August 2024 Faves

I just got back from 24 hours in the woods. It was lovely and peaceful and I got five whole hours of sleep!

Beyond camping, August had a few highlights (most of which are in my recent Northern Michigan sketchbook diary). I read books and watched movies and even bought a new swimming accessory. Let’s get into it.

READS + WATCHES

1. Whoever You Are Honey by Olivia Gatwood. Good god, you can tell Gatwood is a poet. If you like unlikely female friendships, satire about the tech world, and gorgeous prose, add this one to your TBR pile.

2. Banal Nightmare by Halle Butler—this author writes millennial mundanity like no one else! We follow our protagonist as she moves back to her small midwestern hometown after a bad breakup, where she is soon surrounded by a cast of characters that resent their lives and each other. You’ll laugh and cringe and leave with a little dread (weirdly my favorite kind of book). 

3. Longlegs, a horror movie with a villain that made me laugh (Nicholas Cage in a giant face prosthetic, you guys). But otherwise, I found this one fun. Very arthouse-y, PNW vibes. 

SOUNDS

1. Our Riotous Defects by of Montreal ft. Janelle Monáe, stuck in my head during the open water swim I competed in earlier this month. Listen to the opening lyrics and you’ll see why. 

2. Yaeji’s new single BooBoo. Upbeat and fun and wild and on repeat!!!

3. This perfect summery playlist, which I found through someone’s Substack and I can’t for the LIFE of me remember who. If it was you, let me know so I can properly thank you. 

FLAVORS

1. Everything from the restaurant Farm Club (a must visit in Traverse City), but especially this farm board (veggies! Breads! Dips! All sourced from the farm! I could cry).  

2. Nachos, once after a bike ride and two weeks later after a backpacking trip. No better food to celebrate an athletic feat (especially if paired with a beer). 

3. Fresh peaches from the farmers market, later enjoyed sliced over vanilla ice cream. 

LOOKS

1. A pair of sunglasses from Komono. These make me feel cool as hell.

2. The cloud carry-on bag from Baggu is the most spacious bag I’ve found that fits under a plane seat. Feels like a huge air travel hack. 

3. New goggles! Always a thrill to have smude-free lenses (and these have fun checkered straps!). 

And finally, a phone wallpaper to carry you into September.