things i adored in may
a.k.a. the unofficial start of summer
Somehow another month has already passed us by? May traditionally always feels like a long month, but this particular May felt extra long for some odd reason. Since it felt so long, it was extra-filled with things to adore this May.
Let’s get right into it — see below for all of the things I was loving this month <3
miscellaneous favorites:
hibiscus iced tea
styling my new bangs!
Italian charm bracelets (still)
capri yoga pants
orange wine
ballet flats
polka dots
my I <3 NY umbrella
edamame
girls trips
going to a Bruce Springsteen show!
Trader Joe’s tote bags
products I am loving:
Steve Madden Slinky30 sandals: These are my tried and true sandals. I bought my first pair years ago, and just replaced them since they finally got a hole in them. These shoes are ridiculously comfortable and durable, and are all I wear in the summertime. If I was a cartoon character, the summer version of me would wear these sandals.
Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen: I borrowed the brown color from my roommate recently, and I was immediately hooked. The quality of this eyeliner is great and it is super affordable, too!
music I am listening to on repeat:
It was another fabulous month for new music, if I do say so myself!! MUNA, Maisie Peters, and Bleachers all released new albums, and there were new singles from so many other iconic artists. Also, I both discovered + rediscovered some older music that I played on repeat…
Dancing On The Wall - MUNA: I love this band so much. Their music never disappoints, and this entire album has been on loop since it came out. It’s hard to pick some favorites, but “Buzzkiller,” “Eastside Girls” and “Girl’s Girl” are high on the list.
“Rock Music” - Charli xcx: This song had me marching down the street as I blasted it in my headphones (so did her other release, “SS26,” to be fair). I hope this song is everywhere this summer — for some reason, it really embodies a carefree, fun, late summer night to me.
“Mary’s Place” - Bruce Springsteen: As I mentioned above, I saw Bruce Springsteen live this month, which was iconic! This song has always been one of my favorites from his discography, and I played it quite a few times this May.
“Edge of the Earth” - The Beaches: I am so glad this song was featured on the Off Campus soundtrack. I am absolutely obsessed with it!!! I have now listened to most of their music, and I definitely now consider myself a fan. They also have a new album coming out next week, so I am stoked to check it out!
“the cure” - Olivia Rodrigo: I’m not really shy about the fact that I think Olivia is one of the most talented songwriters of her generation, and I can’t even put into words how excited I am for her new album. With each new song, Olivia continues to prove how talented she is. I love this song, probably even more than “drop dead!”
“Hit the Wall” - Gracie Abrams: I ended up listening to this song on repeat the day it came out. I will be honest and say there are only a few Gracie songs that make me feel this way, and this quickly became one of them. I’m excited for her new album, too!
“Old Fashioned” - Maisie Peters: I love quite a few new songs featured on Maisie’s album, Florescence (“Vampire Time, “Houses,” “Say My Name In Your Sleep” to name a few). This one specifically has been stuck in my head on repeat!
“we should talk” - Bleachers: Ugh. I love Bleachers so much. I have seen them live so many times, and the show is always amazing. Their latest album, everyone for ten minutes, is going to be on repeat all summer. This song was definitely an initial stand-out for me!
TV & movie favorites:
Off Campus: I am SO happy this book series is having a well-deserved moment in the sun! I read the whole series years ago and have truly adored the entire universe Elle Kennedy has created. In my opinion, the show adaptation really did the books justice. It was well-cast, well-written, and had a fabulous soundtrack. I couldn’t ask for more, and I have already rewatched the show a few times.
The Devil Wears Prada 2: This was a cute sequel! I am genuinely so happy this got a theatrical release instead of going straight to streaming.
Pop Culture Jeopardy: I have been a sucker for this show, if I’m honest! I love Jeopardy, all things pop culture, and Colin Jost, so this show feels like it was made for me. Highly recommend this if you are a fan of these things too! I love to watch it when I work from home and play along.
Company Retreat: This show is such a treat to television. It is the second season to the extremely well-received Jury Duty. It is hilarious and wholesome. I genuinely think about Anthony and how lovely he is on a daily basis. I hope there are dozens of seasons of this show — I can’t recommend it enough!
Power Ballad: Paul Rudd + Nick Jonas + a film about music and songwriting = I knew I was destined to love this one. It was fun and had a great message about what is really important in life.
books of the month:
“Love Song” - Elle Kennedy: As mentioned above, I have been a long-time fan of Elle and this book universe. I look forward to every new release! This book wasn’t my favorite of the spin-off series (“The Dixon Rule” is my favorite by far!), but this book was a fun, easy read that is perfect for the summer months.
“Girls Our Age” - Phoebe Thompson: Oh, how I love literary fiction about girlhood and friendship! This was Phoebe’s debut novel, and I couldn’t put it down. She has officially been added to my list of authors I will automatically read.
“Strangers” - Belle Burden: I had to see what all the hype was about with this one! I enjoyed the way this was written and I am glad Belle spoke up and told her story. I especially loved reading about her writing process and how she initially got her NYT essay published.
“We Could Be Rats” - Emily Austin: My wonderful roommate gifted me this book for Christmas after she was intrigued by the cover in a bookshop in upstate New York. I finally got around to reading it — I couldn’t put it down! I loved the writing style and the format it was written in. I will say there are quite a few trigger warnings in this story that I did not know about going into, so definitely do some research prior to diving into this. It was a 5-star read for me!
My next read: “Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It” by the one and only Brooke Averick! I have adored Brooke since her early TikTok days as Lady Efron, and I couldn’t be more excited to read her debut novel. I feel proud of her as if she is a personal friend of mine. I can’t wait to read and review this one!
favorite eats/drinks:
Fortunato Brothers: I’ve heard amazing things about this Brooklyn bakery for years, and I finally got to try it. It 10000% lived up to the hype. I’m a huge fan of Italian rainbow cookies, and the ones here were incredible.
PopUp Bagels: Highly recommend grabbing some hot bagels and scallion cream cheese and eating them in the nearest park.
pictures of the month:
Until next time!
XO, Daelyn <3
I love MUNA! Silk Chiffon is one of my fave songs ever
I love pop culture jeopardy !!!!