The August Edit

A spontaneous move, pistachio pasta, my low-key birthday, and the prettiest lampshades.

The Monthly Edits are a casual curation of my consumptions from the past few weeks including: books I read, delicious eats, fun finds, and personal meanderings. Buon appetito!

keep things chill, we made a last-minute decision to move—and it’s been anything but. The past two months have been full of organizing and selling items, weeknight cleaning, weekend painting, and so many more trips to Home Depot than anyone should ever attempt. But we did it! We packed up our city life and relocated to the small lake town where I grew up. All we need are a couple SUPs and a linen closet filled with beach towels and you can officially call us lake people¹.

There’s something oddly comforting about driving the same roads I once spent hours on as a kid. A little full-circle moment if you will. Along with much reminiscing, I also celebrated another birthday, fell back in love² with Folklore, Midnights, + Reputation, ate great food, and crossed a few books off my reading list. I still haven’t managed to pull the trigger on a sewing machine…but fall will be a better season for that.

Taking some time away from writing and posting has been much needed.³ I’m always grateful for a month when I can disappear—the only people who know what I’m up to are the ones who stop by or call. Makes me excited to connect and catch up with everyone as we cozy back into our regular routines next week. Alright, let’s jump in…

Cuddles with Neumann + walls are primed and ready for paint!

• The attic is where my new office setup is going—I feel like Harriet the spy in this room with its barrelled ceilings, built-in benches, and funky angled walls. It required a few coats of paint to freshen things up (and by that I mean cover the graffiti that was so kindly left behind). We went with the shade White Dove by Benjamin Moore and I absolutely love how it turned out. I’ll share more photos next month once I’m settled.

• We’re only a five-minute walk from the beach, which meant plenty of midnight dips after long, hot days. With the extra space this place provides us, we’re hoping to have lots of weekend guests next summer and become everyone’s favourite lake house. There’s still plenty to do, but now that some of the bigger projects are behind us, we can slowly tackle the rest throughout the colder months.

I’m obsessed with pantry lampshades. DIY though because…$$$.
End of season pantalones for next summer.
258 photos from Copenhagen fashion week.
Chat GPT is changing the way we speak to each other.
Has anyone tried this algae cooking oil?
Sweetest teacup and saucer.
This art installation is gorgeous (give the video a listen!)
Miami meets London in this amazing house.
These lemon squeezers.
This home office is my future goal.
Target x Parachute collab—wish they shipped to Canada.
Been drinking shrubs with san pellegrino all summer.
Wimbledon tennis balls = harvest mouse homes.
LOVE this idea of switching back to a basic phone.
The Seine is open for swimming after 100 years!

• The Hypocrite by Jo Hamya. The story unfolds in two worlds: a Sicilian summer from a decade ago, and present-day London, where a famous novelist sits in the audience of a play written by his daughter. He soon realizes the play is about their time in Sicily—and that he’s become the punchline. Hamya moves between timelines and perspectives so seamlessly, has a wonderful vocabulary, and successfully captures the tension of cross-generational conflict. I wouldn't put this on your 'beach reads' list, but I would definitely recommend as a unique and well-written piece that never quite leaves the grey-area.

• The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante. On a seaside holiday, Leda becomes fascinated by a young mother and daughter, stirring memories of her own troubled experience. After secretly stealing the child’s doll, she’s forced to confront the guilt and complicated feelings of abandoning her own daughters years before. Dark, unsettling, and strangely addictive—Ferrante packs a lot into this slim novella. Time to watch the film!

• Outline by Rachel Cusk. A female writer travels to Athens in the heat of summer to teach a writing course. She becomes the listening ear to several individuals who cross her path. This book wasn’t the summer read I had expected—I never quite understood where the story was going—probably because there wasn’t really a story at all. More like a variety of voices weaving together a complex tapestry of the human experience. Makes me curious about reading some of Cusk’s other works. But honestly, next summer I need to pick some lighter reads!

Pistachio Gremolata via Bon Appétit + Last weekend in the old backyard.

• On The Menu:
  - Sun gold tomato pasta with pistachio gremolata.
  - Delicious spring rolls with coconut peanut sauce!
  - Salsa verde with Que Pasa twist of lime chips.
  - Grilled salmon burgers + blackened salmon bowls.
  - Made this rhubarb almond cake again.

  - Duchess potatoes.

• I got to celebrate another birthday at the end of July! It was very sweet and low-key this year. A few close friends put on a little party/games night for me. Scott ordered Neapolitan-style pizzas and I made another rhubarb cake to share with everyone. I think I might be entering the stage where aging feels less scary and more of a great blessing. This quote was used as a crossword clue in one of our NYT games this week…fitting.

“Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.” - David Bowie

Scaffolding in the living room + a peaceful paddleboard.

• I wrapped up the month by learning how to put scaffolding together. Just one of many afternoons spent driving to/from Home Depot—this time only to install a single light fixture in the living room. Everyone thought I was totally nuts for renting scaffolding and going to all the trouble. But to me, it was absolutely worth it! I found this beautiful paper fixture on FB marketplace and smile at it every time I enter the room. My husband is MVP for always helping with my projects—he truly is one of a kind.

I hope you’ve had a refreshing August. Thank you so much for reading and as always, I would love to hear from you!

• Favourite memory of the summer so far?

• Do you get your hair wet when you go swimming?

• Anyone heading back to classes next week?

Ciao ciao,

No affiliate links or sponsored content here! YGL is fully reader supported—keeping all my recommendations personal and genuine.✨

1. For anyone local and curious about which lake - it’s Shawnigan Lake!

2. It’s been a big month for us Swifties! 🫶🏼 I still think the caption to Taylor & Travis’ engagement post should have read: “Loafing him was bread.” Anyway, October 3rd is going to be epic—the easter eggs are already making me so happy.

Left: Ophelia by John Everett Millais (1852). Right: Life Of A Showgirl by Taylor Swift (2025).

3. To my wonderful paid subscribers: I put paid subscriptions on pause for the time being. You will not be charged until I am back to a more consistent posting schedule. Grazie mille for your support!