Welcome to Snack Time! A monthly series that takes a break from the regularly scheduled munch meal planning to share some of the best things I’ve consumed this past month (edible and otherwise).
The summer before my munch was born, Charlie and I spent 6 weeks living in Amsterdam. It made us long to live abroad on a more long-term basis, but the reality of both our social and work lives (along with the reality of having a young kid in school) has made that harder to put into action.
Instead, we wanted to try it for a month again. I wrote a little bit about the process of finding a camp abroad in this post, and thanks to my “phone a mom friend” conversation, we ended up signing up for a program called Boundless Life (if you’re curious, use code PINEMOFF for a discount on booking).
The concept feels a bit like a study abroad experience for families. Each location (and they have eight around the world) has a school/camp session for kids, a coworking hub for adults, and plenty of community programming to become better immersed in local culture and the cohort you’re sharing your time with.
When I was in my twenties, I backpacked around southern Spain, so I was particularly interested in their Andalusia location to have an adult re-do of my time eating cheap pan con tomate and sharing a room with twenty strangers on bunk beds.
Estapona, the town we ended up in, is right on the water, a 20-minute stretch of coastline from ultra posh Marbella. The old town is a matrix of white-washed cobblestone streets, which each have their own flowerpot color scheme. The port is one of the largest in the region and you’ll find fried fish (sometimes gluten-free!) and squid on every menu.
It is my daughter’s first summer of camp, and we knew dropping her into a new setting in a new country might be a rough transition. If the all-bread diet was any indication, it was a lot of change for her nervous system, but the beauty of having a full month meant that we got a few solid weeks of routine in, while also allowing us to have lower stress adventures on weekends.
One of the downsides of traveling with kids, and especially traveling with an only child, is that it puts so much pressure on parents as the entertainment. My favorite part about the program was living in a small town, running into other families constantly, having a network of sitters and kids her age for playdates. Basically, having the infrastructure of home with better tomatoes.
Plus, being there for the world cup was something I’ll never forget.
I’ll write more about the experience soon, and happy to discuss in the comments. In the meantime, here’s everything I consumed via the iPad VPN and the hardcover books that put our checked bag over the limit.
Happy munching,
Phoebe
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(Everything I’m watching and reading)
Lucky (TV): Whenever there’s a book I’ve read that’s been adapted into a miniseries, I’m always fascinated to see how the story evolved for TV. In the case of Lucky, which was a Reece’s book club pick last year and follows the daughter of a con artist on the run, so far the series has taken the premise and very little meat from the book. If you like Anya Taylor-Joy strutting and pouting, mixed with high velocity action sequences, it’s quite entertaining. The best part is Annette Bening’s character, who is straight out of a Nancy Meyers movie, if Nancy Meyers movies were about criminal sociopaths.
The Five Star Weekend (TV): Per the above, I was thrilled when they announced that this would be the latest Elin Hilderbrand book to be adapted. Like her previous (The Perfect Couple) it has a (five star!) stacked cast. It’s pretty loyal to the book with plenty of food and Nantucket preppy porn, and the few tweaks they made to streamline the story were very smart (as is the writing). We alternated this one with Lucky and it’s a Timothy Olyphant fest (the best kind of fest). Overall, I loved how the show offered a layered portrait of female friendship through midlife. My husband has even dubbed himself a Hollibabe.
Land (Book): I adored Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait, so I went into Maggie O’Farrell’s latest with high hopes. If you read my beach read round up, you will not be surprised that I consider both of her previous books beach reads (they flew for me!). Sadly, I found Land to be a bit more of a slog. It started to pick up at the 70 page mark. The language is objectively beautiful, but I wasn’t as pulled in by the plotting and characters. Still, it’s a stunning portrait of the Great Hunger in Ireland, a time I knew little about and there are mountains (copses, streams) of sentences to underline.
Cherry Baby (Book): To offset my literary (not-so beachy) beach reads, I’ve been listening to Rainbow Rowell’s latest. This is my first time dipping into her oeuvre and so far it’s like a warm hug, followed by extremely satisfying sex.
Next Up: Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer!
I bought these sunglasses in Spain and have gotten more compliments than any other pair I’ve ever owned. They are extremely affordable here, and still in a reasonable range in USD. Poke around the various styles (you can see mine above). I’m sure I will be paying US prices for another pair shortly when I lose these!
After doing this round up on travel essentials and this one on restaurant-friendly toys, I’ve been living off a “go bag” of toddler entertainment. Unfortunately, after many outings (restaurants, planes, trains and otherwise), the collection is starting to lose its attention diverting power! I finally broke down and bought this toy, which has been recommended to me before by several people, but always felt a little too spendy compared to the $10 plastic trash I have been purchasing off amazon. I love that it packs flat and has many iterations within one kit (also great for co-playing with fellow wee diners!).
My packing strategy for both myself and my munch has been sets. I love this one we bought last summer (and should fit for another 6 months, hopefully). I’ve been living in two Apiece Apart linen sets I bought on sale a few summers ago and am now eying this number. I love that they can come with me to the beach or out at night.
I’m brainstorming fall recipes to test when I’m home and would love to know what is missing from the MM archives. Snacks, breakfasts, lunch box freezer items, quick school night dinners—please voice your requests!
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