outfit details from above: Etsy face mask, BaubleBar earrings, Amazon sunglasses, dress from my upcoming collection (sign up to get updates here), Vince sneakers, Tory Burch purse.
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Weekend Reading 5.30.20
Another week has come and gone and here we are, Saturday morning again. This weekend will be more of the same stuff as always: reading, walks, hanging out on the patio, stalking my Aerogarden for progress (I’m a little bit too obsessed with it), more reading, some wine, and family Facetime.
I have to be honest; I struggled putting this week’s list together as of course it is fun to link new recipes and shopping finds and all of the usual stuff I share here. And I know that’s why you come here – and this roundup is always my most popular post of the week. I’m still going to do that because that’s the purpose of this site: levity and community and fun feel-good stuff. That being said, most of what I am reading has to do with George Floyd and the Minnesota riots and I’m feeling so broken-hearted and sad for our world and the black community.
So before I get into this week’s usual, I wanted to share a few important reads. I’ve tried to curate the list to just a handful of really powerful reads as opposed to a longer, more overwhelming list. I donated to the Minnesota freedom fund yesterday and would encourage you to do the same if you are able, and a really easy free thing you can do is text “Floyd” to 55156 and sign the petition. It only takes a minute.
A few important reads:
- Becoming anti-racist needs to be the goal. (This is a great read, too.)
- How to be a better ally to black people.
- I ordered this book – it came recommended by many of you. White Fragility is on my list for after that.
Of course it’s weird to talk about something so serious and then transition into my usual content. This was intentional though; my weekend reading list is my most popular post of the week so I felt like including this messaging here in this post would be the best way to reach the most people, while still giving you those lighter things you come here for. I hope that makes sense!
Also unrelated but important: I requested an absentee ballot this week so that I can vote in the primaries without putting myself in harm’s way and it was incredibly easy.
Onto Weekend Reading 5.30.20
Liz’s turkey + feta meatball recipe sounds SO good.
The short story that inspired Normal People.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the things I bought for my patio so I made a “patio things” section of my Amazon shop. But this is the turf rug I got – I love it, the quality is really really nice.
Another dreamy Brooklyn apartment tour that had me drooling! (This Manhattan one, too… though WAY less relatable!)
I’m so excited for Jenn and her upcoming collection of dresses.
This is such a pretty little striped dress. Easy and breezy!
I felt this big time this week: how to shift your mindset when you just… can’t.
I love the simple tassels on this tunic dress.
A great list of in-between sized fashion bloggers to follow.
Bookmarked this one: teen movies that are so bad, they’re GOOD.
I bought this lavender syrup this week:
Perfect for cocktails and fancy lattes!
I love the tiny rainbows on these juice glasses.
I love this tiny, pink apartment.
Easy, health(ier) cocktail recipes that look fancy and unhealthy.
This $55 midi dress looks designer. Love the off the shoulder ruffle!
This outdoor garden room is a dream!
This is the best, most delicious olive oil I’ve ever tried. They sent me a bottle to try and I didn’t know I could care about olive oil this way!
My mind is blown over freezer wine.
Our embroidered tie-dye sweatshirts came this week! (Becca + I got Bad on Paper on ours!!)
Kat has exquisite taste in home decor; loved seeing her favorite dishes + glassware.
This seersucker jacket is fantastic and an amazing price!
A great list of bingeable books!
Loved seeing the before & after of Jacey’s closet.
Another great easy mini dress… love the silhouette on this one! (This one is very cute too!)
Dermatologists share their skincare routines.
This is one long, luxurious shower!
Influenced by Helena, I ordered this glass candle holder. I love the warm glow it creates and it’s much less expensive than the Diptyque one.
Mmmm these pasta recipes sound divine!
Thank you for this entire list. Your writing deftly handles the fact that the very serious and lighter aspects of life coexist in this complicated world. Yet as I write this, I also realize how incredibly lucky I am that the previous statement is true for me. Thank you again.
You are so right. Thanks Tierney. hugs!!!
An unsurprisingly beautiful and sensitive approach to “business as usual” at such an unusual time. Thank you for continuing to bring attention to voting- apart from the long term work of self-education and the instant gratification of donating, voting is the MOST impactful (and free!) way to effect change.
Could not agree more. Thanks Leeza.
Thank you for sharing the serious, and not ignoring current events. I’m so frustrated with bloggers/influencers who are doing this. I was pleasantly surprised to see that both of the books were out of stock, hopefully this means people are doing the work.
I hope so!!!
I really appreciate that you keep the blog what it is while still addressing issues of white violence and race relationships. I think many lifestyle platforms are struggling with how to incorporate these conversations right now. Owning what your blog was created for while making space for antiracism is important and shows that every arena can be a both/and situation! I would love to see check ins about how your reading goes, so as to keep these conversations going even after the initial shock of the murders have passed. I just ordered The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander and Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi, myself! Thanks, Grace!
Thanks Katherine, appreciate the note so much as I really struggled with what to post this week. I also think people really need the light stuff too, to counteract all of the sadness. It’s a struggle (albeit a silly struggle) but I try to think about how I would want a blog to handle this if I were a regular reader if that makes sense.
And I will for sure be giving updates as I read! I’m pretty slow with non-fiction but it will happen. Take care and have a good weekend.
I’ve been reading a lot on the news too – it’s really sad. Injustice is everywhere. 🙁 Hope you have a good weekend though!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
you, too 🙂 xo
1. At least from another white person’s perspective, I think you handled this really eloquently.
2. Completely switching gears, thank you for linking your amazon outdoor stuff—I’m in the middle of decorating my balcony and was about to head to the plant store, so I just ordered that plant stand—it’s PERFECT. Once again, you influencing me for things I didn’t know I needed 🙂
THank you. And I’m so glad! Patio season is giving me life right now 🙂
Thank you for including me Grace <3 and thank you for sharing so many great resources in relation to George Floyd – just made a donation from your link! Happy weekend friend 🙂
Loved that post, and thanks for making a donation!!! XO
Thank you for acknowledging the difficulty of this time. I really appreciate your blog and do look forward to these posts. Everything feels so weird right now and I am grateful for the space that we share on this site. Keep up the good work!
Thank you 🙂 xx
Hey Grace! I love this list and I’ll have to add So You Want to Talk about Race to my reading list! I bought When they call you a terrorist: A black lives matter memoir for black history month and it was also fantastic. It was extremely heart wrenching and I cried multiple times. I learned so much about life as a black person in LA and the impacts policing have on young peoples’ lives. I would highly recommend it! It’s written by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, one of the women who started the Black Lives Matter movement!
Thank you so much for sharing these!!!!
The best thing you and other influencers can do is start hiring POC and start working with brands owned by POC. Start looking outside your own experience and featuring that of others different than you. You have a great platform here that you can use to help those who are often overlooked.
Thanks Maureen! While I won’t be hiring anytime soon I’m working on featuring more brands owned by POC 🙂 appreciate the comment!
Great resources! So glad that you addressed what is on everyone’s minds right now. I have read several excellent books that opened my eyes to racial injustice, most recently Heavy, and am looking forward to reading more and hearing your thoughts on the books.
I have heard really good things about heavy!
Thank you for using this post to comment on Geroge Floyd and ways we can help
of course. xx
Thank you for the post and for sharing both resources for helping with the Black Lives Matter movement and some fun stuff! I also just ordered “So You Want to Talk About Race” and am looking forward to digging in.
Awesome! Looking forwardt o reading it togrether.