Final File_06

June in review.

It’s Pride Weekend and I spent all of Saturday supporting my handyman while he mounted my new bookshelves and changed the light fixture in my hallway. I can’t think of anything more homosexual than that. It being Pride Weekend means that somehow it’s the end of June (though you’re reading this in July), which is weird because I could’ve sworn it was just May. It also means that I’ve been writing Extracurricular for six months (wild!) and that I’m getting married in a little over three (also wild!). This month was an interesting one. Good one? When I write these intros I try to zero in on the emotional arc of the month or the overall theme, the things I didn’t write down. But this one feels slippery. I was happy more than sad and less anxious than usual which led to me being more anxious about being less anxious (because maybe more anxiousness is around the corner?! It’s a loop!). I’m still trying to figure out how to hold onto contentment and joy without feeling an undercurrent of dread (but the world is in fact dreadful!), but in the meantime, we move. Anyway. Onto the post. 

The Highlight Reel - standout moments from June

• I am a bonafide homebody, and not in the way that someone who says they like to be home but is always witnessed in public is. I am almost always in my house, but something came over me the first weekend in June (likely the weather) and I decided to be a person who goes outside. I went to parties and didn’t get in the house until 4AM. I said yes to everything. I went out on a Monday (Monday nights at the Rum Bar are lit). And a Tuesday! It was a great time but I’m still recovering from this two-week-long experiment, so if I say that July was more of me being a hermit, it won’t be a surprise. 

• The first open streets on Tompkins Ave. I liken this summer tradition to the promenade in Bridgerton. You see who made it through the winter together, who dyed their hair, who got finer, who still hangs out, who doesn’t. It’s an incredible people watching opportunity. I’m glad we caught the first one of the season before it devolved into a discourse about transplants and gentrification and virality because while I love a discussion as much as the next person, and think this one is important, there’s something nice about being able to pontificate internally while also being able to wear a cute outfit and see everyone you know from the internet in a three block span. Everyone also wears great outfits, which provides me with an endless amount of inspiration. 

• Soft serve season is officially underway, so if you see me with a rainbow sprinkle cone in my mouth, things are exactly as they should be. My favorite this month was from Mary Jane’s Dairy Bar in Newburgh—thick, creamy, piled way high and reasonably priced. The worst? The spongy soft serve I spent too much money on at the Seaport. We need fixed pricing on soft serve in the city, stat.

• Visited Moma Ps1 for my friend Allie’s birthday. We happened to go during Reynaldo Rivera’s exhibition Fistful of Love/También la belleza, the photographer's first solo show. Rivera manages to make the quotidian glamorous, whether it’s his sisters or a family party or drag queens before a show. I loved seeing all the cool shit he got up to over the years and the events he created with his friends. A good reminder to collaborate and create without waiting for the approval of the powers that be, which would probably make it less cool to begin with.

  

   

• My best friend Lacey came into town (seeing her twice in two months, I’m spoiled!) and she took me as her date to the premiere of Power Book 2: Ghost, which she’s written on since season one. It’s very cool to see a world she’s helped invent on the screen and to meet her coworkers IRL. The coolest part though, is watching this person I’ve loved since I was 13 live out her dreams.

• There’s few things I love more than driving on the BQE underneath the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and seeing the city unfold as we round the bend (it’s literally a curve, there’s no better way to say this!). Even though I’ve lived in New York most of my life, it never gets old.

• I went berry picking for my [redacted] friend Carrie’s birthday at Lawrence Farms and it was so much fun! We ate black cherries off a tree and it was one of those experiences that made me marvel at ordinary joy while also spiraling about how disconnected we’ve become from our food sources. Soon after I told Connay we need to start shopping exclusively at the farmer’s market. Carrie and I also showed up wearing the same outfit, see below for proof. 

  

• Writing good paragraphs. I wrote a few that I liked this month, even though I didn’t exactly write 20,000 more words. Next time!

• Did a Homebodies reading with Sapph Lit for Pride. I read a part of the novel that I rarely read aloud and despite feeling like I was going on for a really long time, it was fun. And good practice ahead of the paperback release (today!)

• My baby sister came to visit, which is always month-making. I took her on a book date and she informed me that she will be wearing a white dress to my wedding. I am powerless to stop her, so white it is.

• The Liberty Game with Josie Club! I’m always saying I want to make more lesbian/queer friends so I was thrilled when Jet (who writes the brilliant Tiny Violences on Substack) invited me and Connay to see the Liberty play. It was our first game of the season and I can’t think of better company. I also ran into my friend Adrienne while we were at the game, which felt like serendipity because I had been missing her earlier that week. 

• A few good book dates this month! Can’t wait for everyone to read. They’re always one of my favorite things. 

• Sending out when can I see you texts. I’ve become very unselfconscious about telling people I want to spend time with them or texting first or following up and I love this era for me. 

• Buying my office desk for $50 on marketplace. The woman I bought it from lives in the most beautiful apartment in the Heights and told me that she’d written a novel on it and that it hadew good karma. I believe it.

• Virgo friends.

Lowlights

• Pulling up to McDonald’s at 4AM only for it to be closed :( — how dare they say they’re open 24 hours?

• Being wrong about Golden Chalice, which was too green and not warm enough. I’ve now settled on Aztec Yellow, which I’m happy with. I think. 

• Someone robbing Birds of a Feather! If me and my girls can’t go to Bella Noche where the hell can we go?

Things I Read 

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

I read one book this month, but to be fair it was long. I was curious about The Bee Sting from a format perspective, and I’d heard good reviews, the general consensus being that it was the best book folks read in a while. It’s about a family navigating an economic downturn and the long-buried secrets threatening to swallow them whole. The novel is an interesting meditation in how far people living in self-denial will go. There’s this general feeling of tension without catharsis, with the resolutions never being quite what you’d expect. It was clever, I think, to constantly end it in a different place than the reader anticipates. It felt very true to life but without being boring and I admired Murray’s ability to jump between perspectives and have each character feel distinct. On another note, I would like to chat with Irish school teachers about the module on quotation marks and why so many writers seem to forgo the practice entirely. The book is still good if there are conversation signifiers, I promise! 

This month in book mail* 

I definitely received more but I was bad about keeping track. Next month, I’m on it.

• Model Home by Rivers Solomon - out October 9th

• Dancing on My Own by Simon Wu - out now

• State of Paradise by Laura Van Den Berg - out July 9

• Serendipity by Becky Chalsen - out now

Things I Watched 

As always, lots of TV!

A still from Ren Faire.

The Good

Ren Faire (HBO)

This three-part docuseries about a renaissance fair and its aging leader was one of my favorite things I watched this month. Its hyperspecificity works in its favor, making high stakes out of who is going to take over the fair next. The cast of characters is compelling and by the end you sort-of believe in the largesse of King George while also recognizing that he’s deeply flawed. It’s being compared to Succession, which I would say is accurate.

Fleishman is in Trouble (Hulu)

I’m guilty of not having read the novel this show has been based on all the way through, but I really loved this adaptation, which was the most honest translation of a novel to screen I’ve seen, maybe ever. I think that has to do with the fact that Taffy is also the author of the novel and deeply understands the source material. I do think she has a talent for both, though, and I’d be interested to see her adapt someone else’s work. 

Telemarketers (HBO)

The documentaries really did it for me this month. I loved this one too, which digs into the world of telemarketing scams, which are frankly, terrifying. What I loved most is that the documentarians weren’t journalists who stumbled onto a story but employees of the telemarketing company who decided to whistleblow on the entire operation. This is citizen journalism at its best, and a reminder that anyone can change the world, or at least their small part of it. Even though they ultimately didn’t take down the telemarketing scam industry they shed light and raised awareness, which is sometimes all you can do. 

Presumed Innocent (Apple TV)

I am obsessed with this legal thriller, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a lawyer who’s accused of murdering his coworker. When I say this is messy, it is wild. It’s also a bit of a psychological thriller, which I love. I wish they would release all the episodes at once! 

Love After Lockup (WE TV)

If Love After Lockup has one fan, it’s me. It chronicles recently released inmates and the people they’ve built bonds with on the outside, showcasing the ups and downs of relationships that are intense and emotional because of their circumstances. It’s messy as hell but I find myself rooting for so many of the couples and each season I get attached to at least one. This season it was Brittany and Kerok, who met on the inside and are now doing everything they said they would while locked up. Their love is earnest and raw and complicated. At times they have competing interests but ultimately both want to make it work. I especially love the bond Kerok shares with his mom. He’s trans and transitioned while incarcerated so when the show opens, his family has never seen him with more traditionally masculine features. The way his family embraces, loves, and affirms him is beautiful and something I wish everyone could experience. I need a clip from their reunion to go viral on TikTok or something. 

Wanderlust (Amazon Prime)

I watched this at my friend Adrienne’s recommendation and I’m so glad I did. It was hilarious. Laugh out loud funny. A worthwhile hour and change. Highly recommend!

The Bear (Hulu)

Three episodes in and it feels light on dialogue, heavy on vibes. I’m willing to see where it goes. Season two set an extremely high bar for me. Episode six lives in my pantheon of best television episodes of all time. 

Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)

I’ve been hooked on Power for years so I was excited for season 4 of Ghost. This season we’re back with Tariq and Brayden, who are trying to live life on the straight and narrow after a semester of close calls. This quickly becomes complicated because these boys are restless and we watch the power struggle between the young St. Patrick and the Tejadas along with rival gangs. Early days, but I’m into it!

The Fine

Dark Matter (Apple TV)

I really enjoyed this one up until the last three episodes, when it took a strange turn. It’s about a man who’s kidnapped into an alternate version of his life and has to fight his way back, I cant say much more without spoiling things and I think it was worth the watch, despite me feeling like they didn’t quite land the plane. 

Hollywood Con Queen (Apple TV)

This documentary investigates the Hollywood Con Queen, a scam artist who preyed on young entertainment industry hopefuls by impersonating Hollywood executives. It’s wild hearing what they got these unsuspecting people to do and how much money they were able to siphon from vulnerable young artists. All in all, a worthwhile watch, though it does spend a lot of time on the perpetrator, which I’m generally wary of. 

House of the Dragon (HBO)

I loved season one but I haven’t locked into season two yet. I think it’s because I’ve been trying to multitask during a show that has always required my full attention. I’m blaming this one on me. Let’s check back in once I rewatch. 

The Boys (Amazon Prime)

I used to love this show so much, but now it feels both absurd and too close to life. We’re watching their suped up America slip quickly into fascism, which is maybe not the best thing to watch during an election year. Additionally, the show has become gory to the point of being nauseating and they’re always coming up with novel ways to be disgusting. I’m tired, but holding out hope that they can bring it home.

Worst Roommate Ever (Netflix)

Finished season two in time for the end of the month and this made me realize just how crazy people can be. Season one felt wild but season two somehow outdid the first, with people who seemed normal but really were evil. I’m talking 10, 20 year relationships gone bad. If you dare to venture I recommend watching during the daytime and skipping altogether if you’re prone to paranoia. 

The Abysmal

Tell Them You Love Me (Netflix)

What the fuck. This one was just wild from top to bottom. This month I’ve watched lots of docs where the assailant is allowed to speak/pontificate and I think this one did it in a way that was lopsided and gross. There was a clear attempt to drum up sympathy for a very sick woman, and the gotcha pivot toward the end didn’t land. It instead felt like an attempt to justify and apologize for her behavior, which I think was poor storytelling and a missed opportunity to spark nuanced conversations around disability rights and exploitation. 

Bridgerton (Netflix)

Wrapped this one up in June and my opinion still stands. My least favorite season yet. 

Six Schizophrenic Brothers (HBO)

I’ve never seen a documentary fumble a name harder. Six Schizophrenic Brothers sounds unsophisticated and too on-the-nose in comparison to Hidden Valley Road, the book it’s based on. This documentary is about….six schizophrenic brothers, and the complicated lives they end up leading due to their mental illness. It was an interesting watch but it felt disjointed and by the end I was ready for it to release me from its grip. It also felt like it linked mental illness with criminality and I think a cameo from a “leading psychologist” to dismiss this notion would’ve gone a long way. Overall very sad and wild.

Perfect Match (Nettflix)

I made it one episode and never picked it back up. Maybe in July?

Dancing for the Devil (Netflix)

This TikTok church cult is crazy but also not particularly nuanced in the world of cult docs. It’s very straightforward—narcissistic leader who exploits his congregation and uses the Bible to justify weird sex stuff and high levels of control, and while the storytelling was fine, it’s nothing to write home about.  

Normal People (Hulu)

This was a no for me. I had a lot of issues with Marianne, and I couldn’t wrap my mind around their conflict—so much of it came down to being able to have a conversation. They were the weapons formed against them and I made it all the way to the last episode before I gave up and never went back to it. I get why this was the show that launched the Paul Mescal fandom though, the quiet, sensitive thing works for him. 

Best bites

• Prawn toast @ The Osprey

• Everything @ Pomp and Circumstance, specifically the semolina pita

• Blueberry pavlova @ Tusk Bar, though everything else was a skip

• Charred cauliflower @ Colonia Verde

• Double raspberry Magnum bars

• Insalata di cavolo and foccacia @ Barbuto

• Magnolia Bakery carrot cake - once again, I am obsessed

Things I want

• Custom script on a boat and tote. It’s not enough for LL Bean to send it to me embroidered. I feel like I need to take it a step further and go to my local embroidery place and ask for a cool, loopy font. At least I assume that’s what the girl carrying the one I saw did. 

• Green Adidas pants/track pants in general. I saw a man wearing them at the gym, then Peyton Dix at something, somewhere. I don’t remember. The fact that it looked good on both in wildly different contexts sold me. The only caveat is that they can’t have that weird little seam running down the front. These aren’t green, but you get the idea.

• White Adidas shorts - This is the summer of everyone wearing all-white-everything and I want in on it. 

• Black sunglasses with smoke-brown lenses. My friend Madison wore some and looked great (if it isn’t clear she has a big *influence* on my buying ideas) Maybe these from Elisa Johnson? I’ve been lightweight wanting them for a year. I also like and own these from Dezi but there’s something about the thicker frame.

• Red post it notes, bc of the ones in Emily Schuman’s Substack post. 

• Wedding shoes! I’m in a clickhole of smart-looking but not too high heels. Currently trawling through the SSENSE sale. 

• 20K more words in my draft! Trying to get to the end of this thing by September 1. 

Things I bought 

• 4 Sk*ms scoop bralettes

• Tory Burch sandals on super sale — I’d been eyeing these for a bit and Liana Satenstein’s substack post about them pushed me over the edge.

• A dress for my bridal wardrobe (no peeking!)

• Another Honeywell fan, this time in a fun blue shade

• Yellow sambas (finally) - on sale at END for $75

• Books for my baby sister 

• Books for myself

That’s all! How was y’alls month? I want to know. 

big mood.