Downtime Notes #55: Shopping as fantasy, girls who grill, and a beach read
If you like Downtime, consider becoming a paid supporter! Get every single newsletter, access the Downtime subscriber chat, and see the full archives. You can become a paid subscriber here. ❤️ Either way, thanks for reading. Downtime Notes #55: Shopping as fantasy, girls who grill, and a beach readThis is weekend recs, just with a new name!Hi, happy Friday! A quick programming note before today’s post: I’ve been doing a bit of thinking on how to allow for more creativity and flow with Downtime, so I’m trying something new here. What was “Weekend Recs” is now just “Downtime Notes.” I might have enthusiastic and lengthy recommendations one week, while other weeks I may just have a quick bullet list of five fun things currently inspiring me or stuff that’s on my radar. I’m hoping this will free me up to work on more posts throughout the week that touch on shopping, style, books, and inspo. Let’s see how it goes in the coming months, and I’m all ears for what you think! Thanks for being here and for reading. I continue to be so grateful for this community, I literally could not do this without you. P.S. I have an exciting announcement for my fellow House of the Dragon fans: I’m starting subscriber chat threads for each episode, which you can find right here. 🐉 See you all on Sunday. !!! A book I’m reading… The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand. Since we’re headed to Nantucket soon, I thought it apt to pick up a Hilderbrand book from the library—I loved 28 Summers. I grabbed the only title they had. The Perfect Couple is a beachy murder mystery that centers on a lavish oceanfront wedding on the island. Lo and behold, Netflix actually just released a trailer for their upcoming movie adaptation of this book, with an incredible cast!! It will star Nicole Kidman, Dakota Fanning, Meghann Fahy, Mia Isaac (from Black Cake), and Eve Hewson (from Bad Sisters, which was so good!). This might be a great time to go grab this book before the movie comes out. (Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm) What I cooked this week… I’m continuing to push my #girlswhogrill agenda on IG and some people expressed interest in learning more. Grilling is the best. Everything becomes more delicious when tossed on a grill. I know a grill may seem intimidating to some, but if even an idiot like myself can do it, you can, too. I believe in you. Plus as a bonus, you can sip a cold glass of pre-dinner rosé or a non-alc spritz outside while you’re hard at work. ;) So so good and easy. Don't forget the balsamic glaze! I used a store bought one called Nonna's but you could make your own.
Do you have any favorite *easy* grilling recs? What do you serve it with? What I’m queuing up on TV… Besides getting completely sucked into Love Island US (no spoilers please! I don’t trust Rob!) and House of the Dragon, I have My Lady Jane (on Prime) on my radar, a buzzy new historical fantasy and romance. I also watched a few episodes of the Netflix docuseries about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, which was fascinating and frustrating. Most of it is predictable dance-momsy stuff, like the somewhat horrifying way the judges talk about the women’s bodies and appearance. The series does a great job shedding light on the eyebrow-raising business practices of the DCC; for example, I had no idea that most of the squad were not paid well and that they held other full-time jobs on top of this already very demanding gig. What I bought recently….and some shopping thoughts: I grabbed quite a few things from Doen’s secondhand sale I shared a few weeks ago and a few new pieces (oops). This is a brand whose pieces always make me happy; they are pricey, but I’ve found the quality, cuts, and craftsmanship to be worth the cost if you can swing it (most of the time). I absolutely love and kept this floral dress, this tomato-girl-summer dress, this smocked dress, and this fancy-ish black cotton top that’s a good alt to a tee. I meant to grab just secondhand pieces, but I got a little too add-to-cart click-happy and bought some pieces that were absolutely stunning but ultimately impractical… And yet…I can’t part with this particular gorgeous puff-sleeve secondhand dress that—as babyish it is to say—made me feel like a princess as soon as I put it on. (The dress has princess seams at the front; perhaps that’s why, d’oh). My rational brain tells me not to keep the piece, but…I’m going to keep it. The exaggerated sleeves and fitted bodice make it too fancy for casual daytime wear, but I’m hoping that one day I’ll have the right occasion for it. I know I’m just rationalizing this purchase. But is shopping fun anymore if there’s not just a tiny bit of fantasy left in it? Maybe my fantastical shopping mistake reveals a desire for a different kind of life—or at least a different kind of cadence to my life, one in which I do wear fanciful clothing a bit more often to go out on date nights, or to a show, or to a nice dinner with friends. (You know, all the pre-baby stuff, ha!) I don’t know where I’m going with this. We talk a lot about buying items that are practical for our real, everyday life. For who we really are, right now. But maybe the purchases we make that fall outside of that are trying to tell us something, and that’s worth tuning into. (Btw, I understand why people scoff at shopping and style content; a lot of it is caught up in this type of — let’s face it — navel-gazing and narcissism. But I find it fun and revelatory, even. :) ) P.S. I’ve been putting my recent shopping finds here throughout the week, if you’re in a shopping mood and want everything in one spot. 🛍️ A reader recommendation… Finally, here’s a rec from Downtime reader Lindsey, following up on last week’s letter about travel:
Thanks for reading! Have a good weekend. See you next week. x Alisha You’re on the free list for Downtime. Consider upgrading to a paid subscription to support my work and get every letter and other perks. FREE ways to show your appreciation (that really do help)…
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