Fourth of July needs to hold off. I obviously love the holiday and the long weekend that’s kicking off in a few hours, but this summer is speeding by. Without the standard markings of the season (meeting friends for rosé outside after work, looking forward to a major vacation, spending time in Savannah, having friends over to grill in the courtyard) it’s like it hasn’t even started. I found myself waiting to crank the AC and reserving my super summery clothes, telling myself “it’s too early to wear that, you’ll look silly when the season isn’t even underway – what’ll you do when it’s really hot out and you’ve already burned through all those outfits and can’t make the apartment any colder?” But it’s no longer too early. Summer is fully underway, even if I don’t want it to be. Just because I’m not enjoying a traditional summer doesn’t mean the calendar isn’t hurdling forward.
I’m obsessed with my nails. I gave myself a mani using some of Olive & June’s nail art stickers. I also got some of the white stars that I’ll be using this weekend so I can be extra festive on the 4th. These packs only cost $7.50 and are good for at least two manis so it’s a great deal.
NYC entered Phase 2 last week, which means outdoor dining (at a distance) is now permitted. I’m still very much a Nervous Nelly and exercising extreme caution, but when we walked passed Harlem Shake (a neighborhood fave) and saw plenty of room between diners, we decided to grab ourselves some seats. I think the key was getting there on the early side, but it meant about 20 feet between us and the other patrons. Lunch at a restaurant felt positively wild! It was nice to have a “normal” meal.
I was so sad when Novella faded away – I totally understood; it was a side gig for the founder and incredibly time consuming, but I so enjoyed the opportunity to workshop my writing and and hear from a diverse group of smart and interesting women. That’s why I’m so happy my favorite writing salon returned this week for a virtual writing salon. It actually worked really well in Zoom format. We had some freewriting time and took advantage of the breakout room feature for some more intimate conversation. Somehow, I worked up the courage to share my piece in front of the entire group. It’s always scary sharing a piece (I’ve done it less than a handful of times), especially when your piece takes on a very different tone than everyone else’s. But it was worth it. I’m crossing my fingers in hope that this was not a one-off and Novella will return to being a continuous presence in my life.
Peaches to Apples 