All my life I’ve been obsessed with routines, rituals and those little things that make the seasons special. It can be something as simple as hot toddies and The Bachelor or as elaborate as Laura’s insanely authentic 1960s cocktail party every year. I live for these things.
Lately I’ve been working to create a stronger sense of “normal” here in Nashville. That means finding a whole new list of fun things… special places for each season. With our busy careers, it’s something I have to really focus on, a hobby if you will!
Lately we’ve been trying a new restaurant each weekend, eating some meals in our sunroom (when it’s not crazy hot – haha!), buying our first concert tickets in, like, ten years (fun fact – we only go to our friends’ concerts because we are LAZY and we are trying to change this). I am a HUGE fan of autumn, the holidays and spring (and during winter we travel, so I guess that’s OK too), but summer…? I need to vibe more with summer. What are your favorite summertime things to do?
Take it away, sister!
Probably not surprising, some of my favorite seasonal rituals have to do with treats. And summer is the best time for ice cream! I’m always sure to stop by Elle’s at least a few times during the summer. They catered the ice cream at our wedding and I think they have the most interesting flavors in town, but they also have amazing lavender iced coffee. So sometimes I get that. I also love Pineapple Whip and Andy’s Frozen custard, which are Springfield favorites for sure.
Humidity makes everyone’s hair look amazing. I just love it. 🙂
What about you? What seasonal routines are you enjoying right now??? xx. Emma + Elsie
Credits // Author: Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman. Photography: Janae Hardy and Amber Ulmer.
47 Comments
Emma your hair looks amazing!!! Share your secrets 🙂
I am not a fan of summer…I know what’s wrong with me. But I try to make the most of it. We have amazing outdoor concerts every year at our local gardens so we just saw OMAM the other night, getting ice cream is always good by me and we usually plan a family trip to Wisconsin which is super exciting because I always stock up on cheese haha. Other then that I honestly just start getting excited about the fall come July 😉
How amazing is that ice cream dress!
Hannah | Oh January
I love both of your outfits! You style them very well.
x. Cattleya
First off love your whole outfit there Elsie! I’ve been in a fashion detox of sorts and have been keeping it casual, but I’m getting inspired to start working on my wardrobe again.
And love the ice cream dress and your hair Emma!
I live for summer weather and can’t get tan enough! I grew up in Southern Cali so I feel most at home on hot summer days. Here in Seattle I make a point to head to Lake WA (massive lake separating Seattle from Bellevue) to soak up sun and play in the water. Fun floaties are all the rage out here. It’s fun going with friends or the bf, but I’m making a point to go alone if I’m craving a dip in the lake and no one wants to come with.
Also lots of camping and hiking! Each summer I tend to try one new thing that I then attempt to do at least twice the next summer. Last year it was going backpacking overnight. Loved it so much.
Such beautiful outfits x
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Great pictures!! Love the sunglasses!
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I’m from Puerto Rico so I’m used to all-year summer. However, after moving to Boston, I can see how seasons change people’s vibes. I like it! Summer for me is all about the beach beach beach!
I’m a teacher so I LIVE for summer. The other seasons are alright, but summer is by far the best. My favorite summer time things to do are: 1. Sit on the couch and do nothing. 2. Sit in the pool and do nothing. 3. Sit on my bed and do nothing. Repeat as needed. 😉
Nooo. Humidity is bad, totally gives me a fro. 🙂
Looove the ice cream dress, so cute.
alternating farmer’s market Saturdays with camping weekends then hitting the Tuesday night farmer’s market when we missed it on Saturday 🙂
Summer is my reading season. I cover way more books in these few months than all year long!
tending the plants on the deck & trying to remember that they all have to come back inside in a few months for the Iowa winter, so not to add too many new ones…
I love that cactus keychain! After a long day at work, seeing that just made me smile – love it!
Walking to get ice cream is a summer ritual for me!
You guys are so beautiful. I LOVED both outfits. I feel like you have opposite styles. And about summer. Honestly I hate it. It gets so hot no one can go outside without feeling like they’re melting. It’s just hot, mostly humid, and VERY sunny. I’m more of a winter girl.
Can you guy’s check out my blog. I would truly love it. My latest post is about friendship. I also posted my first book review.
Thank you.
I’m loving the idea of a new restaurant each weekend! Definitely going to try that this summer! Super cute post ladies – loving the bags!
Miss Andys Frozen Custard. Especially the Bears blend!
Great post! I love the ice cream dress! Also so great that you are trying new things =o)
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Spending lazy weekend days by the pool is definitely a staple for me! I always get so busy during the summer that I try to find any spare time to layout and soak up the sun while its still here 🙂 Somehow it always gets cold way before I’m ready!
Arin || http://www.heartofchic.com
Super cute outfits!
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Hi, i love your lifestyle. I Love this ice cream dress. So you get dresses from Romwe? Im really interested in your opinion because i have not dare to order so far:)
Xo, Niki
One of my favorite summer rituals is the county fair! We try to see one of the free concerts (last year it was KC and the Sunshine Band) and we eat our favorite fried foods (fried oreos tops that list).
Living in Southern California, another favorite ritual is a bonfire at the beach. 🙂
Love those bags! I may need to splurge on that pink one.
ohmygod I love you Emma, love the color combination!
Summer!!! I so much love it! (I have to admit that summer was my favourite season. Now I think autumn is). What I love doing in summer is go to a quite beach (I’m from Greece), lie on the beach, when I get a bit hot, dive and swim for a while and then go back to lying, reading a book!
My second favourite thing is going to open air concerts, to theatre plays in ancient theatres and open- air cinema! Watching a film under the stars is just… amazing!
How cute is this, I love the ice cream dress
xo
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What a cute dress!
My summer ritual? A camping trip with my son and husband, usually 2 weeks of summerholiday in France. A relaxing period of just the three of us.
I’m trying to plan a summer bucket list right now, full of picnics and barbecues and beach walks sandwiched with my summer holiday to Rome with my boyfriend. We don’t have many summer rituals considering the weather in the UK is so unpredictable, I barely get a chance to even change my wardrobe since it is still raining throughout June! But I love the idea of starting little summer rituals, a great idea ladies 🙂
Your purses are so so cool, and I love your dress Emma!
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Our favorite summer things are camping, grilling dinner as often as we can, sitting on our back porch, gardening, bike riding, day trips to various New England towns, picking up our CSA each week and figuring out how to cook it all, walking to get ice cream or iced coffee—basically walking everywhere! I’m also a huge fan of seasonal traditions and routines, and though summer isn’t my favorite season, I definitely love all the fresh food (the berries!) and outdoor activities.
I too love the 4 seasons. Summer time for me means doing anything on water, pool, lake, beach. Except we don’t live by the beach here in Amarillo so that makes me a little sad!
Your bags are great – perfect little bucket bags ; )
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Love the styles! Soooo cute!
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So, summer is not my favorite either, and I too had a feeling of not-a-good-fit when I lived in So Cal, but there are some lovely things to add.
First, I don’t know if you know about them, but there is a group called Little Paper Projects, and they just started last year with a project that is running again called Little Summer Joy. It is easy and fun and can be anything you want, but could be a good springboard for you, Elsie, as you are looking to cultivate new rituals for summer. I did some last year, and am just going to add to my book a bit this year, as we are moving in a couple of weeks. http://www.littlepaperprojects.com/
Here are some of my favorites: outdoor showers(build one somewhere if you can), dancing in a good summer rain, lots of plants, bare feet, my Birkenstocks, camping, more free schedule with my kiddos to do day trips/overnights somewhere.
You guys look so gorgeous as always! Love Emma’s dress! (How could you not if Ice cream is everything!)
I had my first baby two weeks ago, so all my schedules are upside down. I’m just trying to relax and enjoy (It’s winter here so it’s easier to stay home cozy and warm) this is indeed a beautiful mess 🙂
xoxo
Branah
So jealous of that dress Emma! Like, woah. You look so great.
The fall is by far my favorite time of year, but I LOVE the summer farmers markets! Fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers are always a wonderful aspect of summer.
You two look darling as ever!
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I live in Ottawa (Canada) and winters here are cold and never ending. Personally I’m always cold and hate it with a passion so I live for summer! In fact I’m not comfortable below 25 degrees Celsius (I think it’s 77 F). So far we had had an unseasonably cold June which was making me all kinds of unhappy but this week has been fabulous (finally). I like to be outside as much as I can in the summer. If I was lucky enough to have a house with a backyard I would be eating all my meals outside when it’s sunny. But for now I will spend my evenings on my balcony and my weekends doing something outside.
I love long summer nights! You should do a bonfire & roast marshmallows…that’s the best.
I love the ice-cream dress, I need it! Here in England our seasons are kinda rainy so it’s hard to get into any outdoor rituals on account of the unpredictability. Each summer we aim to visit a family festival (I have three kids) and go on a family holiday.
Well, I don’t know how weird this might sound but like at least every other Finn, I am waiting new crop potatoes to be ready ? and strawberries. And other berries. At this summer I have really inspired to use wild veggies in cooking and cosmetics. It will be my new summer thing for now on. Super interesting at least for countryside girl like me. And as mother of three little ones,I love summer because you don’t have to put so much clothes on kids!?
This is my first summer in Scotland, and it’s cold and rainy. I’m having a hard time figuring out what to do with myself in these conditions. In Nashville, I became nocturnal in the summer because it’s just too hot to go outside during the day. Back in the day, Cafe Coco was my favorite late night spot.
Summers in Montreal are all about gardening, bbq, festivals, iced coffee and hanging at the lake house. We get 3 months of summer so I try to make the most of it.
Elsie, you could join the Nashville Pugs group on FB! We meet every couple of weeks and non-pug siblings are always welcome too!
Here in Atlanta — I love making cold brew coffee in my Toddy, and sipping it with pure vanilla extract and organic whole milk, over ice. Ahhhhh….
Summer in Nashville is great! Go to the lake, you can camp on some of the islands on Percy Priest! Go canoeing on the Harpeth, get Peach Truck peaches, go to all the Farmer’s markets, outdoor movies, and Sounds games.
Hi! Is that ice cream dress from Axbro?
Love ice cream patterns!!!
One of my favorite summer rituals is my husband and I spend one night a week having dinner outside either at a local park or at the beach. We either BBQ or bring a picnic. Sometimes we invite friends and its a wonderful low key way to enjoy the long days, good weather and unwind after long work days/ weeks.
My other favorite summer ritual is taking advantage of all the outdoors festivals that happen in my local community!
The color combination is so good and cool in the eyes.