30 Things to do in June
And in the blink of an eye, we’re welcoming warmer weather, sunny days at the beach, water activities, spontaneous trips, and sunsets with open arms. To kick off the new month, I am sharing 30 things you can do in June.
- Make you sure have a full take of propane, grilling season has begun! Pineapple and veggie kabobs are on repeat over here.
- Grab some ice cream from a local shop.
- Today is World Bicycle Day! Grab your bike and go for a ride at your local state or metro park.
- Happy National Cheese Day! Put your skills to the test and create an epic charcuterie board, or a low-key charcuterie board for dinner tonight.
- It’s National Trails Day. Why not venture outside and go for a hike on a new trail?
- Flowers are blooming and produce is growing, head to a local farmers market and grab some goodies.
- Get out on the water and kayak, paddleboard, or canoe.
- Give your besties some love today, it’s National Best Friends Day! Send them a little snail mail, drop off a gift on their porch anything that works to show some love and appreciation today.
- Drive-in movies are still going strong, and one of my favorite ways to enjoy a flick. Don’t forget to pack a bunch of snacks.
- Have a picnic in the park. You can go traditional with sandwiches or get creative with a charcuterie board.
- Get your flippy flops out and celebrate National Flip Flop Day. Or go grab a new pair, because who doesn’t love cute new shoes?
- Plan a camping trip. I look for campgrounds that are close to water sport rental places and have good hiking.
- Catch a sunset on the beach.
- Visit your local zoo, or skip town and check out a different zoo. I am excited to see the new polar bear at the Detroit Zoo.
- Make homemade popsicles.
- Hit the road for a day trip somewhere new. Bonus boats if you make it to the lake.
- Find a new you trail and go for a hike.
- Drop that bobber in the water, and watch it go up down as you wait to catch a fish on Go Fishing Day!
- Go horseback riding.
- Celebrate, the first day of summer has arrived. Take a trip to the beach or rent a cute paddle boat at a metro park (that’s my plan). Just get out and enjoy those summer vibes.
- Give an outdoor workout a try.
- Have a bonfire, and make s’mores.
- Grab brunch from a restaurant you’ve never been to before.
- Go berry picking.
- Now that things are opening back up, it’s time to get back to the ballpark and root for your favorite team.
- Spend the day being a tourist in your city.
- Get up early and watch the sunrise.
- Do something you haven’t done before—go ziplining, take a hot air balloon ride, go sky diving, surf, kayak, paddleboard…the possibilities are endless.
- Lounge in a tube and float down a lazy river.
- Build a sandcastle.
How To Make a S’mores Charcuterie Board
You thought cheese boards were good, but then came dessert boards, themed board—and you swoon. Just when you thought food boards had peaked, i’m here to bring you something even better—s’mores boards. That’s right, there’s no better way to enjoy s’mores and a fire than with a s’mores charcuterie board.
How to make a s’mores charcuterie board
- Make a list of everything you want on the board and head to the grocery store.
Pro Tip: Add things you like. The possibilities of what you can add to a s’mores charcuterie board are endless. - Pick your board, plate, platter—or anything that is relatively flat.
- Place your graham crackers/cookies, chocolate, marshmallow and anything else you’d like onto your board. If you’d like to design the s’mores board with minimum effort, make a pile of items in one section of the board and try to mirror it on the other side of the board with something of similar color. For example a pile of graham crackers on one side and a dish of peanut butter on the other.
Pro Tip: I always start with the largest items first—graham crackers, anything in cups and fill in with everything else from there. - The board is meant to be fun so let your imagination run wild—especially when you’re making your own s’more.
What can you put on your s’mores charcuterie board?
Remember the possibilities are endless, get creative, try new things. Below you will find some of my s’mores dessert board favorite additions:
- Graham crackers: original, cinnamon, chocolate
- Chocolate bars: from traditional Hershey bars to gourmet chocolate the choice is yours. I like to include dark, milk, cookies+cream, white chocolate
- Marshmallows: original or gourmet, marshmallow brands have really stepped up their game
- Peanut butter cups (traditional and white chocolate)
- Fruit: I love the addition of strawberries
- Peanut butter
- Cookies: fudge stripe, chocolate chip, Girl Scout Cookies, Oreo—go nuts in your local groceries cookie aisle!
Movie Review: Finding You
Finding You hits theaters this Friday (May 13, 2021)
Finding You is a rom-com filled with beautiful scenery, an unexpected romance, and an adventure of a lifetime with splashes of drama, death, cancer, and of course the price of being a celebrity thrown into the mix. As someone who loves rom-coms in recent years, there hasn’t been one that I have loved as much as Finding You.
Finley (Rose Reid) is an aspiring violinist who completely botched her biggest audition ever, opts to take a semester abroad in the small Irish village where her big brother once spent his own magical season. Beckett (Jedidiah Goodacre) is a Hollywood “bad boy” who is growing weary of fame. When fate seats them together on a cross-continental flight, Finley is unamused by his rather cocky attitude.
Finley is staying with the same host family (the Callaghans) as her brother did previously, but now they own a B&B (where Finley and Beckett will reconnect) and are still working out the kinks—such as using potholders to remove something from the oven. Even though the Callaghans daughter Emma (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) is not meant to be the star of the movie, she is for me. Her spunky, unique personality will leave you laughing.
Finley finds herself plunged into small-town life, where she learns of Emma’s teen troubles, helps the Callaghans run the B&B, gets assigned a grumpy older woman (Vanessa Redgrave) to read books and spend time with at a nursing home, involves herself in an investigation of decades-old town gossip, searches for a cross her brother sketched in a book and even winds up getting a regular spot playing her violin thanks to an unlikely mentor who is typically passed out behind the town’s pub.
Finding You is a movie that will leave you laughing, saying “awww” and shedding a couple of tears. Finding You is one of those movies that I could watch over and over again. My mum even texted me and said “That movie was really good!”
Finding You hits theaters this Friday (May 14, 2021) and if you’re a fan of laughing, smiling, adventure, beautiful scenery, love then Finding You is a must-see for you.
Synopsis of Finding You
FINDING YOU is an inspirational romantic drama full of heart and humor about finding the strength to be true to oneself. After an ill-fated audition at a prestigious New York music conservatory, violinist Finley Sinclair (Rose Reid) travels to an Irish coastal village to begin her semester studying abroad. At the B&B run by her host family, she encounters gregarious and persistent heartthrob movie star Beckett Rush (Jedidiah Goodacre), who is there to film another installment of his medieval fantasy-adventure franchise. As romance sparks between the unlikely pair, Beckett ignites a journey of discovery for Finley that transforms her heart, her music, and her outlook on life. In turn, Finley emboldens Beckett to reach beyond his teen-idol image and pursue his true passion. But when forces surrounding Beckett’s stardom threaten to crush their dreams, Finley must decide what she is willing to risk for love. Starring Rose Reid, Jedidiah Goodacre, Katherine McNamara, Patrick Bergin, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, with Tom Everett Scott, and Vanessa Redgrave. Directed and written by Brian Baugh.
(Roadside Attractions)
Rated PG
How to make granola (without oil)
I’ve always been a big fan of granola, but I don’t like all the added calories of excess oil that typically comes with store bought granola. I love granola in smoothie bowls, on top of applesauce (especially when camping), and hit the kitchen recently to create my own granola. Let me tell you, the results were even better than I thought they were going to be. After trying this recipe you’ll see why oil isn’t even needed—plus you’ll be addicted.
What to serve with granola?
Granola is one of my favorite on-the-go snacks. I used to keep individual applesauce and granola in a container at my desk for a mid-day snack. I also always bring that same snack with me whenever I go backpacking or hiking. It just makes for a simple and delicious breakfast or snack. Below are some great ways to enjoy granola.
1. Serve over applesauce with dried berries on top.
2. Or over yogurt and top with fresh berries.
3. Granola makes a delicious addition to grilled fruit with a drizzle of honey.
4. Add some granola to a smoothie or acai bowl.
5. Eat it like cereal with milk or non-dairy milk.
6. Serve over ice cream.
7. Add some peanut butter to apple slices or bananas and sprinkle a little granola on top.
Homemade Granola (without oil)
Ingredients:
4 cups rolled old fashioned oats
3/4-1 cup total of mix-ins (I used a variety of almonds, hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons maple syrup (or honey for clusters)
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl toss together oats and your mix-ins—set aside. Note: if you want to add dried fruit wait until it’s done cooking to add.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, maple syrup (or honey), water, cinnamon and salt.
4. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.
5. Allow to boil for 1 minute, mixing constantly.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Stir in vanilla and baking soda, whisk until foamy.
8. Carefully pour hot sugar mixture over your oat mixture and toss to evenly coat.
9. Spread mixture into an even layer on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet.
10. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes—until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven twice during baking to toss.
11. Once you remove from the oven you can add 1 cup dried fruit and toss together.
12. Allow to completely cool before storing in an airtight container.
13. Enjoy.
Movie Review: Profile
Focus Features is releasing Profile in theaters this Friday (May 14th). Profile is based on a true story and was originally filmed in 2017, Profile follows British journalist Amy as she tries to use social media to gain the trust of a recruiter in order to get the story of a lifetime. But what happens when she starts Skyping with the enemy? She ends up risking it all—your job, relationships and even her own life.
Profile is in a Screenlife technique, which situates all of the action on a single digital screen. Complete with multitasking between Facebook, Google searches, Skype and phone and text messages from other characters in the movie. The technique isa bit hard to get used to at first. Once you get used to the typing, Skyping and changing of computer screens you’ll be sucked into the story and always wondering just how far Amy (Valene Kane) will go. The story begins with Amy creating a fake Facebook profile, and seemingly within minutes the story unveils into her making a makeshift hijab, and Skyping with a recruiter. Her subject has fallen in love with her, proposed marriage and is trying to get her to move to Syria.
Or maybe he’s a liar and is looking to restock the supply of European sex slaves, you be the judge. What I found to be the most interesting is how he can sweet talk her so much, that she truly starts to fall for him…hard. It’s crazy to me that Skyping and messaging someone can bring on so many emotions that you start to fall for someone who is more dangerous than you can image.
In a world where many of us are spending our days on video calls, watching a movie that should be a break from that just seemed to be more of an eye strain than anything.
Fashion meets Food 