic Brown Udon Rice Noodles and they were delicious with great texture. Perfect for Asian-inspired meals, but also a good gluten-free spaghetti substitute. I also picked up a tub of the Kite Hill Greek Style Plant Based Yogurt (Vanilla Unsweetened flavor) and have been enjoying it with berries and flaxseed in the morning. Though I don’t stress much about protein (read why you needn’t worry either, here), I’ve been experimenting with being more intentional about having some in the morning to help with satiety/blood sugar balance and this particular yogurt has 17 G plant-based protein per 2/3 cup. I also love that it contains 15% of our daily iron requirements per serving.