August itinerary
reading/film list, making a day trip feel like vacation, summer charm, microstudies, cake, plus more pleasures and ideas to embellish the month with culture and delight
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As we all know, time moves quickly, especially as you become an adult and the demands of life press in on you from all sides. I found myself often skipping or forgetting about keeping up with small seasonal pleasures, because I felt there was no time, or simply forgot in the midst of the chaos. A few years ago, I actively chose to change that by intentionally “scheduling” in moments of beauty, simple pleasures, and contentment.
It’s been so rewarding to take a few moments at the end of each month to plan a few things I want to experience in the month ahead, to keep the joy up in life. These little things are so important, especially when you’re in the trenches with motherhood, work, and the general maelstrom of life.
August is the last act of summer, and I find it one of my favorite months for its sultry mood; its tension between freedom and order. The excitement of the fresh start feeling of September lies ahead, but the expansive feeling of time in summer still remains. A foot in both worlds, the border between summer and autumn, the highest point of the Ferris wheel before we descend back down to approach the new season and all it entails.
The trees are still green, but the grasses are golden and the air is heavy with the scent of dried hay and the hum of crickets. There is an impulse, a feeling of digging your nails into the days to slow them down, stretch them out, savor the wealth of them, to bite into this ripe peach of a month:
when it is August,
you can have it August and abundantly so.1
The month invites savoring, slowing down to enjoy the last few bites of the season. Here are my plans for August, I hope it inspires you to make a little list of your own. Nothing particularly fancy, but everything very enjoyable. A little culture, a little connection with friends and community, a little creativity. Something to fill back up the proverbial cup.
three books to read, and three films
Chess Story, Stefan Zweig. I read Zweig’s Post Office Girl at the beginning of summer and was smitten. I’ve heard only good things about Chess Story and can’t wait to dive into this novella. NYRB calls it an “unusual mixture of high suspense and poignant reflection.”
August is a Wicked Month, Edna O’Brien. This banned book has been on my list for years now, and I’ve never read anything by O’Brien before, so I’m excited to see what she’s like. An Irishwoman, separated from her husband, takes a solo summer holiday to the French Riviera seeking liberation and autonomy, but descends into excess, frivolity, and deep loneliness.
East of Eden, John Steinbeck. My mom was shocked and disappointed that I’d never read this after we talked about Grapes of Wrath this spring, so I’m reading it finally. I’m sure it won’t disappoint because Steinbeck is a fabulous storyteller.
East of Eden, 1955, dir. Elia Kazan, starring James Dean. Can’t wait to watch this classic after I finish the book.
To Catch a Thief, 1955, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant. I thought since I’ll be watching East of Eden from the same year, that I’d re-watch To Catch a Thief. Peak summer mood here, fancy bathing suits, the French Riviera, convertible drives, jewels, mystery and romance…
The Vanishing (Spoorloos), 1988, dir. George Sluizer. A Dutch couple are set for a European summer holiday roadtrip when she goes missing from one of the rest stops. Her partner obsessively searches for her for years, a dark psychological thriller set against beautiful summer days. I’ve heard this one is so good, with Stanley Kubrick considering it to be the most terrifying film he’d seen. (!!)
three things to do