Good fences make good neighbors and when that fence is getting replaced, you head to the coast with your dog so you can STAY good neighbors. Welcome to August folks, it’s filled with wildfire smoke, baseball, and warm afternoons to sit outside with a good book. Here’s what’s gotten me through the month!
Reading
I finally got off the holds list for Kin the new book by Tayari Jones and it is as amazing as everyone is telling you it is. I love stories that change the narrator throughout so this was right up my alley, and it was an incredible story of friendship and love.
My audiobook was finally returned so I could finish Advice No One Asked For by Jenny Hagel, who I adore from Late Night with Seth Meyers. It was such a fun book to listen to – and would be a great road trip book since it’s essays that are easy to listen to and will make you laugh along the way.
I also really enjoyed Dolly All the Time but as I said in my Instagram story after I finished it – trigger warning for eldest daughters on this one. It was a great summer rom com which I always enjoy. I was able to breeze through The Shampoo Effect between the coast getaway and a nice weekend. It was a great end of summertime read about a group of friends in Massachusetts navigating life in their mid 30s.
Listening
I really want to like Pop Culture Happy Hour, but I can’t get into it. I tried listening to it the other day when I needed something easy and it continues to not be the right fit for me. I think it’s because they take the criticism part of critic a little too seriously. It’s Ted Lasso – it’s fun, we’re going to love it, stop trying to say it’s anything other than what we need right now!
I did enjoy discovering The Book Review podcast from the NYT and have listened to their 50 best thrillers of the 21st century conversation, along with some best book lists, and of course I listened to their conversation about Kin after I finished reading it! I also listened to The Track Star Podcast episode with Questlove which talks about his documentary on Earth, Wind & Fire who I am going to see next month. Leave it to my brother to send me that one!
Seth Meyers is on an extended hiatus (get it together NBC) and so his podcast has some best of interviews including Tina Fey and John Mulaney that are great. I’m also loving his plans to do A Closer Look Out of Office throughout the hiatus to keep us going. Amy Poehler had a GREAT month of podcasts from Rosie to Keke to her live show with D’Arcy Carden who I adore!
On my road trip I was able to catch up on some podcasts, and was able to listen to the final episode of Adults in the Room which was disturbing but a great final episode. I also listened to the most recent Runaway Country episode about Data Centers which are a hot topic in my life these days.
Watching
Colin From Accounts is exactly the sweet anti-rom com Australian show I needed this summer. It’s 2 seasons so far with a third and final season coming out in September – which I didn’t know when I started and am thrilled about! I promise you, it’ll make you laugh, you’ll enjoy the accents, and as a dog parent you will feel for them regularly.
Ted Lasso is back and I am so happy to be back in Richmond with a new team to coach! We just finished a rewatch that led right up to the season premier and it was well worth the rewatch. We’re at that end of summer pre-Emmy slump where new shows are coming in a few weeks but what will get us through these last few weeks of summer? I’m enjoying Ride or Die, not quite as much as others are but it’s still fun and at some point I guess I should finish Elle.
What about you? What pop culture are you enjoying this summer?
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