5 Things I'm Obsessed With For May. (This Is Not A Mother's Day Gift Guide.)
Your new summer read! A love-at-first-sight dress! My happy-place show!
Hi friends! Were you expecting a Mother’s Day gift guide? Well sadly (or happily), I’m going to pass this year. If you’d like some suggestions, I think last year’s story on this topic still really holds up, and I still stand 2022’s version too. Or you can read my thoughts on giving great gifts, which I talk about probably more than I should. Here’s the thing: At the end of the day, the best thing to give most moms is (relatively) free. They just want some time, whether that’s with their kids (moms of adult children fall into this category) or guilt-free time to themselves (moms of young children fall into this category). Don’t yell at me; I’m just generalizing, but also, according to my causal reporting, mostly right.
So instead of panic shopping for something rando, why don’t you spend your Sunday with a few of my favorite things for May? Seems sensible. From a new season of one of my favorite shows (please tell me you’ve seen season one and two?) to the must-read book for Memorial Day weekend to a dress that will work for everything from baby showers to cocktail parties, this newsletter’s got it all. Or most! Which is my favorite realistic goal: Having it most!
As always, if there’s an item you’re shopping for or you need help sorting through the zillions of options out there, please don’t hesitate to drop me a comment and I will add it to my to-do list. (And why am I prompting you to comment? Because while I love DMs and always try to answer you there, my inbox is messy, and comments here are much easier for me to find/follow up on. And this community always has amazing answers! Also, I love comments; they make me feel seen.)
SHOP: Ciao Lucia Neroni Dress ($380)
Do you ever come across something online and just know, from the second you see it, that it’s meant to be yours? That’s how I felt about this black and white dress from the LA-based brand Ciao Lucia. The silhouette! The color palette! The bows! Simple, but still interesting, and can be easily dressed up or down? Yes please!
But as anyone who has felt sparks on the internet knows, a photo can be great, but the IRL vibes are often decidedly meh. I’m happy to report that this dress actually delivered on every level. It’s made from cotton faille, which means it doesn’t wrinkle and holds its shape, plus I love the adjustable straps, pockets, and swingy shape. I’m wearing a small here.
If this style didn’t make your heart go zoom, it’s still worth checking out the brand’s other options. If you like the shape of my dress, but aren’t a bow person, try the Neroni Dress Vienna ($415), which has a similar silhouette, but comes in a lightweight blue striped cotton. I also like the Barbara Dress ($385) in red, which is easy and chic.
READ: Very Bad Company ($26) by Emma Rosenblum (pre-order for May 14th delivery)
Last summer, I fell in love with Emma Rosenblum’s first book, Bad Summer People, which I recommended as essential summer reading. So when Emma sent me a copy of her new novel, Very Bad Company, I was elated. The story unfolds at a luxury hotel in Miami—where the execs of a blazingly hot tech startup’s are convening for a retreat—and when I tell you the details are perfectly spot on for what I’ve seen in the industry? That’s putting it mildly.
If you liked the juiciness of The Devil Wears Prada mixed with the strategic manipulation of Succession and the inherent awkwardness of The Social Network, this book is absolutely a must read. We’ve got murder, drugs, affairs, secrets, fancy boats, corporate summit shenanigans, vegans—you name it. And the way Emma weaves it all together will have you blowing past your bedtime, because you simply must read the next chapter, no the next one, no the next one…it’s that good.
PS: I’m working on my next summer book list and giveaway, so if you have anything new or newish you’d like to recommend, please leave a note in the comments! As per usual, I will read just about anything, as long as it doesn’t have child abuse in it.
WATCH: Hacks, Season 3 (streams on Max)
Did you watch the show Hacks, starring the peerless Jean Smart and brilliant Hannah Einbinder when it first came out in 2021? If you haven’t, I beg you to watch the first episode right now, which might be the sharpest, most perfectly executed pilot I’ve seen. The show is anchored by the two aforementioned stars; Smart, playing legendary, trailblazing Vegas comedian Deborah Vance, with Einbinder as Ava Daniels, a smart, snarky, and entitled young comedy writer. The comedy icon and the upstart are paired up—against both of their wills—to help refresh Vance’s act, and the results are TV gold.
I fell in love with Hacks from the jump, and the new season is already a thrill. Without giving too much away, the first episode poses an interesting question: What happens when you get (what seems to be) the professional success you’ve always wanted? Is that enough to fill the hole? Make you happy?
And even if these questions do not intrigue you at all, trust me when I say the first episode of season three is worth it alone for a glimpse of Deborah Vance’s wardrobe archive. Law Roach would faint. Trust.
The first two episodes of season three came out just a few days ago, with two more dropping every Thursday for the rest of the month, and the final episode lands on May 30th. Please watch with me? I need to discuss Deborah Vance’s extremely chic Olivia von Halle zebra pajamas and robe immediately. (Side note: I couldn’t find the green zebra-festooned robe online, but I love Petite Plume’s also luxurious, but much more reasonably priced version, which features panthers.)
TRY: Le Labo Lavande 31 ($99)
The scent I’m most dedicated to is Le Labo’s Rose 31, which I’ve worn for years, and when I was recently picking up a replacement bottle, I also decided to try the brand’s newest scent: Lavande 31. I love lavender, so I assumed that would be the main vibes of this fragrance, but like most things Le Labo, there’s a twist.
Yes, there are subtle notes of lavender, but you mainly get citrusy bergamot to start, with lavender notes in the middle, and an earthy, dirtier finish, thanks to amber and musk base notes. This definitely isn’t your grandmother’s lavender, unless she was really into having hot dalliances in citrus orchards in southern Italy, in which case, it’s spot on. While it’s still early days for me and Lavande 31, I’m really enjoying the juxtaposition of bright and clean with something more animalistic. A reimagining of the trad scent associations, for sure.
BUY: Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro ($195)
As I mentioned in my YCOHO, Home Version story, my Staub pan is my go-to, but that didn’t stop me from picking up Our Place’s newest option. I was interested in this one because I really have a hard time giving up nonstick pans, but there’s always a coating involved, which—according to Consumer Reports—are often not as nontoxic as they claim, and require frequent replacing. And who wants any more “forever chemicals” in their bodies or environment? Not me. So when I read that Our Place developed a technology for this new nonstick pan that doesn’t involve a coating and is PFAS-free? I was beyond curious.
I’ve only had it for a few weeks, but I’ve been using it almost every day and I really like it, mostly because it’s so versatile. It works on any type of stovetop, is dishwasher safe, can withstand heat up to 1000-degrees Fahrenheit, and comes with an amazing beechwood spatula (and you can use metal utensils!). Plus, there’s a 100-day trial, so if you don’t love it, you can always return it.
Also noteworthy: While the Titanium Always Pan Pro is new and not on sale, there is a huge cookware sale going on at Our Place right now, and I might have indulged a smidge? Currently en route: The Griddle Pan ($75, normally $125) which you can use as a sheet pan in the oven or as a griddle pan on top of your stove’s burners! I also really love their ceramic plates, and the Starter Stacking Set is currently on sale too.
PS: Our Place co-founder + co-CEO Shiza Shahid was a guest on Second Life a few years ago. Her story is phenomenal, if you’re interested.
Okay friends, that’s it for now. If you want to follow me on @hillarykerr, I’d love it. And if you have anything to say or ask (preferably nothing terribly mean), please drop me a note either via DM or in the comments below.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read this post. I’m truly so glad you’re here. If you like what you’re reading, please consider sharing this newsletter. (And if you have the time to like it, that would mean a lot to me!) All products mentioned are independently chosen, and some may be affiliate links. Your support is appreciated.
Happy Place by Emily Henry. Fun summer read that I finished in a day.
yes, yes, yes - HACKS! Brilliant and so funny!