Slow Notes 13
June 2026 in review—and a few recommendations and prompts for you.
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👋 Notes on June
New York is largely experienced through the senses: expletives hurled from car windows, traces of fast food and fine dining wafting from corner bistros or five-story walkups, stepping in gum (God, I hope it was just gum) on subway platforms, strolling arm-in-arm through Central Park. It’s constant stimulation, even when the city itself isn’t constant. But this month, there was a distinct shift: The Knicks won the NBA Finals, and the city erupted in euphoria following a highly anticipated (and much-needed) victory.
More than the game itself, the win reinforced the impact of community and was perhaps a mirror for how much we’ve collectively changed in the last few years. As groups of strangers embraced and reverie penetrated every borough, I thought of a girl I knew growing up in Queens and a woman who I later fell out with over distance and circumstance. A devoted Knicks fan—specifically David Lee—she constantly peppered Knicks-adjacent talk into our conversations. (I offered what I could to these discussions, but my extent with basketball is playing in a kid’s league during my brief stint in Texas, where I scored a basket for the opposing team. Though I could outrun the boys by a mile.)
This summer marks ten years since we’ve spoken, and ironically, at this point in our lives, we probably have more in common than ever before. But I can’t tell her that. Instead, I’ve thought about her wild spirit and infectious laugh. I’ve wondered where and how she celebrated the win—if the team was still important to her, and, if on some level, I was, too. Or at least the memory of what we shared.
A couple of days after the game—the city still buzzing with pride—I met up with a new friend who was visiting from out of town. With an almost angelic disposition, she floated to our table and instantly let herself be known in ways I didn’t anticipate. In our reflections about friendship, identity, and place, I was particularly grateful for her candor.
It also called to mind a recent reading experience.
Set against the backdrop of summer in suburbia, Sonia Feldman’s Girl’s Girl renders a compelling portrait of girlhood and friendship. As Mina, our protagonist, tries to reconcile what falling in love with one of her best friends will do to the dynamic of their trio, Feldman brings us back to the tender act of becoming yourself in the face of so much expectation and uncertainty.
I am years beyond that chapter of my life—and haven’t experienced what Mina endured—but after finishing the novel, I recognized a similar feeling. In some ways, we’re all navigating a second “coming of age,” trying to hold on to ourselves in an increasingly unfamiliar world. Trying to find people who accept us throughout every stage of that unruly process. Trying to establish a closeness that transcends proximity. Trying to celebrate every win we can—and bear witness to someone else’s humanity. Trying to be for someone, as Feldman writes so beautifully, “a mirror who loves you.”
Two glasses of wine and a bowl of olives later, golden hour pulled up a chair and joined us. The early summer sun shifted overhead like a spotlight, but in my new friend’s presence, I didn’t feel on display. I felt seen—invited in. We’d gone another layer deeper, reaching beyond the screen to go beneath the surface of the dresses and sweaters we show the internet, and celebrate something richer—something sewn together by personal history. Heart.
Eventually, our conversation moved in the direction of time—seasons. I remarked that I was very much a fall/winter person. She, on the other hand, came back to life again when June arrived. “I don’t know, I really like sweating next to people,” she said, looking towards the sky. “It reminds me how much life is pulsing.”
The experiences we share with others keep us upright during seasons where we’re more or less on our own. Those are called memories. I’d almost forgotten how many more are worth making.
June Essentials
The style staples and stories that were on rotation and my mind…
Style
Aesther Ekme Classic Hobo Bag - Aperçu Alyssa Sunglasses in Vintage Tort - Donni Pop Drawstring Cargo Pants - Donni Pop Boxer - Donni Relaxed Linen Shirt - J.Crew Pointelle T-Shirt - Jamie Haller Ballet Flats -Jamie Haller Bit Loafers - Janessa Leoné Felix Bucket Hat - Loeffler Randall Leonie Wine Woven Ballet Flat -Madewell Greta Ballet Flats - Madewell Signature Woven Tote - Rouje Ilaria Skirt - Sézane Justine Basket Bag -Sézane Maia Basket Bag* - Sézane Paula Babies - Sézane Rama Dress* - Warby Parker Carmel Sunglasses
Stories
The Hill by Harriet Clark*
“I had crested time’s peak, gone where my family went, stayed where they stayed, had accomplished these feats again and again, and still the counselor took my commitments as fearfulness, my will for laziness.”
When I feel the pressure to produce, I remind myself of the books that took decades to write. As far as contemporary titles go, Scaffolding by Lauren Elkin often comes to mind—now, Harriet Clark’s The Hill joins the roster of slow stories that will surely leave a lasting impact. Written over twenty years, Clark has gifted readers a devastatingly beautiful meditation on family, time, memory, and freedom. It’s atmospheric and unsentimental, with some of the most stunning sentences I’ve read in recent memory.
Girl’s Girl by Sonia Feldman*
“What are the steps of loving? They exist uniquely between every two people who attempt to climb them.”
A debut that gripped me from the very first page, Sonia Feldman’s Girl’s Girl is a compelling portrait of friendship and the delicate act of becoming. It’s the kind of book that shows the impact a good sentence can have on a story, and how ordinary details transport readers at just the right moment (and honestly, any moments featuring The Sims and rabbits will forever have my attention). Tender, true, and timeless, this is a novel to keep close.
The Copywriter by Daniel Poppick
“No art, no melody, no time that is not bound up in some dark labor.”
In considered—sometimes lyrical—fragments, Daniel Poppick’s The Copywriter examines the chasm capitalism creates in art, life, and identity. An incisive read, and definitely best enjoyed by those looking more for reflections (or “vibes”) than plot.
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler*
“Someday I’d like to be given credit for all the times I have not said something that I could have said.”
A breezy, cinematic novel that I’ve been meaning to start since it landed in my TBR last June (oops). Reminiscent of a Nancy Meyers film, Anne Tyler’s Three Days in June captures a family reckoning with humor, honesty, and heart. I found the dialogue to be the most resonant element—but this was my first time reading Tyler, and an overall satisfying step into her oeuvre.
*KINDLY GIFTED
June Details
A few scenes that especially slowed me down this month…
〰️ Finishing my novel draft!
〰️ Helen Frankenthaler: “The Moment and the Distance” on view at Gagosian (through July 2nd)
〰️ Danielle Mckinney’s “Forest for the Trees” on view at Marianne Boesky Gallery (closed on June 13th)
〰️ Enjoying a long weekend at the Pocketbook Hudson
〰️ Perusing the shelves at A Tiny Literature (read more about my experience here)
June Prompts
A few creative prompts for you to consider as the month comes to a close…
💭 Reflect on a friendship that changed your life (even if that friend is no longer in your life). What do you remember or appreciate most?
🌞 What season do you most identify with?
🐌 How do you plan to slow down this summer?
✍️ Keep a sensorial diary and notice what details you’re drawn to as the season unfolds.
🏆 What small wins can you celebrate from the past month?
June in Notes 👋
For Your Next Chapter
If you enjoyed this slow story, here are a few others that might slow your scroll…
I feel you on the basketball topic, but I will say, until the backboard cracked when it was knocked over in a storm a few months ago, I loved going outside and shooting hoops for midday breaks. It's extremely relaxing and gratifying to lock in on a single point of focus while your mind wanders in the background. (But I'm not interested in playing an actual basketball game other than Around the World or Horse.)
Another beautiful issue, and really enjoyed the reflections on female friendship. Congrats on finishing your book draft! 🌸