#94. Everything about August
secret swim spots, my wedding guest dress "hack", and feeling like your summer wasn't good enough.
Hi reader,
It’s September now and this meme is 100% accurate.
Welp, my last summer sans child is almost coming to an end, and I have mixed feeling about how I spent it. Mostly, I worry I didn’t do enough. I worry I didn’t make enough plans and make the most of my weekends and evenings after work. I worry I didn’t take enough photos of my pregnant belly, or of my summer activities. Hailey Nahman, of the wildly popular Substack, Maybe Baby, writes about this phenomenon of questioning if your summer was ‘good enough’ often.
Of course I know this thinking is completely ridiculous and that my summer was perfectly adequate. It was more than adequate. It was eventful, and adventurous and fun. But there is the added pressure of it being my “last summer to do anything I want”, that makes me regret not doing even more.
I think part of the reason I’ve been feeling this way is because I’ve been moody throughout this pregnancy and have experienced periods of mild depression. It was more intense during my first trimester, but I’ve felt it creeping back in here and there. As a normally level and steady person, this has been hard to navigate, but hearing that this is common not just in the postpartum but also the antenatal period has been really reassuring.
That said, I’m genuinely looking forward to all the beautiful, chaotic, and everything-in-between moments ahead. I’m also working on a post where I’ll be sharing all the baby products I’ve picked up so far, my current food cravings (and what I’ve actually been eating!), plus some general baby updates, so stay tuned!
August felt slow for Leo season. And so be it. Wishing you all a nice September ahead xx.
WATCH 🎬 - I hopped on the bandwagon and started watching The Summer I Turned Pretty, like so many others. I find it fascinating how a show clearly made for teens has pulled in such a wide audience, but it makes sense. It taps into our earliest memories of love, longing, and yearning that feels timeless no matter how old you are. I’d bet a lot of money that the vendiagram between this show and Swifties is massive. The same things that appeal to us about Taylor Swift songs - relatability, nostalgia, heartbreak - are true for this show too. I don’t identify as a Swiftie, but I like her and her songs. In the same vein, not a massive fan of this show, but I’ve committed to seeing it through, and I look forward to watching it. I also watched the show Stick, which is about a former Pro golfer, played by Owen Wilson, who discovers and begins coaching a 17-year-old golfing prodigy. Together with an unconventional entourage, they embark on a road-trip journey filled with love, grief, and healing. I really liked it, and would recommend! It’s an easy one that both you and your partner will enjoy (not sure I can say the same about TSITP).
READ 📚 - 2025 has not been my year for reading. An entire month went by, and I did not read a single book. I dabbled in the faerie book again (ACOTAR) but it’s such a struggle for me to pick up and I’m still only 150 pages deep. Instead, here are 3 books I’d like to read in the next couple of months:
A Gorgeous Excitement: this is my book club book for September. It’s a coming-of-age novel set in 1986 Manhattan, about an 18-year-old preparing to leave for college. Over one exhilarating yet dangerous summer, she grapples with her mother’s severe depression, her own virginity, and a fascination with a charismatic figure.
Slanting Towards The Sea: I think I am most fascinated and intrigued by this book. Set in Croatia, Ivona, the protagonist, reconnected with Vlaho—the love of her life whom she divorced ten years earlier after a devastating secret compelled her to let go. Now in her late thirties and returning to her childhood home, Ivona cares for her ailing father while wrestling with personal disappointments and unfulfilled dreams. Things changes when a new man enters Ivona’s life, forcing her to confront her past.
Vera, or Faith: A story of a family unraveling told through the eyes of their wondrous ten-year-old daughter, Vera. Set in a not so distant future, American democracy is falling apart while Vera navigates a chaotic home life with her eccentric Russian father, WASPy stepmother, and the absence of her Korean birth mother. Vera tries to make sense of the political and personal instability around her.
BUY 💰 -With baby just two months away, most of my disposable income has been going toward him. The only thing I purchased for myself last month was this boxy, oversized denim shirt—partly because I’m running out of clothes that fit, and partly because an “extra sale on sale” pushed me over the finish line. I also technically picked up a wedding guest dress off Marketplace, but I sold it right after getting it dry-cleaned. This is a little “hack” I swear by when I don’t want to, or don’t have the funds to invest in a piece long-term: I’ll buy a dress with solid resale value, wear it once, dry clean it, and then commit to actually reselling it.
The Nadia Dress from Meshki, and my gorgeous friend Nic. EAT 🥗 - I went camping over the Labour Day long weekend with some pals, and we noticed signs all over the campground advertising Free French Fries and Gravy at Site 44. Before heading into town to float down a lazy river on our floaties, we stopped by to see what all the buzz was about. An older couple had set up a full-on kitchen operation, complete with a deep fryer and everything. They were also giving out homemade cookies. So adorable.
and lots of vinegar. LISTEN 🎧 - I haven’t been as loyal of an ArmCherry lately as I used to be, but Dax and Monica recently had two guests that really hit it out of the park — both named Amanda: Amanda Knox and Amanda Uhle. If you remember Amanda Knox, the American student who was wrongfully imprisoned for four years while studying abroad in Italy, she shares her harrowing and deeply personal story in a way that’s both gripping and incredibly humanizing. Then there’s Amanda Uhle, whose episode was about her eccentric parent. She talked about her mother’s hoarding tendencies, and the strange mysteries she uncovered after their deaths. She had a real knack for story telling. I really enjoyed listening.
August brought all kinds of weather, but mostly, it brought the heat. Craving some time in nature away from the city, we decided to head up island on a particularly balmy Saturday afternoon in search of a magical swimming spot. As it turns out, that spot was along the Nanaimo River. We pulled off the highway onto Nanaimo River Road and followed a hunch—spotting a few parked cars, we figured it was worth a try. A short trail led us down to an incredible swimming hole, complete with jumping rocks and deep, refreshingly cool water. It was perfect. We spent the afternoon lounging, making sandwiches, and taking turns plunging into the river. When the shade finally overtook our sun-warmed rock, we wandered downstream to a larger, more open area that we practically had to ourselves. Glorious. Here are the coordinates.
girls just need a good swimming hole and a hot rock to lay on afterwards. An interior designer friend of mine stayed at our house to look after our cats while we were away for Cam and Aidans wedding weekend. She came over a day earlier to learn the ropes about Richie & Margot, and while she was there, I picked her brain about how to style our ginormous fireplace mantle. I had been struggling with knowing what to do, but right away she gave me some solid suggestions that I implemented as soon as she left. They totally helped and the fireplace looks so much homier and cozier. I’m still looking for a light to add. I recently saw this iconic Ikea table lamp - the Ola Wihlborg designed PS2017 - on Marketplace and think it would be perfect for this spot. I like how simple but bold the design is.
still a major WIP, as is the rest of the house. All I’ve really wanted to make sure I am doing enough of this summer, is swimming outside. I used to frequent Curtis Point often in the summer time. I called it ‘Hot Rocks’. My hot take? It’s a better swim spot than the Banfield dock, especially for a juicy sunset swim. It’s a little ways up the Gorge and if you luck out with a prime spot on the rock, it’s hard to beat.
A couple of months ago, I got an email from a Canadian brand asking if I’d be interested in creating some UGC content for them. They specialize in luxury lingerie at accessible price points—and as someone desperately in need of new supportive bras, I happily said yes. My partnership deliverables with them has officially wrapped, so I definitely don’t need to be saying this, but their pieces are so good. The bras and underwear are incredibly soft and comfortable. I got the No-Show Triangle Bra in both Cheetah and Maple Sugar, and now I’ve got my eye on the Organic Cotton No-Show V Scoop. I don’t earn commission from them, but if you want to try them out, you can use code KAROLINA15 for 15% off.
cheetah is a neutral. Upton recently launched some really cute plant stands, and I got this one to bring in a pop of colour to our guest room.
