midweek snack 007: a summer grab bag
Does anyone else love those Just Ice Tea drinks? My favorite is the honey green tea which is true perfection. FYI: this is NOT sponsored, lol.
The drink also gives me a major dose of nostalgia because it reminds me of drinking Snapple Apple as a youngin’ (my teeth hurt just thinking about it) and immediately announcing the Snapple Fact printed under the cap to whoever was nearby and willing to listen.
Some of the most memorable Snapple Facts were things like1:
Mangoes can get sunburns.
Dolphins are unable to smell.
Napoleon suffered from a fear of cats.
Mosquitos are more attracted to people who just ate bananas.
The Just Ice Tea version feels a little more adult. Instead of random facts, the caps offer tiny nuggets of wisdom.
Mine said:
“A misty morning does not signify a cloudy day.”—Ancient Proverb
Because there are absolutely days when, if I can’t find a parking spot or there’s a surprise AM fire drill on a rainy day after I just straightened my hair, I immediately decide the entire day has been ruined. Full tragedy. AGONY!
But this little cap is a reminder that a frustrating start isn’t always an indication of what’s ahead.
My daughter recently came to this conclusion all on her own. While we were at the lake, my parents decided to take all six grandchildren to the “game room” in our community. A very generous grandparent activity. A beautiful idea in theory!
Three minutes later, they returned.
Two kids were screaming (one was just socially screaming due to secondhand despair). One child was bleeding. The rest looked confused. The game room was closed, and on the walk back, one of the kids (my kid, naturally) took a tumble and ended up scraped up.
For the rest of the week, my daughter treated this event like a true “day that will live in infamy.” She would randomly announce, “It has been 24 hours since…”
And I’d ask, “Since what?”
She would silently point to her cuts like she was fresh out of surgery.
This went on for days. Life was, in her estimation, permanently altered by what we now refer to as “The Great Fall.”
And then, things started to turn around. Her days started to improve. She eventually came to the shocking realization that just because you have one bad day doesn’t mean everything has to stay bad forever.
At one point she told me, “Mom, I realized you can have two bad days and then have one good one.”
Which feels like a pretty important lesson.
If your week feels off or if one bad thing has started to feel like the entire story, it’s worth remembering: it isn’t permanent.
You don’t have to keep counting the hours since your last setback or treat one rough moment like proof that everything is doomed.
Things shift. They really do! And sometimes, before you know it, you find yourself unstuck again!
Anyway, that was my accidental wisdom moment courtesy of an iced tea bottle cap. Now let’s get back to the important reports from the front lines of summer.
It’s rare that I get dressed in the summer, but here is photographic evidence that I did, in fact, put on actual clothing a handful of times.
Some affiliate links are used below.
A few packing essentials of a Substack civilian that I always bring and use at the lake.
FACE SPF: Glossier, Invisible Shield - This face suncreen was gifted to me and I will shout it from the rooftops that it is worth every penny. Wore it at the lake and this face did not burn one bit.
BODY SPF: Supergoop, PLAY! - I love that this sunscreen has a handle and comes in an XXL jug. With refill options. Excellent protection, no cast, absorbs quickly. No notes.
HYDRATION: Harmless Harvest, Coconut Water - I’m really not a pulp girlie, but the chunks of coconut in this coconut water are divine. The perfect hydration station moment when my energy levels were running on E.
MOISTURIZER: Kate McLeod, Sun Stone - This is proof that when you love something, you go back for more. I bought this version of my favorite Kate McLeod moisturizing stone (influenced by Derm Views) as a post-sun moisturizing ritual, and she lives up to all expectations. I might buy stock in the company at this point. That’s a lie. I don’t understand the stock market. I got a C in freshman economics as a senior. Traumatizing.
Things I tried, liked and am most definitely adding to the rotation.
DINNER RECIPE: Ina Garten’s Summer Pasta - I’ve made this pasta twice. My Dad has mentioned on two separate occasions how delicious it was. The key: making sure you allocate enough time to soak the tomatoes! I also realized I’ve been pronouncing “Ina” incorrectly for far too long. (Sorry, Ina Garten)
SNACK: Dots Honey Mustard Pretzels - Give me honey mustard-flavored anything, and I am a true slave to the product. Except honey mustard beauty products. That crosses a line and feels weird.
HAIR PRODUCT: Don’t Blow It!, Bumble & Bumble - The other day, I let my hair go curly and wild, and my daughter said, “Your hair looks curly like mine!” I’ve struggled to manage these curls, but I’m finally finding some hope with this hair styler. It helps my hair curl in a more relaxed way. I shower, put it in, clip my hair back with a claw clip, air dry, and then release it.
Things I’ve been doing instead of whatever I’m actually supposed to be doing.
FUSE BEADS - My daughter and I have been creating every Pokémon known to mankind with these fuse beads, and it has been so much fun for both of us. We’re planning to gift them to family, have a little summer sale (all proceeds going to benefit endangered whale sharks2), and eventually get neck massages because staring down at tiny beads for hours comes with consequences.
COLOR BY NUMBER - Nina P. shared a single-color coloring book, because sometimes picking different colors on my own requires more brain power than I have available. Before I invest, I started coloring in a color-by-number book that I love. Similarly, it takes the guesswork out of color choices, and I love watching the image develop over time.
When we take my daughter to get new sneakers (Skechers are her favorite, just like the great OG Anunoby), she does the thing that always makes me giggle — and low-key identify with her. She walks in, finds the exact pair she already had, and grabs them in the next size up. When you love something, you love it. No need to reinvent the wheel.
Here’s a recent refill that felt worth sharing.
SNEAKERS: Asics, GEL-1130 - I can tell when this old D1 athlete’s ankles start to get wobbly it’s time for a new pair of sneakers. These are my ride or dies. This is literally my third time replacing them.
A brief report from the front lines of being easily influenced.
BOATKIN BAG (secondhand exact options: 1, 2, 3): Did I need this? Am I succumbing to microtrends? Possibly. But Abby Arad’s suggestions have literally NEVER let me down. I am completely obsessed with this. “Ours” is currently sold out, but this boatkin bag is very similar.
Here are some recent non-clothing related reads that are definitely worth your time.
Last Week on Rambling In Style
Alrighty, that’s everything currently rattling around in my brain, my shopping cart, my hobby rotation, and my camera roll. A true summer grab bag!
Thanks, as always, for reading my very important reports from the front lines of figuring out what I’m into lately.
Love ya, mean it!
💓 If you enjoy reading (or listening to) Rambling in Style, here are a few ways to show your support: tap the heart, restack this post, leave a comment, subscribe, or share with a friend!
Feeling generous? Buy me a coffee here—just a tip for my work, all love, no strings.
Here are more bizzare Snapple facts if you’re feeling adventerous.
Lil mama and I will be collabing for an upcoming post in the near future, Outfits Inspired by Sharks (in celebration of Shark Week, 7/26).
The Snapple facts is such a specific 90's memory. Also cannot beat the laffy taffy jokes.
You are in good company. I'm today years old when I realised that I've been pronouncing Ina wrongly. And this is with watching Food Network at 3am post-parties as a young adult 😅🤣 OK maybe that's why. Love the fused Pokémon beads for summer activities!