five on friday: boyhood, good reads, and sweaters

i know everyone is asking this, but seriously though, no one has answered it yet: how the heck is it labor day already? it feels like just yesterday we were packing up boxes in nyc and getting on a plane to europe, and yet here we are, already two weeks into our new life in la. it's pretty insane! a few random thoughts on this friday before the long weekend...

a view of downtown la from silver lake

i'm feeling really left out of all this talk about sweaters, pumpkin spice, and boots, and it's kind of bumming me out! the grass is always greener, i suppose. last fall and winter, all i wanted was sunshine and 80 degrees every day, and now that we have it, it's kind of surreal! i'm not sure what kind of fall shopping to do other than more shorts and sundresses. i know, pity party for one over here.

when my mom was here last weekend, after a long day of walking around in the sun, we parked ourselves in a movie theater to see 'boyhood' and i can't stop thinking about it! such an amazing film, especially because the main actor who plays mason looks JUST like my little brother (er, younger brother, as he's 12 and taller than me), so it was like watching him grow up again. if you haven't seen it, carve three hours out of your weekend and thank me later.

my latest staying-up-way-past-my-bedtime-and-burning-through-my-kindle-battery read was the emotional roller coaster otherwise known as 'the husband's secret'. i seriously had whiplash from all the plot twists (hey-o!), but couldn't put it down and can't wait to read her next book. i think i read that it's going to be turned into a movie, which yes please. highly, highly recommend this book.

we're going on our first la beach trip this weekend! we're going to take off super early to beat traffic and explore malibu, which i've never visited before. fingers crossed for some celeb sightings, which for some reason are far more exciting here than they were in nyc. there is literally nothing better than a nap on the beach, so i'm really excited.

alright, this is me "working" this afternoon. i'm thinking i'm gonna call it an early day. hooray long weekends! hope you have a great one!

what's on my kindle?

for all of the gross downsides (like rats and pee smell and garbage, etc.), the nyc subway really is an amazing way to get around. i already miss it! ok, not yet. but i think i will someday. one of the best things about riding the train is all of the reading that i got done. i am a pretty voracious reader, and always have my kindle with me... you never know when a few minutes of peace and quiet will present themselves to get a little further in your book. anyways, i wanted to share what i've been reading lately, in case you're looking for a new read!

read it: americanah, by chimamanda ngozi adichie

i LOVED this book. it's about a nigerian-born woman who is living in america, and returns to nigeria after a relationship gone wrong. it turns into a really sweet romance, and it's a fascinating look at nigerian culture (which i admittedly knew next to nothing about before reading this). i give it a hearty endorsement. 

i mean, it was ok: the vacationers, by emma staub

if you're in the market for an easy, fluffy read, then by all means, this book is definitely worth a look. i read it pretty quickly, but didn't find myself particularly enjoying any of the characters, and it wraps up in a really neat and tidy way, which kind of drives me nuts. but it is perfect for a summer or beach read!

nah, not worth it: all the light we cannot see, by anthony doerr 

true story: i am an historical fiction nut. i went through a good six months of reading nothing but world war II era stories. try getting off the subway and walking into work in the morning after a heart wrenching story about concentration camps. i don't know what i was thinking, that's a terrible idea. anyways. this one did not scratch that itch at all. it feels like it's trying too hard, and i couldn't get into the story at all. disclaimer: i only got about halfway through, maybe the second half is way better? meh. 

what are you reading and loving these days?