Happy summer, Midlifers!
How’s everyone’s weekend going? Mine: delightful.
I (finally) made it to the beach and it did not disappoint. My two younger kids and I found a spot not far from the water where we could watch the chaos of one young family unfold over the course of three hours. At one point, the mom of an indeterminate number of children lost her marbles when she thought she’d lost the keys to her car. We’d passed her on the boardwalk when we were coming back from the ladies room on her phone shouting about keys and later, she was back down at her spot rummaging through all her bags. After a few minutes, she pulled her hand out of one beach bag with keys dangling from the end and announced she’d put them in a different pocket.
Aside from giving me and the kids something to chuckle about, it really made me feel a lot of compassion for that young woman who was really just trying to make a nice day at the beach for her family. As a fellow agent of chaos, it made me feel a little more gentle about my younger self. Another mom way back when just trying to make things nice for everyone but probably also making everyone a little crazy.
One of the other highlights of the weekend was hosting my book club gathering on Friday night to discuss the novel Yesteryear. I was really unsure what the reception would be as my baby book club who also read it did not really like or find value in reading the book. Their reception was more “Meh” when we met to discuss over dinner last weekend.
I was surprised then to discover that this bigger group enjoyed the book, despite the pretty unlikable main character. But there was plenty to talk about, which we did, and when polled in the end, the majority of gals said they were glad to have read the book.
And while I was happy I’d picked a book that elicited a ton of conversation, the true star of the night was not Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel but the crudité platter my daughter had assembled for the night. We went to Trader Joe’s earlier in the day to source fun veggies and while we found interesting and colorful carrots and teeny tiny cucumbers, the watermelon radishes we envisioned for the platter were not to be found. We even stopped at Wegman’s on the way home to only find regular old radishes and when my daughter searched on Instacart, that niche variety did not pop up. The white whale of the crudite board was not to be found (but we did nab some microgreens to sprinkle on top).
In the end, none of that matter because of the magical dip that accompanied the platter of veggies. I’d quickly perused the internet during the week and a recipe for whipped ricotta caught my eye — mostly because it looked like zero work. You literally dump a 16oz container of ricotta into your Cuisinart, add a little salt, and turn it on for two minutes. That’s it.
All that air adds volume and makes in super smooth and creamy. We scooped half into one of my fun little IKEA bowls and drizzled the top with some Graza olive oil and a few grinds of black pepper. You can also go sweet and do honey instead. Do yourself a favor and dig into the comments section of the original article where folks share they’ve used to top a fresh pasta or added garlic and lemon zest, among just some of the ideas.
We also put out a big crudite board with lots of nibbly options — green olives, meats and cheeses, thinly sliced green apples, marcona almonds, olive tapenade and pepper jelly. Throw in some bowls of potato chips and Skinny Pop we sprinkled with pickle and ranch seasonings, cheese straws and a few different Trader Joe’s sweet treats, and it was a perfect grazing table for 10 women to sit around for a few hours and talk about womanhood, religion and the state of our country. We all picked and dipped and worried collectively about where it was all going.
I was sustained to know I was not alone in my fears. I took comfort in being surrounded by other women who felt the same, on a beautiful night in June. The patio lights twinkling overhead, the heavy sliver of the moon hanging over the trees in the distance. Bowls of chocolate-covered candy nearby.
Yield:1½ cups
1 ½ cups/about 12 ounces whole milk ricotta, drained if needed
¾ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
Extra-virgin olive oil or honey, and cracked black pepper, for garnish
Step 1
In the bowl of a food processor, combine ricotta and salt, and purée until light and fluffy, scraping down the side of the bowl every so often, about 2 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil or honey, and garnish with cracked black pepper.
I have not bought a new bathing suit in 100 years, having been content with my black JCrew strapless number. Long story short, this JCrew Factory situation caught my eye and I thought it might check the boxes I need to check for a suit to qualify as beach-worthy. There is enough fabric at the top to cover the girls and it also does an okay job holding them in, too. But it’s the rest of the suit I really like. It does not ride up my butt and everything feels very secure.
Not only is Sari Bottom, the founder of Oldster Magazine on Substack, cool AF, she’s now brave AF after her recent piece for The Strategist, “My Hunt for Flattering Swimsuits for 60-Somethings.” Dang, I give her a lot of credit not only sharing pics on the internet of bathing suits that worked for her body, but even the ones that did not. What I like is that she’s just a regular-looking woman, not some jacked-up or super-skinny midlife influencer. Super relatable.
In the piece, Bottom gives a pretty comprehensive look at options for women our age and I am super grateful to her (and The Strategist, tbh) for providing a bathing suit guide for those of us who are no longer wearing skimpy two pieces. Women who have boobs and tummies and cellulite to navigate. Lots of good options in this piece that I’m eyeing.
At the beach on Saturday, I was walking back from the ladies room alongside an attractive woman who appeared to be around my age looking very chic in a black skirted suit. Bursting to know where she got it, I finally told her I thought she looked great and she shared it was from Lands End, and I’m pretty sure it’s the one I’ve shared above.
I picked up one of those trendy straw lifeguard hats at a sidewalk sale a few summers ago and I can’t tell you how much I love it — especially on windy beach days like yesterday. Or riding a bike. She stays on. Mine looks a lot like this one. Perfect for reading and giving your face some extra shade.
A quick note: Some of the links I share may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them. There is no additional cost to you, and I only recommend products, books and brands I genuinely use, love or think you might enjoy.
xoAmy
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