Summer. L’été. As someone who works with nature and the seasons, I am often thinking about the overall mood or essence of each season. Summer as a floral designer is generally frenzied, but as any other kind of person, it should feel indolent, social, languorous, and low maintenance. Every social opportunity should, ideally, be tinged with promise. Swimwear and caftans should be treated as regular clothing; in my perfect world, no one would ever have to get fully dressed or ready, in the usual sense, in summer. Much time would be spent outdoors, and dinners would last for hours, and never begin before 8:00 p.m.
I’ve always dreamed of being asked to summer at someone’s European villa (and I’m always pretty disappointed when mid-July rolls around, and it becomes manifestly clear that it’s not happening this year, either). In my European fantasy, I instantly fall into a rhythm of market-going, swimming, and reading. There are aimless walks through flower fields, through city squares, through streets at night. Grape-tinged kisses and straw hats and day trips to nearby coastal cities. There is much time spent foraging for wildflowers and herbs, and cooking with produce from garden and market. Gardening and flower arranging for pleasure. And at the heart of the fantasy is a cool, whitewashed, earthy home that I drift in and out of. It’s filled with rugs and tapestries, a small but discerning art collection and library, handmade earthenware and simple linens. The beds are made up with newly laundered sheets, dried on a line and baked with the scents of the country air and lavender and sun. When the afternoons get oppressively hot, I slip under these, since, in my fantasy, I can actually nap (a skill I lack entirely in my actual life). I’m also deeply in love with an older (but not old) European man who is an intellectual but who possesses the skills and knowledge and sun-worn skin of a life spent outdoors and around nature (family vineyard, or similar). It’s all that.
All this realism is working out wonderfully for me.
So while I’m passing another summer without the European invite (YET), I can at least write, arrange flowers, enjoy the garden, and the experience of being young(ish), alive, and well in summer. And I can listen to summery music, which brings me to this playlist.
Happy listening, and dreaming.
Also, a link list of all the summery things I’m currently obsessing over:
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher—every so often, a book comes along that I want to live inside. I felt so bonded to these characters, to this world, that it pained me to actually finish the book. It’s gorgeous and absorbing.
This caftan. Remember? Caftans are clothes. This one is ultra luxe.
Coffee Break French—I play this in the mornings while I’m getting ready. I like having a little something to practice and rehearse, and a bit of French comes in handy when you’re cleaning, or waiting in line, or looking to otherwise occupy your mind.
Poetry Foundation’s Summer Poems Collection – especially “The Lake Isle of Inisfree” by W.B. Yeats, “More than Enough” by Marge Piercy, “Planting the Meadow” by Mary Makofske and “Paths” by John Montague. I memorize a poem or two a week, because I simply love to speak poetry aloud. The experience becomes intimate, when you conform your breath to sounds and the structure of a poem. Recitation and memorization is, for me, essential to loving poetry.
Yoga with Shiva Rea– I’ve practiced yoga along with Shiva Rea since I was 15 years old, and looking to supplement my figure skating training. Shiva’s flows gave me an entirely new vocabulary of movement, and helped foster a connection to my body, its strength and elegance. I move in a totally unique, fluid, graceful, and with spontaneous way, in large part because of this kind of movement. Shiva’s prana vinyasa sequences are artistic, challenging, and will lend to your practice new, creative movement. Find her classes on Yoga Alchemy .
This lotion is good and moisturizing and gives a gradual, even, natural- looking tan. I love that you don’t have to be that careful when you’re applying it. But only use it every few days; when it’s applied on the daily, it gets too dark and veers into orange territory.
Kim + Ono kimonos—I wear mine over swimwear and resort wear and pajamas, which, as we have established, are clothing. I love the gorgeous, flowing, charmeuse and silk fabrics and admire the painted botanicals, cranes, and more.
Young Living Essential Oils- wonderful for all of the obvious reasons (skincare, immunity, wellbeing), but I love them for the quiet, intentional, calm mood they create, especially while I’m writing, working, practicing yoga, or studying.
This Indah dress—the ideal dress for walking through Provencal lavender fields (as if I would know). Flowing, white dresses, and most dresses found under Resort wear, are basically my love language.
And miscellany: Topo Chico, fresh lime on everything (particularly salads), long swims (water relaxes me more than anything), pale polishes, reading Remodelista and Gardenista (and dreaming of my first home), flower arrangements with culinary herbs.
