I cannot romanticize August, no matter how hard I try. It’s not in me. While I appreciate her for the abundance she brings and the beautiful, tangerine light she casts, August and I have a complex relationship. She thinks I should endure, and I feel she is trying to kill me.

Every year, I forget how hot August actually gets. I don’t know if it’s a biological survival mechanism, but I block it out completely. I am always hopeful. Every year, I tell myself, “Hopefully it’s not that bad this year. You never know.” But hoping is for fools when you spend your summers in Texas. Even though my brain blocks the memory of the heat, my body remembers. By mid-July, a primal, subconscious panic sets in. I see the Target ad for school supplies, and my heart skips a beat. My body knows before my mind does: August is coming.

The heat here isn’t just a temperature; it’s a dense, suffocating cloud that settles on your chest the second you step outside. When you walk through it, you can feel it pushing back against you. It has its own physical force.

If august insists on slowing us down, maybe we should let it. Since I can’t change the weather, I’ve decided to change the terrain. Instead of waiting for September to start living again, I’ve started paying attention to the places where August keeps sending me. If the outside world is going to force me into an aggressive hibernation, I am going to make that hibernation beautiful. This is how I stop merely enduring the Texas heat, and how I start curating a cool, softly lit, magical world of my own inside my home.

creating my summer observatory

August is what happens when sunlight overstays its welcome. It’s such a different feeling from July. July invites you outside with open arms, but August asks you to retreat indoors and watch the world glow from the safety of your window.

In order for me to survive the month and conserve energy, my blinds stay shut. I only open them for small, intentional windows of time, just long enough to catch the sunrise or sunset. Beyond those brief moments, the house is dark. But I refuse to live in a gloomy cave, so I create ambiance for myself.

Instead of natural light, I lean heavily into a world of curated, technicolor illumination. Rather than sticking to standard bulbs, I use light to completely paint over the darkness. It starts in my office, where a neon cat sign I bought 4 years ago at Target still glows. I never put it away, and during August, its intense, electric purple single-handedly transforms my office into a magical, late-night lofi oasis.

In my living room, an IKEA FABO lamp pairs with a Govee floor lamp dialed into soft, amber hues (I know the image shows otherwise, but my living room is painted in coral color, so that is the effect the light creates). But because they are smart bulbs, the pallet is entirely fluid. I treat the walls like a canvas, shifting from sunset oranges to moody cinematic colors depending on the vibe.

Above the archway, my Coraline dragonfly string lights finally get their moment to shine. I originally brought them out in the spring to add some whimsy, but now that the blinds are closed all day, they can finally fulfill their true potential.

If a room ever needs an extra layer of comfort. I move my constellation projector out of the bedroom, where it usually soothes me to sleep, and let it cast stars across a different ceiling. I even swapped out my candles for incense; when it’s this hot, burning wax feels counterproductive.

It is all about reclaiming the dark. In fact, I am currently hunting for the final piece of my summer observatory: the IKEA Blimp pendent lamp designed by Tatsuo Konno in the late 90’. I had one as a teenager, and though I recently lost a frustrating bidding war on eBay, the search continues. She is a beautiful, space-age piece of nostalgia, and exactly the kind of light that would tie my entire summer observatory together.

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the triple-digit shower ritual

When stepping outside feels like stepping into an oven, the shower becomes a sensory reset button rather than just a hygiene routine. These are my to-go products that make my showers the most rewarding experience of August.

Body Scrubs & Exfoliators

• Ocean Salt: A refreshing blend of coconut oil and avocado oil brightened with grapefruit and lime tones.

• Rub Rub Rub: A gorgeous, floral escape featuring the scent of mimosa, jasmine and orange flower. I buy this one, every year and I cannot get enough.

• Magic Crystals: An absolute feast for the eyes. It is the most beautiful, vibrant magenta color I have seen a Lush scrub ever have, packed with refreshing mint oils and fresh sage infusion.

Shower Gels

• Dirty Springwash: An invigorating burst of refreshing spearmint and menthol crystals. I am completely obsessed, I have already bought two this summer.

• Intergalactic: A minty mood-booster that delivers the most refreshing shower experience ever. This one is my favorite. I’m on my third bottle.

• Sleepy: A classic, soothing, lavender scented shower gel. Perfect to help calm your mind at the end of a long, hot day.

If you take anything with you from this journal, I hope is this. Treat yourself to a sensory shower.

p.s. take your showers in the dark, a complete game changer.

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heatwave fuel: tin fish, salads & a baking tradition.

When it comes to the kitchen, my August philosophy is simple: use the stove as little as possible. Emphasis on try. If I find a recipe that is truly worth the hassle, I will cook it. But for the most part, my survival relies on a rotation of crisp salads, sandwiches, and premium tinned fish.

My absolute favorites are Fishwifes’s smoked mackerel and tinned octopus from Spain. Because of economic tariffs it nearly impossible to get my hands on that Spanish octopus, at least, that’s what Central Market told me. It’s a major tragedy for my summer pantry, so I treasure what I can find. On the days I want treat myself, I build a board around Spanish chorizo.

My favorite meal this summer is highly specific. I take a kettle chip, smear some smashed avocado right on top of it, and then I add a little mackerel and some cilantro or dill, depending on what I'm craving. I top it with a little chili crisp and a squeeze of lemon, and that’s it. Super low effort. I could easily eat this every single day, but because premium fish is a luxury, I have to pace myself.

When I want something fresh and simple, I turn to my year-round staple: a bright fennel salad. It is a perfect dish in my opinion for hot summer days. It has arugula and thinly shaved fennel tossed in a zesty mustard-orange dressing, topped with red pickled onions and toasted pumpkin seeds for an incredible crunch. It’s light, vibrant, and requires absolutely zero heat. (I placed the hyperlink to this recipe on the image).

Despite my best efforts to not use the stove, every August I love to bake a Key Lime Pie. It has become a tradition at this point. This year I’m thinking of trying a new combination with blackberries. I’m not sure if I will incorporate it into the filling or maybe just do a blackberry compote on the side. We will see.

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my soundtracks for august

I have two playlists for you. Music is such an essential part of how I survive August, so I curated these playlists to get me into a good headspace in case the humidity gets to be too much. Hopefully, they do the same for you. Summer Heatwave has a soulful indie-pop vibe, while Golden Hour Traffic Jam has a sultry, cinematic indie-rock mood.

Let me know what you think and if you would like more recommendations. Here is my article, to the BEST lofi mixes for a slow morning. Trust me, I live by this music.

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august media escapism

Something new, something old. Some of the stuff I am excited to watch this month:

📺 My Brilliant Career - August 13th
This series definitely looks like it belongs in August. It’s based on the Australian novel of the same name and it fallows a young girl who is determined to become a writer instead of conforming to the life her family and society expects from her.

🍿 Lady - August 14th:
I love Sian Clifford, that alone is reason enough for me to watch it. The Guardian called it “Outrages… like Saltburn on shrooms” which completely sold me. 😂

🍿Filipiñana – August 28th:
It fallows a 17-year-old teen girl who works at an elite country club, who uncovers dark, violent truths beneath the resort’s pristine turf. Visually, it looks like it has a cinematic color palette similar to a Wes Anderson film. So I’m excited to watch it.

What I’m watching:

📺 Drops of God:
I AM OBSSESED, I love this show. The first season is about a fierce inheritance battle between a wine protégée and the biological daughter of a master wine collector. I don’t want to give away to much, but it is worth giving it a try. My friend didn’t like it because the characters speak in Japanese and French most of the time, but I love using subtitles, so its wasn’t a big deal to me.

If you need more sun-drenched vibes, check out last weeks post.

I hope your August is easy and kind. I will be going into my hibernation.

See you in September.

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In my last newsletter, I mentioned I was diving into a Wes Anderson marathon to survive the August heat. Today, I want to invite you into that sanctuary with me.

It begins with the whimsical lighthearted energy of a childhood vacation, peaks in blinding, sun-drenched mid-season heatwave, and winds down into a quiet, late-August introspection. While the rest of the internet is rushing to wrap themselves in autumn flannels, I am choosing to stay firmly in the present moment.

To survive these final, heavy weeks of summer heat, I am turning to the cinema of Wes Anderson. He doesn’t just direct films; he paints them using heat-hazy color palettes, brunt oranges, buttery yellows, and dusty turquoises, that mirror our exact seasonal feelings.

Today, I want to take you through a curated summer marathon of his filmography, tracking the emotional journey of the season through a director’s lens.

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🌊 Stage 1: The Bright, Blue High-Summer (Escape & Adventure)

🚀 1. Bottle Rocket (1996)

We kick off our summer marathon at the very beginning of Wes Anderson’s filmography. Bottle Rocket thrives on a quirky, chaotic energy that feels instantly familiar to me. Growing up in a small town, my friends and I used to pack into a car and take road trips to Houston or DFW just to see art exhibits. Watching this movie brings back the exact reckless spirit of those early summer drives.

But beneath the clumsy heist plots and humor, Bottle Rocket captures a deeper truth about travel: road trips are inherently introspective. When you are trapped in car for hours, the journey becomes a mirror. It turns into a silent test of your relationships, and just like the characters in the film, friendships can go through real strain under the pressure of the road.

Visually, this film represents the crisp, early days of vacation. The color palette relies heavily on soft greens, sky blues, vibrant primary yellows, and deep crimson reds. The lighting doesn’t feel oppressive or heavy yet. Instead, it favors clear, sunlit southern skies and open daytime lighting rather than dramatic sunset filters.

For example Anthony is frequently dressed in a bright red sweater or jacket, marking a primary focal point in the frame, perhaps because of his character’s romantic journey. Meanwhile, Dignan wears yellow motifs, famously culminating in the bright yellow jumpsuits the crew wears during their clumsy heist. The visual choice beautifully shows us that the heist is going to be as clumsy and chaotic as Dignan himself is.

Ultimately, the film has a fresh quality that captures the hopeful, messy excitement of youth before high-summer heat truly settles in.

Note: Because this debut film was made on an extremely low budget, Wes Anderson wasn't quite able to achieve the stark, saturated colors of our iconic Texas sunsets like he did with the rest of his future filmography. However, if you know what those horizons look like, you can see their true influence later on. To me, those Texas sunsets are alive and well in the warm, golden color palette of Fantastic Mr. Fox.

🌊 2. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

Who doesn’t love the dream of escaping to the sea for a coastal summer? Inherently, we are all drawn to those childhood ideas of pirates, deep-sea diving, and mythical creatures. But beneath the gorgeous blue water of this maritime escape, the movie tells a very real story about dealing with pain.

For me, the visual style feels like looking at a collection of old retro toys. Wes Anderson frames Steve’s world of grief through a lens of childhood imagination by playing with two opposite color palettes. When the characters are feeling emotionally distant or isolated, the scenes are washed in faded, muted tans and pale, dusty yellows. Like an old plastic toy left out in the sun too long. But whenever the mythical sea creatures appear, the screen bursts into bright, saturated neon’s.

It is a stunning high-summer escape that reminds us that sometimes, we use beautiful fantasies and bright colors just to survive our heavy realities.

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Stage 2: The Sun-Drenched Mid Summer Heat

⛺ 3. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

This film captures the golden, nostalgic, aching heart of a childhood summer. It represents that specific point in our lives when we were kids, entirely disconnected from the burdens of the real world and living in a self-made bubble of adventure.

Visually, this film is a masterclass in using color to evoke that deep sense of nostalgia. The screen is heavily bathed in buttery yellows, faded khaki, and soft, sepia-toned amber tones. Rather than feeling crisp and fresh like the early summer setting of Bottle Rocket, the lighting here has a thick golden, sun-drenched haziness to it. The color choices give the film a warm weight to it, that makes the landscape feel like an old polaroid picture. If you think about it, it perfectly encapsulates those endless mid-July summer afternoons before the real exhaustion of August sets in.

☄️4. Asteroid City (2023)

While Moonrise Kingdom is a warm childhood memory, Asteroid City is the relentless, blinding reality of a 100°F August afternoon. Think heatwave vibes. It is the peak of the season where the sun is so fierce that it bleaches the color out of the world, forcing everyone to slow down, seek shade, and look inward. To be honest, that’s what August does to me.

The characters are isolated in this tiny desert motel, grieving and trying to make sense of their situation. Here, they have to face their problems head-on; there is no hiding from them anymore, because intense heat does that to you.

Usually, I purchase this cake from HEB for my husband because I know I can be a pain at some point during the August stretch. If you are from the South you know what humidity can do to you.

Note: This film represents perfectly what is like to live in Texas during the absolute peak of summer.

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🚂 Stage 3: The Golden Late-Summer Introspection

🧳 5. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

We close our summer marathon at the very end of August. This film marks the definitive transition away from chaotic summer adventure and into quiet, mature introspection. If I am being honest, I always struggle with August. It’s a love-hate relationship. I feel like the month splits itself into two distinct episodes of chaos. The First two weeks are the most brutal, the temperatures are well over 105°F every single day and humid making the heat even more oppressive. Which means I am in survival mode. Asteroid City, with its blinding overhead sun, perfectly represents that first half of the month for me.

But as soon as you hit the third week, the heat and humidity start to calm down. It is a stark, highly noticeable shift where your brain finally moves out of survival mode and into an introspective headspace. The Darjeeling Limited feels exactly like that transition.

The story follows three estranged brothers on a slow, hot train journey across India, forced to face their grief and let go of their emotional baggage before a new chapter can begin. The film beautifully captures this late-August mood through its color palette of rich marigolds, vintage browns, and deep jewel tones. This heavy-golden atmosphere feels exactly like a late-August sunset to me. The air is getting quieter, the light is fading, and you are forced to sit with your own thoughts. It is the perfect, melancholic ending to our seasonal journey, gently easing our minds out of brutal summer heat and transitioning us into a new chapter of life: autumn.

Whether you are to survive a 105°F heatwave or watching the golden hour light grow longer from your window, I hope this marathon brings a little bit of cinematic sanctuary for your August. I would love to know: what is your ultimate, go-to movie when you want to escape into a summer mood? Do you prefer the bright ocean blues of The Life Aquatic or the rich ambers of The Darjeeling Limited?

-Lily H

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A roundup of the tiny things bringing whimsy, color and comfort to my life this week. No deep essays today, just a collection of recent obsessions, late-night media binges, and cozy habits I wanted to share with you over a cup of coffee.

🎵 Summer Album: Heatwave by MICHELLE

I am completely, entirely OBSESSED with this album, every year as summer approaches. I have it on a loop. Trust me, listening to it is a truly cathartic experience. Right now, the outside temperatures are well over 100°F, and the beat of this album is perfect to give you a boost during a heatwave. It has the right vibe for summer. Every single track captures a specific type of energy, but my absolute favorites are “THE BOTTOM,” “IDEAL,” “LOVE UR NAME,” “STUCK ON U” and “2.25.” If you listen to “IDEAL”, pay close attention to the end of the track, the lyrics get so playful and fun right as the song wraps up. It is the ultimate summer soundtrack. I am one of their biggest fans.

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🎬On the Screen: A Wes Anderson Summer

If you know me, you know that I struggle though the summer. Specially when August rolls around. In order to survive the heat, I turn to cinema as an escape, and right now, I am firmly in a Wes Anderson state of mind. There is something about the way he captures light and color that perfectly mimics a heavy Texas summer. The burnt oranges, faded ochres, dusty turquoise, and buttery yellows that define films like Asteroid City, Moonrise Kingdom and Bottle Rocket look exactly like our stark, cloudless, heat-hazy skies.

Even though those movies are not set in Texas, you can clearly feel how growing up here influenced his eye for color. He captures exactly what a person in Texas sees every single day, translating that specific landscape into something magical. His films have become a true sanctuary for me this season, which is why I am officially going through a full marathon of his filmography this August.

🚿 A Summer Shower Ritual

The only way I can survive a Texas summer is with a cold shower, and lately, I am leaning heavily into refreshing, icy scents. I am Lush girl at heart, just as much as I used to be a Teavana girl (rest in peace to true favorite).

As soon as the temperatures reach triple digits, I rush to Lush to pick up the Dirty Springwash shower gel. It feels like the absolute act of self-service. It is incredibly refreshing, and I truly cannot live without specially during a heatwave. In the part of Texas where I live, the weather doesn’t cool down in the evening; if it is humid in the morning, it stays just as heavy and humid at night. Because of that, coming home from evening walks with my dog, Prue, and stepping into a freezing cold shower with a crisp peppermint shower gel has become my most sacred summer ritual. To add to the icy vibe, I have also been pairing it with the Intergalactic shower gel to turn my bathroom into a refreshing, minty oasis. It is the only thing getting me through August.

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I would love to know: what tiny things are helping you get though the week or the summer? Are you hyperfixating on a specific song, binge-watching a new show, or leaning into specific self-care ritual? Let me know, I am always looking for new recommendations to add to my list!

-Lily H

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over the years, i have listened to countless hours of ambient beats, chillhop, and electronic tracks, but a select few always find their way back into my rotation. these are 5 of my favorite lofi mixes that never fail to set the perfect mood to start my day.

my number one mix. there is no other lofi mix that can top this one for me. it just sets me in the right mood and mindset. i love it when the beat picks up after the spoken audio sample finishes. there is truly nothing else like it out there; not many creators can achieve this level of quality.

this one is much more chill, and I absolutely love it. this is definitely an account to subscribe to; the bootleg boy 2 has so many mixes i love. it is perfect for rainy days or midnight drives. also, we don’t really see this type of classic, retro loop visual art anymore. now, most of lofi playlist use AI generated artwork. which takes away from the authentic vibe of what lofi truly is.

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this one is nice for midday lounging around the house while reading or working on a puzzle. honestly, one of the coolest parts about lofi is how it uses this specific type of artwork. this classic anime visual style is exactly how you can distinguish the OG, nostalgic mixes from everything else. the genre is legendary for capturing that ethereal, cool 90s and Y2K aesthetic that just instantly sets a mood.

90sFlav is one of the absolute OG’s. he helped give birth to the lofi genre. if you have listened to lofi for a while, you will instantly recognize the iconic tracks on this compilation. it is a timeless classic that never gets old. the tracks are incredibly smooth, making it the perfect background soundtrack for when you just want to zone out, watch the rain, or clear your mind after a long day.

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i used to study to this one back in university and i still love reading to it today. it is so jazzy and carries a distinct autumn vibe. to me, this is the perfect soundtrack for september. i mean, who doesn’t associate cozy coffee shop vibes with autumn, right?

the best part of a lofi playlist is the perfect soundtrack to romanticize slow mornings.

there is one lofi mix i been in search for the past 6 years, but i just can’t find it. I vividly remember the artwork: it had a gorgeous anime aesthetic with a bird’s-eye view looking straight down from above. it featured a girl laying on lush green grass, with beautiful sunlight filtering through the tress and casting shadows around her. I think there might have been a river flowing right next to her. not sure anymore, to be honest. maybe she was laying under a blanket.

if this description rings a bell or you know the channel that used this thumbnail, please let me know in the comments.

i hope you enjoy them.

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Every August, my house begins to glow orange.

Not because I’ve decorated for autumn. The light simply changes.

Each afternoon, just before sunset, amber light spills across my walls, softening every corner of the house. It only lasts a little while, but it’s enough. Without realizing it, I begin thinking about pumpkins. One minute I’m slicing peaches for dessert or bringing home another basket of tomatoes from the market. The next, I’m wondering if the craft stores have unpacked their Halloween items.

The temperature hasn’t changed. Summer certainly hasn’t. But somehow, my imagination has.

Maybe it’s because August asks so much of us here in Texas. The afternoons are relentless. The air conditioner fights to keep up. My garden, though tired, keeps trying. I wait until dusk to walk Prue, when the sidewalks have finally surrendered some of their heat and the cicadas become the soundtrack to our evening. By then, I’m ready for something that reminds me the seasons are still moving. Not because I’m finished with summer, but because summer is asking a lot of me.

Every year, somewhere between the last peaches of the season and the first pumpkins appearing on grocery store shelves, I find myself celebrating Summerween.

To me, it has never felt like a trend. It feels like a threshold. The kind of moment when one season hasn’t ended, but another has quietly begun to occupy your imagination. Summer is still here in every practical sense, yet your heart has already started rehearsing for the next act.

I wonder if that's why Summerween has found a home in so many hearts. It isn’t about rushing autumn. It’s about honoring anticipation. Because sometimes, the sweetest part of a season isn’t its arrival. It’s the moment you realize it’s finally on its way.

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What is Summerween?

Think of it as a celebration where the warmth of late summer and the playfulness of Halloween meet.

It's carved jack-o'-melons glowing beside a pool, skeletons floating lazily on inflatable rafts, beach picnics with orange gingham blankets, horror movies projected onto a backyard fence, citronella candles flickering beside ghost-shaped desserts, and friends gathered around a fire pit sharing stories long after the sun has gone down. It borrows the playfulness of Halloween while holding tightly to everything we love about late summer evenings.

At its heart, Summerween is simply an invitation to play. It reminds us that celebration doesn’t have to wait for October or for the calendar to tell us it’s time.

Halloween belongs to crisp air, sweaters, and falling leaves. Summerween belongs to warm nights, swimsuits, campfires, and backyard projectors. It celebrates the last golden stretch of summer in its own wonderfully strange way.

One of the things I love most about Summerween is that there isn’t one “right” way to celebrate it. Some people gather on June 22, the fictional Summerween date from Gravity Falls. Others throw parties throughout July, and many celebrate whenever it feels right for them.

For me, though, it has always belonged to August.

By then, I’ve had time to enjoy summer for everything it is. The peaches have been eaten. The tomatoes have found their way into countless meals. I’ve spent evenings outside until the cicadas took over. Summer has had its moment. Only then do I feel ready to invite a little bit of autumn into the conversation.

Summerween doesn’t replace summer. It helps me say goodbye to it well.

I think that’s why this tradition has stayed with me for so many years. It isn’t about rushing into fall or pretending summer is already over. It’s about honoring the season we’ve been given while celebrating the one quietly waiting just beyond the horizon. Every season deserves both a beginning and a farewell.

For me, Summerween has become summer’s farewell dinner. A tradition that lets me gather the people I love around one more table before backpacks, football Saturdays, shorter evenings, and autumn quietly take their places. It’s my way of thanking summer before opening the door to what’s next.

Why We Invent New Traditions

I’ve always believed that traditions are living things.

Some are centuries old, passed down through generations until we can hardly remember where they began. Others are much younger, created around kitchen tables, during family vacations, or between friends who decide that an ordinary day deserves celebrating.

Some of my favorite traditions aren’t written on any calendar at all. They’re the recipes made every August because that’s when the peaches are sweetest. They’re the evening walks taken only after the cicadas begin singing. They’re the movie watched every October, the pie baked every Thanksgiving, or the candle lit on the first cool evening of the year. None of those moments became traditions because someone told us they had to. They became traditions because they gave shape to our memories.

Maybe that’s why Summerween feels so meaningful to me. It reminds me that traditions don’t have to be ancient to matter. They don’t need official recognition or a place on the calendar to become real. Sometimes all it takes is a group of people deciding that a particular moment in the year deserves to be celebrated.

I think we spend so much time waiting for the next holiday that we forget we’re allowed to create celebrations of our own. Summerween feels like a beautiful reminder of that. It invites us to gather around a table, watch a movie under the stars, carve a watermelon instead of a pumpkin, or laugh with friends simply because summer is beginning to change.

Perhaps that’s how every tradition begins. Not with permission, but with people deciding that an ordinary moment is worth returning to, year after year.

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The Story of Summerween

Before Summerween appeared on Pinterest boards and store shelves, it existed in one fictional town tucked somewhere in the forests of Oregon.

Back then, most of us weren’t scrolling through TikTok or hunting for Halloween decorations in July. We were racing home from school, dropping our backpacks by the front door, and turning on the television just in time for our favorite afternoon show. That’s where many of us first met Summerween.

In a town of Gravity Falls, Halloween came twice. Since pumpkins weren’t ready in the middle of summer, people carved jack-o’-melons instead. Children went trick-or-treating beneath warm skies, candy filled their buckets, and somewhere in the woods lurked the legendary Summerween Trickster, waiting to see who truly embraced the holiday.

At the time, I don't think any of us realized what that episode would become. It was simply twenty-two minutes of wonderfully weird storytelling. But sometimes that's how traditions begin. A single idea quietly finds a place in people's hearts, and years later they realize they never really let it go. The writers imagined Summerween. The audience carried it into the real world.

By the time I was in college, Summerween had already found its way into our little group of friends. After spending the summer scattered across different hometowns, we would all return to campus in August, catching up before the semester settled into assignments, exams, and routines. Summerween became our excuse to gather. We’d decorate, watch scary movies, eat far too much food, laugh until midnight, and hold onto those last carefree evenings before life became busy again.

Looking back, I don’t think we were just celebrating a fictional holiday. We were celebrating being together again.

Years later, Summerween has found its way onto Pinterest boards, TikTok feeds, and the shelves of stores that finally realized people had been celebrating it all along. I actually love that. Not because a corporation made it popular, but because they finally noticed something people had quietly built for themselves. Maybe that's the best kind of tradition, the kind that grows because people genuinely want to return to it.

And perhaps that’s the real magic of Summerween. It reminds us that traditions are still being written and that we’re allowed to write our own. So if you’ve never celebrated Summerween before, let me show you how I’d spend one perfect late-summer evening.

The Summerween Menu

I don’t think Summerween needs an elaborate menu. In fact, I think it’s more fun when it feels like the kind of food you’d naturally eat at the end of summer, with just enough Halloween mischief mixed in. The grill is still hot, the watermelon is still sweet, and someone inevitably brings a dessert that’s a little spooky and completely unnecessary. That’s exactly the point.

Welcome Drinks:

🎃 Jack-o’-Lantern Italian Soda

🍊 Orange Cream Floats

🍋Blackberry lemonade

Something cold enough to survive an August afternoon.

From the Grill:

🍔 Jack-o’-Lantern Cheeseburgers

🌭 Mummy Hot Dogs

🌽 Mexican Street Corn

Summer is still here, so dinner should taste like it.

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🎃 Jack-o’-Melon Fruit Bowl

🧀 Ghost Charcuterie Board

🍍 Pineapple Lantern Fruit Tray

🍫 S’mores

My favorite decorations are usually edible.

One of my favorite things about Summerween is that the food never asks summer to leave. Watermelon sits beside candy. Fresh corn shares the table with ghost-shaped desserts. It’s playful, a little ridiculous, and somehow it makes perfect sense.

p.s. several of these recipes will eventually find their way onto Sun Drenched Table. I’ll link them here as they’re published.

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Setting the Scene

One of my favorite things about Summerween is that it doesn’t ask you to pack away summer. In fact, I think it works best when summer is still very much a part of the celebration.

I still bring out the bright plates, fill bowls with watermelon and pineapple, and keep everything feeling colorful and relaxed. Then I simply layer in a few hints of Halloween—a skeleton or two, orange twinkle lights, maybe a spooky serving tray I’ve collected over the years. It’s less about transforming the house and more about letting the two seasons meet in the middle.

I also don’t think you need to spend a fortune decorating. My Halloween collection has grown slowly over the years, one little piece at a time. Every August I simply pull out a few favorites from storage, add fresh fruit from the grocery store, and suddenly it feels like Summerween again.

I love beginning the afternoon indoors while the Texas heat is still lingering outside. But as dusk settles in, we carry everything into the backyard. That’s when Summerween really begins.

If you’re looking for ideas, there are so many directions you could take:

• 🏊 The Floating Lounge – Set up a backyard movie night with skeletons relaxing on inflatable pool floats.

• 🔥 The Twilight Campfire – Gather around a fire pit for ghost stories, s’mores, and ambient acoustic music.

• 🍉 The Glowing Patio – Scatter carved jack-o’-melons across your patio table or carve pineapples into tropical lanterns.

• ✨ The Golden Hour Shift – Hang simple strands of orange twinkle lights to illuminate your favorite people as day turns to night.

The truth is, Summerween isn’t about perfect decorations. It’s about creating a space where summer and autumn can exist together for one evening. Whether that’s a backyard filled with string lights or a tiny apartment with one cheerful skeleton on the kitchen counter, the magic comes from the people who gather there.

The Soundtrack to Summerween

Every party has a soundtrack, and this is mine.

I wanted a playlist that felt the same way Summerween does. One foot still planted in summer, the other slowly stepping toward autumn. It begins with songs that remind me of warm evenings, road trips, and golden sunsets before drifting into something a little stranger as the night goes on.

You’ll hear classic rock, dreamy indie, ‘70s nostalgia, a little synth-pop, a touch of Halloween, and songs that simply felt right the moment I added them. I don’t think playlists need to stay inside one genre. They just need to tell a story. This one tells the story of an August evening that slowly becomes a Summerween night.

p.s. if you hear Fleetwood Mac playing while someone carves a watermelon into a jack-o’-lantern, you’re probably doing Summerween exactly right.

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Movies for When the Fireflies Come Out

Every Summerween needs a movie, I don't think every movie needs to be terrifying. Some are nostalgic, some are campy, and a few are genuinely unsettling. Together, they feel like the perfect bridge between late summer and the first whispers of autumn.

Family Favorites:

📺 Gravity Falls
The reason Summerween exists in the first place. If you've never watched the series, this is where the tradition began. Disney+ has the full series, but if you're simply curious, the Summerween episode is available to watch for free on YouTube and yes, I've linked it.

📼 The Goonies
If Summerween had an adventure movie, this would be it. Treasure maps, pirate legends, first crushes, and one unforgettable summer spent believing anything was possible. It's impossible for me to watch this without wishing I were twelve again.

📼 Monster House
A neighborhood where the haunted house really is haunted or possessed? It’s spooky without ever becoming too scary, making it the perfect bridge between late summer adventure and Halloween magic.

📼 ParaNorman
My favorite animated Halloween film of all time. The autumn color palette alone makes me want to curl up with a blanket, but it's the story that keeps me coming back. Funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly moving, it's one of those films that gets better every time I watch it.

📼 Scooby Doo On Zombie Island (1998)
The movie that proved Scooby-Doo could actually be scary. It’s full of Louisiana swamps, eerie Southern atmosphere, and just enough nostalgia to remind me why this has remained one of my favorite Scooby adventures.

For Late Nights:

📼 Cocaine Bear
I know...just trust me. Yes, it’s exactly what the title suggests. And somehow it’s also one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in years. Equal parts absurd, gruesome, and completely self-aware, it’s the kind of movie that has everyone yelling at the screen between fits of laughter.

📼 The Ring
One of those horror movies that quietly gets under your skin. Rain-soaked, eerie, and unforgettable, it's the perfect choice if you want Summerween to drift from playful into genuinely unsettling.

📼 House of Wax
A gloriously over-the-top slasher with some of the most memorable practical effects of the early 2000s. If you're squeamish, maybe skip this one. If you're a horror fan...welcome. (Also Dean and Tristen are part of the cast, wild.)

📼 Fear Street
Three movies. Three different decades. One connected story. It somehow manages to feel like a love letter to every era of slasher films while still creating something completely its own. If you start the first one, plan on watching all three.

📼 Hell of a Summer
If Friday the 13th and summer camp had a younger, funnier cousin, this would be it. It's campy in every sense of the word—equal parts slasher, comedy, and nostalgic summer adventure.

📼 Halloween H20
One of my favorite Michael Myers movies, and I honestly don't think it gets the recognition it deserves. It strips away a lot of the excess and gives Laurie Strode one of her strongest stories in the entire franchise.

📼 The Faculty
Aliens quietly taking over a high school? Sign me up. It's one of those wonderfully '90s horror films that's funny, creepy, and endlessly rewatchable. Every Summerween needs at least one late-'90s classic.

📼 Constantine
I somehow come back to this movie every year. It's dark without feeling like full-blown Halloween, and the world it creates is one I never get tired of revisiting. If you love supernatural mysteries with incredible atmosphere, this one belongs on your Summerween watchlist.

New Favorites:

📺 IT: Welcome to Derry
I'm saying as little as possible because this is one of those stories that's best experienced without knowing too much. All I'll say is...I'm still not over that ending.

📺 Widows Bay
If your social media feeds haven't convinced you yet, let this be your sign. The atmosphere alone had me hooked. Foggy, mysterious, and completely addictive, it became an instant favorite.

📺 Cape Fear
Not technically a Summerween show...but somehow it feels like one to me. The humid Southern setting, the simmering tension, and the gorgeous cinematography make it impossible to look away.

Whether you’re introducing someone to Gravity Falls for the first time or revisiting an old favorite, I hope one of these becomes part of your own Summerween tradition. After all, the best movie isn’t always the scariest, it’s the one everyone still talks about long after the credits roll.

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The Summerween Bookshelf

By the time Summerween rolls around, I've usually started reaching for books that sit somewhere between sunshine and shadow. They're atmospheric without feeling heavy, mysterious without being relentlessly dark, and perfect for those slow August evenings when summer is still here, but autumn has started whispering at the edges.

These are the books I’d want waiting on the coffee table:

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
If Summerween had an official novel, this might be it. Bradbury captures that magical moment when childhood wonder collides with the first shadows of autumn. Every page feels like standing outside on the last warm evening of the year.

The Haar by David Sodergren
If you're looking for horror with heart, start here. It's eerie, surprisingly funny, and unlike anything else I've read. Beneath all of the strange coastal folklore is a story that's unexpectedly tender.

The Feast by Margaret Kennedy
The kind of novel that quietly builds tension until you suddenly realize something feels terribly wrong. It's elegant, atmospheric, and perfect if you enjoy slow-burning suspense over constant scares.

The Pink House by Nelia Gardner White
This feels like discovering a forgotten ghost story tucked away on an old bookshelf. Quiet, mysterious, and wonderfully atmospheric, it's the sort of book that pairs perfectly with an afternoon thunderstorm.

I love that none of these books are in a hurry. Like Summerween itself, they live in that in-between space—where warm afternoons begin giving way to cooler evenings, and the familiar world starts feeling just a little more mysterious. If you pick up even one of these before August slips away, I hope it becomes part of your own end-of-summer tradition.

One Perfect Summerween Evening

If you asked me to describe my perfect Summerween, I wouldn’t start with decorations or a movie. I’d start with the hour just before sunset.

It’s still warm outside, but no longer unbearably so. The kind of warmth that makes you want to linger a little longer instead of rushing back inside. The golden light begins stretching across the yard, turning everything the same amber-orange that always reminds me August is beginning to change.

This is when I’d start setting the table. Not a formal table—nothing about Summerween feels formal—but one meant for passing bowls of popcorn, slices of watermelon, and desserts that make people smile before they’ve even taken a bite. A carved jack-o’-melon would sit in the middle, glowing softly as the sun disappeared, surrounded by little ghosts, flickering candles, and whatever mismatched decorations had found their way into the house over the years.

I love that Summerween doesn’t ask us to choose between summer and autumn. It lets them sit beside one another. Watermelon next to candy corn. Skeletons wearing sunglasses. Citronella candles beside flickering jack-o’-melons. A ghost draped over a patio chair while the grill is still warm from dinner. It’s wonderfully ridiculous, and somehow, it works.

As twilight settles in, I’d put on a playlist that drifts somewhere between surf rock and spooky season. Nothing too serious. Just enough music to fill the quiet moments while everyone finishes eating and the first stars begin appearing overhead.

Then we’d move outside. Blankets would be spread across the lawn. Folding chairs would circle the fire pit. Someone would inevitably bring an extra sweatshirt they never end up wearing because the night is still unmistakably August. The projector would hum to life, casting the first scene of a horror movie onto a white sheet stretched between two trees while cicadas slowly gave way to crickets.

I think that’s my favorite part of Summerween. Not the movie. Not the decorations. Not even the food. It’s that feeling that settles over the evening. The sense that, for just a few hours, summer agrees to share the stage with autumn. No one is in a hurry. The conversation stretches long after the credits roll. Someone reaches for another handful of popcorn. Someone else starts telling ghost stories that become funnier every year they’re retold. The candles burn lower. The fire becomes nothing more than glowing embers.

Eventually, everyone heads home carrying leftovers and promises to do it all again next year. And as I clear the table beneath an August sky, I always find myself thinking the same thing: Summer isn’t over, but we gave it the goodbye it deserved.

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Closing Thoughts

Tomorrow the temperatures will probably climb back into the hundreds. The cicadas will still be singing. The peaches will still be ripe. Summer hasn’t gone anywhere.

But tonight reminded me that seasons aren’t measured only by calendars. They’re measured by the evenings we remember.

And maybe that’s why I’ll keep celebrating Summerween. Not because I’m ready for autumn… But because every beautiful season deserves a farewell before we ask the next one to begin.

-Lily Hawthorne

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Summer rewards those who are willing to adjust their rhythm.

Since summer can be so brutal in Texas, I try look at what it brings with wonder and excitement. The peaches are finally sweet enough to eat over the sink. Tomatoes barely make it home from the farmers market before becoming lunch. Charcoal drifts through neighborhoods almost every evening, and somewhere, someone is making salsa with tomatoes they probably grew themselves. The garden hums with bees, butterflies dance between coneflowers, hummingbirds make their morning rounds, and every sunset seems determined to outdo the one before it.

It’s also the easiest month to waste.

The heat convinces us to stay inside. We postpone the road trip. We order groceries instead of wandering the farmers market. We promise ourselves we’ll watch the sunset tomorrow.

I’ll be honest, I have been guilty of all of it.

There have been Julys where I practically hibernated. Groceries were delivered, appointments were carefully avoided, and if friends wanted to see me, they were coming to my house because I wasn’t stepping outside unless absolutely necessary.

But this year feels different. Instead of surviving July, I want to experience it.

Because if there is one thing this month teaches us, it’s that abundance doesn’t last forever. The peaches disappear. The tomatoes fade. The long evenings slowly grow shorter. Before we know it, August arrives carrying hints that another summer is slipping away.

So here’s to not wasting July. Let’s live it fully.

Let July Decide Dinner

One of my favorite things about July is that it has already decided what’s for dinner. All we have to do is pay attention.

Walk through a farmers market and you’ll find peaches stacked in wooden crates, sweet corn waiting to be grilled, tomatoes so ripe they barely need more than flaky salt and olive oil, fragrant basil begging to become pesto, juicy melons, berries, and bouquets you didn’t plan on buying but somehow can’t leave behind.

July isn’t the month for complicated recipes. It’s the month for letting incredible ingredients do most of the work. Let peaches become dessert before you even think about baking a cake. Grill the corn. Slice the tomatoes thick. Blend the watermelon into agua fresca. Make fresh salsa while tomatoes still taste like sunshine.

Sometimes the best summer menu isn’t planned at all, it begins with whatever July is generous enough to offer

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The Soundtrack of July

Every season has a soundtrack. Autumn belongs to jazz. December belongs to old Christmas records.

But July?

July belongs to Lana Del Rey.

There is something about her music that feels inseparable from this month. Long highways disappearing into the horizon. American flags catching the wind outside roadside diners. Cherry Coke. Neon motel signs flickering to life at dusk. County fairs. Summer heat rising from the pavement after sunset. In the heavy, blinding glare of a Texas summer, her cinematic melancholia just makes sense. Her music lives somewhere between nostalgia and freedom, where every romance feels a little too short and every road trip feels like it could change your life.

Maybe that’s why one lyric has become almost synonymous with summer:

Hot summer nights, mid-July / When you and I were forever wild - Lana Del Rey

Who hasn’t had a summer that lingers long after it ended? The kind you only remember in flashes: the song that was always playing, the drive you wish had lasted longer, the person whose name still finds you every July. Lana understands that feeling better than almost anyone. Her songs aren’t really about forever. They’re about moments. One summer. One romance. One highway. One memory.

Maybe that’s why she feels so perfectly at home in July.

Whether you're a longtime fan or listening for the first time, let Lana Del Rey score one long drive this month. Roll the windows down. Take the scenic route home. July deserves a soundtrack.

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A Night That Brings Us Together

Whatever the Fourth of July means to you personally, it’s difficult to deny how deeply woven it is into the rhythm of an American summer.

The smell of charcoal drifting through neighborhoods. Folding chairs pulled into driveways hours before the fireworks begin. Children running through the yard with sparklers. Popsicles melting faster than they’re eaten. Someone insisting the burgers need just five more minutes.

For a few hours, people who disagree about almost everything stand shoulder to shoulder, looking up at the same sky. Maybe that’s part of what makes the evening so memorable. The fireworks only last twenty minutes, but they remind us that wonder still has the power to gather strangers together.

Whether you’re celebrating with family, hosting friends, or simply watching the fireworks from your backyard, I hope you take a moment to look around. July has a way of reminding us that some of life’s best memories happen outside.

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Read About Someone Else's Independence

One of the things I love most about July is that it quietly reminds me every country has a story about becoming itself.

We naturally think about Independence Day here in the United States, but independence has been fought for, celebrated, mourned, and remembered all over the world. Mexico. India. Greece. Haiti. Ireland. Poland. South Africa. Every nation carries its own stories of courage, sacrifice, resilience, and hope. History has a beautiful way of making distant places feel surprisingly familiar.

This month, choose one country you’ve never really learned about before. Read a novel rooted in its history. Watch a documentary. Learn how another nation fought to become itself. You may come away understanding your own country a little differently.

If you're looking to spend this July seeing the world through a different lens, these are the books I'd begin with:

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

If you’re drawn to stories that live in the gray rather than the black and white, this is one to savor. The Sympathizer doesn’t ask you to choose sides as much as it asks you to sit with contradiction. It’s thoughtful, and unsettling novel about identity, memory, and what it means to belong after your world has been turned upside down.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This is a novel that reminds us wars are never fought only on battlefields. They unfold around dinner tables, inside family homes, in friendships, and in the ordinary routines that slowly begin to disappear. It captures the hope that accompanies the dream of a new nation, while never looking away from the cost of that dream. It’s heartbreaking, compassionate, and impossible to forget.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Some stories stretch across decades; this one stretches across generations. Homegoing gently reminds us that the consequences of history don’t end when the headlines do. They echo through families, shaping identities long after the events themselves have passed. It’s one of those rare novels that leaves you thinking not only about where people come from, but about everything they carry with them.

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

Not every struggle for freedom is fought across oceans. Some happen quietly, close to home. Inspired by real events, this novel explores the fight to protect Indigenous sovereignty through the lives of ordinary people. Offering a beautiful reminder that preserving freedom can be just as important as winning it.

What I love most about these books is that they don't read like history lessons. They invite us to experience history through someone else's eyes. They remind us that behind every revolution, every border, and every declaration of independence are families, friendships, heartbreaks, and quiet moments of resilience.

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July as an Act of Stewardship

If you’re new to gardening in Texas, July will humble you.

You stop checking the weather hoping for rain and start bargaining with it instead. Every afternoon feels like another battle against spider mites, aphids, squash bugs, and whatever new villain has decided your garden looks particularly appetizing this week.

July isn’t planting season here. It’s stewardship.

It means watering before sunrise, deadheading yesterday’s blooms, and pulling a few weeds before breakfast. It’s hard work, but it forces us to celebrate every sunflower still standing tall and every coneflower buzzing with bees. Because despite the heat, July is still breathtaking. Butterflies drift from bloom to bloom. Russian sage dances in the breeze. Black-eyed Susans refuse to quit, and zinnias bloom like little fireworks.

This is the month where gardeners earn autumn. While we're keeping everything alive, we're already dreaming about cooler mornings and the vegetables we'll plant when fall finally arrives.

Note: And if you need more help romanticizing summer, you might enjoy revisiting June’s journal, A Guide to Romanticizing Summer.

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Things Worth Leaving the House For

The temptation to stay inside all month is real. Believe me, I understand. But July is still happening outside, which means we just have to be more intentional about our outings.

Go to an independent bookstore. Catch a matinee. Spend an afternoon wandering through a museum or browsing a flea market. Go to a lake and take a dip, or go on a hunt for the best ice cream in town.

Take a drive to the next town over. Mine is Fort Worth. I never seem to leave without having a wonderful day and an even better bowl of ramen, yes, even in July. Sometimes all we need is a simple reason to leave the house.

Add It to Your July Watchlist

A curated list of everything I'm excited to watch this month, from highly anticipated returns to brand-new stories.

📺Survival of the Thickets (Season 3) – July 2:
Inspired by Michelle Buteau’s memoir, Mavis Beaumont is a plus-sized Black woman rebuilding her life as a struggling stylist after a messy breakup. If you haven't started this laugh-out-loud comedy yet, you have two full seasons to binge-watch in the AC.

📺Silos (Season 3) – July 3:
Premiering right on the eve of Independence Day, this dystopian thriller drops us back into a ruined, toxic future. A community survives in a massive underground silo plunging hundreds of stories deep, bound by strict regulations meant to protect them. This show is absolutely gripping.

📺Ride or Die – July 15:
I will watch absolutely anything Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham are in. This new action-comedy series follows two best friends whose worlds turn upside down when long-buried secrets begin to surface.

📺The Hawk – July 16:
Starring Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon, this is bound to be a hilariously chaotic watch. It follows Lonnie "The Hawk" Hawkins, a former champion golfer on the back nine of his career looking to make an unlikely comeback.

📺King of the Hill – July 20:
There is no better show to watch while hiding from a Texas July. Arlen feels exactly like home, Hank Hill's obsession with propane and lawn care hits differently when it's 102 degrees outside, and the dry, affectionate Texas humor is the ultimate comfort food for a hot summer night.

📺Furious – July 27:
If you loved Emmy Rossum in Shameless you’ll want to glue yourself to the couch for this one. This dark, slow-burn psychological thriller completely flips the script on traditional crime dramas. Rossum plays an FBI agent locked in a tense, high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse with a coldly calculating female serial killer.

📺The Ridge – July 27:
A Scottish doctor takes refuge with her sister in a remote New Zealand town, only to find her sister has mysteriously died. Shock turns to mounting horror as she’s drawn into a web of small-town lies. (Thank god for international streaming alternatives!)

📼 Jaws (Classic Rec):
This film was my personal introduction to the American 4th of July. I was living in Mexico at the time, and I completely fell in love with the iconic score, the pacing, and the coastal atmosphere. It was shot on location, and you can truly feel the weight of the shadows. They simply don't make movies like this anymore.

📼 Independence Day (Classic Rec):
This movie is a pure holiday tradition for me. It is a mandatory requirement to have this playing loudly in the background while I’m cooking on the 4th of July. It is the perfect blend of high-stakes 90s action, heart, and pure fun.

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A Few Dates Worth Noting

🚴Tour de France – July 4 through July 26:
Watching the Tour feels like taking a winding European road trip without ever leaving your sofa. Every stage offers a new rolling landscape, a historic village, and an escape from the heat.

🎆 Independence Day - July 4:
This year’s Fourth of July feels especially significant. It marks 250 years since the United States declared its independence. A milestone woven into a day already filled with backyard cookouts, sparklers, parades, and skies lit up long after sunset.

⚽ The World cup Final – July 19:
The final whistle always feels a little bittersweet.

For a month, the tournament makes the world feel small. We cheer for our own countries, of course, but somewhere along the way we begin cheering for the people too. You see the joy on one side, the heartbreak on the other, and you realize just how much ninety minutes of football can mean to an entire nation.

Note: I truly am in awe of how far Mexico has come, and what an incredible team the United States has put together.

🌕Full “Buck Moon” – July 29
Also called the Thunder Moon, it gets its name from the time of year when young bucks begin growing their antlers. It feels like a moon meant for becoming. A reminder that growth can be quiet, tender, and still incredibly powerful. Step outside after sunset, look up, and enjoy the show. No project to complete; just a beautiful cosmic reminder.

💐International Day of Friendship – July 30
Is a gentle reminder to celebrate the people who make our lives richer. The friend who always answers the phone, the neighbor who brings over tomatoes from their garden, and the childhood friend who still knows your favorite ice cream order.

Before July Slips Away Bucket List

Before the month slips away here is a list of small pleasures, seasonal traditions, and memorable moments worth making time for this summer.

• Watch fireworks light up the sky on a warm summer night.

• Spend a morning peach picking at a local orchard.

• Lose an afternoon inside a quiet, independent bookstore.

• Wander the farmers market and let whatever is fresh decide what’s for dinner.

• Stay outside until midnight at least once just to listen to the dark.

• Learn to spot one new constellation in the summer sky.

• Roll the windows down and listen to Lana Del Rey during a long, aimless drive.

• Cool off with a spontaneous water balloon fight in the backyard.

• Escape the afternoon heat at a local bowling alley.

• Hunt for hidden treasures and vintage goods at a weekend flea market.

• Find a lake or a pool and take a long, refreshing swim.

• Spend an hour flipping through crates to hunt for a new vinyl record.

• Sit on the porch and watch the heavy summer moon rise over the trees.

• Channel your inner child: construct a simple homemade kite, head to the park, and fly it.

• Lay out a blanket on the grass for an evening of quiet stargazing.

• Promise yourself you won’t let July become just another month on the calendar.

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One Last Thing

Before July slips away, I have one small challenge for you.

Stay outside until midnight. Just once.

Listen to the rhythmic hum of the cicadas. Watch the moon rise over the tree line. See if you can spot a constellation you didn’t know before. Make s’mores over an open flame if you can.

July asks so much of us. It asks us to endure the heat, battle mosquitoes, water thirsty gardens, and somehow keep showing up anyway. But if we’re willing to slow down long enough to notice it, July gives so much back.

So eat the peach while it’s dripping down your wrist. Buy the flowers. Take a road trip. Grill dinner. Take the long way home with Lana Del Rey playing through the speakers.

Don’t let July become just another month on the calendar. It only visits once a year.

– Lily Hawthorne

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Summer rewards those who are willing to adjust their rhythm.

The season asks us to rise a little earlier, linger outside a little later, and seek out the cooler moments at the edges of the day. In return, it offers some of life’s simplest pleasures: baskets of peaches and cherries from the farmers market, colorful garden flowers arranged on the kitchen table, homemade sorbets, dinners cooked on the grill, and sunsets that seem to stretch forever.

Here in Texas, summer is not always gentle. The heat can be relentless. By the afternoon, the garden droops beneath the sun, and even the most determined gardeners are reminded that nature will always have the final say.

Yet summer rewards those who are willing to adapt.

Botanical gardens stay open later into the evening. Yoga classes begin earlier in the morning. Neighborhoods come alive after sunset. Life shifts towards dawn and dusk, finding beauty in the hours when the world softens.

Perhaps that is what makes summer so romantic. Not because it is easy, but because it encourages us to live differently.

To enjoy breakfast on the patio before the day grows warm. To cool off with an agua fresca flavored with mint from the garden. To fill the freezer with homemade popsicles and fruit sorbets. To watch fireworks on the Fourth of July. To let the dog run through the sprinkler. To gather friends around the grill and stay outside until the last traces of daylight disappear from the sky.

For years, I viewed summer as a season to get through until autumn arrived. Now, I’m trying something different.

This guide is my attempt to pay attention, to notice the abundance that surrounds us this time of year. The fruit at its peak, the flowers in bloom, the long evenings, the unforgettable sunsets, and the small rituals that make a season memorable.

So, pour something refreshing, light a candle if you can, and settle in. Let’s make this the most romantic summer yet — together.

Intentions for the Season

Every season asks something different of us. Autumn invites us inward. Winter encourages rest. Spring arrives with possibility and renewal. Summer asks us to slow down. This summer, rather than rushing towards autumn, my intention is to embrace what makes this season unique.

Rather than filling this season with expectations, I prefer to begin with a few intentions. Not goals. Not resolutions. Simply gentle reminders for the months ahead.

Notice Abundance

Summer is generous.

Farmers market stalls overflow with peaches, cherries, tomatoes, melons, and herbs. Gardens bloom with sunflowers, zinnias, coneflowers, and cosmos. The days stretch long into the evening, giving us more daylight than any other season. This summer, I want to notice it. Not rush past it. Not save it for later. But appreciate it while it’s here.

Live at the Edges of the Day

Summer rewards those who are willing to adjust their rhythm. The most beautiful moments often happen before the heat arrives or long after it begins to fade. Breakfast on the patio. A morning walk. Watering the garden at sunrise. An evening spent outdoors watching the sky change colors. This summer, I want to embrace the hours when the world feels softer.

Celebrate Seasonal Pleasures

A homemade peach dessert. An agua fresca flavored with mint from the garden. Fresh flowers in every room. I cannot wait for those sunflowers. A bowl of cherries waiting on the counter. A chilled watermelon in the refrigerator. Taking a dip in the pool or going to a fair. Homemade popsicles. The joy of summer is often found in the simplest things.

Create More Moments Worth Remembering

Not every memorable summer requires a plane ticket or a carefully planned itinerary. Sometimes it’s a backyard barbecue. A sunset that stops you in your tracks. A dog running through the sprinklers. A scoop of homemade sorbet after dinner. Attend a sunrise yoga class. Water balloon fights. Stargazing. Cloud-watching. Bird watching. Small moments often become the memories we treasure most.

Remain Curious

Summer has a way of making us retreat indoors, rushing from one air-conditioned space to another. This season, I want to stay curious. To visit a museum I’ve never explored. To grow something new in the garden. To try a recipe I’ve never made before. To look up at the sky when the clouds begin to gather before a storm.

Find Beauty Before Autumn Arrives

As someone who loves fall, I often find myself looking ahead. Waiting for the cooler weather. Watching for the first signs of autumn. But every season deserves to be appreciated while it’s here. This summer, I want to resist the urge to rush ahead. The pumpkins will arrive soon enough. For now, there are peaches to eat, sunsets to watch, flowers to arrange, and long evenings to enjoy. And I don’t want to miss them.

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Summer at Home

Summer doesn’t ask us to completely reinvent our homes. It asks us to adjust them.

A linen tablecloth replaces a heavier fabric. Cotton sheets take the place of comforters. A pitcher of cherry limeade appears in the refrigerator. The grill gets used more often than the oven.

Little by little, the house begins to reflect the season.

I find myself drawn to lighter colors this time of the year. Blue and yellow tablecloths emerge from storage. Floral pillows replace the richer textures. Autumn artwork gives way to scenes filled with water, gardens, sunlight, and open windows.

Fresh flowers become part of the season indoors too. I wait all year for sunflower season. As bouquets begin appearing at the farmers market and in garden beds, they find their way onto kitchen tables, nightstands, and countertops, bringing a little of the outdoors inside.

Some years, I swap in reproductions of Pierre Bonnard, whose rooms seem to glow with summer light. Other times, it’s Monet’s water lilies or Matisse’s open windows that find their way onto my walls.

Summer, to me, feels a little like stepping into a Pierre Bonnard painting. Sunlight spills through open windows, gardens blur into dining rooms, and ordinary moments feel saturated with color. His work captures something I love about the season: the way light transforms even the simplest rituals into something memorable.

Summer, after all, is a season of light.

The curtains stay open longer. Suncatchers scatter rainbows across the room. Lights remain off well into the evening because the sun lingers long after dinner. Then, as the hottest part of the day arrives, the curtains are drawn to keep the house cool, only to be opened again as dusk settles in. It is a small ritual, but one that marks the transition from the intensity of midday to the gentleness of evening.

The rhythms of the home shift too. Morning coffee becomes iced coffee. Hot soups become salads. The freezer fills with homemade sorbets and popsicles. Fresh herbs grow in terracotta pots just outside the back door, ready to find their way into lemonades, marinades, and summer dinners.

Even self-care changes with the season. A cool shower after a hot day. Lavender incense burning in the evening. Fresh sheets. A cup of tea enjoyed behind drawn curtains while the sun continues its slow descent outside.

None of these changes are dramatic. But together they help create a home that feels in step with the season. A different tablecloth. A pitcher of limeade in the refrigerator. Fresh herbs by the back door. Together they create a home that feels attuned to the season.

And perhaps that is the secret to romanticizing summer. Not fighting the season. Not wishing it away. But allowing your home and your routines to evolve alongside it.

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The Summer Almanac:

Summer asks us to keep time differently.

Unlike autumn, with its holidays and celebrations, summer unfolds quietly. Its milestones arrive not on a calendar, but at the farmers market. The first cherries. The first peaches of the season.

There was a time when people measured the year differently. Not by school calendars or quarterly goals, but by what was growing. Cherry season meant one thing. Peach season meant another. Tomatoes arrived in their own time. Figs signaled that autumn was quietly approaching.

Somewhere along the way, many of us stopped noticing.

Summer became a blur of heat and errands and weekends that disappeared too quickly.

This almanac is an invitation to return to a slower rhythm. To pay attention to what is ripening, blooming, and arriving. To linger outside a little longer. To savor fruit when it is truly in season. To collect a handful of ordinary moments before they vanish.

This is not a bucket list.

It is a record of the things worth noticing:

🍒 cherry season (early June)
The unofficial beginning of summer. The first real taste of abundance after spring. Buy a basket from the farmers market. Bake a galette or a clafoutis. Make a compote. Eat them by the handful.

⚽ world cup summer
This summer, the world comes to North Texas. DFW will host several World Cup matches, bringing visitors, celebrations, and a contagious sense of excitement to the region.

Even if you don’t attend a match, there’s something special about sharing a season with a global event. Restaurants fill with fans. Jerseys appear everywhere. Conversations shift toward countries, cities, and places you’ve never been. Summer always feels a little bigger when the world shows up.

☀️ summer solstice — june 21
Official first day of summer and the longest of the year. A reminder to linger. Eat dinner outside. Watch the sunset. Take an evening walk. Let the day feel long.

🌇 long evenings
Not a date. Not a holiday. Just one of summer’s greatest gifts. The sunsets arrive late. Dinner stretches longer. Walks begin after eight o’clock. The sky lingers in shades of peach, lavender, and gold.

🍑 peach season (late June)
Perhaps the most perfect season of all. Peaches belong on kitchen counters, in cobblers, tucked beside burrata, grilled over charcoal, and eaten over the sink while their juice runs down your wrist.

🌙 strawberry moon — june 29
Summer has always felt a little magical to me, and full moons seem to magnify that feeling. Step outside after sunset, look up, and enjoy the show. No recipe required. No project to complete. Just a reminder that not everything worth noticing can be found at the farmers market.

🎆 4th of july
carnival rides, live music, BBQ, and fireworks light up the night sky — it feels like stepping inside a dream.

🍅 tomato season (mid July)
The height of summer. When tomatoes taste like tomatoes again. When a thick slice, a sprinkle of flaky salt, and a drizzle of olive oil become a complete meal. BLTs, caprese salads, sandwiches, and gazpacho. Buy the ugly heirlooms. They’re usually the best ones.

⛈️ First Summer Thunderstorm
There comes a point every summer when dark clouds gather on the horizon and the sky finally breaks open. The temperature drops. The air smells like wet earth. The garden breathes a sigh of relief. Pause whatever you’re doing and watch from the porch if you can. Summer thunderstorms are one of the season’s greatest gifts.

🌻 sunflower season (late July)
Roadside fields begin to glow. Bring a bouquet home, fill every vase you own.

🌰 fig season (early August)
One of the first signs that summer is beginning to lean toward autumn. The sunsets come a little earlier. A pumpkin display quietly arrives at the garden center. You catch yourself thinking about autumn. Don’t rush it. Fall will arrive soon enough. For now there are still peaches to eat. There is still sunlight to collect. There is still summer left.

🍂 august 15th: the first whisper of fall
Not an official holiday. Just a feeling.

Pumpkins appear in stores. Candles return to shelves. You start thinking about soup. Summer isn’t over yet but autumn is finally visible on the horizon.

This is also when my brain begins celebrating Summerween. The pumpkins haven't fully arrived, but the anticipation has. For someone who spends half the summer dreaming about autumn, this is the moment I've been waiting for.

But don’t rush the season just yet. There are still peaches to eat, sunsets to watch, and warm evenings left to enjoy.

And if you’re already embracing your Summerween era, you might enjoy revisiting last year’s journal, an enchanted guide to october

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Feed Your Mind: Summer Reading List

Summer offers something other seasons do not: time.

Long afternoons. Quiet mornings. Slow evenings. Moments that invites us to linger a little longer with a book, a new idea, or a story we can’t stop thinking about.

Maybe that is why summer reading feels so special. It isn't about racing through a stack of books or reaching an arbitrary goal. It's about choosing stories that reflect how you hope to experience the season.

A novel to get lost in. A nonfiction book that teaches you something new. A comfort read you return to year after year. A story that transports you somewhere else entirely. A book that simply feels like summer.

This summer, I find myself drawn to stories where place is more than a setting.

Perhaps it’s because I spend so much of the season adapting to the Texas heat, but I’ve become fascinated by the relationship between people and the landscapes they inhabit. A marsh, a wilderness, a drought, a stretch of coastline. These places don’t simply exist in the background, they shape the lives unfolding within them.

The books I’ve chosen this season explore a question I’ve been thinking about often:

What happens when a place becomes powerful enough to shape the people who live there?

These are stories where weather, landscape, and the natural world become forces in their own right. Sometimes beautiful. Sometimes unforgiving. Always unforgettable.

Here's what I'm sipping alongside a cherry limeade this season:

📖 Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
What first drew me to this novel was the marsh itself. The landscape feels alive on every page, shaping the rhythms of everyone’s daily life, offering refuge, and demanding resilience in equal measure.

I’m fascinate by stories where nature isn’t simply observed but experienced. Where tides, birds, insects, and changing seasons become part of the story being told.

Best paired with an afternoon thunderstorm, a glass of cherry limeade, and the sound of rain tapping against the windows.

📖 The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
By August, when the Texas heat has me closing the curtains and dreaming of cooler weather. I inevitably find myself drawn to stories set somewhere cold.

This is a recommendation my dad made years ago, and somehow summer always feels like the right time to finally pick it up. Set in the Alaskan wilderness, this novel explores what happens when beauty and isolation exist side by side. The landscape is breathtaking, but it is also demanding and impossible to ignore.

Best paired with fresh sheets, a cold drink, and a day so hot you’re actively dreaming of snow.

📖 Land by Maggie O’farrell
Some stories ask us to pay attention to a place. Others ask us to consider what a place remembers.

Of all the books on this list, this may be the one I'm most excited to read. What draws me to Land is its exploration of memory, belonging, and the relationship between people and the places they inherit. It feels like the kind of novel that lingers long after the final page.

Best paired with golden hour, a notebook nearby, and an evening spent lingering at dusk.

📖 The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Sometimes a classic is a classic for a reason. Few novels capture the power of the weather and landscape more vividly. Dust, drought, and hardship drive the story forward, shaping every decision the Joad family make. Turning the land itself into one of the story’s most formidable forces.

It’s a reminder that the environments we inhabit are never passive participants in our lives.

Best paired with a hot summer afternoon, a ceiling fan working overtime, and a renewed appreciation for air conditioning.

Summer reading doesn’t have to happen on a beach to feel special. Sometimes it looks like retreating indoors during the hottest part of the day. A ceiling fan humming overhead. Fresh sheets. A cold drink nearby. The afternoon stretching out ahead of you.

☀️P.S. If you have a favorite summer read, I'd love to hear about it. My reading list is always growing, and some of my best book discoveries have come from recommendations shared by friends.

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Add It to Your Summer Watchlist

Summer has always felt like movie season to me.

Maybe it’s because the afternoons are too hot to spend outdoors, or because the evenings seem to stretch on forever. Either way, there is something comforting about ending the day with a good film, a bowl of popcorn, and a ceiling fan humming overhead.

Some feel like summer itself. Others simply capture a feeling I want more of this time of year.

Looking at this list now, I realize many of these stories share something in common: a strong sense of place. They transport me somewhere else.

A coastal town wrapped in mystery. A villa in Tuscany. A summer camp on a remote island. A bustling city at dusk. The Greek islands. Sicily.

That is what I love most about summer movies. They allow us to travel without leaving home. For a few hours, we get to inhabit another place, another season, another life.

And on the hottest afternoons, that feels magical.

Here's my curated mix of atmospheric stories for the long days of summer:

📼 Moonrise Kingdom
A whimsical coming-of-age story filled with adventure, nostalgia, and the magic of childhood summers. I love anything Wes Anderson, he is brilliant. As a Texan, I can't help but mention that Wes Anderson is from Texas. His first film, Bottle Rocket, was filmed right here in DFW.

Perfect for when you want your night to feel nostalgic, adventurous, and wonderfully whimsical.

📺 The Leopard
A Netflix original, set against the sun-drenched landscapes of Sicily, The Leopard is a story about change, family, tradition, and the passage of time. The cinematography alone is worth watching: golden light, grand estates, and scenes that feel like paintings come to life.

What I love most is the way it lingers on place. The heat, the landscape, and the fading world around the characters become just as important as the story itself. I love historical shows, as I’m watching I am online researching the events.

Perfect for when you want your night in to feel atmospheric, elegant, and quietly reflective.

📺 Widow’s Bay
I AM OBSESSED!!! Part mystery, part folklore, and part puzzle waiting to be solved, Widows Bay has quickly become one of my favorite summer watches. Set in a coastal town filled with secrets, strange occurrences, and lingering questions, it’s the kind of show that invites you to pay attention to every detail.

The atmosphere is what draws me in most. Foggy shorelines, local legends, hidden clues, and the feeling that something important is hiding just beneath the surface.

Fair warning: you’ll likely find yourself theorizing between episodes. If you decide to watch it, please let me know. I desperately need someone to discuss theories with.

Perfect for when you want your night in to feel mysterious, atmospheric, and impossible to stop thinking about.

📼 Under the Tuscan Sun
If summer could be bottled into a film, it might look something like this. Sun-drenched landscapes, outdoor meals, beautiful gardens, and the reminder that life can surprise us in the most unexpected ways. It reminds me that sometimes the life we're meant to build begins after the plans we originally made fall apart.

Perfect for when you're craving wanderlust, golden light, and a reminder that new beginnings can happen at any age.

📼 Before Sunrise
A film that unfolds like a long summer evening. Thoughtful, romantic, and full of conversation, it reminds us that some of life’s most meaningful moments happen when we slow down enough to be present.

Perfect for when you want your night in to feel romantic, reflective, and quietly beautiful.

📼 Julie and Julia
Part culinary inspiration, part comfort film, and one of my favorite reminders that creativity often begins with simply starting. It always leaves me inspired.

Perfect for when you’re craving butter, ambition, and the motivation to begin a new project.

📼 Call Me By Your Name
Peaches, sunshine, lazy afternoons, and the bittersweet feeling that summer never lasts as long as we’d like. Few films capture the atmosphere of a season quite like this one.

Perfect for when you want your night in to feel dreamy, nostalgic, and achingly beautiful.

📼 Mamma Mia!
Pure joy. Sun-soaked scenery, catchy music, seaside views, and enough energy to make you forget about whatever is stressing you out.

Perfect for when yo need a dose of sunshine, laughter, and unapologetic fun.

📼 Jaws
Maybe it's the beaches. Maybe it's the Fourth of July setting. Maybe it's simply tradition at this point. Whatever the reason, no other film announces the arrival of summer quite like Jaws.

Perfect for when you want your night in to feel suspenseful, and iconic.

Whether you’re in the mood for mystery, romance, nostalgia, adventure, or simply a beautiful place to get lost in for a few hours, I hope one of these finds its way onto your watchlist this season.

After all, summer stories have a way of lingering long after the credits roll.

☀️ P.S. What is one film you believe everyone should watch at least once in their lifetime? The kind of movie you would recommend without hesitation.

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Summer Rituals

These rituals won't appear on a calendar, but they help me settle into the season all the same.

To me, rituals are the small things that signal a season has arrived. The first iced coffee. Opening the windows on a cool morning. A favorite perfume pulled from the back of the shelf. Watermelon chilling in the refrigerator.

None of them are particularly remarkable on their own. But repeated often enough, they become part of the rhythm of summer.

They remind me that summer isn’t something to endure. It’s something to participate in.

Opening all the windows
The mornings are my favorite part of summer. The light pours through the windows, birds announce the start of the day, and the house feels connected to the outdoors. I usually have the Merlin app running so I can identify whoever is singing outside. It is one of the simplest pleasures of the season.

Switch to Iced Coffee or Iced Matcha
The first iced coffee of the season always feels like a small surrender to summer. I love to lean into fruity syrups: cherry, blueberry, and strawberry. Afterall summer is when fruits are in abundance.

Find Your Signature Summer Scent
Fragrance sets the mood for me just as much as music. A single scent can transport me somewhere else entirely: a garden at dusk, a seaside vacation, a summer I thought I had forgotten.

Every season has its own scent, and summer deserves one too.

This is the time of year I find myself reaching for fragrances that feel bright, sun-warmed, and a little indulgent. Notes of citrus, ripe fruit, fresh herbs, salty air, and blooming flowers all seem to belong here.

The fragrance I keep returning to each summer is Tom Ford’s Bitter Peach. It reminds me of peaches left on a kitchen counter to ripen, golden evenings that linger past dinner, and the feeling that summer still has plenty of stories left to tell.

Keep Watermelon in the Fridge
There is no greater luxury on a hot afternoon than opening the refrigerator and finding cold watermelon waiting for you. Specially after you done some work in the garden.

Let Summer Shape the Menu
Summer changes the way I cook. Heavy meals give way to lighter ones. This is the season when I crave shrimp skewers, shrimp cocktail, grilled salmon, and anything brightened with citrus. The goal isn’t complicated cooking. It’s food that feels refreshing after a hot day and keeps the kitchen cool.

Summer, after all, is not the season for fighting the heat. It’s the season for adapting to it.

Build a Summer Soundtrack
Every summer deserves its own soundtrack.

A collection of songs that will forever remind you of this particular season. Something to play while cooking dinner, reading on the couch during an afternoon thunderstorm, tending to the garden, or driving with the windows cracked open.

Music has a way of attaching itself to memories. Years from now, a single song can transport you back to a specific summer evening, a favorite vacation, or a season of your life you thought you had forgotten.

This year, I have two playlists in rotation. Summer in the Passenger Seat (indie playlist) filled with songs for long drives and golden-hour walks. The other is what I affectionately call Romanticizing Summer: a collection of romantic French songs that make even the most ordinary errands feel cinematic. If I’m being honest, I believe music is essential to romanticizing a season. And this year, I’m not aiming for a good summer. I’m chasing a phenomenal one.

Enjoy a cold Shower
A cold shower after a day spent in triple-digit temperatures feels like one of life’s great luxuries. Summer turns an ordinary shower into something restorative. Add a lavender body wash, your favorite playlist, and suddenly it feels like a spa day.

Close the Curtains by 7 p.m.
By midsummer, closing the curtains becomes part of my evening routine. Not because I'm hiding from the season, but because I'm adapting to it. The house stays cooler, the lights stay dim, and my brain begins to prepare for rest while the sun continues lingering outside.

The older I get, the more I realize that seasons are not defined by dates on a calendar. They are defined by the small things we do again and again.

The songs we listen to. The foods we crave. The drinks we make. The routines we return to.

Perhaps that is why rituals matter. They help us notice the season while we are living it.

And years from now, when I think back on this summer, I have a feeling it won’t be the big events I remember most. It will be the iced coffees, the open windows, the scent of sunscreen and lavender, and the quiet moments that made an ordinary day feel like summer.

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A Gentle Summer Bucket List

A list of small pleasures, seasonal traditions, and memorable moments worth making time for this summer.

Not because every item needs to be checked off, but because sometimes a single afternoon, a simple ritual, or an ordinary gathering can become the memory we carry forward long after the season ends.

• Visit a Farmers Market Before 8 a.m. – Stock up on this seasons abundance: cherries, peaches, mangos, plum, and figs.

• Create a Flower Arrangement – Invite the season indoors. Fill a pitcher, vase, or mason jar with whatever is blooming nearby. Sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, peonies, or even grocery store flowers can become something beautiful when arranged with intention. Bonus points if you create an arrangement inspired by a favorite book, painting, or color palette.

• Host a Backyard Summer Party – Gather friends, fire up the grill, make a pitcher of something cold, and celebrate the season while it's here.

• Bake a Seasonal Dessert – At some point of the summer we all crave a little sweetness and making a cobbler, galette, pie, ice-cream, sorbet, popsicles, cheesecake, or banana pudding.

• Watch fireworks on the 4th of July - There is something magical about fireworks. For a few minutes, adults become children again, looking skyward in wonder.

• Have a Water Balloon Fight – Sometimes romanticizing summer looks less like a beautifully set table and more like laughing in the backyard with the people you love. A water balloon fight may not seem important in the moment, but years later it might be the thing you remember most.

• Do a Candle Reset – Rotate in floral and fruity scents. I usually lean more into incense this time of the year. They don’t emit heat the way a candle does.

• Host Sunset Cocktails - Watermelon, peach, or cherry cocktails enjoyed as the sun slips below the horizon. If you've seen Widow's Bay, you already know this is the social event of the season.

  

• Watch a Sunset – Summer rewards us with some of the most spectacular sunsets of the year. Purples, oranges, golds, and magentas stretch across the sky long after dinner has ended. Stay outside a few minutes longer than usual and watch the show.

• Make Homemade Sorbet – Few things feel more like summer than transforming ripe fruit into something cold and refreshing. Peach, mango, strawberry, cherry, or watermelon. Bonus points if eaten while standing in front of an open freezer deciding whether you deserve a second bowl.

• Visit a Botanical Garden After Hours – Summer asks us to adjust our rhythm. Many gardens stay open later into the evening, allowing visitors to enjoy them after the worst of the heat has passed. It's one of my favorite reminders that even nature adapts to summer.

• Attend an Art Exhibit - When the temperatures become too hot to spend the afternoon outdoors, museums offer a welcome retreat. Spend an afternoon wandering galleries, studying paintings, or discovering an artist you’ve never encountered before. This summer, I’m especially excited to see Samurai to the Imperial Court: Japanese Metalwork at the Dallas Museum of Art and The Holy Sepulcher exhibition at the Kimbell Art Museum.

• Create a New Tradition – Whether it’s making a summer wreath for your front door, mosaic pavers, or an annual movie marathon, let this be the year you make it yours.

Choose a few and commit to them this season. Even one or two can transform an ordinary summer into one you’ll remember. The goal isn’t to do everything on this list, but to find a handful of moments worth anticipating, savoring, and returning to year after year.

After all, the most meaningful traditions often begin as simple ideas on an ordinary summer afternoon.

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Reflections

Before diving into the season ahead, take a moment to reflect on how you want to experience it. Not through productivity goals or endless to-do lists, but through the memories, rituals, and moments you hope to create.

For me, this usually happens on a quiet morning. A notebook open on the table. A glass of lemonade nearby. The windows open. Birds singing outside. Nothing particularly profound, just a few minutes spent thinking about what I want this season to feel like before it slips away.

Whenever I find myself rushing through a season, these are the questions I return to. They help me slow down, pay attention, and reconnect with what I hope this season will feel like.

• What part of summer am I most looking forward to this year?

• What seasonal pleasures do I want to make more time for?

• What does my ideal summer day look like?

• What do I want to learn, read, or explore this season?

• What moments do I want to remember when summer ends?

• What beauty am I overlooking in my everyday life?

• How can I work with the season instead of against it?

There are no right answers. The goal isn’t to create a perfect summer. It’s simply to notice the one you’ve already living.

Every now and then, one or two ideas rise to the surface. A reminder to spend more time outdoors. A promise to slow down. A commitment to make room for something that brings me joy.

I’ll usually write those down and keep them somewhere I’ll see them: on my desk, in my journal, even on the fridge, as a quiet reminder throughout the season.

Not because I expect myself to do everything perfectly, but because intentions have a way of shaping how we move through a season.

Closing Thoughts

If I’m being honest, summer has never been my easiest season.

I am someone who naturally gravitates toward autumn. I look forward to cooler weather, cozy evenings, and the first signs of fall long before they arrive. Summer, especially in Texas, can feel relentless. The heat lingers. The garden struggles. The afternoons demand patience.

And yet, every year, summer offers gifts I would miss if I rushed through it.

The first peaches at the farmers market. A sunflower opening in the garden. A thunderstorm rolling in after weeks of heat. An evening sky painted in shades of gold, orange, and magenta.

The longer I’ve spent creating this guide, the more I’ve realized that romanticizing summer isn’t about pretending the season is perfect. It isn’t about ignoring the heat or wishing I lived somewhere else.

It’s about paying attention. It’s about noticing the abundance hidden within a season I once spent counting down. That is the lesson I hope to carry with me this year.

Not every season asks to be loved in the same way. Some ask to be embraced. Others ask to be endured. Summer asks us to adjust our rhythm. To wake earlier. To linger later. To seek shade. To savor what is fleeting. To find beauty where we least expect it. And maybe that is enough. In fact, maybe that is the whole point.

So here's to the farmers markets, the peaches, the fresh flowers, the thunderstorms, the grilled dinners, the sunsets, and the small rituals that make a season memorable.

May this be your most intentional summer yet.
- Lily Hawthorne

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What is Pollo Guisado?

Pollo guisado is seasoned chicken slowly cooked in a flavorful sauce, essentially a Mexican chicken stew.
The sauce can vary widely: from tomatillo (green), to salsa roja (red), or something in between. Even within the same sauce, the flavor changes depending on the chile (peppers) you use, how you cook the tomatoes, and what vegetables you add.

Potatoes are my go-to, but carrots, squash, corn — anything you love — works beautifully. That’s the beauty of pollo guisado: there is no single version. The differences come down to country, region, and personal taste — and they’re all delicious.

I love making this on Sundays so I have something comforting to reheat on Monday. It makes starting the week feel easier, warmer, and a little more cared for. It just perfect during cold weather.

Serves: 4-6

When to Make:
Weeknights, Sundays, rainy afternoons, or when you need something grounding.

Serve with: Warm tortillas, frijoles de la olla, and cilantro rice (included below)

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 2 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or mixed)

• Salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1–2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or avocado)

For the Guiso

• 1/4 piece of a white onion

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1.5 pounds (700 grams) of Roma tomatoes

• 3 cups chicken broth (homemade if possible)

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)

• 1/4 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp Knorr Tomato Bouillon (this is my salt)

• 1 pound (500 grams) of potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

• 1 small jalapeño or serrano

• Chopped cilantro, for finishing

For the Cilantro Rice

• 1 cup of rice

• 1/4 piece of a white onion

• 1 cloves garlic

• 1 cup of Cilantro

• 2 cups chicken broth (homemade if possible)

• 1 tsp Knorr Chicken Bouillon (this is my salt)

• Chopped cilantro, for finishing

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This is one of those recipes I can’t get enough. I make it at least twice a month.

Method

1. Season the chicken
   Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.

   

2. Brown the chicken
   Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
   Brown the chicken in batches until golden on both sides.
   Remove and set aside — it does not need to be cooked through.

   

3. Prep your vegetables

   While the chicken is browning, peel and cut the potatoes.

   

4. Make the sauce

   • Option 1 (Deeper flavor, Smoky): In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1.5 pounds (700 grams) of tomatoes, 1/4 piece of a white onion, 1 jalapeño pepper, and 2 garlic cloves. Let everything char slightly — this builds depth. Transfer everything to your blender, add 1 tbsp of Knorr Tomato Bouillon, 3 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano, 1/4 tsp ground cumin and blend until smooth and set aside.

   • Option 2 (Bright flavor): Add 1.5 pounds (700 grams) of tomatoes to the blender along with 1/4 piece of a white onion, 1 jalapeño pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp of Knorr Tomato Bouillon, 3 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano, 1/4 tsp ground cumin. Blend until smooth and set aside.

   Note: I use Knorr Tomato Bouillon as my salt. Start with 1 tbsp, blend, taste, and adjust if needed.

   

5. Deglaze the Pot
   Pour the blended sauce into the pot you used to brown the chicken.
   Scrape up all the flavorful bits and cook the sauce over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes.

   

6. Simmer the Guiso
   Return chicken (and juices) to the pot. Add potatoes.
   Ideally, the sauce should come halfway up the chicken — but honestly, I don’t stress about this. I cook this in large batches so I don’t worry about this part much.
   I love extra sauce. Sometimes I eat just the potatoes, rice, and sauce with no chicken at all.

   

7. Slow Cook
   Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low for 30–40 minutes, until:

   • Chicken is tender and pulling from the bone

   • Potatoes are soft

   • Sauce has thickened naturally

   Note: Because we’re using skin-on chicken, some fat will rise to the top. I usually skim this off once the stew is done.

8. Cilantro Rice

   While the guisado simmers, start the rice.

   

   Blend together:

   • 1 cup of cilantro, 1/4 piece of a white onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp of Knorr chicken bouillon and 2 cups of chicken broth.

   • I like to strain this blended liquid

   Cook the rinsed rice using this blended liquid:

   • Rice cooker: Use as you normally would (I use a rice cooker)

   • Stovetop: Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and cook until tender

   Fluff with a fork and finish with chopped cilantro. The cilantro flavor is suttle.

9. Finish & taste
   Taste and adjust salt.
   Sprinkle with chopped cilantro just before serving.

   

10. Serve
    Spoon cilantro rice onto plates, top with glazed chicken, and drizzle with extra sauce.

Kitchen Notes

• If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of broth or water.

• This tastes even better the next day.

• Leftovers make incredible tacos or tostadas.

A Winter Table

Excited for Citrus season. If you need to know anything about me is I love citrus. So here is a Roasted Fennel & Orange Salad I love to come back to every year.

A Note from Lily

This is one of those recipes I make when I want to feel steady again.

It’s not flashy, and it’s not trying to impress — it’s just good, honest food that holds up over a few days and somehow tastes even better each time you reheat it. The kind of dish that waits for you patiently while life keeps moving.

I hope you make this your own. Add more potatoes. Change the chile. Let the sauce be as brothy or as thick as you like. Eat it slowly, or standing at the counter, or straight from the pot the next day.

If this recipe finds a place in your kitchen, I’d love to know.
Thank you for cooking alongside me — it means more than I can say.

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Browse the full Sun-Drenched Table Archive for seasonal dishes, cocktails, and weekly inspiration.

Question:

I am wondering when you are reading through the recipe do you like for the ingredients quantities to be given to you within the Method as well? that way you don’t have to scroll back tot he Ingredients section. Let me know

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This is the season for leaning into the strange and the magical. For bringing out…

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This is the kind of recipe that makes a regular weeknight feel special. You crisp the chicken skin, deglaze the pan with wine (my favorite part!), add stock, and finish with a buttery, silky sauce that feels almost holiday-like. Dylan said it reminded him of Thanksgiving — and he’s right. Maybe its the capers. For the side I made , Green Bean Salad with Herb Tahini Sauce, Crispy Shallots & Sesame Seeds. The Green Bean Salad is the star of the show, trust me its divine. His recipes are giving thanksgiving dinner to me. So it fits the vibe.

Servings

4

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the Pan Sauce:

• ½ cup dry white wine

• ½ cup chicken stock

• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives

• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed

• 3 tbsp butter, softened

• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Method

1. Crisp the Chicken
   Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
   Place them skin-side down in a cold, dry skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook 10–12 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and crisp.

2. Finish Cooking
   Flip the thighs and cook another 8–10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil.

3. Deglaze & Build the Sauce
   Pour off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet.
   Add the white wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer 1–2 minutes.
   Add the chicken stock, chives, and capers. Simmer until slightly reduced.

4. Finish with Butter
   In a small bowl, mash butter and flour into a smooth paste. Whisk into the pan sauce and cook for 1–2 minutes until silky and thickened.

5. Serve
   Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve hot.

Suggested Pairing

For a side, I served this with ’s Green Bean Salad with Herb Tahini Sauce, Crispy Shallots & Sesame Seeds. The dressing is everything, I used the remainder dressing on a salad the following day it was delicious. Dylan’s has asked me to make Mark’s Green Bean Salad three times already. It’s been on repeat.

Kitchen Notes

• Pan Sauce Technique: Deglazing is my favorite step — it lifts all the caramelized flavor from the pan and builds the base of the sauce.

• Stock Matters: Use a good-quality chicken stock (or homemade if you have it) — it rounds out the sauce and deepens the flavor.

• Dylan’s Note: “Tastes like Thanksgiving!” He’s right — the butter, wine, and capers give it that special-occasion feel.

Last Week at the Table

In case you missed it last week we had Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder. Perfect for Falls arrival.

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Feeling Hopeful Again

September has finally arrived, and the days are becoming more reasonable. The air feels lighter, the humidity less oppressive. Yes, we still see 90-degree afternoons, but anything under 100 feels like mercy.

I am a gardener in Zone 8b — or at least I am trying to be one. For the past four years, I’ve been learning, experimenting, failing, and trying again. Gardening in Texas is not for the faint of heart. There is always a moment when it breaks me, and that moment is August.

I dread August. I try not to — I make plans every year to embrace it, to treat it like something worth celebrating. But the truth is, August is when the heat is at its cruelest, when my plants look their saddest, when everything I’ve worked so hard to keep alive seems to wither at once. It’s exhausting, heartbreaking, and humbling. My husband, whose birthday is in August, wishes I didn’t resent it so much — but I can’t help it.

Lessons the Heat Taught Me

Here’s what I’ve learned: “Full sun” on a plant tag does not mean full Texas sun. Almost everything here needs a little protection, especially in the afternoon. That’s not easy when your house faces northeast and your backyard is practically shade-free.

I’ve also learned that being a gardener means signing up for an emotional rollercoaster. Every spring I forget the pain of summer and throw myself back in with renewed hope — buying plants, laying out flower beds, dreaming big. This year, I’ve promised myself I’ll finally plant in the fall. I say that every year, but September and October are always our busiest months, so it never happens.

But after the heartbreak of past summers, I’m determined to be as relentless as an August sun and carry on. I will not be defeated by the Texas heat. I planned ahead this time, and I’m making it happen. Fall really is the best time to plant — it gives the roots time to settle in and grow strong enough to survive our dreadful summers. I’ve even put it on the calendar and on my fall bucket list. I laid the tarp back in May, so by October I’ll be ready to build the flower bed.

And one more thing: I wish more gardening books were written by zones. There are so many wonderful books that teach garden design and philosophy, but very few that speak directly to gardeners in my climate — to our soil, our heat, our struggles. We need more books that say, “This works in Zone 8. Here’s how you can use it.”

Think about it — Zone 8 includes many parts of the southern U.S.: much of Georgia, Alabama, Missouri, southern Arkansas, central Texas, portions of the Pacific coast states (west of the Rockies), parts of North/South Carolina. That’s an estimated 12–20 million households living in Zone 8! Even if just a small percentage of that audience bought a book (or subscribed to a series), it’s a large enough base to be worth it. A book tailored to Zone 8 wouldn’t just be pretty — it could solve real, practical problems for gardeners here in a way that general books never quite do.

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What I’m Planting This Fall

This year’s garden will focus on drought-tolerant, sun-loving plants:

Coneflowers, there are so many different colors. They really thrive in this climate. So I will be adding so many of them through whole backyard. Great for pollinators too.

Yarrow, long-blooming, cheerful, and practically bulletproof.

‘Denim ‘n Lace’ Russian Sage (Proven Winners)

I cannot say enough good things, she thrives beautifully in my back yard. I will be planting more of them. It flowers since May and through fall at least in my region. And the amount of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds it brings is crazy. She is the MVP of my garden and I will be honest, I don’t water it as much as I should and she is still thriving.

Garlic Chives, a kitchen essential for me. Grocery-store chives are often disappointing, so I’m growing my own. Thrips may be a battle, but it’s worth it.

Alliums, I love their sculptural form, even as they dry. I’ll try both ‘Globemaster’ and drumsticks this year.

Roses, obviously David Austin. I am not buying new ones. This roses have been with me for 3-4 years. The challenge is thrip. My plan is to have more companion plants by next spring.

I even bought a ladybug house in preparation for next spring.

I still dream of growing tomatoes and pumpkins, but between the squirrels and the pests, it may not be the year for that. For now, I’m embracing the plants I know will reward me — and leaning into the fact that I spend more time outdoors in fall than any other season.

Fall in the Garden

The garden is where I grill, where I work on my laptop, where we host dinner parties and have our slow Saturday breakfasts. Dylan loves to set up tea outside — it’s become one of our rituals.

So maybe this is my sign to focus more on fall-blooming plants, the ones that make my garden a place I want to be right now, when I need it most.

This Week at the Table

Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder. A comforting yet elevated corn chowder layered with smoky roasted poblano, roasted corn, bacon, shiitake mushrooms, leeks, shallots, white wine and fresh thyme. Creamy, flavorful, and perfect for late summer into fall.

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A Note from Lily

If you’re a gardener in Zone 8b (or anywhere hot and humid!), I’d love to know what you’re planting this fall. Drop me a comment below and tell me what’s thriving in your garden.

Thanks for being here — I can’t wait to share more about this fall’s garden projects as they come to life.

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This week has been wonderfully gloomy and cozy — the kind of weather that makes you want to linger in the kitchen. The mornings have been cool and pleasant, with rain on and off for the past three days. Naturally, I started craving something warm and comforting. A soup was my intention.

Sometimes the best recipes begin in the fridge. I had corn and poblano ready for my usual Mexican-inspired chowder — my friends and I call it simply Poblano Chowder. But there were also leeks, shallots, thyme, shiitake mushrooms, bacon, and a half bottle of white wine staring back at me. The chowder I typically make doesn’t include any of those ingredients, but instead of forcing one direction, I let the ingredients speak. I didn’t want them to go to waste — and I’m so glad I didn’t.

What came together is a chowder that feels like a conversation: smoky corn and poblano from Mexico, layered with French touches of thyme, leeks, mushrooms, and wine. It’s rustic and resourceful, but also surprisingly elegant — the kind of bowl that feels as much at home on a cozy weeknight table as it does at a dinner party.

Dylan and I are hosting a Fall Fête dinner later this month, and I can already see this chowder as a starter. The days are turning wonderful again, and I’m so inspired to use our backyard. I miss the feeling of gathering friends under the trees for dinner.

Have you ever tried Chiles Rellenos? My friends keep asking me to make them Chiles En Nogada, they say they are having their viral moment.

Serves: 4–6
Best for: Cozy dinner parties, late-summer to autumn evenings, or as a luxurious starter for a multi-course meal

Ingredients

For the Chowder

• 4 ears fresh corn, charred (or 4 cups kernels, plus cobs reserved)

• 4 oz thick-cut bacon, diced

• 2 Tbsp butter (optional, if bacon renders less fat)

• 3 shallots, finely diced

• 1 medium leek, white + light green parts only, thinly sliced

• 6 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced

• 1 jalapeño, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced (optional, for extra heat)

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, diced

• 4 cups corn stock (see Kitchen Notes) or chicken stock, or vegetable stock. Its your choice.

• 1 cup Mexican crema (or 1 cup heavy cream)

• 2 Tbsp masa harina mixed with ¼ cup warm water (optional, for body)

• Salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Note: If you like the poblano to stand out more, make a Poblano Purée. Roast and peel 2 more poblano peppers blend with a splash of stock into smooth paste. Stir this purée into the chowder before simmering — it infuses poblano through the broth, not just as chunks. Add it after you Deglaze the pan, step 4.

Garnishes

• Crumbled Cotija or queso fresco

• Fresh cilantro + thyme leaves

• Lime wedges

• Crispy tortilla strips or baguette crostini (fusion!)

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Method

1. Roast & Prep
   Char the corn under a broiler or directly over a flame until lightly blistered. Cut kernels off and reserve the cobs.
   Roast poblano (and jalapeño, if using) until skin blisters, place them in a container with a lid, let them sit for 10 minutes, this will make peeling the skin easier, remove seeds, and dice.

2. Render & Sauté
   In a large pot, render bacon until crisp. Remove half the pieces for garnish.
   In the bacon fat, sauté shallots, leek, and shiitake mushrooms until softened and golden.

3. Aromatics
   Add garlic, the diced roasted poblano (and jalapeño if using), cumin, smoked paprika, and thyme. Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

4. Deglaze
   Pour in white wine. Scrape up browned bits and simmer until reduced by half.

   If you are using the poblano purée. Stir in the poblano purée. Let it coat the aromatics and marry with the wine reduction for 1–2 min.

5. Simmer
   Add potatoes, corn kernels, and corn cobs. Pour in stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer ~20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove cobs and thyme sprigs.

   

6. Thicken & Enrich
   Stir in masa slurry (if using). Simmer 5 more minutes. Swirl in crema (or cream + lime juice). Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

7. Blend (Optional)
   For a velvety base, purée half the chowder with an immersion blender, leaving bacon, mushroom, and corn pieces intact.

8. Finish
   Ladle into bowls. Garnish with reserved crisp bacon, Cotija, cilantro, thyme leaves, and lime.

🌿 Suggested Pairings

• A glass of dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño)

• Warm baguette crostini or tortillas for a playful fusion touch

• Seared scallops or grilled shrimp skewers for a luxe add-on

🍋 Kitchen Notes

• Corn Stock Upgrade: Simmer cobs with 8 cups water, ½ onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, cilantro, Parmesan rinds (if you have any), shiitake mushrooms stems, salt, and peppercorns for 45–60 minutes. Strain. This deepens the chowder.

• Texture Control: For rustic texture, skip blending; for refinement, purée more thoroughly.

• Vegetarian Option: Skip bacon, add olive oil, and boost umami with extra shiitakes and a splash of soy or tamari.

  ---

🍂 A Note from Lily

This chowder is smoky, silky, and unexpected—just the kind of bowl to slow a busy evening down and make the table feel special.

Thanks for being here.

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This salad was born on a weeknight when I didn’t want to fuss. Dylan and I had already promised ourselves one salad a week—both to lighten our cooking load and to sneak more greens onto our plates. Nectarines were sitting on the counter, a little too soft to eat out of hand, and burrata was waiting in the fridge. I didn’t want to bother with croutons, so I reached for a bag of Bruschetta toast instead and crushed them with my hands right over the bowl. It felt almost careless, but in that “carefree cook” way that ends up being better than planned. By the time we sat down, the salad looked like a painting—golden fruit, creamy white, bursts of blue and red. It reminded me that sometimes the best dishes come from letting instinct lead.

Serves: 2–3
When to Make It: Late summer into early fall, when nectarines are sweet and still lingering at the market.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 2 nectarines, halved and lightly caramelized (see Method)

• 1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

• 1 ball burrata, gently torn into large chunks

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• ½ cup fresh blueberries

• 1 handful Bruschetta toast, crushed by hand

For the Dressing:

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (aged if possible)

• 1 tsp honey or maple syrup (optional, to round the acidity)

• Sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

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Method

1. Caramelize the Nectarines: Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place sliced nectarines wedges into pan. Cook 3–4 minutes until golden and caramelized. Remove, let cool slightly.

2. Prepare the Romaine: Wash, dry, and tear romaine into a serving bowl or platter.

3. Assemble the Salad: Scatter nectarines, cherry tomatoes, blueberries, and burrata chunks over the romaine.

4. Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, balsamic, honey (if using), salt, and pepper until emulsified. Drizzle over the salad.

5. Add the Crunch: Finish with crushed Bruschetta toast sprinkled across the top.

Suggested Pairings

• Main Course: Grilled chicken thighs, lemon-garlic shrimp, or a simple steak.

• Wine: A chilled rosé or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

• Side Dish: Pairs beautifully with grilled vegetables or a light pasta.

Kitchen Notes

• If nectarines are very ripe, you can skip caramelizing and serve them fresh.

• Switch blueberries for blackberries when they’re in season.

• Don’t skip tearing the Bruschetta toast by hand—it creates irregular textures that feel rustic but refined.

This Week at the Table

What to expect of this months menu: poblano peppers, kitchen thighs with lots of chives, and a pumpkin spice poundcake with miso glaze. Dylan and I are hosting a dinner party to welcome fall, so I’m inspired to cook cozy meals.

A Note from Lily

This salad came together on instinct—a little sweet, a little tart, something crunchy, something creamy. It feels like the kind of recipe that only happens when you stop overthinking and just use what you have. Dylan and I are aiming for one salad a week, and this is one we’ll happily revisit.

Thanks for being here.

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Why I’m Excited for September

September just feels different. It’s like the month itself flips a switch and suddenly I’m alive again. Summer in Texas is… brutal. (If you know, you know.) By the time September rolls around, it feels like a reward. The air softens just enough, the evenings stretch out in golden light, and my whole routine resets. I go to bed earlier, I wake up on time, and life just feels brighter. Honestly, this is when I thrive.

There are a few things I’m extra excited about this year:

• The Texas State Fair — coming back in September, and I’m already picturing it: riding the Texas Skyway as the sun sets, the fairgrounds glowing beneath me, lights flickering on like stars. It’s dreamy, colorful, and makes me feel like a kid again. The food, the rides, the pure joy of it all—I live for that atmosphere.

• The Great British Bake Off — returning this Friday! Over the moon about it. Honestly, no show is cozier. It’s the purest good-feeling TV out there, and every season inspires me to bake something new.

• Morning walks with Prue — toward the end of the month when the weather finally starts playing nice again. I can’t wait to start those little rituals back up.

Of course, not everything is dreamy. September also means leaf-raking season is on the horizon… and let’s just say, I don’t feel nearly as enthusiastic about that part. 😂

But overall? September is when I come back to myself. Candles lit at night (Dylan and I always go on a candle shopping date this time of year—Target aisle, here we come). Cozy baths. Caramel apples. And the colors—always those warm, golden-orange tones that remind me of Fantastic Mr. Fox. That movie feels like September bottled up, don’t you think?

So while some people talk about seasonal depression as fall creeps in, I feel the opposite. This season puts me in my best spirits. It feels like a gift after slogging through the heat of summer—a reward I intend to savor fully.

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What Am I listening to: Autumn Vibes

Think Season of the Witch by Donovan vibes. Mysterious, slightly psychedelic, a little eerie but groovy. Most of the songs are spellbound, slightly haunted, swirling autumn groove. Some lean psychedelic, some folk, some bluesy — but they all live in the same shadowy, enchanted soundscape.

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Binge Worthy TV-Shows

The Deli Boys

Premiered March 6, 2025

I’m absolutely obsessed with this show—I’ve already watched it twice. It’s hilarious, sharp, and the characters feel so real that you almost forget you’re watching TV. The actors nail every scene, bringing such authenticity that you can’t help but get attached. The writing is brilliant too; it’s laugh-out-loud funny while still being fresh.

What it's about::
After their father "Baba" Dar—a convenience‑store mogul—dies in a bizarre golfing accident, brothers Mir and Raj discover his deli chain is just the facade of a massive drug empire. Suddenly, they’re thrust into the criminal underworld, guided by Lucky (my favorite character) Baba’s fiercely loyal confidante.

Mir is the serous, dutiful overachiever son hoping to earn Baba’s approval; Raj is the carefree party-boy with a shaman girlfriend, Prairie, adding extra flair. The show brilliantly balances cultural humor, absurd crime comedy, and family drama — so much drama.

And then there’s the fashion: Lucky’s tailored power looks, Prairie’s effortlessly cool style… it’s all Pinterest-board worthy. The writers flipped the usual crime-drama stereotypes on their head, delivering something stylish, unpredictable, and genuinely fresh.

Wolf Like Me

Premiered January 13, 2022 (Peacock, 2 seasons so far)

This show is such a vibe—quirky, romantic, a little spooky, and totally binge-worthy as we move into fall. It’s the kind of series that feels tailor-made for spooky season: cozy yet eerie, tender yet sharp. And can we talk about the houses? There are three main homes in the show, and each one is pure design inspiration. I want to pin them all to my boards immediately.

What it’s about:
Gary (Josh Gad) is a widowed single dad still reeling from the loss of his wife, struggling to connect with his young daughter, Emma. Enter Mary (Isla Fisher), an advice columnist with a secret that changes everything. After a fateful car accident brings them together, Gary and Mary can’t seem to stay apart. Mary connects with Emma effortlessly—but Gary soon learns the truth: Mary is a werewolf.

Why it works:
On the surface, it’s a supernatural rom-com. But at its core, Wolf Like Me is about grief, healing, and the terrifying vulnerability of love. It balances humor and heartache with suspense, and it never goes over-the-top with effects—the simplicity makes it even more powerful. Fisher and Gad have electric chemistry, making the story both charming and haunting.

And then there’s the aesthetic: warm Australian light, dreamy interiors, and those unforgettable houses. It’s spooky season storytelling with heart and style.

If you have any recommendations of any shows you think I should watch, please let me know in the comments.

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The Great British Bake Off Returns 🍰

This Friday my all-time comfort show comes back, and I’m over the moon. There’s just nothing else on TV that gives the same cozy, good-feeling energy as The Great British Bake Off. Every season inspires me to bake something new, even if it’s just whipping up a simple sponge cake.

To be honest, this show has been such a comfort during tough times. Whenever I’m sad or in a funk, I’ll put on GBBO and it instantly lifts me. Season 6 (with Rahul, Kim-Joy, and Ruby) has been especially healing for me—it’s pure joy to watch. 💛

I also adore Season 9 with Giuseppe—there’s just something about his calm, kind energy that feels like a warm hug. Those seasons in particular remind me why I love this show so much: the bakers are supportive, encouraging, and genuinely happy for one another.

And that’s the magic, right? You end up rooting for all of them. And then it’s so exciting to see how their lives unfold after the tent—books, TV shows, new opportunities. Watching those doors open is almost as joyful as the bakes themselves.

Each year, Dylan and I mark the return of GBBO with our own little tradition: baking a classic chocolate fudge cake together. We started it when we first moved in together five years ago, and it’s become our sweet way of kicking off the season. 🍫✨

This year I’m toying with the idea of soaking the sponge with hibiscus-Chambord syrup. Will see if I have time.

So tell me—which season has been your favorite?

What I’m Indulging in 🛁✨

LUSH has been my summer lifesaver. Showers are my default during Texas heat, and their body washes have made even the stickiest days feel soothing. But as autumn approaches, I make my yearly pilgrimage to LUSH to smell every bath bomb in sight. This year, I’m especially drawn to the Halloween collection (even if they didn’t bring back a few of my favorites from last year). Here’s what I’m loving and looking forward to:

Everyday Favorites

• Dirty Springwash — My secret weapon on groggy mornings when even coffee isn’t enough. This tingly, minty shower gel with spearmint and menthol crystals wakes me right up and leaves me feeling fully alive again.

• Super Fairy — Think cotton candy sweetness balanced with lemon-vanilla brightness. It’s a seasonal nod to Snow Fairy, but softer and less sugary. Trust me, it’s dreamy without being overwhelming.

• Sticky Dates — A citrusy, cozy hug in a bottle. Made with date syrup, sandalwood oil, and orange juice, it’s hydrating and refreshing all at once. I’m a citrus girl through and through, so I lean into scents like this in the shower year-round.

Halloween Picks I Can’t Wait For

• Midnight Magic Bubble Bar — A magical little mushroom with cocoa, vanilla, bergamot, and strawberry notes. Swirl it in the bath for pools of buttery, fizzy relaxation.

• The Magician Bubble Bar — Deep berry-scented waters with bergamot and olibanum—like blackberry season bottled up, both bright and warm.

• Bewitched Bath Bomb— Blackberry-scented bubbles with an uplifting bergamot twist. It’s spooky, fun, and a little enchanting.

In my Cart

Lately, I’ve been slowly building a gallery wall in my living room. It’ll probably take me a couple of years to finish, but I’m okay with that—it feels more special when you collect pieces over time. Right now, I’m completely obsessed with reduction linocut printing, a technique pioneered by Pablo Picasso and master printer Hidalgo Arnéra.

It’s one of those processes that’s as fascinating as the finished piece. Artists carve, print, and then carve more from the same block, layering colors as they go. Each layer is permanent—there’s no going back—so the final image is a beautiful balance of precision and risk. Watching videos of the process is incredibly satisfying (I’ve linked one below that explains it better than I ever could).

There are two artist that I found on Instagram that use the linocut technique, Elina Adrshina and Tatiana Svistunova.

I bought one from, Elina Adrshina, the pumpkins print. I love pumpkins, I like all the different shapes so this was a perfect piece for me. I want the other two cat prints. I don’t have a cat, my husband is allergic so this is the best I can do.

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A couple of days ago I was thinking about when Dylan and I first moved in together. Reminiscing on those first couple of months (probably a year) when we were getting to know each other better. There was quiet an adjustment period where we were learning the small rhythms of each other’s lives. It wasn’t just about how we shared a space—it was about the food, too. I had grown up in a Mexican household where breakfast often meant tortillas, beans, barbacoa and huevos a la mexicana. For Dylan, breakfast usually meant takeout—a quick stop at a coffee shop and a sausage, egg, and biscuit sandwich.

I remember the first time I asked him if he’d ever had huevos a la mexicana, and he said no. I was shocked—how could someone who loved eating Mexican food have never tried one of the most classic dishes? For me, it was the standard. For him, it was brand new.

Cooking for someone in those early days of sharing a home felt like its own kind of conversation—me showing him the flavors that shaped me, him teaching me what comfort tasted like for him. And it reminded me of growing up in my parents’ house, where meals were always adjusted to my spice tolerance (lower than the rest of my family, whose picante (chile heat) levels were basically superhuman). My mom would scoop out my portion before adding the extra fiery salsa, the way only someone who loves you would think to do.

So when I first made huevos a la mexicana for Dylan, I cooked them the way I always had: onion and jalapeño softened together, tomatoes added until they released their juices, and then eggs folded in gently until they set. I plated them up with beans and warm tortillas. He was skeptical—but then he took a bite, and I saw his expression change. It was simple, but it was new, and it became one of the first dishes that belonged to our little kitchen, not just mine.

And that’s why I wanted to share it here with you. Maybe you’ve never tried huevos a la mexicana. Maybe you have, but you’ve forgotten how comforting it is to take three humble ingredients—onion, tomato, chile—and turn them into something warm, fragrant, and satisfying. Either way, this recipe is a reminder that the simplest food often carries the deepest roots.

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Servings: 2–3
When to Make: Perfect for a weekday breakfast, lazy weekend brunch, or whenever you crave something savory and warm.

Ingredients

For the Huevos a la Mexicana:

• 6 large eggs

• 2 medium Roma tomatoes, finely diced

• 1 small white onion, finely chopped

• 1–2 fresh jalapeños or serrano peppers, seeded and finely chopped (adjust spice to taste)

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil or butter (lard if you want tradition)

• Salt, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

• Optional garnish: chopped cilantro, avocado slices, queso fresco, warm tortillas, refried beans

For the Quick Black Beans:

• 1 can black beans (15 oz)

• 1–2 tablespoons neutral oil

• ½ small white onion, finely chopped

• ½ jalapeño, finely chopped (optional for flavor)

• 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)

• Salt, to taste

Method

Huevos a la Mexicana

1. Sauté the base: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño. Cook 2–3 minutes, until softened and fragrant.

2. Add tomatoes: Stir in diced tomatoes. Cook 3–4 minutes, until softened and juicy. Season lightly with salt.

3. Beat the eggs: Whisk eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.

4. Scramble gently: Pour eggs into skillet over the vegetables. Stir slowly, folding as they set, until softly cooked and just moist. Remove from heat.

5. Serve: Transfer to plates and enjoy with tortillas, beans, or avocado.

Quick Black Beans

1. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion (and jalapeño if using). Cook 2–3 minutes until softened.

2. Add garlic if using, and cook just until fragrant, 30 seconds. To be honest I don’t garlic all the time only when Dylan asks for it. He loves garlic.

3. Pour in canned black beans (including liquid). Stir, reduce to low heat, and let simmer about 10–15 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Serve With a Breeze

• Warm corn tortillas or bolillos

• Refried beans topped with queso fresco

• Avocado slices or a simple salsa verde on the side

• Coffee, café de olla, or fresh orange juice

Kitchen Notes

• For bolder flavor, swap jalapeño for serrano. Serrano is spicier, a lot more heat.

• Don’t overcook—soft curds keep this dish tender and light.

• A crumble of queso fresco or drizzle of crema takes it into indulgence territory.

Previously at the Table

I am obsessed with Sookie’s Goat Cheese & Pancetta Omelet — A Gilmore Girls Inspired Recipe. I just cant stop making it, its so good.

A Note from Lily

Huevos a la Mexicana always brings me back to the simplest kind of joy in the kitchen. It’s a recipe of rhythm more than precision: a handful of tomatoes, a sharp chile, a little onion, and the way eggs pull everything together. It reminds me that beauty often lives in the everyday, in meals that come together in ten minutes yet feel like home. 🌿

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Welcome to the very first episode of Over Wine & Olives.

Summer is coming to an end. I am in a pumpkin spice state of mind. Cozy recipes, Aliens, Batman, Fall excitement. Which holiday are you looking forward to the most?

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There’s a moment in cooking when brightness and comfort collide — when the fragrance of fresh lime zest hits warm ginger in a hot pan, when cilantro softens from sharp to herbal, and when honeyed glaze clings to golden chicken. This recipe is built for that moment.

The chicken is marinated in citrus, seared until crisp, and glazed with lime and ginger. On the side, a bowl of coconut rice — creamy, lightly sweet, and finished with a sprinkle of toasted coconut and cashews for crunch. It’s a plate that feels alive with freshness, yet cozy enough to linger over.

I know summer is not over yet, but its close. To me this the perfect recipe for saying goodbye to summer.

What have I been up to:

My husband and I started a podcast, it will go live tomorrow. Name: Over Wine & Olives. Its just a fun place for us to talk about what’s going on in our life’s, what we are cooking and what’s inspiring us. If you do get to listen to it, let me know what you think.

Serves: 4

When to Make:
For late summer evenings when you want something vibrant but grounding, or any weeknight in need of a reset.

Why This Works

By finishing the chicken in the oven instead of simmering in liquid, the skin stays crisp and golden while the meat cooks through gently. Meanwhile, the glaze is reduced separately in the skillet, giving you full control over texture and shine. Every bite has brightness, depth, and contrast.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 ½ lbs)

• 3 limes, zested and juiced (about ¼ cup juice)

• 2 tbsp soy sauce (or fish sauce for more depth)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

• ½ tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)

• ½ cup chicken stock - step 7

• 2 tbsp honey - step 7

For Blooming the Oil

• 2 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)

• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro stems, finely chopped

For the Coconut Rice

• 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed until water runs clear

• 1 cup coconut milk (full-fat, unsweetened)

• ¾ cup water

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp sugar (optional)

For the Crunch Garnish

• ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

• ¼ cup roasted cashews or peanuts, chopped (if you like)

For Finishing the Glaze

• 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter

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Method

1. Marinate the Chicken
   In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, lime zest, soy sauce, olive oil, coriander, and chili flakes. Add chicken, toss well to coat, and marinate at least 30 minutes at room temp or up to 4 hours in the fridge.

2. Toast the Garnish
   In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast shredded coconut until golden, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat. Chop cashews/peanuts and combine with toasted coconut; set aside.

3. Start the Coconut Rice
   In a saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar (if using). Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to low, cover, and cook 12–15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat, keep covered, and steam 5 minutes before fluffing.

4. Bloom the Aromatics
   In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and cilantro stems. Sauté for 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

   • Option 1 (Deeper flavor, default): Push aromatics to the edges of the pan and keep them in while searing the chicken — they’ll caramelize and build a richer base for the glaze.

   • Option 2 (Brighter flavor): Remove aromatics after blooming and set aside. Add them back later in Step 7 when making the glaze for a fresher punch.

5. Sear the Chicken
   Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade), pat skin dry, and place skin-side down in the skillet. Sear 5–6 minutes until golden and crisp, then flip and cook another 3 minutes.

6. Finish in the Oven
   Transfer skillet (or just the chicken, skin-side up, onto a sheet pan) into a 400°F (200°C) oven. Roast 15–20 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Keep the pan with fond/aromatics on the stove for the glaze.

7. Make the Glaze
   While chicken roasts, return the skillet with pan juices to medium heat. Add chicken stock and reserved lime peel strips, scraping up browned bits. Simmer until reduced by about half. Stir in honey and cook until glossy, 2–3 minutes.

   • If you saved the aromatics (Option 2), add them back in now.

   • Whisk in the cold butter for a silky finish.

8. Glaze & Garnish
   Remove chicken from the oven. Brush or spoon glaze generously over the skin. Sprinkle with the coconut-cashew mix.

9. Serve
   Spoon coconut rice onto plates, top with glazed chicken, and drizzle with extra sauce. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Suggested Pairings

• Side: Wok-tossed green beans with sesame oil.

• Drink: A sparkling lime agua fresca or crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

• Dessert: Fresh mango with chili-lime salt.

Kitchen Notes

• For maximum crispness, always pat chicken dry before searing.

• Finishing in the oven keeps skin intact and crisp.

• Brush glaze just before serving so the skin doesn’t soften.

• Leftovers make an excellent rice bowl with avocado and pickled veggies.

Next Week at the Table

Excited for fall to get here, not sure exactly what I’m cooking yet, it has been busy month for us.

A Note from Lily

Cooking this dish reminded me of how alive food can feel when it leans on brightness. The lime is sharp, the cilantro is green, the ginger is warm — but together, they soften into something comforting. It’s a reminder that freshness doesn’t always have to be fleeting — sometimes it lingers, coating the skin of golden chicken, soaking into rice, and staying with you long after the table is cleared.

Thanks for being here.

🌿 Want more recipes?
Browse the full Sun-Drenched Table Archive for seasonal dishes, cocktails, and weekly inspiration.

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🧡 The Omelet That Broke Michele

I’ve started my annual pilgrimage of cozy fall TV shows — the ones that feel like a warm blanket and a mug of something hot. Gilmore Girls, of course, sits right at the top of that list. I am ready for this heat to be gone.

While watching the show there was an argument between Sookie and Michelle about an omelet. He wanted something healthy. Egg whites. Nothing fancy. But she couldn’t help herself. She heard “omelet” and saw an opportunity — for goat cheese melting into velvet, crisp pancetta, and a little splash of sherry olive oil.

Because when you’re a chef, love comes in flavor. And sometimes that flavor is rich.

And I couldn’t help myself either. Instead of sherry olive oil, I reached for a round of garlic–thyme butter I’d made the week before. It was sitting in the fridge, wrapped like a little gift, and it just seemed the most reasonable approach. Paired with slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, it turned out to be the kind of breakfast that makes you linger at the table a little longer than you meant to.

🌞 Serves: 1

When to Make It: Sunday brunch, birthday breakfast, or anytime you’re feeling a little bit Sookie.

Ingredients

🥚For the Omelet

• 3 large eggs

• 1 oz goat cheese, crumbled

• 1 oz pancetta, finely diced

• 2 tbsp garlic–thyme butter (store-bought or homemade)

• 1 tbsp chopped garlic chives (or regular chives/scallions)

• Salt and black pepper

• Optional: a splash of heavy cream for lushness

🍅 For the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Thyme

• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

• 1 tsp olive oil or melted garlic–thyme butter

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp fresh leaves)

• ½ tsp flaky sea salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

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🥄Method

Making Garlic–Thyme Butter (or you could purchase it at the store)

(Make ahead and keep in the fridge — it’s great on everything)

• 4 tbsp (56g) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 small garlic clove, minced or grated

• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped (or ½ tsp dried)

• Pinch of kosher salt

To make: Mash all ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined. Transfer to a piece of parchment or plastic wrap, roll into a log, and refrigerate until firm.

Roasting the Tomatoes:

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss halved tomatoes with olive oil or garlic–thyme butter, thyme, salt, and pepper. Arrange cut side up and roast for 15–20 minutes, until the edges just begin to caramelize and the juices glisten like ruby syrup.

Making the Omelet:

1. Prep the pancetta: Place pancetta in a cold nonstick skillet. Turn heat to medium and let it slowly render, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are golden and crisp, 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving just a whisper of fat in the pan.

   Note: save the fat to use letter. I am cooking some fillets later today, this will be put to good use.

2. Whisk the eggs: In a bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a splash of cream if using. Season lightly — the pancetta and goat cheese will bring their own salt.

3. Cook the omelet: Lower the heat to its gentlest flame. Add the garlic–thyme butter to the skillet; let it melt into a fragrant pool, releasing little sighs of garlic and thyme. Pour in the eggs, tilting the pan so they settle evenly. Gently stir with a spatula for 10–15 seconds to create soft curds, then stop and let the heat work quietly, setting the bottom while the top remains a little glossy.

4. Add the magic: When the eggs are just barely set, sprinkle in the pancetta, goat cheese, and chives over one half.

5. Fold and serve: Fold the omelet gently, letting it finish cooking off-heat for 30 seconds. Slide onto a warm plate.

Prue had to make an appearance 🥰

🍾 Suggested Pairings

• Roasted cherry tomatoes with thyme

• A buttered sourdough toast or toasted brioche

• A mimosa with fresh-squeezed orange juice—or black coffee in a giant mug, à la Lorelai

🧑‍🍳 Kitchen Notes

• Garlic–thyme butter can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in the fridge, or frozen for up to 3 months.

• For extra indulgence, add a tiny pat of the butter on top of the omelet right before serving.

• Roast the tomatoes while you prep the omelet so everything hits the table warm.

• Don’t overcook the eggs—Sookie would never! Low and slow is the way to that soft, luxurious texture.

• Add a few fresh thyme leaves or a dash of truffle salt before folding.

🎬 Gilmore Girls Moment

Michele may have been devastated, but deep down, I think he knew—he was in the presence of breakfast greatness.

Stay tune for the next recipe. Maybe it’s a recipe inspired by “Luke’s Diner” or an Emely’s “Friday Dinner” inspire recipe. Who knows its all depends on what I’[m watching or inspires me that week.

🍂 A Note from Lily

Sometimes the best dishes are the ones that ignore the rules entirely — the meals that are richer than you “should” have on a Wednesday, the ones that make you feel a little spoiled before the day even begins. This is one of those breakfasts. And I hope you make it, linger over it, and let yourself enjoy every last bite.

Thanks for being here.

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Browse the full Sun-Drenched Table Archive for seasonal dishes, cocktails, and weekly inspiration.

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❤️ Tap the heart below (it helps more readers discover my work!)

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Zesty, floral, coastal—these tostadas capture the sweetness of mango, the kiss of chile heat, and the briny freshness of shrimp in every golden bite.

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🌞 When to Make This

Late summer, when mangoes are still lush, Hatch chiles are in season, and the days are warm enough to crave something bright, crisp, and coastal.

🍤 Serves

4 (makes 8 tostadas, 2 per person)

🧾 Ingredients

For the Poached Shrimp

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 4 cups of water

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed

• 1 small slice fresh ginger

• ½ small white onion, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 5 black peppercorns

• 1 strip orange peel

• Ice bath (with salt + lemon slices)

Or Grilling the Shrimp

• pick your favorite spices to season

For the Roasted Hatch Chiles

• 3–4 Hatch chiles (mild or medium), fire-roasted or broiled

• Olive oil, for brushing

• Pinch of sea salt

For the Mango-Coconut Salsa

• 2 ripe Ataulfo or Kent mango, finely diced

• 4 tbsp red shallot, finely chopped

• Zest + juice of 1 lime

• 1 tbsp coconut cream or thick coconut milk (place in fridge overnight)

• 2 small Hatch chile (or ½ jalapeño), minced

• Pinch of salt

• Optional: 1 tsp honey, if mango is underripe

Note: you may want to double this recipe

For the Assembly

• 8 small tostadas (store-bought or homemade)

• 1 avocado, mashed with lime + salt

• Quick-pickled red onion (optional)

• Cilantro, microgreens, or edible flowers to garnish

• Toasted coconut flakes, for crunch

• Green Apple cut in matchsticks

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🔪 Method

Poach or Grill the Shrimp

I like to poach shrimp because it elevates their taste, texture, and aroma. But my husband is a picky eater and he only eats shrimp if its grilled and charred. So you get take the direction you like the most.

1. Fill a saucepan with water and add lemongrass, onion, garlic, salt, peppercorns, and orange peel. Sometimes I have to double the amount of lemongrass because the stalks are not that fresh. If you refrigerate them it can dull their flavor. But lemongrass is worth the hassle, trust me. If you have any kaffir lime leaves add a couple. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Add shrimp and poach gently for 2–3 minutes, or until just opaque. Immediately transfer to an ice bath with lemon slices and a pinch of salt. Let chill, then drain and pat dry.

Roast the Hatch Chiles

1. Roast the chiles over an open flame or under a broiler until blistered on all sides. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plate, and let steam for 10 minutes.

   

2. Peel the skins, remove seeds, and slice into thin ribbons. Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Make the Mango-Coconut Salsa

1. To prepare the coconut cream, place a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. This allows the cream to separate and rise to the top—once chilled, it will firm up. Before you start chopping the mango and herbs, take the can out and let the cream soften slightly at room temperature so it’s easier to scoop and mix.

2. In a bowl, combine mango, shallot, lime zest and juice, coconut cream, minced chile, and salt. Stir gently. Add honey if needed. Let sit 10–15 minutes for flavors to marry.

Assemble the Tostadas

1. Spread each tostada with a layer of mashed avocado.

2. Top with shrimp (whole or halved), a few Hatch chile ribbons, added some slices of green apple (granny smith). a generous spoonful of mango-coconut salsa.

3. Finish with pickled red onion, toasted coconut, and fresh herbs or edible flowers.

🌿 Suggested Pairings

• Drink: Coconut-lime agua fresca, mezcal margarita, or dry Riesling

• Side: Jicama-chile-lime slaw or grilled elote

• Mood: Backyard dinner, linen napkins, golden hour

🧑‍🍳 Kitchen Notes

• You can grill the shrimp instead of poaching for a smoky touch.

• If Hatch chiles aren’t available, substitute with Anaheim or poblano (roast for flavor).

• For heat lovers, add a few drops of chile oil on top before serving.

📸 This Week at the Table

Starter: Toasted Coconut & Pineapple Rum French Toast

🏝️ A Note from Lily

I wanted these tostadas to feel like biting into summer: that moment when saltwater hits your skin, sweetness clings to your fingertips, and the sun warms your shoulders. The Hatch chiles bring a flame that never overwhelms—just enough to keep you coming back for another bite.

🌿 Want more recipes?
Browse the full Sun-Drenched Table Archive for seasonal dishes, cocktails, and weekly inspiration.

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🙏 Thanks for Being Here

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it went—tag me @sundrenchedtable or leave a note in the comments. And if you’re not already subscribed, consider joining the table. There’s always a seat for you here.

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