Monthly Musings: July 2023
Hello friends, happy Wednesday! Welcome to our Monthly Musings: July 2023 post! How are you keeping? Hopefully you’re well, out there enjoying the summer, living your best life. Is it just me, or is this summer hitting a little different to past ones? It’s maybe the first time in my life that I’m actually enjoying the summer season. As in: sun, heat, sweating, being outdoors, etc. I never really went in for all that jazz when I was younger, but maybe now that I’m approaching 30 I’ll be a little less of a vampire? Who knows! Even if it’s just for this year, I’m reveling in the joy this summer has brought me thus far. BBQs aplenty, 10k steps every-dang-day, the omnipresent scent of sun-cream, warm evening strolls, family time, and being engaged for a whole year. Can you believe it’s been a year since we got engaged already? Insane!
Anyways, I hope your summer is shaping up in an equally pleasing manner. Our Monthly Musings: July 2023 post is below, filled with all the usual ramblings. I truly hope you find something to take away with you, be it a new recipe, movie, or a hankering to start learning a new language. Enjoy!
monthly musings: july 2023
New on the wedding bulletin board: we sent out our wedding website/invitations! A little early perhaps, but it felt silly to be sitting on the information when everything we’ve shared is 100% nailed down. It felt so good to send it out & share with our loved ones! Also – my wedding shoes arrived! They’re different, a little funky, and I can actually envision myself wearing them after the wedding day! Win win win! And maybe the biggest wedding news: we got Fiancé’s ring! It’s a beautiful titanium ring that we bought off a small shop on Etsy and it’s perfect!! Next up: getting my dress altered and buying my ring 😉
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Related: I’ve started a Substack that is devoted to all things wedding planning, Passionate Planner! Think of it as a sibling of Passionate Baker; it’s basically the same, except instead of recipes or travel guides, it deals with all things wedding planning! I started it on a whim one day because I had so many wedding thoughts rattling ’round in my head that I needed to write down to get out. Normally the first place I’d turn to write is here, but other than the above monthly update, that’s just not what this space is for. And so, Passionate Planner was born! There’s only two posts up there now, but just you wait!
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Also related, but in need of its own paragraph: we’re going to our wedding tasting this evening! This very evening! Our venue reached out to us a couple weeks ago and invited us to come try out some menu options! Eeep! We’re going to make a night of it and stay over – that way Fiancé can really enjoy the wine tasting element! I’m sort of equal parts excited and scared, if you get me? Excited to try all the food and experience what our venue is like overnight. Scared that we’ll be maybe disappointed in some aspect or another? I’m sure that’s just my over-anxious inner bride panicking – I’ve stayed at the venue before & loved it – but still.. I’ll report back next month!
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Friends, it’s official: our mini-moon is booked! Well, not the flights – but all of the accommodation is nailed down! We’ll be hitting up Bologna, Ravenna, San Marino, & Modena. We’re so excited!! Well, I think Fiancé is so excited, but I myself am SO EXCITED! I can’t wait to be back on Italian soil, drinking all the wine and eating every delicious thing that comes within reaching distance! Only 131 days, a 30th birthday, and a wedding to go!
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I have officially caved to social norms and am rejoining the workforce as a receptionist/administrator in a local dentist! I know, I know, I loved being self-unemployed – but it’s only four days a week and exactly the kind of job I was looking for. I’m having my training day this coming weekend, and then my first real day on the job next Monday! Wish me luck? I’ll have to start working on my phone voice!!
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Related: is there potential for a lunchtime recipe series here? I’ll have to start making a little packed lunch to bring with me every day – would a peek inside those be fun? Something about that feels instinctively fun to me, but what do you think? I’ve always enjoyed seeing inside other peoples’ lunchboxes – or fridges or shopping carts or or or – so maybe you do too? If you have any great lunch making hacks, hit me up using the comment box below!
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Okay, I’m so late to the game here, but I’ve finally signed up to Duolingo! I initially signed up to take some refresher German lessons, but then I decided I’d like to learn Italian. It’s no big secret that Italy holds the key to my heart, and I already had a very basic grip of the language from visiting over the years, so yeah! I’m currently on a 30-day streak, and I’m still loving it, so hopefully it’s a habit that sticks! Are you on there? Let’s be friends! Here’s my profile.
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Let’s talk recipes from around the web quickly, shall we? Dinner wise: I rustled up this Lemon Kale Orzo dish a couple weeks back and it was a huge hit! Fast, veggie, and almost entirely healthy – I’d call that a win! Also, I’ve had this Braised White Beans & Greens recipe open on my laptop for almost the last three weeks; I am determined to make it asap, it looks delicious! Baking wise: I recently pulled this Pop of Lemon Poppy Seed Cake out of our oven & omg! I am a huge lemon gal, and this was divine – incredibly moist and delicious! Sidenote: anyone else totally obsessed with Eden Grishpan? Love her!
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Oof, I read a couple of great books last month! First: Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo. I mean, no surprises here – I’m a huge Nesbo fan & love every single one of the Harry Hole thrillers, and this is no different. Suspense, some great red herrings, and a totally unguessable plotline! Second: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. I absolutely loved this book! It’s a little different to the books I usually read – as in: no serial killers or detectives – but it had me hooked from the very beginning. It follows the lives of four sisters and it’s just so beautiful! Wonderfully written, powerful imagery, and some truly great characters. It might even be my favourite book of the year? Would recommend!
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Did you watch any good movies last month? We finally got to watch two newbs: Living, which we loved & thought was beautifully shot, and The Whale, which we thought was good but not great. Two oldies that I rather enjoyed: A Perfect World, which I totally bawled at in the end, and Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion, which I honestly feel should be a cult classic. Mira Sorvino saying “I invented post-its” in that accent had me genuinely LOL-ing. As always, you can follow along with mine & Fiancé’s movie viewing on our Letterboxd.
Okay friends, I think that concludes our Monthly Musings: July 2023 post! I hope you have the most wonderful month – let’s catch-up again soon, okay? Summer bucket list coming in hot next week, so stay tuned!
My love to you,
Vicki
PS: please enjoy the above photo of our epic sandwiches in Florence this time last year! If you’d like to read the guide in which they’re mentioned: Three Days in Florence, Italy.
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