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What I Read in September 2025
Happy Q4, friends! The time of the year has arrived where we are not sure where this year went and the rest of the year will disappear out of nowhere. I have currently fallen out of audiobooks (this happens to me from time to time but this time might be more or less permanent?) and read only physical books last month, which is my favorite medium for reading anyways. Okay, here’s everything I read in September: FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelly Another AP Lit Book Club, this time picked by yours truly! It was my first time reading Frankenstein ever, and it was so much different than what I expected based…
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First Time in Windy City
Hi, friends! Over Labor Day weekend, Rex and I visited Chicago for the first time (for the both of us besides having a layover at the O’Hare Airport)! We went with very loose plans which we came up with the week of our trip (a lot has been happening, okay!!!) but still had a lovely time! One of the main motivators for this trip was the Oasis concert, which was the first night of our trip (Thursday). I hadn’t thought about getting Oasis gear to wear to the concert until the night before our trip. After an unsuccessful last-minute trip to Southpoint Mall, we were hoping we’ll get a chance…
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What I Read in August 2025
Hi, friends! Here’s everything I read in August (a few days into September because I just got back from my first trip to Chicago!!): JADE LEGACY by Fonda Lee You know I am obsessed with Jade City series, and I am happy to report that Jade Legacy, the last book of the trilogy, did not disappoint! In each Jade City book, the Kaul family faces new challenges on another magnitude. Jade Legacy spans across several decades and the world beyond Kekon. The way Fonda Lee develops the story over the three books paints the earlier struggles smaller in retrospect but it really speaks to her ambition and ability in developing…
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Beach Week, Year 2!
Hi, friends! I’m recapping our second ever beach week today (before August ends)! Last year was our inaugural beach week which we split between Beaufort and the Outer Banks. Since we did a day trip to Beaufort in June for the Old Homes Tour, this year’s beach week was all in the Outer Banks. We stayed in Manteo for the Outer Banks portion of the inaugural beach week last year but we wanted to be more central this time around. We found a tiny home called The Beach Palette in Kitty Hawk, only a few blocks from the beach (maybe a 10-minute walk?). Not only was The Beach Palette so…
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What I Read in July 2025
Happy end of July, friends! Here’s everything I read this month: BUTTERMILK GRAFFITI: A CHEF’S JOURNEY TO DISCOVER AMERICAN’S NEW MELTING-POT CUISINE by Edward Lee If you’re like me and obsessively watched Culinary Class Wars on Netflix, Edward Lee is the Korean American chef from the show. Naturally, I had to read his James Beard-winning food memoir Buttermilk Graffiti. I actually listened to the audiobook and wish I had read a physical book instead, both because the audiobook is not narrated by Edward Lee himself and I think I would’ve processed some of the essays better in a written format. Some of the chapters are based on his recent travels…
