Apparently, we’re saying goodbye to August even though I swear it started yesterday?
I have to admit though, I’m excited.
I’m ready for the fall, ready for the colder weather, ready for all the things coming up in the next few months.
But before that, here are some of my favorite things I found in July & August.
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Podcasts
I have loved Hannah Brown ever since she was on The Bachelor. She is effortlessly funny and honest, and the kind of person you feel like you could instantly be friends with. So I was excited when she announced her podcast Better Tomorrow. Each episode has been an easy, fun listen, whether it’s a conversation with a celebrity, a stream of consciousness solo episode, or even a recap of attending the Eras Tour. She asks good questions and has deep conversations that make you feel like you’re in the room.
The Broski Report is easily one of my favorite podcasts right now, and one of the few that I will watch the video version of on YouTube. It would be impossible to explain what this podcast is about because it is about everything all at once. Host Brittany Broski is so hilarious and can go on so many tangents, but she can also be serious and emotional and honest. I belly laugh almost every episode and always look forward to the many rabbit holes they go down.
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Books
Coming off of last year’s Funny You Should Ask, Elissa Sussman released Once More with Feeling and I loved it just as much. I like the way she tackles the subject of fame and celebrity without making it cringy or overdone. Once More with Feeling follows the story of a popstar whose career ended after she cheated on her equally famous popstar boyfriend with a member of his boyband. The book bounces back and forth between the past and the present, explaining how everything went down, and how she’s trying to revive her career by joining the cast of a musical that, to her horror, is being directed by the boyband member she cheated with.
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson is about the fictional and verrrrrry rich Stockton family. It kind of feels like a behind the curtain look at the 1%, and the way in which money can destroy people. It is a very easy and fun read, and the characters are dynamic and interesting. Though we all joke about winning the lottery or wish we would have been born into a family with old money, this book makes you think twice about that.
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Movies
I had never heard of the book that Happiness for Beginners was adapted from, but I imagine it is just as charming if not more so. The movie follows recent divorcee Helen as she signs up for a wilderness survival course, and is surprised to find her brother’s best friend has signed up too. It stars Ellie Kemper from The Office and Luke Grimes from Yellowstone and is adorable. (find it on Netflix)
Yes! I did see both Barbie and Oppenheimer (fondly known online as Barbenheimer) though I did not see them opening night or back to back. I did love seeing everyone’s outfits for the premieres though, especially those that transformed from pink to black or vice versa. I don’t feel like I need to add any context or explanation of what these movies are. But I will say that after leaving the theater, both of them made me want to cry for different reasons, and both of them left me sitting on my couch, staring into space just thinking. I loved them both.
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TV Shows
Speaking of Luke Grimes, I thought I had a crush on him after watching Happiness for Beginners, but after starting Yellowstone I would actually lay down my life and die for him—or namely, Kayce Dutton. I had heard the hype around Yellowstone for a while but was never ready to dive into that world, but now that I’m about waist deep in it, I’m sad that it will eventually be over. I audibly gasp almost every episode and am constantly nervous they are going to kill one of my favorite characters. I also feel like I should ride horses now. I have no idea what’s going on. (find it on Paramount+ or Peacock)
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Music
Snow Angel by Renee Rapp
Unreal Unearth by Hozier
tori by Tori Kelly
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On a day when both my pantry and refrigerator were practically empty, I came across this recipe while googling random combinations of items I could find. And WOW. It instantly became one of my favorite weekend breakfasts as well as the occasional lazy dinner option. Highly recommend.
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On Things Newsletter
I subscribe and unsubscribe to newsletters constantly. Always trying to fill my inbox with fun and inspiring reads, while not letting it get overwhelming or cluttered. The On Things newsletter by Madeleine Dore is one that I always love reading and always gives me something to think about. She writes so succinctly and explores all kinds of topics, and I’m always left feeling inspired—both to write and to go about my day in a more positive way.
Have anything you’ve been loving over these last couple months? Let me know!
See my previous favorites post here.
Kimberlee K. 
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