The DM | Issue Thirty Six
Or the one where the rain falls down and wakes our dreams
Hey, hi, hello - it’s me, Devon, jumping into the intro lead while Meg returns from her glorious travels in Spain.
Meanwhile, here in the U.S., things have felt heavy and unsteady as of late, not to mention it’s also been raining and snowing (lol) off and on in Denver over the past two weeks - so, it’s no surprise that my most-used emoji is currently the melting face 🫠
Speaking of rain: I actually got caught in a downpour last Sunday on the way back from the farmer’s market - as in I had ten minutes still to walk before I got home kind of caught. And, even though I looked like not unlike a wet cat (i.e. a completely drenched grown woman in head-to-toe black athleisure), it was weirdly kind of cathartic, while also simultaneously hilarious and maybe just a little pathetic? I’m sure we could spend some time *unpacking* that one, but for the sake of the time, we’ll move on (insert melting face again).
Despite it all, I truly do hope that our little corner of the internet provides you with a brief moment of brightly colored, sugar-coated respite. This week, I’m excited to introduce you to our very talented friends and guest writers, Sam and Rachel, whom we’re honored to have in The DM mix!
So, let’s get into this round of recs - and, here’s hoping that all future rainfall experiences are less like mine and more like Hilary’s, washing away our sanity (whatever that means).
Editor’s note: there’s some glitch in our editing platform where all embedded songs are spewing code all over the body of the email, so here’s the link to Hilary Duff’s 2003 banger, ‘Come Clean’, which I highly suggest you listen to for a serious dose of nostalgia.
From Devon
Currently:
Revisiting: a Bon Appetit feature about ‘How to Drink and Snack Like an Italian on Vacation’ because that’s the vibe I’m chasing this summer.
Grooving to: new tunes from Arcade Fire and Carly Rae Jepsen.
Breaking the piggy bank open: for this wedding season mainstay.
Popping: these 8 Greens tablets on the daily, particularly while traveling.
Buying gifts: for others (and myself) from this very cute shop, particularly the fun hair clips!
Testing out: a tip on keeping hydrangeas alive for more than five hours - snip the stems on a diagonal and place them in plain water but then also snip up the center of the stem, so it splits about an inch up. Every second day, give the stems a trim, dump the vase, and refill it with fresh water.
Laughing out loud: at this video of Shaq expertly lip synching a Jessica Simpson song. Still unsure how I found it, but good god, I’m glad I did.
From Sam
Currently:
Happy to have bought: this Aerie Oversized Hoodie. I have a feeling this will become my early morning dog walking staple.
Listening to the Guardians of the Galaxy Soundtrack because it's the perfect summer playlist.
Never taking off: my white Birkenstock Barbados Slides, which are the most comfortable pool and beach slides.
Binge watching: Conversation with Friends, however, I can't tell how I feel about it! Someone please watch so we can discuss.
Planning to wear: my Hunza G one piece all summer and am very tempted to splurge on another fun color
Wanting to stay at the Hobbit House on Miramar Beach because it's steps away from one of my favorite surf breaks and on the most fun and beautiful dog friendly beach (and not quite as expensive as staying at the Rosewood Miramar Hotel).
Editor’s note: Sam is an incredible artist who creates beautiful custom illustrations, stationery, paintings, and more - scope her work here!
From Rachel
Listening to: The Popcast, my forever favorite podcast.
Addicted to: watching Trader Joe's hauls on TikTok. Cannot get enough of them.
Donating to: SOSA, an organization dedicated to educating kids and parents about how to be safe from online sex abuse. Also, check out the 6-episode documentary, Undercover Underage, about their decoy work. True crime lovers, this one is for you.
Wearing: dinosaur t-shirts from the little boy's section at Target. I can't help it. They are so fun. I'm wearing them with jean shorts, dresses, and overalls. It's the summer of dressing for the female gaze ya'll. Or the appreciation of my two-year-old. Or both.
Reminiscing: with this perfume. I bought myself a bottle of this when we were in Florence last year and now that it's warming up, I'm wearing it every single day and pretending that we are frequent flyers to Italy.