August was a pretty fun month! Lots of coffee, as usual, but I got to try a few new places!
Daily Life
August 1: Louise and I went to Brentwood for a personal trip, then we headed to The Well for some lunch!
I’ve never been to this location before, but it was fun. I ordered the Seasonal Salad with chicken and the Apple Lime Tonic. Louise ordered a less sweet iced Wake Up San Francisco and the Eden Bowl with chicken. We devoured our meal!
August 3: There’s a Nashville corgi breeder that has been showing off their recent litters of corgi puppies, and they’re so stinking cute!! I was feeling sad that we don’t have any photos of Darby that young, so I asked my friend’s sister if they had any photos of Darby that they might have overlooked, and I’m in luck!
Baby Darby photos!
Can you tell which one he is!?
I’m bummed we didn’t get him whenever he was a young pup, but it all worked out!
August 2: Darby and I went to Dunkin’. The app had a special of get a free matcha latte with any purchase, so I got one of those and my usual, iced Butter Pecan Latte! I really liked their matcha, and I’ll have to order that again.
Not pictured, but Darby also got his pup cup!
August 3: How Darby will sometimes sleep:
Stephen stopped by Humphreys Street Coffee on his way home from work and got me a Watermelon Sugar! It was so good. I need to get it again.
August 4: Louise and I went to the library around lunchtime. She signed up for a library card and I picked up some books that were on hold for me.
I thought this board was pretty cool.
Afterward, we browsed an antique store. I absolutely loved this tea set! Unfortunately, I had to pass it up due to lack of room in our apartment, and it was $45! I did buy the perfume, which was only $12.
Afterward, we went to Boots and Good Company! My usual, an iced Snickerdoodle latte.
I don’t know why Darby presses his face into his crate, but it’s always funny!
Haley and Reece visited us for the weekend! They arrived in the evening.
August 5: I woke up at 5:46 AM to get ready for breakfast. Surprisingly, I was wide awake! We were going to try the Loveless Cafe for the first time. I wasn’t sure if it would be crazy busy, so I had us get there right when they opened, around 7 AM. Good thing for us, there weren’t that many diners at that time! They were getting a little busier by the time we left.
Reece ordered the chicken and waffles. He thought it was good, though he’s had better and he didn’t expect it to be bone-in chicken! I was excited about the biscuits, but they weren’t my favorite.
I ordered the special of the day: the brisket, and it did not disappoint! It was a splurge, but it was well worth it! Haley and I split it. I liked the breakfast potatoes.
Stephen isn’t a big breakfast person, so he just ordered two eggs and toast.
After breakfast, Stephen drove us to see the Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge.
Stephen and Reece went to a car show, and Haley and I stopped by The Well for coffee, then HomeGoods and TJ Maxx.
I found banana seaweed (what a peculiar combination) and this type of mochi at HomeGoods!
Several things were bought, including three treat bags for Darby. Not regretting that decision even though we have several bags of treats at home.
For lunch, we tried Peter’s Sushi and Thai in Brentwood.
My spice level was hot, and it was delicious! I want to go back. The place is family owned, and the interior was really clean and nice. I don’t remember the time we went, but it was busy! Not too busy since we were seated immediately.
That evening, we went to a Sounds game! We lost, 7-2, but we had a nice time, despite the rain.
I brought my Chinook seeds. They literally are the best seeds, and I will not be buying any other kind.
August 6: Haley and Reece left mid-morning, so Stephen and I immediately went to the grocery store. I also washed some clothes and caught up with some cleaning.
I tried my new ginger beer that Louise bought for me.
This brand doesn’t have a super bold kick to it like the other brand I’ve been buying. It’s way more tame. I like it, though!
Haley and Reece stopped at Buc-ee’s on their way to us and accidentally left their Fruity Pebbles Rice Krispies treat. I very much enjoyed it.
August 9: Darby played with Birdy and Goose for a couple of hours!
They are the best of friends! I think Goose gets to them both a little bit sometimes because Birdy was trying to get Goose to leave her and Darby alone for a bit! Poor guy doesn’t get the hint to scram, just like a little brother.
Charlene thought it would be cute to put the lifeguard shirts on the boys. It made Darby’s booty look bigger and fluffier!
August 10: Louise and I went to Gaslamp Antiques.
I fell in love with this ring! Stephen said he can’t tell the difference between real jewelry and a piece from Target. 🙄 He told me I could’ve bought it and told him it was $20 and he would’ve believed me, which of course I wouldn’t, but I’ll be thinking about it or browsing rings until I forget about it or it gets purchased by someone that isn’t me.
A few weeks later, I called the antique store to see if it was still there and the price of it. Turns out it is $625, which seems a little high for me, after doing some thorough research. It was a little loose on my finger, so I’m going to let it go, or wait and see if the price will be lowered one day. I’ve got my eye on a few other opal rings now.
Upon researching opals, they’re incredibly fragile and are not meant for everyday wear. I guess it’s a good thing I wasn’t impulsive with buying it since I probably would’ve ruined it before properly researching them!
We went to the farmers’ market in the evening! I got some pistachio gelato and Stephen ordered a smash burger.
August 12: Stephen and I ate at Asihi buffet for dinner! My two plates, haha. I tried a cooked oyster for the first time, and I really liked it! I’ll need to grab more of them the next time.
For my dessert, I ordered bubble tea from Win Bubble Tea across the parking lot. My sister and I didn’t get to go whenever they were in town last week and I had been craving one, so I tried coconut!
August 13: I had purchased a bag of the clearance dog food for a friend, so we meetup at Vui’s Vietnamese Kitchen in Berry Hill for lunch and coffee!
Darby was a sad boy until I returned!
I never knew of this place, and I’m so glad to have stopped by! The noodle bowl with pork belly was absolutely incredible! She ordered the shrimp pho.
Across the street was a coffee shop, Sam and Zoe’s. I ordered the Oompa Loompa, and I drank that so fast (it was a blended drink. Description on website: snowcap, caramel)! It was absolutely delicious!
Whenever we got home, we went grocery shopping at Kroger. We were not aware of a storm coming, and we were drenched by the rain! There was a puddle of water that went over my ankles. I did not have a good time.
August 16: Darby’s 2nd birthday!!
I made him that cake, which I did not like, and took him to the the park since it was cloudy, then the pet store for some treats! He liked that cake, but it did not look good, and it stuck to the bowl whenever I cut a piece for him to eat.
He rolled around for a little bit at the park, so it was a good day!
I also got him some gelato to try for the first time, and he loved it!
August 17: Louise and I took had the dogs play at the park for a little bit, then we went to The Well for some coffee.
On this day, I actually ordered a different cake mix, and it turned out so much better! It’s a brand I’ve used before, so I know it would turn out good! It was even better than I thought it would be! I distributed the pieces of cake to his furriends.
August 18: I took some cake to Birdy and Goose’s so they could enjoy it! We were supposed to have a playdate, but we were unable to. I stopped by Dunkin’ because they had a special for a free medium frozen drink with any purchase.
Since the Dunkin’ near me doesn’t have the nitro cold brew, I ordered one from another location! The caramel frozen coffee was really good! I drank the nitro cold brew first.
August 20: Alexis and I made some lipstick and lip balm at Lip Lab, located in Fifth + Broadway! Our appointment was at 1 PM, and we arrived in the area at 11:40 AM. We tried coffee from Elixr, and it was amazing!
I ordered an iced Butterscotch Pink Peppercorn (description: House-made Butterscotch latte with a sprinkling of pink peppercorns for a pop!) It was so good, and I want to go back!
Time for Lip Lab! I was nervous about it because I had to be decisive about the color I wanted.
We decided on lipstick first, and I chose a berry color. I chose the same shade for the balm, and it was perfect! It only took the girl two tries for me to determine the lipstick color. The first one was too pink.
Afterward, we were starving! We ate at Thai Esane. I ordered tofu drunken noodles 🤤 and egg rolls.
It was time for more coffee, so we tried Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. I ordered an iced Caramel Wave, and it was pretty good! The coffee taste wasn’t as strong as I’d like, but I’ll try it again.
After coffee, we went to a tea and spice shop in the area. I bought these two sugar packets, and Alexis purchased some teas.
These sugars are SO GOOD! I’ve sprinkled some on top of my cold foam, and it is such a small taste that makes a difference.
August 22: Handsome Darby had a brief photo shoot.
August 23: For this reason, this is why I don’t buy pints for myself. Darby thinks it’s his, and look at that blurry little face wanting some ice cream! I couldn’t say no to him, so I got him some of his ice cream.
August 24: We went to park for a little bit, then to Dunkin’! I ordered an iced latte, even though it looks like a macchiato.
August 25: Stephen went to visit his family due to the decline of health for one of his relatives. I stayed home with Darby because he adds to the chaos in the house and I get overwhelmed and frustrated. It was a fun time being on our own!
I got over my anxiety and tried a new coffee shop that I’ve been wanting to try called Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee.
I ordered an iced caramanilla latte. It was a nice, chill place. It’s located where a gated apartment community is, which was one reason why I was nervous to go.
August 26: I was going to hang out with Kelli and Alexis in Clarksville, but I decided to stay home with Darby, and it would’ve been too hot outside to take him.
I checked out some books that I’m excited to read!
I also went to The Well for some coffee, and I bought a bag of beans! They have the Tico blend, which is one of my favorites.
I’m not sure if it’s a new thing, but I was given a free 12 ounce drip coffee of the blend! It was fabulous. I waited for it to cool down and poured it over ice. This blend is so good that it doesn’t need any flavoring syrup!
Next, I went to the store for some salad and cookies as a nice treat to make later. My favorite: white chocolate macadamia nut cookies!
It made 24 mini cookies, so I gave some to some friends that live in the complex.
Stephen came back around midnight, and he brought me back spicy noodles that I can’t find anywhere, and ghost pepper jerky from Buc-ee’s!
The heat really kicks my butt afterward, not during, and it’s so good and addicting!
August 27: I tried a Starbucks fall drink, the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato, and it was good! I remember liking the apple crisp flavor more last year, but it was still good. Also, when the heck did Starbucks get even more expensive!?
August 29: Louise and I went to the L&L Market to check out a jewelry store called Judith Bright. We’ve been on the hunt for a good jewelry store, and they had nice pieces.
I was more excited about getting and iced The Bootlegger from Honest Roasters, and I noticed they had a lox bagel, which I’ve been craving! I ate it at home, and it was delicious! I didn’t really care for the tomato slices, so I took them off.
August 31: To end this fun month, Darby got to play with Birdy and Goose! They had so much fun playing, and they painted!
They are so cute together, and they had the best time!
That concludes what we did in August!
Books
- Wool by Hugh Howey
- genres: science fiction, dystopia, post apocalyptic, speculative fiction
- rating: 2
- The waitlist for the library was long and the Kindle was on sale for $3 at the time and I had credit, so I purchased it.
- I watched the Apple TV series, and, maybe for the first time ever, I thought the adaptation was better than the book. I think it’s because I didn’t jive with the author’s writing style and I found it to be super wordy. I get that it’s to flesh out the world, but I quickly lost interest when something was described in like six pages when it could’ve been a couple.
- The main thing is why should I care about these people? Yes, their life that they know is interesting, but I think the characters needed to be fleshed out better because they were flat to me.
- I wish the author wouldn’t have repeated important details and instead let the reader have something click for them on their own.
- Ex. Mayor Jahns and Deputy Marnes drinking from one another’s canteen instead of their own. There are probably more instances, and I know I’m being nitpicky, but it bugged me because it was so repetitive.
- Page 56, location 726 in Kindle: “Marnes handed her his canteen, and she took a polite sip before passing it back.“
- Page 60, location 774: “When Marnes passed his canteen, Jahns took a long pull and… … She took the canteen from him and slid. it into the webbed pouch on the rear of his pack.”
- Page 70, location 907 in Kindle: “… Marnes joined her, his canteen in hand. Jahns realized she’d been drinking out of his all day while hers had stayed strapped on her back. … It was more difficult to reach one’s own water than it was to grab that of the other from their pack. … She realized Marnes wanted to cary her water and share it until it too was empty.“
- Page 121, location 1587 in Kindle: “Jahns let go sporadically only to check that her walking stick was secure against her back or to grab Marnes’s canteen from his pack and take. asip. They had taken to drinking each other’s water, it being easier to reach across than around one’s own back.”
- Page 122, location 1598 in Kindle: “She found herself drinking more and more from his canteen, her own water making noises at her back…”
- What I think the books did better was how large the silo is and that it could take days to go from the top to bottom. Of course, that would’ve been difficult to do in the TV series. It was certainly kind of boring in the books, though.
- Also, I did not buy the romance between Juliette and Lukas. I laughed whenever those moments came up because it felt weird and forced.
- I don’t think I’ll continue the books, as of now, since it took me over a week to read, and it was not satisfying. I want to know how the silos came to be, but it’s not worth putting myself through the other two books.
- Ex. Mayor Jahns and Deputy Marnes drinking from one another’s canteen instead of their own. There are probably more instances, and I know I’m being nitpicky, but it bugged me because it was so repetitive.
- The Night Before by Wendy Walker
- genres: mystery, thriller, suspense, crime, online dating
- content warning: mental health, mention of child abuse
- rating: 4
- I’m a fan of Wendy Walker, and this is the oldest book I’ve read by her and it feels different. There are some punctuation errors, but I am intrigued by the story. There are two POVs: Laura’s and Rosie’s and short transcripts of Laura’s therapy sessions. Both POVs make me wonder if Laura is an unreliable narrator, based off of Rosie’s POV and an incident that happened in Laura’s teenage years.
- I liked the wild goose chase, and the twist was a surprise. The big reveal made me a teensy bit sad for the person.
- When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica
- genres: mystery, thriller, suspense, psychological thriller
- content warning: infertility
- rating: 3
- I’ve been wanting to give a Mary Kubica book a try, but it would slip my mind whenever I’d go to the library.
- Well, I am honestly not sure how I feel about it. I think it was clever, though I don’t like this type of ending because it feels like a cop out.
- The aspect of it was neat, though, but it was not well executed or satisfying.
- Mainly, the mother’s diary entries didn’t make sense because it clearly pointed to what you as the reader are suspecting.
- Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker
- genres: mystery, thriller, suspense, psychological thriller
- content warnings: rape, child abuse, psychological abuse, infertility, inappropriate and taboo relationships, narcissism
- rating: 4.5
- Wow, I LOVED this book, and it may be my new favorite by Wendy Walker! I did not expect the big twist, so it was really exciting to see how the story played out.
- Emma and Cass’s mom––Judy, but Mrs. Martin to her kids––is clearly the worst, and I cannot imagine being raised by a narcissistic mother. The family dynamic is pretty screwed up. Mrs. Martin has to be the best in every way, and Emma and her step-brother avoid a taboo relationship, so they start wars and problems with each other. Cass is the least loved by her mom, and she played quite the long game to get her mother’s attention.
- Wow, I LOVED this book, and it may be my new favorite by Wendy Walker! I did not expect the big twist, so it was really exciting to see how the story played out.
- How to Be Remembered by Michael Thompson
- genres: fantasy, magical realism, mystery, romance
- content warning: suicide attempt
- rating: 4
- This was such a unique story! It’s similar to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, but I liked this story better. Tommy was forgotten every year, whereas Addie LaRue was forgotten when she went out of someone’s sight. I liked Tommy as a characters, and his love interest, Carey, had an icky backstory.
- The author kept this idea fresh, and I found myself invested and curious as to how Tommy would navigate life and how he’d make sure to be remembered by at least Carey.
- He is successful and manages to find a loophole with the Reset: whatever he’s touching, he’ll get to keep.
- Tommy young years: Keep living in the group home, reconnect with Miss Michelle (caretaker of the group home), re-meet his friends, repeat.
- Tommy’s adult life: Re-friend Josh, find Carey (then figure out how to get her to remember him every year),
- I kind of expected Richie’s character to play a bigger role, but he was the filler to Tommy’s life. Tommy originally saves Carey from her suicide attempt, but since the Universe causes him to be forgotten, Richie is the one who saves her—in everyone’s memory—which is an unlikely action for his character.
- I wish it would’ve explained why Tommy was forgotten, but I liked how it ended, though I wanted more from the story.
- This was such a unique story! It’s similar to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, but I liked this story better. Tommy was forgotten every year, whereas Addie LaRue was forgotten when she went out of someone’s sight. I liked Tommy as a characters, and his love interest, Carey, had an icky backstory.
- What Remains by Wendy Walker
- genres: suspense, mystery, thriller, crime, psychological thriller
- content warning: mental health
- rating: 3.5
- I wish I felt more of an emotional attachment to the character, Elise, but the tone was cold and serious, which I guess makes sense since she’s a cop and she also had to kill a mentally ill man.
- Everyone is being used a collateral because the man she saves winds up stalking her and becomes obsessed with her.
- “The Kill Room” chapters are really cool, and I loved how the author tied this into the main story. It was clever, and I love the twist of it!
- Elise made poor choices for the sake of the plot, but it worked out for her.
- All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker
- genres: crime, mystery, suspense, mental health
- content warning: rape, self-harm, suicide attempt
- rating: 3.5
- I feel conflicted about this rating because the story itself is really good, but I just didn’t jive with it being told in the therapist’s point of view. Dr. Alan Forrester is unlikeable, but I like that Walker changed up the story and had it progress through his lens.
- He was misogynistic, and he blurred the lines with his practice in order to protect someone he loves. His POV and character are distant, which makes sense, but he went off on small tangents that I just wanted him to get on with it. He was an excellent character, and Walker did an amazing job with developing him, but he could’ve had things sped up way sooner.
- Interesting enough, though this is an investigation of who harmed Jenny, she is not the main character whose story we need to focus on.
- It’s a unique story with a different twist, but I’m left thinking that this could’ve been solved in less than a day. However, I like the psychological process, so I think that was cool to help Jenny get that one memory back.
- I’ll leave it at that since I don’t want to spoil things for anyone wanting to read it!
- I feel conflicted about this rating because the story itself is really good, but I just didn’t jive with it being told in the therapist’s point of view. Dr. Alan Forrester is unlikeable, but I like that Walker changed up the story and had it progress through his lens.
I took a break from reading for a few days, but I managed to squeeze in that last book before August ended.
TV Shows/Movies
Chicken Run (2023)
I want to curse Stephen a little for having us watch this when he didn’t even enjoy it. He mistakenly thought it was Chicken Little(!!) and never said anything until it was over and said he didn’t like it.
This was a dark and probably traumatizing movie. A chicken is killed at the beginning and the hen who knits ends up knitting a noose later on. No wonder we’re all a little messed up. 😵💫
At least it ended well, though it does make me feel bad a little for eating chicken at the moment.
Weirdly enough, did anyone notice there’s going to be a sequel?! I did not see that coming, but I’ll be watching it for the heck of it.
Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour (2018)
Surprisingly, I have never watched the stadium tour before, (no matter how insistent Stephen is that I have, and that he watched it with me) and I’m so sad to have missed out on the chance to see her in concert in the past.
My family never went to concerts, so I never considered going to one to be a possibility.
If I could, I would have loved to see her during her Taylor Swift and Speak Now eras.
Music
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) 2023 –– Kelsea Ballerini
Absolutely obsessed; it’s so good! I wish “Penthouse” was also a studio song instead of just a live performance, but I can see why the chose a live version to match the energy of the one word change and ending on a high note.
“Interlude (Full Length)” is even more wonderful, and “How Do I Do This” is amazing.
Although I am bummed she omitted this line in “Interlude”: “Good thing I’m good alone, ’cause that’s how I’ll sign the papers,” it is an absolute masterpiece.
Right from the get-go, I am obsessed with “How Do I Do This.”
It is beautiful and poetic that this EP starts with 7 AM and ends with 7 PM.
Orders
August 1: My Cocopup London ordered arrived! I’ve been wanting a cute treat bag holder, and this company was having a BOGO free sale! I bought a large and small bag to switch things up.
August 15: I’m not for sure if this is the correct date, but I’ll go with it since I think it was around Darby’s birthday when I received this jewelry order from Soirée.
Overall, I’d say their jewelry quality is mid-level since it is gold filled. The longevity of the pieces is still questionable for these pieces.
Although, I first ordered from them last year and a necklace I have worn frequently––even when it’s hot and I’ve been sweating––has not tarnished. If you’re curious, this is the necklace I’m talking about, and I wear it a few times a week! It’s the perfect length, and it’s one of my favorite necklaces.
Items pictured:
Honestly, the rings I would avoid since the gold coating fades over time, which is such a shame because they have the cutest rings! So far, the ring pictured has held up and I’ve worn it several times since receiving it, but the others have not.
If you’re interested, you can use the code “stephying20” to get 20% off your order!
August 24: Look at how cute this corgi ice cube is! The tray makes nine corgi cubes.
That’s officially it for August! I hope September is good to you.
