I know it’s almost summer because I have once again been struck by the urge to program my life around delicious, sun-bathed media while shopping for warm-weather clothing. Herewith, some ideas on beach reads, summer clothes and other seasonal treats.
Beach Reads
I am a deep lover of a beach read. But my flavor of beach read is…specific. It is almost always a book from 30+ years ago, often written by an Englishwoman, and filled with language so juicy, so ripe, it nearly drips off the page. You’ll see what I mean.
I consider the most perfect beach read of all time to be The Enchanted April, a book I love so much I adapted it into a TV show (that no one ever bought, c’est la vie).
Is it possible I haven’t mentioned one of my favorite books ever on this Substack before? Well let’s remedy that immediately! Everyone who likes to enjoy themselves should read the Queen Lucia and Miss Mapp series. Good English fun.
Every year I convince at least one friend to read The Dud Avocado, and every year that person thanks me.
Muriel Spark is an obvious choice for a summer read (if not necessarily a beach read), and I gravitate most towards The Girls of Slender Means. Thanks to my time at an all-girls school, I’ve always loved stories about women-only hotels; think the movie Stage Door, or that part of The Women (1939) where they go to a divorce ranch.
More people have picked up on this next book in recent years, but I was reading The Edwardians when I was 16 and obsessed with England. If that sounds like a flex—it’s not. I was a deeply weird kid.
And the beach read I’m currently gulping like a Diet Coke on a hot summer’s day—Princess Daisy. A book that was apparently huge in its time but which has since fallen out of favor (in part, I imagine, thanks to a few dated passages). But it is rollicking, it is sexy, it is perfect for pretending to read while you’re lying on a towel and actually looking at a hot surfer bounding into the waves.
Summer Clothes
It feels like 80% of my wardrobe stays locked up until the thermostat hits 80 degrees, and then it’s a flat-out race to wear everything I own.
Every year I buy one bikini, and this year, I thought it was going to be one from Em&May. But then I went to an OGBFF x Niihai pop up and laid my grubby little mitts on this leopard print bikini. It was love at first sight.
I’ve heard people are struggling to find dresses for spring/summer weddings this year. Peace be with you all, but I cannot see one more goddamn nightgown made out of a poly-silk blend. It does not look formal, it looks like the Sleepy Time bear. Whereas this Collette Dinnigan dress (a brand I name-checked back in my Australia post) is 100% silk and gussied up with some very handsome beading. Plus the owner just sent me an offer for, I’m not kidding, $49. ACT FAST!!
I love nothing more than a bitchy little purse for spring/summer. It should look equally at home at the mall and the beach. Liana Satenstein of Neverworns recently named the Celine ‘Boogie’ as her summer bag; I too am a “Celine for Summer” girl, but I prefer the ‘Ella.’ (This other Ella is great too, though pricier).
For my part, I picked up an old Bracher Emden bag for summer. It cost $75 on Posh and was worth every penny. This other B2E is a little over $100, but bargain them down. Unrelated, but you could also probably get this hot pink Gianfranco bag under $200.
I think summer is all about stupid, loud jewelry. Accordingly, I just bought these pill bangles from Retail Pharmacy. (They’re out of the exact model I bought, but you get the picture).
What to Watch in June
When it gets to a certain temperature, the only way I watch stuff is in a nice, cold theater. But if you are stronger than me, here are some of my recent watches that feel like summer. Also, let this section serve as a reminder that I do not have a Letterboxd, but I post most things I watch in my Instagram stories; all of these have recently been featured there.
Mustang, a beautiful Turkish film about young women coming of age, made me cry. And more to the point for this post, it is peak girlhood, and girlhood always makes me think of summer. Bonus, it’s free on Tubi right now.
Similarly, Happyend will give you that feeling of “school’s out for summer.” Doesn’t have a wide release yet, but be on the lookout.
If you want a 70s summer vibe, check out One Sings, The Other Doesn’t. BTW, why does a movie from fifty years ago feel like a more provocative and revolutionary take on abortion than most anything recently released in theaters? Sit with that, babe.
Another film that’s streaming for free—I finally watched the technicolor masterpiece Leave Her to Heaven, which is an excellent summer film but which *really* should only be watched on a big screen. If a theater near you is showing it this season, it’s a must watch.
And lastly, an ask—where the hell can I stream Kamikaze Girls (2004)? It’s like it’s been poof’ed from the Internet. If you have some legal or illegal version of this *with English subs*, hit my line.
…and something to eat
In an elaborate show of trying to use all the lemons on my tree, I recently made lemon possets. Even though I did the instructions in the wrong order, they came out great. The real misstep was making them for a boozy party where people were not trying to use spoons and dexterity.1
Also, I’m in the harrowing process of trying to buy a good BBQ because I have fantasies of grilling Impossible Burgers on my balcony. Does anyone have good, affordable BBQ recs?
Happy summer (almost)!
I wish I still had the subscription paywall so I could tell you guys about my Easter egg hunt…I don’t want to be dramatic but I think it shifted the very fabric of LA’s party scene.
Missed you