#91. Everything about June
halfway ultrasound, wedding guest dress shopping as a marathon, and our first small home reno.
Oh hey there reader!!
Guess where I am? Sitting on my parents backyard deck, feeling like a spoiled brat after having just come from the mall with my mom, who took me shopping. Can I just say, it’s sooo nice to not pay for things? Wow. After a few very expensive months, and adjusting to our new monthly bills being home owners, this was such a treat. Want to see what I got?
Something that we did very much pay for ourselves recently, was retiling our entryway. After humming and ha-ing about what pattern/colour to choose, I landed on a vintage inspired checkerboard pattern and tried to go as muted as I could with the colours. The grout was also quite light (which I am sure will come back to bite me once rainy season starts). A few weeks after purchasing the tile and committing, I saw a terra cotta colour, hexagon shape tile I liked more. But, what is home ownership and renos without questioning every single decision you are making? All you see is what you DIDN’T choose, right?
As I mentioned earlier, I’m currently at my parents’ place for a visit. I’m here for a dear friend’s wedding this Saturday, and then early next week, Chris and I are flying to England for the Oasis concert—followed by a babymoon in Portugal. There’s bound to be plenty to share in my next dispatch, I’m sure.
June was a bit of a grind, as I took on more work to try and make more money (you know that old rat race?) for all the above mentioned reasons. I stayed local all month, taking advantage of Victoria’s beaches and the swimming dock. I hung out with my kittens and did a lot of crosswords.
Pro Tip: if you’re doing a crossword alone and have exhausted your own personal brain capacity, send a photo in the group chat, they will come in clutch.
Alright, let’s get into some details. The full dispatch is available to paid subscribers only, but here’s a little peek at this month’s wish list!
Also, a quick heads-up—and a bit of an apology in advance—there may be a few spelling mistakes or broken links in here. Normally, I comb through everything a million times before hitting send, but I’m trying to get this out before I officially sign off for vacation at the end of the day. Done is better than perfect, right?
READ 📚 - This is the first month in my recent memory that I did not finish a single book. I started that “smutty” fairy book series everyone loves, A Court of Thorns and Roses, but I’m still on page 100 (I have been for a couple weeks). Where is the smut? Everyone keeps telling me to push through and that it will get better, but should I be looking for something new to bring on vacation with me!? What’s your best vacation book recommendation? I am generally feeling very out of touch with what’s hot right now. Leave a comment below :)
I’ve been keeping crossword pages and a pen in my purse, so when boredom strikes, I’m always prepared. WEAR 👗 - Wedding Guest Dress shopping is such a marathon. The entire process, which usually takes me weeks, starts off with so much energy and determination, and eventually dwindles into desperation. I see a lot of dresses I like, but the difficult part is finding one that's within my budget. When did every nice dress become $400? Throw in being pregnant, not knowing what size you'll be, and if you’ll ever be that size again, and you have yourself whole new set of challenges. I ended up buying this one from Australian brand DISSH, because I figured it would still fit me quite well post pregnancy too. It's super comfy and flattering. I wanted the brown one but it was on back order until July, so I ended up with the black. The great thing about this brand is that the price includes duties, so what you see is what you pay. I also love this and this. PS - this website is a goldmine for baby names - Coco, Loula, Percy, Monty, Artie, Isla - stop it, so cute!
EAT 🥗 - HERO Sandwiches made their triumphant return after a long hiatus—and they absolutely rocked my Monday night. I've mentioned before how much I’ve been craving sandwiches during this pregnancy, and this one? The mother of all sammies. A fully loaded Italian sub stacked with mortadella, some sort of salami (yes, I am willing to accept the extremely low risk of eating these things while pregnant), provolone, shredded lettuce, and a tangy relish that ties everything together perfectly. HERO launched in 2022 and operates on a “drop” model—you pre-order your sub in advance and pick it up on HERO Day. A couple of girlfriends and I each grabbed one and headed to the park for a sunset picnic. Subs, soft light, and good company. Romance, truly, in sandwich form.
come to mama. WATCH 🎬 - I went to the movies twice last month with Brie. The first time to see Sinners and the second, Materialists. I enjoyed both movies a lot. I went into Sinners knowing absolutely nothing about it, and left blown away at the creativity of the story and writing. How could a movie about zombies be so good? Materialists felt like a fresh, stylish spin on the classic rom-com. And seriously, can I please have that Hereru Capella distressed leather tote bag Dakota Johnson casually slung over her shoulder in the steps scene? Obsessed. I also loved the Alexis Bittar thin collar necklace she wore with that ultra-blue Proenza dress in the first wedding scene. It totally reminded me of the chokers Jenny Bird used to have—I used to own one. Wait… where in the world did that go?
this ultra blue + silver is doing it for me. LISTEN 🎧 — I’ve been listening to a lot of Oasis lately—Chris and I are going to their concert next week in Manchester. Oasis was my favourite band when I was a preteen, and I even saw them live at one of their last-ever shows in Toronto, back in 2008 at the now-defunct Virgin Festival. If you think Oasis is just Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back in Anger (both iconic, by the way), let me introduce you to a few deeper cuts I love: Little by Little, Sad Song, She’s Electric, All Around the World, and Talk Tonight. I’ve had them on repeat lately, and it’s hitting me just how poetic their lyrics really are.I’ll leave you with a few favourites:
True perfection has to be imperfect
I know that that sounds foolish but it's true.
Me and you, what's going on?
All we seem to know is how to show
The feelings that are wrong.
I need to be myself, I can’t be no one else.
(The quote I choose to live by)I recently received the coolest package in the mail—a thrifted clothing bundle from my friend Jasmine. She runs a personalized styling service where she curates secondhand pieces just for you. The process is simple: you fill out a questionnaire, create a Pinterest inspo board, and she does the rest.
My bundle included seven items, and a few really stood out: a brown Doên-inspired button-up blouse with a statement collar, a Ganni-esque green seersucker shirt, a lilac-and-blue striped oversized button-up, and the cutest crochet crossbody chain purse. Each piece felt so thoughtfully chosen—I was genuinely cared for and seen! Thank you, Jasmine. If you’re interested in this service, send her a DM.
The cutest purse and sweetest blouse. I now fully understand what everyone meant when they said light fixtures make a huge difference. I splurged (sort of) on a knockoff of a classic Herman Miller pendant for above the dining table, and it instantly elevated the whole space. Of course, now I’m realizing we still have six more fixtures to upgrade—and that adds up fast. But I really believe that homes are meant to evolve slowly and develop their character over time, not be finished all at once.
Here are a few pendant lights I’ve been eyeing:
I’ve always loved these Beatrice Valenzuela sandals. I’ve seen them for years on people whose style I admire and naturally gravitate toward. One day, on a whim, I popped into The Vend Consignment store—and there they were: the exact pair I’d been eyeing, in my size. When I checked the price, it was already about a third of what they usually retail for. I decided to go for it—if not now, then when? At the till, I found out they were on even further discount, and I had enough store credit that they ended up costing me just $4.05. Such a score.
picking up some Picot. We had our 20-week ultrasound recently, and I’d been patiently waiting for it—mainly because I was eager to find out the baby’s sex. We had decided to skip the early private-pay genetic testing available at 10 weeks, so this was our big moment. The 20-week scan is a thorough one, where they take all the key measurements to ensure the baby is growing well. The catch? They don’t tell you the sex on the spot. Instead, it gets sent to you later in a report.
During the scan, we guessed it was a boy. But once we got home and started obsessively studying the ultrasound images online (as one does), we became convinced it was a girl. I ended up having to wait four extra days for the report to come in—it felt like forever. I’m waiting until Sunday when my entire family comes together for a dinner to tell them, and once that’s over, I can share with you :) I’m so curious what people think… let’s do a vote:
so much adorable thumb sucking was witnessed.
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