Late Spring Things

Recital season is behind us! All the schlepping to endless rehearsals, marathon performance weekends, and putting out fires of the last-minute-costume-emergency variety had me dreaming of a dedicated moment to myself for recovery (perhaps a yoga class, or just a nap), but with the barrage of end-of-school-year activities continuing apace, it’s not meant to be.

Here are some recent highlights and goings-on I’m looking forward to:

Currently bringing me joy:

We recently commissioned these portraits of our kids from artist Jessica Miller. If you’ve read Ann Napolitano’s novel Hello Beautiful, the beautiful cover art is Jessica’s handiwork, and her 5x7 portraits are done in a similar style. With the girls growing and changing so fast, we thought this would be a beautiful way to capture them at these stages, and the vibrant hues, expressive brushstrokes, light and shadow could not feel more spring-like. They’re currently livening up the living room mantel while I decide where to hang them, and my heart skips a beat every time I catch a glimpse of them.

Finally got around to watching:

The Room Next Door, starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, directed by Pedro Almodóvar and based on Sigrid Nunez’s novel What Are You Going Through. I had to keep rewinding because I was so mesmerized by the gorgeously vibrant color palette that I kept missing bits of dialogue. Almodóvar and cinematographer Eduard Grau discuss the stylistic choices that went into creating the film’s atmosphere and visually translating the characters’ inner worlds here (warning: major spoilers).

Last read:

Bibliophobia, the engrossing memoir by Sarah Chihaya about a nervous breakdown, her obsessive love of books, and the anxiety that comes with loving something so much it paralyzes you.

Currently seeking:

Rainy day reinforcements. We’ve had a tough go of it in New York with rainy weather keeping us housebound far more often than is fair after a long winter. We’ve managed to turn some of those dreary afternoons into creative playtime with the always-fun Majo Ideas activity packs, for which I’m eternally grateful, but with more rain in the forecast, I’m going to need back up. With that in mind, I just ordered this beautiful weaving kit by Kate Kilmurray.

Vintage kidswear discovery:

It was exciting enough to learn that Wooden Sleepers, the formerly Brooklyn-based vintage menswear purveyor, had moved out to the ‘burbs, but when my husband’s dire need of a denim refresh prompted a visit, we learned they have a small but awesome selection of vintage kidswear. We scored an adorable denim jacket and some charming patches.

Looking forward to:

Summer travels to the Pays Basque, a first for our family. Looking forward to taking it slow, exploring beach towns like Saint-Jean-de-Luz, stopping by this Basque and Japanese épicerie in Guéthary (run by a former colleague with the most incredible taste), and hitting all the food markets to satisfy a range of palates, from adventurous to pickiest-on-the-planet. It’s our one big trip in a too-short summer, so I’m also hoping to squeeze in an upstate weekend or two at last summer’s family favorites, Little Cat Lodge and Camptown in Leeds (I’d go back just for the food at the latter’s restaurant, Casa Susanna).