Summer starts when I say it does
The girls talk the start of summer, share travel recs from Maine and Montauk, and more.
What’s your personal hallmark for the beginning of summer? (I will only accept the Solstice as an answer from true astrology girls, you know who you are.) Mine is the annual Maine trip I go on with my husband’s extended family during the first week of June. Although the weather varies from year to year (last year was hot, rainy, humid, and cloud filled; this year was sunny, mid-70s bliss), the setting of Maine’s Mid-Coast just gives off the platonic summer vibe. Think: lazy mornings drinking coffee in a sunroom, plan-less days where we let whims guide us, the start of lavender season. Maine is where I know we’ll always read on the beach, buy ice cream cones from a pink trailer, ride bikes along the water, eat lobster rolls, and play late-night poker… So, in honor of my personal summer officially beginning, I dropped my Mid-Coast recommendations in the section below. Enjoy! — LM
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Real Melinda fans know that summer starts whenever I say it does. This year, there’s been a lot of goalpost moving. Summer started on April 29th at the Swirl Superbowl (aka when we went to see Challengers.) Summer started on a cool Saturday evening at the Queens Night Market, with my face buried in a cloud of cotton candy that was meant to resemble Hello Kitty (it did not look like Hello Kitty really, but it was cute nonetheless.) Summer started when the boho knotless braids went in (you bitches can’t even spell Zoë Kravitz). It started in Montauk, falling asleep to the sound of a summer storm. It started in Cape May, at the end of a Bud Light Lime on the beach and before an outdoor shower. But now I think it started at sunset on June 1st, when Paul and I got engaged. We’re thrilled, my Nigerian father maybe even more so, and I can’t believe this is the tenth summer of my life I get to be so in love. I don’t know how I got so lucky. Summer. There’s nothing better.
I’ll flip back to the middle here before things get too sappy and leave you with my Montauk recs. Despite being from Long Island, it was my first time there, and I loved it, even though it rained the whole time! As a result, no beach reviews or anything, just normie spots, but here’s mostly what we ate. — MF
Why Not? Summer Destination Edition
Why Not? is our biweekly list of recommendations. Think recipes, gift guides, podcasts, clothes, and anything we consider to be generally chic. This week, we are focusing specifically on recommendations based on our summer getaways. Have a suggestion? Let us know!
Lilly’s Perfect Maine Trip Includes…
Pammy’s Ice Cream Parlor - Harpswell, ME — I want to gatekeep this place so bad but since I have endless appreciation for subscribers to this newsletter, I will spill. Pammy’s is my personal heaven on Earth. I want to be Pammy and drive her pink Beemer when I grow up. I want to spend every summer day in a pink trailer surrounded by pink tables (all topped with small bouquets, of course) and a pink metal princess carriage, while serving the best ice cream you’ve ever had. If you drop by, get a scoop of the ginger, lavender, or coffee heath bar (or all three, I won’t judge you!).
Karen’s Hideaway - Boothbay, ME — A trip to Maine is not complete without a stop to eat a lobster roll and/or (again, no judgement) fried clams at what we lovingly call “a shack.” Sometimes, my husband and I will start a day in Maine by just saying “I want to go to a shack today.” Karen’s Hideaway is a great place to start; tucked away on the side of the road, as all the best Maine seafood stops are, Karen’s is an unassuming place to get deliciously fresh seafood.
Reny’s - Bath, ME— Real Mainers will either think this suggestion is silly (Why would someone go to a discount department store on vacation?) or totally understand where I’m coming from (Wait?!? You don’t have Reny’s in Boston?). We simply cannot go to Maine without going to Reny’s. Where else can you get Blundstones, Champion sweatsuits, a sherpa-lined bucket hat, Maine-themed souvenirs, tennis balls, marshmallows, and a frog figurine for your planter all in one trip — and half off? I even broke down and got Reny’s merch this year. There’s great locations all over Maine, but we are Reny’s - Bath loyalists. Take a trip, and you’ll see why.
Skidompha Secondhand Book Shop - Damariscotta, ME — There are so many great used bookstores with incredible character in Maine, so it was hard to pick just one. The Skidompha Secondhand Book Shop, however, is truly special. Cozy with quiet reading nooks, filled from floor to ceiling with a combination of old, new, and rare used books, ridiculously affordable, and complete with a bay window overlooking the Damariscotta River, the Skidompha is a place I quite literally struggle to leave once I enter. Plus, all proceeds support the Skidompha Library.
The Harpswell Schoolhouse - Harpswell, ME — I only went to the Schoolhouse for the first time this year, but I’ll definitely be back. One of my silly little litmus tests for how much I’ll like a restaurant is the size; for me, smaller is always better. The Schoolhouse is a tiny restaurant, where you can see pretty much every table from wherever you’re sitting, and with that comes an intimate family feeling that you just can’t replicate. The maître d' greeted us and told us Mid-Coast gossip while we waited for our wine; when my husband complimented the food to our waitress, she insisted he go back into the kitchen to tell the rest of the staff. And the food. I can’t stress this enough: The food was incredible. Inventive, fresh, and lovingly crafted. Order whatever the special of the day is, you won’t regret it!
Melinda’s Perfect Montauk Trip Includes…
Joni’s - Montauk, NY — Joni herself was at the register. Just imagine a well-rested looking blonde granola woman who’s eyes say that everything is going to be alright, and that’s her. Joni put her whole Joniussy into the chicken caesar wrap here.
Montauk Bake Shoppe - Montauk, NY — Another cute pickup breakfast pickup spot. I hate jelly donuts, but the jelly croissant here is actually amazing.
John’s Drive-In - Montauk, NY — Not the best food of my life, but it has all the [Charli XCX voice] club classics, those club club classics (chicken fingers, onion rings, milkshakes, etc.) It was also seemingly the only thing in Montauk open after 9pm, which is great for a girl like me who eats like they do in Spain (late and long.)
Round Swamp Farm - Montauk, NY— Insanely bougie mini grocery store. We didn’t buy anything here except for some gorgeous muffins. I did not know a muffin could look so gorgeous. A must-visit spot to see how the other half lives.
The Crow’s Nest - Montauk, NY — The food here was so fresh, and the restaurant itself was very romantic and vibey. Mark Ruffalo was seated at the table next to us!
Duryea’s - Montauk, NY — I regret to inform you that the $97 lobster cobb salad is as good as everyone says. I’m genuinely really sorry, but the vibes were immaculate here. Go with a group, it could feed 4!
The Montauk Lighthouse Museum — It’s not a trip to The End without a visit to the lighthouse for some obligatory photo ops and a history lesson. Climb to the top, marvel at the view, and you’ll feel it for days afterwards. Glute pump like no other.
P.S - We’ve gotten a lot of new subscribers recently - hi, we’re so happy you’re here!! Be sure to catch up on our 3-part May series, Girls Month, where Platonic Love’s Aja Frost shared her girlhood reading list, Lilly analyzed Emma Cline’s 2016 novel The Girls, and Melinda did a look back at the MTV series Girl Code.
Plus, a special curation of songs to kick off summer for the girlies 💛 — let us know what’s on your summer playlist! 😎⛱️
If you liked this issue, it’s time to start your summer! Tell us your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram (@lilly_milman | @melindafakuade), and share it with your summer crew.