Happy Sunday! I’m moving a little slower than usual this morning. We’re still dealing with all of the insurance details after the tree fell on our house, and I have a rather long list of things that need my attention. Sometimes the not-so-fun side of life takes up far more time than you want it to.
So instead of trying to make today more complicated than it needs to be, I thought we could have a little This & That. A few things I’m loving, things I’ve been saving to read, something to watch, and of course, a little fashion.
I’m Already Thinking About Fall
I know it’s still August, but this is the time of year is when the fall clothes start to arrive in stores and it’s hard not to pay attention. I’m certainly not ready for cold weather, but I am ready to do just a little planning!
Give me faded denim, a great white tee, a lightweight trench and anything chocolate brown and I’ll be a happy girl!
This outfit is exactly how I want to dress as we move toward fall. I love the simplicity of the white tee and jeans with the cropped trench layered over them, and the brown suede boots and bag make everything feel richer. The burgundy sunglasses are such a good finishing touch.
It’s really nothing complicated, but somehow all of these pieces together feel so chic. And everything could easily be mixed into what you already own.
A House Worth Seeing
You know I can never resist a beautiful house, and I found a couple that are worth sitting down with another cup of coffee to see.
The first is this gorgeous Nancy Meyers-inspired cabin in Maine featured in House Beautiful. It has that warm, collected feeling that I love—beautiful without looking like someone decorated every room yesterday. The water views aren’t bad either!
I also loved this story in Architectural Digest about the founders of Malin+Goetz and their Hudson Valley home. Their original 200-year-old house was destroyed by fire, and the story follows how they rebuilt it.
Obviously that hit a little closer to home for me right now. Our circumstances are very different, but there’s something encouraging about seeing a beautiful home emerge after something completely unexpected changes your plans.
A Few Things That Arrived Last Week
Last week brought a few fun packages from brands, and there are several things I’ve been trying and wanted to share with you.
My favorite product to arrive was a knife set from Shark Ninja – the Ninja NeverDull 10-Piece German Steel Knife Set with Removable Sharpener. I will admit that I was a little skeptical because of the price point (on sale now for $220). I have single knives that cost as much as this whole set, but I am so impressed! These knives have a good weight to them, they look great sitting on my kitchen counter and the sharpener is amazing and so much easier to use than any other sharpener I’ve tried! If you’re looking for a knife set for yourself or to give as a gift, I would definitely recommend these knives!
After having several melanomas removed this year, I’m very nervous about getting sun on my face or body—but I still love having a little color! I was so happy to receive two products from Self Glow by James Read and tried them a couple of days ago. The Golden Days Milky Tan Toner is a spray for your face that goes on clean skin before your regular skincare. It gave me just enough natural-looking color to look like I’d been in the sun when I hadn’t! I also loved the Sun Drenched Express Tan Mousse for my body. It was easy to apply, developed in two to three hours, and the color looks very natural. I did notice a little self-tanner smell while it developed, but it disappeared after I showered. These products are vegan and cruelty-free and are definitely staying in my summer beauty routine!
And lastly, I received this gorgeous embroidered linen dress from Boden that I’m obsessed with! It’s perfect for now and the olive green color makes it perfect going into fall! I’ll be wearing it everywhere!
I always want to actually use things before I tell you that I love them, so I’ll keep you posted on anything I’m still trying.
What Are You Reading?
I’ve just started reading Calamity Club for my September book club, and so far, I really like it! It’s over 600 pages, so I’ve got some reading to do, but I’m confident I’ll finish before we meet. And…of course, I’ve been looking for a few other books to have on my nightstand for when I finish. I just discovered Vogue’s list of the Best Books of 2026 So Far and it sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole…so many good ones!
They also have a fun article about the books people are actually putting into their beach bags this summer. I’m always curious about what people are really reading rather than simply what’s on the bestseller list.
Have you read anything lately that you couldn’t put down? Please tell me in the comments because I always like to have recommendations!
Something to Watch
And while we’re making recommendations, sometimes on Sunday night I want something good to watch without spending 45 minutes scrolling through Netflix trying to decide.
Vulture put together a list of the best movies on Netflix this August, and I’m saving it for exactly that reason.
I actually love that so many of the movies on these lists are throwbacks and classics. There’s something comforting about watching a movie you haven’t seen in years…or finally watching one of those classics you somehow missed the first time around. Sometimes I’d much rather revisit an old favorite than commit to another eight-episode series! These lists are full of movies that are perfect for a cozy night at home.
Vanity Fair also has a list of 25 movies currently on Netflix, including some older favorites that are worth watching again.
Sometimes an old movie and a glass of wine is much more appealing to me going out…
What I Want to Eat Right Now
It’s August, which means I basically want tomatoes with everything. They’ll be gone soon and I’m going to enjoy them every day until I can’t anymore!
Bon Appétit’s editors shared what they’ve been cooking lately, and there are several recipes that look so good…a tomato galette, no-cook cherry tomato pasta and spaghetti with clams and Sun Gold tomatoes.
This is my favorite kind of summer cooking. Start with something wonderful from the farmers market and don’t do too much to it.
**Image from Bon Appetite
One More Thing…
When I got home from the beach last week, my hair was feeling a little dry, so I ordered a few new products from Kérastase…the Genesis Hair Strengthening Shampoo, the Genesis Strengthening Conditioner and the Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair and I’m loving them! That’s really no surprise because Kérastase is such a great brand, but I noticed a difference the very first time I used them. My hair was so easy to dry and style, felt incredibly soft, and held the curl perfectly. I’ve also been using the Nutritive 8H Magic Night Serum every night and can already tell a difference. It’s so easy to use and completely weightless by morning, so I can style my hair as usual. I know these products are a bit pricy, but I think good products make all the difference for healthy hair!
I did receive one more thing that I think you’ll love and I can’t wait to wear…this fabulous pair of leopard loafers from Tom’s! They are so comfortable and perfect for styling fall outfits for the coming season!
And that’s my little bit of This & That for today.
Nothing earth-shattering…just a few pretty things, good things to read and watch, something delicious to make, and clothes that have me looking forward to the season ahead.
Now I suppose I should finish my coffee and get back to that insurance paperwork I’ve been avoiding!
I hope you’re having a beautiful Sunday. And as always, thank you for spending a little part of it here with me.
~XOXO Suzanne
Be the first to comment