June's Favorite Things

June is not summer exactly (It has not hit 100 degrees yet.) and, at least in this part of the country, it is no longer spring.  I am wearing shorts although I think skirts and simple dresses are cooler. Here are a few of my favorite things right now:

Etsy

Clothes from my  favorite June online site: Vanilia. I checked out the brick-and-morter store in Harlaam, and the clothes are beautiful. The site is Dutch and the prices in euros, so be aware of the exchange rate. The dollar amount will be substantially higher than the euro price tag.







Tiny gold bracelets - we're wearing them three at a time. Pair them with one slightly clunkier version or a chunky gold ring (think sculptural, not sparkly).  I wear mine with a thin gold bracelet studded with garnets. They make hands and wrists look delicate. I bought some pretty ones in Paris like these two, but I shopped around in the Marais to get good deals.  I've also found some nice ones on Etsy. 

                                                     Emmanuelle Zysman



White shorts with a printed silky blouse lends a dressier vibe to the everyday.

Anne Taylor

Tinted lip balm/stain crayons: I love everything about them. The texture is moisturizing, not greasy, and the colors are pretty and natural, and they stay on for a long time. They are sheer enough to use on my cheeks for a little summer color.

My favorite read right now is Stoner by John Williams. Written in the early '60s, by an American writer, it resurfaced last year in Europe as a bestseller. Recommended by a bookseller at the Zwart op Wit (Black on White) Bookstore in Amsterdam. I raised my eyebrows in a "Seriously?" look, but he laughed and let me know it was the name of the protagonist. It has yet to make it big in America, but that could change. My favorite line: "Lust and learning...That's all there really is, isn't it?"

And finally, during playoffs, even the San Antonio newcomer becomes a dedicated fan to Los Spurs por vida! I make nachos (reportedly one of Tim Duncan's favorite foods) "old school". The "loaded" nacho is a relatively recent and unfortunate development. The proper way to make nachos is to spread the tortilla chips on a cookie sheet, cover generously with shredded Jack cheese, dot with pickled jalepenos, and broil until cheese is crispy and browning on the edges. Heaven. Serve on a tray with Shiner Bock or micheladas or margaritas, get your Spurs t-shirt on, and you're ready for the game!