Good things happen to those whose iPhone screens crack
Last weekend, Joe and I decided it was time to upgrade our phones. So of course, we made the pilgrimage to a mall kiosk, where I could have my cracked screen replaced before trading in the ol’ iPhone 6S. It seems to be a biannual tradition around here — new iPhone = trip to phone repair kiosk at mall. Anyway, these things always result in a wait of at least an hour, which makes it lucky that you’re in a mall. I swung by Madewell, which was absolutely packed (I had to wait almost 15 minutes for a dressing room!), but my patience was rewarded. I walked out with this cute, boxy merino sweater in navy, and had a sold out version in kale green shipped to me. I love the mockneck on them, and find it such an easy piece to wear for work. Thanks, cracked iPhone screen!
Mockneck Boxy Pullover Sweater, $69.50
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In search of inspiration…
So successful were my efforts to retrain my Facebook feed algorithm, that I’ve been trying to do the same with Instagram. Let’s just say that efforts are slow and they’re definitely still working on that algorithm, but I have recently uncovered a few gems I really love. As always, I find myself drawn to images of the ocean (the textures and patterns and serenity and power are always so mesmerizing) and imagery with interesting shapes and blocks of color. Check out these new faves here:
@dantom · @thedronebooth · @herewithmagazine · @somewheremagazine
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For Font Nerds
I subscribe to more typography related emails that anyone should. Recently, I got turned on to Font Review Journal, and it’s my new favorite font email. Editions are sent weekly (for the most part) and dive deeply into the styling, idiosyncrasies, uses, and interesting applications of particular fonts. The above is from a breakdown of a font I’ve used in a couple projects, called Melany Lane. If you love all things type or are trying to learn more about it, this newsletter is a good one to sign up for.
subscribe to Font Review Journal
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The next big thing.
If you really want to know what I’ve been up to and life lately has been about, this it: <em>press themes. Our new pre-made WordPress theme shop is launching next week (in theory, if I can add more hours to the day)! No, but in all seriousness, we’re planning our grand opening for Tuesday. If you are a blogger or thinking about starting one, we’re launching with 3 themes and 4 plugins built with your user experience in mind — our customizer has simplified the process such that prettifying your theme is not only fun, but super fast too. I’ve spent hours sourcing unique open source fonts, designing themes and features, and assisting Lisa on coding and UX decisions. I can’t wait to share everything with you!
Also: if you were a fan of The B Bar, I think you’ll like <em>press. In addition to selling design and web tools for bloggers, we’re very focused on building a community. So even if you’re not in the market for a new theme, keep an eye out on the <em>press blog and our Help Desk, which will feature resources about blogging and WordPress in general, in addition to helpful articles on our products.
Sign up now to get 15% off your first order with us!
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books!
It was rather fortuitous that Lisa and I planned the launch of <em>press right before Joe and I are taking a vacation to Kauai to a) take a much needed break from work and b) celebrate our 5 year wedding/15 year dating anniversary. I shit you not, given the 15 hour days I’ve been working, both are of equal importance at this point (ha!). I have it in my head that I’m going to delete Instagram, Facebook and Twitter from my phone while I’m there, so that I can just focus on reading a bunch of books. I have a few I plan on bringing with me (another type nerd tome on Futura, this book that’s our current book club read, and the new Dan Brown book because as much as one already knows the entire plot, it’s a good vacation read). But I’m looking for some more recs. I’m scouring Grace’s book club picks, and was also curious: what’s the best book you’ve read in the last couple of months? Tell me below so I can pick it up for the trip!
Enjoy your vacation! Delete all the apps!
Three literary fiction titles I read this year and loved were Little Fires Everywhere (Celeste Ng), Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (Gail Honeyman), and This is How it Always Is (Laurie Frankel). All three are stories about families and family dynamics at their core, but for completely different reasons.
If you like to read a book set at the beach while on the beach, Elin Hilderbrand’s latest, The Identicals, was a great vacation read.
If Joe is also looking for something, Dark Matter (Blake Crouch) is a sci-fi page turner that’s fun to read as a couple. My husband and I read this for our book club, which is comprise of four couples, and it was really fun to talk about the marriage in the story.
Happy reading!
I’ve been hearing a lot about Little Fires Everywhere. I’m conflicted — tbh, I didn’t love Celeste Ng’s debut novel “Everything I Never Told You.” Did you read that, and did you find it similar, better, worse? I haven’t heard about your other three recs and will check them out for sure! And I’ll share that book rec with Joe too. He likes reading Vince Flynn novels on vacay and is going to read the latest Mitch Rapp installment :)
I was lukewarm on Everything I Never Told You, but still decided to try Little Fires Everywhere and thought it was so much more developed. The plot is intricately woven, and I was delighted over and over again when seemingly insignificant details introduced early on would recur later.
Definitely check out Who Thought This Was A Good Idea by Alyssa Mastromonaco!
Already read and loved!! :)
I enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere, but if you didn’t love her first book because of her writing style, you may not love this one.
I think you would LOVE Siracusa (a fascinating, twisting book of two couples traveling together), and I second Dark Matter. I read and loved Origin, you’ll fly right through it.
Did you and Joe read Red Sparrow (and its sequel, Palace of Treason) yet? I absolutely loved these books, and the movie is coming out this winter. It’s a satisfying spy thriller that I could not put down.
I also loved Sourdough – I think you’ll enjoy it as well.
Super exciting that you’re going on vacation with lots of time to read! I tend to love books about people and their life stories, so recently I’ve loved: The Glass Castle, Hillbilly Elegy, Little Fires Everywhere, The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, and A Man Called Ove. Hope this helps, and hope you enjoy your trip!!
I highly recommend Love With a Chance of Drowning as a solid vacation book!
Born a Crime!! I read a lot and this is hands down one of the best books I have ever read… it’s funny and serious and I loved it.
With your background in food, I think you’d love Michael Ruhlman’s new book, Grocery! It’s very engaging & may cause you to want to (re)read all of Michael Pollan’s books soon after (not that that happened to me or anything)…
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a really good easy read! Highly recommend for a vacay read!
xo Jules
Is EmPress still launching this week? Just curious as I’m interested in utilizing what I’m sure is one of your beautiful themes. :) :)
Yes! We launched yesterday. Though I think you saw :)
One of my favourite books this year has been The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet… an engrossing sci-fi read, with a well-developed intergalactic species ranking order and an engaging plot. I just couldn’t stop till I finished the book.
Dark Matter was good too (except for the convoluted ending – which I didn’t truly love)…