I’m thinking back to that porch party on the summer solstice—watermelon, cold rosé, the sky turning a soft pink as the sun lingered. It felt like a tiny, perfect pause before the season really got going: peaches just starting, tomatoes still waiting, school out and summer barely beginning. The memory reminded me how easily we can let the shortening days after June 21 feel like a let‑down, even though they’re just the next chapter in the same story.
The piece uses a simple salt‑shaker metaphor: the same object can be described as clear, tall, heavy, or square, depending on what we choose to notice. Likewise, the solstice is both the longest day and the start of summer, and we get to decide whether we see the coming shorter days as a loss or as a natural shift that will reverse in six months.
The author ends with a gentle ask: “Remind me next year to host that solstice party again.” And a quick, happy note about a hotel stay, a GPS‑guided trip to Sweet Escapes, and a scoop of favorite purple‑cow ice cream. What three good things have you noticed lately? Xo.
I hear you love the energy of New York—friends everywhere, walking feels like freedom, and you call California and Tel Aviv your other homes.
You rave about Hallie Meyer’s Caffè
I’m sharing what I gathered from a longtime PNW‑resident’s reflection on heat and climate change. She points out that her whole life—starting in Santa Barbara and moving to Washington—has been a story of cooler, wetter weather, but over the past few decades the region’s temperature patterns have shifted noticeably. A single anecdote about a July 4th that hit 80 °F in Seattle, which used to be unheard of, illustrates the trend, and she backs it up with observations of shrinking snowpack—some years the snow is only about 30 % of its historical norm, directly affecting the local water supply.
She describes how the changing climate has made heat waves feel more frequent and intense, even in places that once stayed comfortably mild. To cope, she installed a mini‑split air‑conditioning unit in her cottage, turning it into a “cool house” for friends who lack similar comfort. She also mentions the emerging “smoke season,” when wildfire smoke from the Pacific Northwest and Canada degrades air quality, prompting her to seal the house and run a recirculating fan.
Overall, the piece blends personal stories—like building a compost pile at dawn during a heat bubble—with a clear, observational note that the PNW is warming, snow is disappearing, and everyday comfort strategies are becoming essential. It’s a reminder to stay hydrated, watch local forecasts, and adapt as the climate shifts.
Lattaiolo is a simple Tuscan baked milk custard, made with milk, eggs, sugar, lemon, and enough starch to make it silky and sliceable when chilled. You whip the egg yolks and whites separately and fold everything together and when it bakes, you get three subtle layers—a very thin bottom layer that I wouldn’t call a crust, but it is firm, then the center custard layer, and on top a delicate, soft top layer that bakes to a beautiful golden crust. It’s important to thoroughly chill the dessert before serving to ensure that it will slice, or you could spoon it out of its dish to serve with fruit. I’ve tried various starches and quantities, and settled on cornstarch for its smooth texture (as opposed to my gf flour blend which gave it a more “floury” texture), and added just enough so as to be sliced but still extremely tender. Because this recipe uses whole milk, it’s a leaner custard than flan or creme brûlée, but if you like your custard a bit on the richer side, you could substitute cream for half of the milk. I also made this on the much much less-sweet side, and you could easily increase the sugar from 100g to 125g (1/2 C to 1/2 C + 2 Tbs). Serve with fresh fruit and or whipped cream.
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