Monthly Meanderings of the Mind
Volume 17: Summer Reading Edition ⛱️☀️📚
Summertime! Summertime! Summertime! I am feeling the summer vibes, even though summer can be some of the coldest months in San Francisco (August is even nicknamed “Fogust” here). But I’m looking forward to summer reading, walks on the beach, celebrating a big anniversary with my husband in July, and some mini-getaways that just re-energize the soul. So here is my Monthly Meanderings kick-off to summer and unofficial “Summer Reading” edition.
What I’m reading…
Last year, I wrote a blog, Summer Reading: Abandoning the Lists and Taking a Different Approach. Instead of providing my usual reviews and recommendations, this month I figured I would give you some picks in the spirit of that blog. Each section links to the thought process behind the picks. Hope you enjoy the different take!
Vacation reads for me are all about total relaxation while reading. I typically turn to light historical fiction, romance, indulgent biographies, and mysteries for this. Some of my favorite “Vacation” reads in the past have been The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, The Art Thief by Michael Finkel, One Day by David Nicholls, Book Lovers by Emily Henry, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Currently, I am reading The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly as my little escape from reality. I’ll let you know what I think when I’m done. Whatever your tastes, read something that engages you, but doesn’t demand much.
As a Means of Deepening a Travel Experience and Traveling Without Traveling
Books allow you to see the world without leaving your home, prepare for travel adventures, and connect with the culture of different places. In last year’s blog, I dove into this philosophy deeply, so I won’t repeat myself here. But summer is a time when most people make some kind of getaway or have a staycation of some sort.
Some of my favorite “Travel” reads have been Lifting Hearts Off the Ground: Declaring Indigenous Rights in Poetry by Lyla June Johnston and Joy DeVito, Walking Literary London by Roger Tagholm, Meet Me at The Lake by Carley Fortune (for my Candian peeps), and The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender’s Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy by Jim Meehan and Chris Gall. Currently, I am reading Hidden Pockets in Kyoto by Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh as preparation for an upcoming trip of a lifetime, my husband and I are taking in the fall. Whatever you choose, I say, embrace the vastness of the world this summer through a book!
Explore! Explore! Explore! The scope of the written word is vast, inviting you to step outside your comfort zone this summer. Some of my favorite summer reading explorations have been Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee, Life in Five Senses by Gretchen Rubin, Recitatif by Toni Morrison (with an Introduction by Zadie Smith), Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull, and Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times by Azar Nafisi. All of these books opened my mind in unique ways. On deck this summer because I just don’t read enough essays - Inciting Joy: Essays by Ross Gay. But, the gist of the principle is to embrace something new and out of your comfort zone.
For me, buying a book is almost always an indulgence. I tend to wait for the library editions to become available. But once a summer, I make it a point to treat myself to a book or magazine or spend an afternoon, iced tea in hand, browsing in a bookstore aimlessly…just because. I’ll let you know in September what delightful discovery I found!
Otherwise, you can always check out my Goodreads account for reviews on past reads and follow me there. I write at least a short review of everything I read.
What I’m listening to…
Podcasts
If you’re anything like me and feeling the weight of the world right now, finding comic relief wherever I can has been a consistent theme. I always love What Now With Trevor Noah, but this month decided to expand my repertoire here. Besides listening to stand-up recordings online, Good Hang With Amy Poehler has been an awesome addition to the podcast rotation. People probably think I’m crazy because I sometimes laugh out loud while I'm walking and listening to the podcasts. But then again, I live in San Francisco…so maybe not.
Music
Channeling summer vibes has me listening to Jack Johnson, always a summer favorite. Also, Spotify has just launched some summer-oriented playlists. The Soak Up The Sun playlist popped up in my feed and has good energy. It reminds me of how, when my kids were young, I’d play Sheryl Crow’s Soak Up The Sun as a kick-off to summer. Good vibes!
What I’m watching…
Streaming
Continuing with this unofficial summer vibes theme, I can’t help but recommend the HBO series 100 Foot Wave. I watched the first season after I read Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan, and it did not disappoint. I don’t know if it’s all the years living in San Diego or the trips to Hawaii, but I do find surf culture fascinating. The series is a documentary about big wave surfers from around the world, centered on legendary surfer Garrett McNamara, who was essentially the first big wave surfer, and how his pursuit of the perfect wave transformed the sport and helped develop a whole new community. It’s fascinating on many levels.
Movies
Good movies have been few and far between this last month, but we stumbled on a fantastic documentary about legendary Washington Post Owner, Katharine Graham, Becoming Katharine Graham. It’s an important look into how having a strong moral compass and courage is critical to the principles of democracy and can have a tremendous impact. It also left me wondering where that moral courage and integrity in the press are right now, given the dangerous rise of nationalism worldwide and the horrifically corrupt current administration in the US.
What I’m obsessed with at the moment…
Light and delightful beverages! I hate sweet drinks, so as a result, I tend to stick to water, some sparkling waters (no sugar), and unsweetened iced tea. But I’ve decided this summer to explore the world of infused waters and sparkling waters to change things up a bit. I had a delicious cucumber cooler last weekend and was inspired to try making some of my own. We’ll see what I find out!
Thank you for spending time reading my words and thoughts. I wish you a wonderful week (and summer)! 💗☀️
Do you have any favorite media bits from the last month? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
ⓒ Angie Gascho 2025. All rights reserved.
Writing Break Bake
This is an oldie but a goodie that I hadn’t made in a while. In fact, my youngest once submitted this recipe to the class Mother’s Day cookbook collaborative as one of their favorites. These are super easy, always delicious, and always a crowd pleaser.
Chocolate Chip Scones
The original recipe appeared in Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library: Chocolate.
Ingredients
2 cups (8 oz/250 g) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted before measuring, plus flour for working
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (2 oz/60 g) sugar, plus 2-3 tablespoons
¾ cup (3 ¾ oz/115 g) semisweet chocolate chips or about 4 oz (125 g) semisweet chocolate, roughly broken into ½ inch (12-mm) pieces
1 ¼ cups (10 fl oz/310 ml) heavy (double) cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). Select a heavy-duty baking sheet and do not grease it.
Sift together the sifted flour, baking powder, salt, and ¼ (2 oz/60 g) sugar into a bowl. Toss together with a fork to mix thoroughly.
Mix in chocolate chips or pieces.
Pour in the cream and mix with a fork until the mixture holds together. The dough will be fairly sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle lightly with flour. Knead the dough 10 times, pushing it away from you with the heel of your hand, folding it back over itself, and giving it a quarter-turn each time.
Pat into a 9-inch disk. Cut the dough into 12 pie-shaped wedges and transfer each to the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) space between the wedges.
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. (If you want to get fancy, you can use casting sugar for this, but regular granulated sugar works just fine.)
Bake until golden brown, 15-17 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 12 scones.
Good tip about '100 ft wave.' I'll see if I can find it. I read 'Barbarian Days' while on holiday in Madeira (Finnegan wrote a chapter about Madeira).
There's something about surfing that makes good copy/viewing. I'm waiting for 'Big Wednesday' to become available to view.