Sunday Memo #3

Happy Sunday! I hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day weekend. It almost slipped my mind that we had a long weekend, but I managed to pull together a last-minute getaway to Wimberley, TX, with my boys. I also got us tickets to see Ryan Bingham perform at the Whitewater Amphitheater last night, which was fantastic! He’s a lot of fun to see perform live, and as a fan of the show Yellowstone, it was a special treat for me. I will share more about this trip in an upcoming post.

This week's post contains a variety of topics that have been on my mind including a couple of local gems in Austin, TX. One of those special places is Clark's Oyster Bar that has an amazing Pimm's Cup. Their version of the cocktail has a more exotic flavor compared to the traditional recipe, so I decided to try and recreate it at home. I think it turned out great, and you’ll find the recipe included in this post. I hope you enjoy!

Beautyland is unlike any book I’ve read before. The story follows a young girl named Adina, who is supposedly sent to Earth as a baby from an alien civilization. Throughout the narrative, we follow her as a perceptive child navigating the complexities of a single-parent household, through adolescence, and into adulthood. Adina believes her mission is to observe the human experience and send notes back to her extraterrestrial superiors.

The subjects she records are not about major global events, as one might assume. Instead, they are simple observations—small, often overlooked details of daily life. Although it’s unclear how these observations are helpful to her superiors, they are often surprisingly profound. For example, one observation notes, “When you’re alone, you are in the right place to watch sadness approach like storm clouds over an open field. You can sit in a chair and get ready for it. As it moves through you, you can reach out your hands and feel every edge. When it passes and you can drink coffee again you even miss it because it has been loyal to you like a boyfriend.” (p. 140)

What resonated with me after reading this book is the realization that, like Adina, we are all visitors on this planet with little understanding of where we came from and why we are here, living out this often challenging human experience. Therefore, instead of drifting through life and taking it for granted, we should strive to be as observant as Adina and awaken to the world around us. This book reminds us not to overlook the seemingly mundane aspects of life, as that’s often where the magic lies. Through Adina’s outsider perspective, we are encouraged to examine the rituals, anxieties, and small joys that make up our human existence with fresh eyes.

A few more notes I bookmarked:

"Human beings did not think their lives were challenging enough so they invented roller coasters. A roller coaster is a series of problems on a steel track. Upon encountering real problems, human beings compare their lives to riding a roller coaster, even though they invented roller coasters to be fun things to do on their days off." (p. 84)

“What is essential is invisible to the eye.” (p. 108)

“When you’re little, sadness is a kid you can kick out of your game. A simple, fast-food feeling that leaves as soon as the bully is gone. Deeper sadnesses get buried into one’s coastal shelf, accessible only by your adult version. (p. 146)

“The ego of the human male is by far the most dangerous aspect of human society.” (p. 182)

“Human beings spend their lives pretending their parents are people with no needs. They do not want their moms to talk about sex or die.” (p. 211)

***Here’s a discount for bookshop.org.

I will likely mention Flamingo Estate frequently in these memos because my admiration for this company and its founders runs deep. I'm continually impressed by the brand experience they've created, from their beautiful estate to the creative pop-ups that they occasionally launch. Their commitment to beauty, sustainability, and the simple pleasures of life is inspiring.

If this is your first time hearing about Flamingo Estate, I recommend treating yourself to their cookbook, Fridays From the Garden, along with a bottle of their olive oil and their Roma Heirloom Tomato candle. The candle is one of my favorites, and it's what I'm currently burning at home. It smells like fresh tomato vine leaves crushed between your fingers and mentally transports you to a summer garden.

Jasmine is one of my favorite plants to have around the patio, where people frequently walk by or sit. It is easy to grow and can be trained to climb, creating a wall of shiny green leaves and wonderfully fragrant white flowers. The scent of jasmine is intoxicating.

Last spring, I planted some jasmine with the goal of having it climb a pre-existing structure. This spring, I noticed that it needed more support, so I’ve been adding wire between the existing beams and securing the vines to this new support system with jute twine. I still have a few more lines of wire to add, but I’m looking forward to the end result—a fragrant wall of jasmine that welcomes people to the backyard.

Here are a few key tips for successfully growing jasmine in your garden:

• To promote flowering make sure they get at least 4–6 hours of direct sunlight.

• Jasmine requires well-drained soil to avoid root rot. You can add compost to enhance drainage.

• Provide support for climbing varieties of jasmine by using a trellis, arbor, or fence. It’s helpful to gently train the vines to start climbing using twine.

• Prune flowering jasmines after they have finished blooming. This maintains their shape, encourages new growth, and promotes more flowers for the following season.

One last note on this topic: The essential oil of jasmine smells amazing and helps calm your nervous system. I’ve been enjoying using this rollerball essential oil before bed.

This Pimm's Cup is inspired by one I enjoyed at Clark's Oyster Bar in Austin, TX. While I don't have their exact recipe (that's a trade secret), I think I got pretty close. This cocktail is one of my favorites, especially when sipped in the sunshine, alongside fresh food and good friends.

Clark's-Inspired Pimm's Cup (1 serving)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Pimm's No. 1

• 0.5 oz Strega

• 0.5 oz Cocchi Americano

• 0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

• 4–6 oz Ginger Ale (to top)

• Fresh Mint Sprigs (for garnish)

• Cucumber Slices (for garnish)

• Strawberry Slices (for garnish)

• Ice

Instructions:

1. In a tall glass, gently muddle a few mint leaves with the fresh lemon juice.

2. Add the Pimm's No. 1, Strega, and Cocchi Americano to the glass.

3. Fill the glass with ice.

4. Pour the ginger ale over the ice until the glass is full.

5. Gently stir the cocktail to combine the ingredients.

6. Garnish generously with fresh mint, cucumber slices and strawberries.

First Light Books is a favorite escape of mine, located in the historic Hyde Park neighborhood of Austin. The building itself is a beautifully renovated old post office, and it offers a unique and cozy atmosphere for book lovers and the surrounding community.

This bookshop has a thoughtfully curated selection of titles across various genres, including literary fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, poetry, cookbooks, and niche subjects like photography and gardening. They also have a dedicated children's section and host story time every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

What I love most about First Light Books is their commitment to fostering a sense of community. They host a range of events, including author readings, book clubs (like "World Wide What" for global storytelling and "About Motherhood"), happy hours, trivia nights, a chess club, and kid-friendly activities. These events contribute to the welcoming environment they have created. This shop is a charming addition to Austin, and it feels good supporting a local bookstore.

Building upon my previous note about shell accessories, I recently discovered this pendant by JUJU VERA that I absolutely love. I first saw it styled on models from Reformation and Goop, and after some searching, I was able to find it. This pendant is handmade from solid sterling silver and is designed to be worn with a long, matching silver chain or silk cord.

Wishing you a beautiful week!