Friend hired me to be her photographer for graduation! It was such a crazy day. I popped by Haverford’s graduation in the morning to say hi and bye to my seniors, left before the ceremony actually started so that I could make it to Bryn Mawr in time for my shoot with Friend, and left before the ceremony started so that I could catch my ride to begin my west coast road trip.
We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby
– I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. –
Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on 30 May 2017
Goodreads | Amazon
Sometimes you just have to laugh, even when life is a dumpster fire. With We Are Never Meeting in Real Life., “bitches gotta eat” blogger and comedian Samantha Irby turns the serio-comic essay into an art form. Whether talking about how her difficult childhood has led to a problem in making “adult” budgets, explaining why she should be the new Bachelorette–she’s “35-ish, but could easily pass for 60-something”–detailing a disastrous pilgrimage-slash-romantic-vacation to Nashville to scatter her estranged father’s ashes, sharing awkward sexual encounters, or dispensing advice on how to navigate friendships with former drinking buddies who are now suburban moms–hang in there for the Costco loot–she’s as deft at poking fun at the ghosts of her past self as she is at capturing powerful emotional truths.
The Reminders by Val Emmich
– I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. –
To be published by Little, Brown and Company on 30 May 2017
Goodreads | Amazon
Grief-stricken over his partner’s death, Gavin sets fire to every physical reminder in the couple’s home. A neighbor captures the ordeal on video, turning this unsung TV actor into a household name. Now, Gavin is fleeing the hysteria of Los Angeles for New Jersey, hoping to find peace with the family of an old friend. Instead, he finds Joan.
Joan, the family’s ten-year-old daughter, was born with the rare ability to recall every day of her life in cinematic detail. In seconds, she can tell you how many times her mother has uttered the phrase “it never fails” in the last six months (27) or what she was wearing when her grandfather took her fishing on a particular Sunday in June years ago (fox socks). Joan has never met Gavin until now, but she did know his partner, Sydney, and waiting inside her uncanny mind are half a dozen startlingly vivid memories to prove it.
Gavin strikes a deal with Joan: in return for sharing all her memories of Sydney, Gavin will help Joan win a local songwriting contest she’s convinced could make her unforgettable. The unlikely duo sets off on their quest until Joan reveals unexpected details about Sydney’s final months, forcing Gavin to question not only the purity of his past with Sydney but the course of his own immediate future.
Portland snapshots // summer break 2017
I mentioned this in my April in-review blog post, but in case you missed it, I was on a west coast road trip with Kat and Julia for the first two weeks of summer break! That would explain the silence on the blog, but I kept myself busy with Instagram and Snapchat. Meanwhile, as promised, I’m here with some snapshots from Portland. When this post goes live, I’ll be on my way back to Philly, and the blog will resume its regular Monday and Wednesday posting schedule.
Catching the Amtrak at King Street Station. Breakfast to go from Top Pot Doughnuts. Driving to the beach house. The beach house. The beach. Homemade pasta dinner. Sunset. Lunch at Pelican Brewery. Ice cream from Cape Kiwanda Seafood Market. Multnomah Falls.
Seattle snapshots // summer break 2017
I mentioned this in my April in-review blog post, but in case you missed it, I’m on a west coast road trip with Kat and Julia for the first two weeks of summer break! That would explain the silence on the blog, but you can keep up with me on Instagram and Snapchat. Meanwhile, as promised, I’m here with some snapshots from Seattle. I’ll be back on May 26 with snapshots from Portland.
Lunch at Moon’s Kitchen. Browsing Moorea Seal. Dessert at Blank Space Cafe. Dinner at Serious Pie. Breakfast at Top Pot Doughnuts. Browsing Glasswing. Coffee at Victrola Coffee Roasters. Lunch at Homegrown.
San Francisco snapshots // summer break 2017
I mentioned this in my April in-review blog post, but in case you missed it, I’m on a west coast road trip with Kat and Julia for the first two weeks of summer break! That would explain the silence on the blog, but you can keep up with me on Instagram and Snapchat. Meanwhile, as promised, I’m here with some snapshots from San Francisco. I’ll be back on May 22 with snapshots from Seattle, and on May 26 with snapshots from Portland.
Lunch at Boudin Bakery and Cafe. Scenes from the Aquatic Park Historic District. A tiny bench in front of Gigi + Rose. Cute books at Lola of North Beach. Aggressively San Francisco at elizabethW. Breakfast at Black Point Cafe. Sights on the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. Palace of Fine Arts.