LITERATURE: Ruth Ware’s latest thriller, alongside my mother, who texted me: “I started it yesterday and whipped through 75 pages in a flash”! Ware is my favorite contemporary thriller author — her books are a great mix of Agatha Christie and “Gone Girl,” and this one is off to the races quickly. I find her books deliciously easy and exciting to read. Have you read my thoughts on the modern thriller as a genre? Be curious to get your take.
TELEVISION: Stop what you’re doing and watch “Jury Duty” on Amazon Prime. A documentary-style comedy series, it is equal parts hysterical and fascinating. Mr. Magpie and I rarely binge watch shows (he prefers a slow drip), but we tore through four episodes in one night.
FITNESS: This week, I went for a great (and also miserable) four-mile run on the C&O Trail — scenes from the route below. It was blessedly quiet because it was insanely hot out, and everything about the run felt patently Washington-in-summer — it was green, leafy, overgrown, still, humid as all get out. (And yet she persisted.) The loop brought to mind my essay on D.C. as a “parochial wild.” I wore my new Vuori tank (love the cropped fit with the slightly low armholes) and a pair of Sweaty Betty shorts. That trail is fairly flat, and it made me realize that though I often complain about the hilliness of my usual route from my home, I actually find a kind of…joy? Interest? in more varied terrain. I found myself getting bored with the flatness of the C&O trail, whereas my usual run has more landmarks to pit myself against, e.g. “OK, last hill” and “the next leg is all downslope, so you can lay off the gas a bit.” Tough runners thrive on flat roads, I think. (I found it mentally challenging to make it the full four miles!)
I also participated in a golf clinic with one of my girlfriends and am mildly hooked on the game? I don’t want to permit myself to make any big investments in gear before I determine how addicted I am, but one of the other women in the clinic was wearing head to toe Tuckernuck golf (this skirt — which has a little tee-holder on the inner short! — and this matching polo) and looked adorable. Also love these performance dresses from TB! Probably a more imminent purchase: I’m currently golfing in plain on tennis shoes but want to buy these. I actually think having the proper footwear will help me out.
EATING: The best thing I ate this week was an everything bagel Mr. Magpie brought back from a work trip to NYC. We love the ones from Brooklyn Bagel Company in Chelsea (close-ish to one of our favorite coffee shops, St. Kilda’s.). The name and vibe of that bagel shop is so…low-key and pedestrian? But they are incredible bagels, with that eggy, dense, chewy dough you long for and cannot find outside the city, and they weigh about 1 lb each. You eat one for breakfast and don’t need a bite until 4 p.m. I also treated myself to a few iced oat milk lattes from Grace Street this week. Another absolute delight/treasure in my life. I think they have the best coffee in D.C.! Seen below alongside my beloved Doen dress. (Runs big, you can size down.)
BEAUTY: I am just EFFUSIVE about my new brow gel from Kosas (clean). Where has it been all my life? I mentioned this in a recent post, but I really liked my makeup one day two weeks ago and kept puzzling over what I’d done differently? I couldn’t figure out why my face looked more balanced and complete until I realized I’d applied a brow gel, which I don’t normally do. My gel was old and nearly-dry, so I polled my Magpies for a clean option and Kosas was the leading rec (more details on this and other recent beauty products I’ve tested — many clean! — here). What I love about it is that it’s a one-step process you can handle in about three seconds flat. You don’t need to be overly precise; the gel fills in the gaps and keeps hair in place without leaving it “crispy.” Truly hooked. And not to make it my entire personality, but while we’re talking beauty, Goop is offering 25% off a selection of their clean beauty products this weekend with code GLOWUP and I really cannot urge you to try their exfoliator more! The best best. You’ll thank me later.
P.S., You can see all the details on my outfit below in this post on styling denim skirts. My bangles are from Sunshine Tienda!
WEARING: I’ve been testing out my new Sambas with different looks and am just scratching the surface. I feel like I’ll really enjoy styling with denim come fall, but for now, during this sweltering heat, I’ve been pairing with lightweight sundresses, like the (old!) Everlane one seen at the top of this post. You can find a similar one here or here.
Also notable below: I enjoyed a blissful mani/pedi this week in one of my favorite white-pink colors, OPI’s Lets Be Friends. It felt fresh after wearing (almost exclusively) bright red — Essie’s Geranium — on my tootsies this summer.
What’s new in your neck of the woods?
P.S. More books to read right now.
P.P.S. A delicious cocktail to try this week.
P.P.P.S. On being truly happy for your friends.