Can you believe it’s the last day of July? I figured today was a good day to finally share my June 2021 Favorites. This month I’m super late publishing my round-up of favorites from the previous month. Between being on vacation for nearly half the month and watching the Olympics, it has been hard to find large chunks of time to focus on the blog. I also wanted to make sure I published my bathing suit round-up post before I did this one.
Furthermore, on June 1 I returned to working in the office five days a week after working completely from home for over 14 months. It’s been a bit of a balancing act adjusting to my new schedule, and I’ve had to put blogging on the back-burner at times. Because of this, I didn’t get to work ahead on blog posts during June.
In addition to being back in the office for work, I started having more in-person meet-ups with friends during June. As much as I enjoy blogging, I have to prioritize being present for my full-time job. I’m also not willing to sacrifice my social life and relationships in order to constantly churn out content on evenings and weekends. For the longest time, I compared myself to other bloggers who work full-time, and felt like I didn’t measure up because I wasn’t able to be as active on my blog and social channels in addition to working. Now, I’ve realized that I can’t do that. I have to do what’s best for my personal life and mental health. And that sometimes means not being able to blog as much as I wish I could.
Anyways, without further ado, here are my June 2021 Favorites-better late than never!
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Kindle Paperwhite
For the longest time I had zero desire to get an e-reader. I love the feeling of holding an actual book in my hand. Plus, if I ever needed to read an e-book, I could always use the Kindle app on my iPad. However, I started to realize there were an increasing number of library books available via eBook. It also occurred to me that if I want to read a book the library didn’t have, then the Kindle version is less expensive and and takes up less space than a physical book. (My shelf space is at a premium in my little apartment.)
The one thing that was holding me back from getting a Kindle was the fact that I do most of my reading at the pool or beach during the warmer months. Thus, I didn’t want to worry about getting my Kindle wet. After I did research on Amazon, I discovered that the Kindle Paperwhite model is waterproof. This was conveniently right before Prime Day. So once Prime Day rolled around, I bought a Kindle Paperwhite and saved $50. The Kindle Paperwhite is a little more expensive than the regular Kindle, regardless of whether you purchase on sale. However, if you do a lot of reading around water, it’s worth the extra money for the waterproof benefit. Although you don’t want to intentionally submerge your Kindle Paperwhite for extended periods, it’s nice to know accidental splashes won’t hurt it!
I also got the Amazon cover for my Kindle Paperwhite, which lets you hold it like a traditional book while you read. As much as I still enjoy a physical book, I am loving my new Kindle Paperwhite too!
J.Crew Factory White Jeans
At the beginning of summer I realized I didn’t really like the way the white jeans I’d had for nine years fit anymore. I wanted to get a new pair that was good quality, but not super expensive. I ended up getting the J.Crew Factory 8-inch midrise skinny jean in white. They fit well through the hip and thigh, and they don’t bunch up at my ankles as much as my other white jeans did. These jeans have a 28-inch inseam, and are a cotton/poly/elastane blend. They’re really comfortable, and I feel like they would flatter various body types. In addition, they’re frequently on sale. These have been my go-to for casual Fridays at work this summer.
J.Crew Factory Sleeveless White Blouse
Speaking of J.Crew Factory, I added some other items to my order when I got my white jeans. I didn’t have any nicer sleeveless white tops that looked good tucked into skirts. This sleeveless cotton poplin shirt has a color and buttons down the front, and it tucks into skirts really nicely. I styled it here with a printed Lilly Pulitzer skirt and my Sarah Flint Perfect Block Sandal 60.
Briogeo Balancing Shampoo & Conditioner
Briogeo, a safer hair care brand I’ve tried before, recently released a new balancing shampoo and conditioner. I have an oily scalp, and sometimes have issues with my hair still looking dirty underneath even after I’ve washed it. When Sephora had a promotion for 4x points on the Briogeo balancing shampoo and conditioner set, I decided to try it.
I’m pleased with the results and feel like it cleans my hair well without stripping it of necessary moisture. This is my new go-to regular shampoo and conditioner. It also comes in the cutest juice bottle shaped containers.
Disney Parks Monopoly
I featured The Game of Life Disney Theme Park Edition and Disney Parks UNO in my April 2021 Favorites post. Back in the spring I had also seen the Disney Parks Monopoly game on shopDisney, but couldn’t justify buying it at the time since I was already getting the other games. I kept waiting for it to go back in stock, and during June I had my chance to grab it. Although I’m not as into Monopoly as other board games because it takes so long to complete a game, being able to buy favorite Disney Parks attractions instead of generic street names makes it more fun. In addition, there are directions for an abbreviated version of Monopoly. The Disney Parks Monopoly board has a pop-up castle in the middle, which is super cute. Disney Parks Monopoly goes in and out of stock on shopDisney, so I recommend checking the website regularly. When it is in stock, it typically doesn’t stick around for long, so grab it ASAP if you want it!
High Tea at The Carolina Inn
I met one of my childhood friends for afternoon tea at the Carolina Inn one Saturday in June. This is something we like to do together periodically, but it had been several years since our last high tea. At the Carolina Inn, they serve you a full pot of your choice of tea. I almost always get the ginger peach. You also get a tiered tray of sweet and savory snacks, including scones! Although the snacks are dainty, they are very satisfying, so I recommend having a light lunch if you’re getting afternoon tea. High Tea is such a fun girls’ afternoon activity, and I always love an excuse to wear my Lilly Pulitzer hat that was a gift with purchase eight years ago. You can read more about my favorite places to enjoy high tea in central North Carolina in this post.
Samantha Parkington American Girl 35th Anniversary Doll
As I mentioned in my May 2021 Favorites post, I got the Felicity 35th Anniversary American Girl doll, since I always liked her but never added her to my collection as a kid. I did have Samantha as a kid, and my parents actually still have my original Samantha at their place. She’s in pretty decent condition, but her hair is a little frizzy from being played with all of those years. So when American Girl sent me a $20 reward certificate that was good until the end of June, I decided to buy the 35th anniversary Samantha doll so I could have one in mint condition as a collectors’ item.
Drunk Elephant Caddy
Drunk Elephant had a neon yellow shower caddy in one of their gift sets last holiday season, and now you can buy it separately on the Drunk Elephant website. I actually ended up getting two-one for organizing toiletries in my bathroom, and another for using to transport stuff when traveling. This caddy works well for transporting partially wet toiletries that you might not want to zip up in your main toiletries bag on trips.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Trials
The next best thing to watching the Olympics is watching the Olympic Trials! After the Tokyo 2020 Olympics got postponed due to COVID, I’m extra excited to watch them this year! Gymnastics and swimming are my favorite events to watch in the Summer Olympics, so I really enjoy watching the Olympic Trials for those sports. Since the US is so strong in swimming and women’s gymnastics, it’s really exciting watching to see who makes the Olympic team in those sports. Both the gymnastics and swimming Olympic Trials were in June, and they didn’t disappoint!
Highlights in the swimming Olympic Trials included watching Katie Ledecky dominate once again, as well as watching some teenagers make their first Olympic team. One of those teenagers is Claire Curzan, who is from my area of NC. Nothing makes me feel old like realizing that most of these teens, like Katie Grimes pictured below, weren’t even born yet when I swam my last race as a high school swimmer 18 years ago!
The gymnastics Olympic Trials are always a bit more dramatic, because the selection process is more subjective. I was especially happy that MyKayla Skinner earned one of the individual spots for Team USA after being an alternate for the 2016 Rio Olympics. I literally cried happy tears when they announced MyKayla’s name. Such an amazing story of perseverance and second chances and not giving up on your dreams!
It feels weird to be writing about the Olympic Trials when the actual Olympics are already halfway through. But I will save commentary on what unfolded in Tokyo for a later post.
eBay to the Rescue
I was so bummed when I realized that one of my favorite Disney World t-shirts had a dye transfer mishap in the laundry. Then in an attempt to try and remove the spots, I faded the overall vibrant color of the shirt. Since I had only had this shirt for a little over a year, I was especially bummed. However, I decided to see if I could find a replacement on eBay. Sure enough, I found one new with tags on eBay. The amount I paid including shipping turned out to be $5 less than the original price on shopDisney.
Old Navy FRIENDS T-Shirt
FRIENDS is one of my all-time favorite TV shows. So, when Old Navy released a FRIENDS logo graphic tee, I couldn’t help but get it! This might make me a bad FRIENDS fan, but I still haven’t watched the Reunion show on HBO Max. I don’t have HBO Max, so I’m waiting to subscribe long enough to watch the FRIENDS Reunion and the Gossip Girl reboot when I have more time. Maybe sometime soon after the Olympics are over! Anyways, this Old Navy FRIENDS graphic tee is still in stock in multiple sizes at time of publishing this post.
Trader Joe’s Patio Chips
One of my blogger friends, Courtney Callicut, raved about the Trader Joe’s Patio Chips, so I had to grab a couple bags when I stopped by on my way home from the Carolina Inn. Side note: 8:00pm on a Saturday night is the time to go to Trader Joe’s. It’s not crowded, and the parking lot isn’t crazy. There’s actually lots of empty spaces. Anyways, the Trader Joe’s Patio Chips are ridged potato chips that include four flavors in one bag: sea salt & vinegar, delicious dill, homestyle ketchup, and smokin’ sweet BBQ. I’m glad I bought two bags, because it turns out they are actually a seasonal item, and just a couple weeks later were already out of stock. I’m saving my one unopened bag for a bit since I won’t be able to buy them again until the spring. Even though the Trader Joe’s Patio Chips aren’t available right now, I still had to share them here. And if you’re looking for an alternative in the meantime, I also really like the Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel chips. (For more of my favorite Trader Joe’s items, check out this post.)
Disney World 25th Anniversary Epcot Glass from McDonald’s
A few months ago I shared my collection of vintage Disney items that included a Disney’s Hollywood Studios glass from McDonald’s in the 1990’s, commemorating Walt Disney World’s 25th anniversary. I mentioned that I was pretty sure we had at least one more glass from that McDonald’s collection. Sure enough, my parents discovered the Disney World 25th Anniversary Epcot glass from McDonald’s and gave it to me in June.
Epcot Disney Parks Music on YouTube
Upon my return to working in the office in June, I discovered some new Disney Parks music from Epcot on YouTube, particularly some tracks that incorporate music from Epcot attractions of the 80’s and 90’s that are no longer. I’ve always loved the area music that plays in the background while walking through Epcot. The music that features past Epcot attractions like World of Motion, Horizons, and the original Journey Into Imagination ride make me especially nostalgic. One of these tracks also has a song called “Tomorrow’s Child” that played at the end of Spaceship Earth in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Here are my favorite YouTube Epcot music tracks:
- Epcot Magical Mix
- The Themes of EPCOT Center 1982-1993
- The Communicore-Innoventions Medley
- Communicore Background Music
Some might think the Communicore music sounds like bad elevator music. But to me, it brings back memories of childhood Disney World trips.
Disney World Mickey Mouse T-Shirt
During June 2021 I also bought this bright yellow t-shirt from shopDisney featuring classic Mickey Mouse and the vintage Walt Disney World logo. It especially goes well with my Lilly Pulitzer Luxletic Skorts! This has definitely been one of my go-to tees for casual outfits this summer.
Hope you enjoyed my June 2021 Favorites, even though it’s literally almost August. When rounding up things I love each month to share with y’all, it also gives me a snapshot of things I enjoyed at a particular point in time. So that’s why I’m still posting this even though it’s literally at the very end of the month. One of my goals for August is to get my July 2021 faves posted sometime within the first week of the month!
What’s something you’ve been loving lately?
-xoxo Liz
