Dear Everyone,
I always write these chronologically, so I write this note before I write the list. As I glance at my selections for this month I have this fear that I won’t be able to properly convince you that these things are special and worthy because heat has melted my brain. Looking at my choices all I can think is, “because it’s good.” But these things ARE good. So I hope I can rally once I get into it, I usually do. What else is there to say about June? I picked up a book yesterday that I am so sure I’m going to love, I tried to speed-read it in time for this letter–but alas, she’ll have to wait until July. The major event of June was getting the most diabolical pimple I think I’ve ever had in my entire life. It was weirdly comforting how large it was, because I wasn’t anxious that people would notice it since it was completely inevitable. It was this odd thing where it was like, body dysmorphia being proven true and that made me feel good? That’s definitely something for me to explore privately. Anyway, if anyone has solutions for getting rid of a pimple scar, I’d love to hear them. This is the longest letter I’ve ever written for this, I think…it’s a Stream of Consciousness Summer!!
Before Air-Conditioning - I read this Arthur Miller piece a few years ago when The New Yorker included it in one of their emails, I think they probably send this out every summer. I love reading about heat the same way I love looking at paintings of snow. Miller, in a thousand-ish words, perfectly captures the city baking, “on 111th and farther uptown mattresses were put out as night fell, and whole families lay on those iron balconies in their underwear.”
A Cake Server - As much as I love trinkets, I don’t have many hyper-specific kitchen tools. I do think it’s important, however, to have a cake server. A cake is a special occasion and its slice deserves to be lifted with aplomb onto the lucky recipient's plate. We have three, which is ridiculous and completely counters my first sentence, you only need one. We have this one, which feels like a modern marvel. I also think it’s a great opportunity to buy vintage or antique.
Vintage Dusties on TikTok - This came up on my fyp and once I got over the fully-body-chills their nail shape gave me, I became totally entranced. They have an incredible collection of vintage nail polishes, going back to the ‘20s, that they revive and swatch on their nails. It’s so satisfying, calming, and interesting to see these old bottles with crusty pigment become glossy, beautiful polishes. The creator identifies as a “Nail Polish Historian and Archivist,” and is very knowledgeable on the subject. Obviously this is very niche but one of you might be obsessed, just like moi.
Sorbet in a cone - Because it’s good!
Raspberry sorbet (sing it to the tune of Raspberry Beret) Mariage Frères Tea - Every tea from this company is the nicest tea I’ve ever had. I am admittedly not a huge tea drinker, but I love to buy a box of any of the flavors and luxuriate in a cuppa. I also have been known to throw a bag or two in when I’m making jam or compote.
Mad Libs - Anyone who knows me will think it’s insane that it’s taken me six months to talk about Mad Libs. I’m completely obsessed with them, I usually have anywhere between 4-7 Mad Libs in my apartment at all times. You cannot underestimate how funny Mad Libs can be. When you get to the part of the evening where the best guests have stayed the longest, you whip them out and you will be doubled over laughing. I LOVE when you can’t even read the sentences out loud to everyone because you’re laughing so hard. Oh my god, I’m truly laughing right now thinking about some of the Mad Libs my sister and I have done.
A Restaurant Salad - Because it’s good!!!! This is one of those things that you could assume you can easily do yourself, but a good restaurant salad is impossible to recreate at home. I think it’s a combination of the knife skills, the salt and oil content, and the beauty of not having to do it yourself. We had an amazing spring salad at The Commerce Inn for our anniversary. I also had an incredible snap pea caesar salad with Kaley at Cafe Mado. I LOVE a riff on a caesar. My favorite restaurant salad ever was the endive salad at Flora Bar (RIP) and I convinced them to recreate it for our rehearsal dinner at Lodi.
Larkspur a.k.a Delphinium - There is something almost irritating about how effortlessly beautiful a bunch of larkspur on your dining room table can be. Like that one friend we all have who no matter the occasion is always dressed in the perfect thing and you know she just threw it on. I think their season is fleeting, maybe a month or two, so snatch a bundle next time you see them and alternate between simmering jealousy and joy that they’re in your life.
Some poetic Larkspur I housed a few weeks ago Glossier Lip Gloss - A lot this newsletter is me realizing I’ve repurchased something many times for several years. The Glossier lip gloss is one of those things. It just does the best job of making my lips look perfectly shellacked without feeling sticky.
Diaper Caddy - I don’t know how much my mom content resonates with you guys so I try to keep it at a minimum. I knew I wanted an organized basket for Theodora’s changing table but all the ones on the market are a devastating gray or a scary pink. I found this great Etsy shop that uses fun, cheerful fabrics. It’s one of the items in her nursery that gets the most compliments!!!
An English Muffin Journey - This is not 100% a recommendation, more of something I’m accidentally doing that I wanted to share with you all. It does contain recommendations so I feel like it still has the spirit of Picnic Style. I grew up with my dad eating Thomas’s English Muffins every morning, so I’ve always loved a good EM. When I was freshly postpartum and ravenous from breastfeeding, I discovered Stone & Skillet at Whole Foods and would eat two of them a day. 14 months later, we still have a bag of those in the fridge at all times. I do think they are the superlative grocery store muffins. Then–last week–we went to Sarabeth’s for breakfast and no surprise, the freshly baked English Muffin blew me away. We ordered another plate of them just so I wouldn’t be jealous of having to share them with Theodora. As I waited with T for the bathroom, my eyes caught a faded framed New York Magazine article about what chef’s like to cook and serve their friends. Sarabeth Levine, naturally, serves her homemade English Muffins–BUT–recommends Wolferman’s if you can’t make your own. Well my little fingies couldn’t type “Wolferman’s” into the Google search bar fast enough. I found that you can still order them via Harry & David and ordered a pack of four: San Francisco Sourdough, 1812 Original, Cinnamon Raisin, and Cheddar Cheese (random). They arrived in two days and are nice and puffy. The 1812 is my favorite, I’m a purist. Ultimately, the best English Muffins (are english muffins capitalized? Been doing that this whole time) are the fresh baked ones at a restaurant, but the journey? The journey has been a real thrill.
Vintage Collapsible Pill Cup - I found one of these in an Arkansan thrift shop and it’s a prized possession. How ingenious of a design? Your pills in the middle with a little lid and then the big lid is a cup for your water? This must have been a Woman in STEM. Mine is pink with a little wishing well on the front, very Plath. I found a yellow one here, one for Pride, one for famous people, four for Bachelorette favors, and two if you and your lover both need medication.
Saiguette - The Upper West Side, while perfect in many ways and undeniably cinematic, has close to zero good restaurants. Saiguette is worth coming uptown for. Amazing Bánh Mì’s. Crunchiest, freshest papaya salad. Everything is so fresh and flavorful, a real neighborhood gem.
Museum Gift Shop Umbrellas - The chicest place to buy an umbrella is a museum gift shop. Every one I’ve bought for myself or others has lasted a miraculously long time. Aaron carried an umbrella adorned with a Turner seascape from the National Gallery for nearly 8 years before it gave out. I replaced it for Christmas with this Monet. I also love this one from Neue Galerie and this one from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
This one from the Getty is incredible but $300… Enso Okinawa Sweet Potato Chips - Bought these on a whim the other day. They’re basically yassified Terra Chips. Really delicious, thin, crispy, slightly sweet, and nicely salted. Would be great crushed over a salad.
Hanky Panky Boy Shorts - Sorry to give you middle school PTSD with this but these are the most comfortable and most flattering underwear. Will they have multiple gaping holes in them one year later? Yeah. But they make your butt look really cute and they don’t create panty lines. I would do anything to find swimsuit bottoms that fit me like these.
Buying Your Old Perfumes - Speaking of middle school, I highly recommend finding and buying the perfumes you wore throughout your life. In middle school I was ride or die for a L'Occitane perfume oil in Vanilla. High school I alternated between L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Mimosa Pour Moi and Bond No. 9’s West Side. Until recently Mimosa Pour Moi was still in production so I bought a bottle fresh from the brand years ago, but the L'Occitane oil I had to track down on eBay. I don’t wear any of these, I just open them from time to time and sniff my old self.
L’Amuse Brabander Gouda - Picked up a little chunk of this for Theodora since she’s addicted to cheese. This cheese is so good. Very snackable with little pockets of crunchy crystals, like a good parmesan. Mild in terms of cheesiness, but salty and addictive.
Library Sales - My cousin Courtney, who is a librarian, said last month that if she were to write a Picnic Style she’d include library sales. I’m stealing (or borrowing–library vibes!!) her idea. Anyways, I LOVE a library sale. They’re like a less capitalistic Scholastic book fair. I collect copies of my favorite books so I always scour the fiction for titles I love but I inevitably grab things I’ve never heard of that sound perfect. Last sale I went to I got a retelling of King Arthur by Steinbeck, The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch, and this novel about 9/11 that Jay McInerny wrote. Haven’t read that one yet, but very curious.
Martha Stoumen ‘Benchlands’ - I always get scared to write about wine, but this is a terrific, juicy chilled red. We had it over the course of a few days and each time we had a glass we marveled at how nice it was to drink.
Olympus Infinity Zoom 80 - I know nothing about cameras and very little about photography, but I picked up one of these point and shoots at a flea market eight-ish years ago and it has brought me many beautiful pictures. Every time I share a developed roll I inevitably get asked what camera I use. It’s this one!
I always loved this shot I took in Rome on my beloved Olympus Mani’s Olive Oil - Mani Market is the archetypal neighborhood grocer. Well-stocked with wonderful specialty items, terrific music playing, and owners and employees that really know their customers. I love it there!!! What really stands out, though, is the crate of labelless glass bottles filled with olive oil from the owner’s, Taso and Taki’s, hometown of Mani, Greece. There’s a little TV above with a video of them harvesting and making the oil. It’s mild and buttery with just a hint of pepperiness at its end.
Another Bag For Your Trip - I never thought to write about this until Ashely came over and asked to borrow a bag for her trip to Portugal and said I should write about this. I lent her my beloved Muji bag which they sadly discontinued, but this bag and this bag seem similar. The bag has to be thin, stretchy-ish nylon that will zip no matter what. Once you’ve done all your shopping, you stuff your thin bag with all your clothes you brought on the trip, you’re going to wash them when you get home so just really cram them in there. Now, you practically have an entire suitcase for your new things! Also, if you bought anything fragile you can use your dirty clothes as padding. Depending on how many bags I end up with, I check my suitcase and carry-on my secondary bag. Voila!
La Chambre - Another gift from Ashley popping over was her bringing me this flawless jam. Oh my god, was it good. I’m using the past-tense because the jar was finished in less than two weeks. So smooth and honeyed. I loved, loved, LOVED this jam. She brought the Apricot and Lavender, because she’s perfect and apricot is my favorite. I plan on buying at least 5 other flavors.
Asking What Moment of Stage Design Changed Your Life - Oh…did you forget I’m a theater kid? For my theater degree (brag) I had to take a stage design course and our first assignment was to tell the class a moment of stage design that changed our life. My answer then, and still now, was Ballet De Monte Carlo’s Cendrillion. During the scene where the Fairy Godmother grants Cinderella’s wish, the mice lifted the ballerina dancing Cinderella into her wash bucket and slowly lifted her to reveal her bare feet cloaked in sparkling glitter. She dances the rest of the ballet barefoot and it was the most magical thing I’d ever seen. Honorable mention to the bacon cooking in Cromer’s Our Town IFYKYK. Anyways, I remembered this question and asked my friend Michael at dinner the other night and his answers were wonderful. Consider this me asking you, what moment of stage design changed your life?
I love you all,
Eleonore
The restoration of the nail polish is WILD! Can’t wait to check out the New Yorker piece!
🩷🩷with you on MAD LIBS! With you on that damn endive salad at flora bar. If brought all conversation to a halt,