Fathers and Daughters

The soothing sounds of Ann Patchett

Saturday we had one of those perfect Napa Valley afternoons — the kind that reminds you to look up from the shuffle of kids and dinner and work long enough to notice where you live.

We used to have friends over for long, lazy lunches that turned into long, lazy dinners. Most of that was pre-kids, so imagine my delight when Andrew got the invite to a picture-perfect pool party on a vineyard, one long table under an enormous oak. An eccentric Italian we knew in our previous life manned the grill — piles of sausages, steak, short ribs — while his wife sautéed snap peas with mint and too much butter. There was a panzanella with pickled red onions, and dilly potatoes.

The single photo I took.

Everyone worked in the wine industry so there were fabulous bottles everywhere you looked. I sipped an Aperol spritz and had myself a time!! Nell surfaced from the rock-carved pool — very Call Me By Your Name — just long enough to wolf down some steak and hoover a mini It’s-It before diving back in.

I got too much sun on my face. I reconnected with some old friends and made a few new ones. I ate a delicate fig cake with my feet in the water. Bliss

• I got this red long-sleeved mini dress and have zero regrets. It’s much more of a ‘tomato paste’ then a bright red, which is a win in my opinion.

• This Basil Pesto Aioli is the best thing that ever happened to a BLT.

• Look at UGG getting fancy on us! This sleek, modern version of their classic booties are really calling my name. You can take the girl out of San Diego…

• I love Negative and these whipped under thingies have quickly become my new favorites. Thin and impossibly soft. When the laundry gods smile on me and the tank and boy shorts are both clean, I feel like one hot lady heading to bed. Couldn’t find good flat lay photos, but I promise they match.

• It’s only taken us three nights to watch the entire thing (!!) but who knew that Hail Mary would be so funny? Also touching, nail-biting and a bit of a tear-jerker. I laughed repeatedly and now desperately need all of Ryan Gosling’s pun-y periodic table t-shirts. Ah! The Element of Surprise! Hysterical.

• This Madewell pointelle cardigan is so delicate and pretty.

• Toteme makes the most beautiful — and expensive — clothes in the world. So imagine my delight when I came across this $114 pair of classic jeans!! Sold out in my size in the shorter inseam, but bon chance!

Whistler by Ann Patchett

What is Ann Patchett's particular magic? She writes about the seemingly mundane — long chats with your sister, family dinners, comfortable marriages, an afternoon at a museum — and every sentence is flawless and lovely. Her characters are so human that you can’t help but fall for them with your whole heart.

I did myself a favor and listened to Whistler, finishing it on our long drive last week. I listened on Libro.FM — buy your audiobooks through indie stores! — narrated by Patchett herself. My mom, a Massachusetts girl, only caught the last 20%, but she got a kick out of these familiar East Coast characters. "So true," she said, after listening to a delightfully messy, but not unkind, family scene.

It's the story of Daphne who, at 53, bumps into her ex-stepfather, Eddie, at The Met one afternoon. Eddie was only married to Daphne's mother for a year, and Daphne hasn't seen him since she was nine, but he was by far the favorite of her three dads. We watch them find their way back to each other, reminiscing and making new memories. It is such a beautiful platonic love story.

I won't spoil it, but there's a leukemia storyline that landed close to home. I wrote about my own lymphoma experience (blood cancers!) on Meg’s Mail — how I finally got a clear scan after years of dealing with treatments and babies and increasingly dire outlooks, only to have my dad diagnosed with the same disease six months later. He wasn't as lucky. I still think this letter that I wrote him is one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Daphne got her whole reunion with Eddie and I loved every minute. But, still, I ache to think that I only got the letter.

1. This Polo Ralph Lauren jacket would be perfect for fall, running from class to Eddie’s publishing office. Slightly equestrian too in a subtle nod to Whistler.

2. A vintage Italian painting of horses feels Whistler adjacent, but it’s really all about the frame and matting.

3. Mixed metal earrings feel both timeless and modern. These aren’t crazy expensive making them perfect for a teacher’s salary.

4. Daphne is a high school English teacher at a fancy all-girls school. She’s going to need a classic cable knit — I especially love how they styled the model with an extra sweater tied around the waist or shoulder.

5. This simple, sophisticated dress would go from The Met to brunch in Connecticut with ease.

6. This matching green look would be impeccable over brunch or after hours at a school function.

7. The dream summer through fall raffia tote, perfect for hauling manuscripts and galleys.

8. Whistler by Ann Patchett

9. Daphne absolutely relies on a good pair of ballet flats. Love the dusty blue.

10. I wear these jeans multiple times a week, they’re that good. Slightly barrel-legged but not so much that they look crazy and an easy ecru color that goes with everything. How good would it be with that jacket?

Oh boy, talking about signs from the other side below the paywall!! Summertime witchy-ness.