Hi everyone! Happy Friday! And welcome to all our new readers! I’m so excited to have you here. I’ve been writing this weekly letter for the past 40(!) Fridays — which is wild — and each week, I learn something new about myself and all of you. If you’ve been here since the beginning, you know how personal this is to me, and I’m so thrilled we’re growing and evolving. I love this community so much.
Being that today is the first day of summer and it's our first full summer of Beau Society, I’m feeling inspired to make the most of the season! Last summer, I was filming Sinners, which was a life-changing career highlight (I wrote about it in issue #31), but this summer looks a little different. I have a handful of travel commitments for work, which I’ll bring you along for, but I mostly plan to spend a lot of time barefoot at home, reading, reflecting, cooking, trying new things, and focusing on all things Beau Society.
This week, I spent some time thinking about specific things I want to do this summer. It evolved into a BS summer bucket list — I’m thinking we could do it together! It’s intentionally low-stakes, but the idea is to hold myself accountable to trying new things that feel fresh and special. Making coffee crunch ice cream in my kitchen might be a total disaster…but it could be great! Some are purely for fun (read a book, take a spontaneous day trip on two hours' notice), while others are a little ambitious (become a farmer, run 30 miles in 30 days). For the ambitious items, we’ll bring in some experts for advice.
So, in the spirit of growing, creating, connecting, and being outside, here’s my...
1. Become a farmer. Okay, not actually. But I’ve had this dream for the longest time of living on a farm, growing vegetables, having a little chicken coop — the whole nine. *It might not be entirely unrealistic; I did marry a farmer. It’s as if the lovely team at Flamingo Estate read my mind because earlier this week, one of their insane produce boxes was sitting at my front door. Opening it up was the highlight of my week. The carrots! Lettuce! Green beans! Peaches! Blackberries! Eggs! Avocados! The founder, Richard Christiansen, works with local farmers right here in the hills of Los Angeles. I’m feeling so inspired. BRB while I start with growing a lemon tree in my backyard…
2. Reupholster something. I recently saw a video of a girl who hit the thrift store lottery with these vintage wooden barstools she got for like $3 each. Some new upholstery, and they were brand new! I’m thinking about sourcing fabric for throw pillows. My mom’s really good at stuff like that.
3. Make-your-own ice cream. Flipping through a new cookbook this week, I was stopped by a recipe for homemade ice cream. I never considered it, but now I can’t stop thinking about all the possibilities. I’m thinking we’ll start with strawberry (not my favorite, but Josh likes it) or coffee crunch. I also like the idea of taking your favorite Handel’s or Jeni’s flavor and recreating it at home. I want to order these little pints to give to friends and family who drop by.
4. Host a *casual* dinner party. Speaking of having people over, I want to host at least one dinner party in my backyard before the end of August. It’s probably a weeknight. The dress code is “come as you are,” and everyone brings something for a family-style dinner. We’ll have a playlist like this going. Great wine and Angel on ice in a cooler. The point is connection, and you’ll send a text the next day saying, “I’m so glad we did that!”
5. 30 miles in 30 days. My challenge this summer is to run 30 miles in 30 days. Seems manageable if you’re thinking a mile a day, but I like to let my body rest on the weekends, so I’ll have to double up some days. Thinking about having my trainer (my dad) come on for an issue to talk about all fitness-related + nutrition. Thoughts?
6. Curl up with a good book. We compiled a BS reading list a few issues back, and it made me so excited for summer reading! Next on my list is When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Reading great minds is like free therapy.
7. Paint something without judgment. I don’t consider myself super artistic, but I love the idea of painting and not judging myself if it’s not perfect. Greer told me about these paint-by-number canvases, and I think I’ll order Maybe Manderins.
8. Spontaneous day trip. As a planner, I find spontaneity challenging. But I know sometimes the best plans happen off the cuff. Give yourself one or two hours of lead time before taking off for an afternoon. You can figure it out on the way!
9. Take a nap. Many of us are always on the go, and so I give myself mental reminders to pause and let myself rest. Rest encourages fresh ideas. Also, is anything better than a nap on a lazy Sunday afternoon? Pure bliss.
10. Go offline for a weekend. I’m a huge advocate for a phone-free weekend. I know it’s not always convenient, but the more often I do it, the more I notice the benefits: presence and peace.
11. Take a class. Pasta making, sushi making, cake making. I haven’t decided on one yet, so maybe I’ll take a couple of different ones. We’re on a roll….
Eleven feels like a solid place to end on, roughly one item for every week of summer. Let me know if you’re taking on any of these challenges with me! I’d love to know how it goes for you. I’ll be checking back every Friday with updates.
TO EAT: 4pm dinner. Can you tell we’re on East Coast time? I kind of love an early dinner, though.
TO READ: A short essay about figuring out which seasons are for walking and which are for running.
TO CONSIDER: A paracord bracelet. Seeing these everywhere.
TO LISTEN TO: This podcast on adult friendship.
TO TAKE WITH YOU: “A simple rule for life that rarely fails: Optimize for enthusiasm. Make as many choices as you can that leave you feeling energetic and interested. Pay attention to when you have the urge to pursue or participate in something and do more of it.” -James Clear
Love,
Hailee (Beau)
Highlighting your comments on the previous week’s issue. Today, we hear Shawna’s response to WE’RE MARRIED.
“The amount of love in this one issue has filled my quota for the rest of the year! How and what you shared left no questions unanswered, no vague details, no inquiring minds. The perfect day for the happy couple. Many blessings from one California to Buffalo transplant to another!” -Shawna
