Summer is unofficially here for many of us. It’s got me daydreaming about sipping cocktails at the beach while reading National Geographic or the latest Leff book club pick. But these visions are disrupted with images of me nagging my teenagers to get off their phones and get outside and juggling my five-year-old’s disruptive camp schedule.
Below, Brittany shares a book about society’s expectations of mothers that feels appropriate as parents of young kids look forward to a summer of piecing together camps and babysitters and screen time while praying their kids will be happy and active and also leave them alone so they can work. Ahh summer. Luckily, we have Clair’s, KC’s, and Ross’s picks about nature, travel, and music to help us chill out, forget about logistical hurdles, and set the mood for warm weather.
Our favorite beach bag item
Jessica Grose is The New York Times’ parenting editor, and her fourth book, Screaming on the Inside, had me hooked from the first page. (Yes, this book was released six months ago, but I’m a busy mom!) In funny, approachable prose, Grose traces the history of the institutional, nationalist concept of motherhood in a way that feels insanely relatable to me, the mom of a preschooler. What expectations do we set for mothers, and why? Very relatedly, how come being a mom comes with so much guilt? Answer: Because it’s impossible to meet societal expectations every day, all the time, with every decision. It’s exhausting, and yet we all keep waking up and doing a version of it every day because, well, we love our kids.
And therein lies the rub: How do you hold society accountable for the institutional bullshit that plagues our lives, then turn around and look at your gorgeous child and assure them the world is ready for them? Grose’s book made me feel more equipped for all angles of that conversation.
Brittany Williams
editorial director
Go to Brittany’s pick
Oh, how I love this show! Documentaries about nature and animals can sometimes be really tough to watch. The series Big Beasts on Apple TV strikes a nice balance so that you gain an appreciation for the life and hardships of a few of nature’s most captivating giants without leaving completely shattered.
Go to Clarissa’s pick
Clairissa Myatt project manager
KC Esper
editor
A particularly funky coffee shop near me (shoutout to Happy Monday) was playing Flavour Trip’s videos on its TV when I ran in for a cold brew, and I was immediately hooked. Flavour Trip is a YouTube channel featuring two nomadic DJs, Amii Watson and Jimmi Harvey, and it combines the best of all things: travel, music, and food. Each week, Amii and Jimmi post up in front of incredibly scenic vistas across Europe and play house music and disco tracks while they cook pasta, make cocktails, or brew coffee. One of my favorites is a dancy house mix and picnic outside of the Dimitrios Shipwreck near Gytheio, Greece. The views are enticing and the playlists are always good, making the videos the perfect escape for wanderlusty, living-room-dwelling remote workers like myself.
Go to KC’s pick
Jazz on a Summer’s Day—a dreamy documentary about the 1958 Newport jazz festival—sets the mood for warm weather and outdoor celebrations. Filmed by commercial photographer Bert Stern, each scene is saturated with color and alive with style: all the musicians and concertgoers are dressed to the nines and runway-ready. The music is phenomenal. Anita O’Day lights up the crowd with “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Tea for Two” while wearing a serious statement hat. Dinah Washington soars on “All of Me” (and plays the vibraphone too!). Big Maybelle absolutely blows the roof off the place in a rare, filmed performance. And Mahalia Jackson closes the show with a Sunday gospel set that never fails to give me chills. I’ve been watching this movie at the start of summer for more than 20 years, and it thrills and moves me every time.
Go to Ross’s pick
Ross Middleton content manager
Clair:
Extra towels and salt and vinegar chips
Becky:
Plenty of water toys for the kiddos
Annie H:
Supergoop! Glow Screen
Karen:
Pro Kadima paddles and ball
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Tiana:
Polaroid camera
Lys:
Baby powder to help remove sand
Katie E:
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face and Body Stick
Ugne:
Cucumbers for snacking and rehydrating