July 2025 in a list 📝 Journal with me
July was a blur. I'm kind of struggling to remember exactly what happened.
It's in moments like these - when a big woolly ball of overwhelm is squatting your brain - that a little journaling comes in handy.
It's always worth it to pause and remember the little things, the trivial things, and the spontaneous thoughts that occur in our life - almost undetected. They are the salt of life.
And so here's my journaling recap of the month for July 2025. Feel free to borrow this list of questions and adapt it to your life (a copy-paste version is available at the end of the post).
And do remember to record your memories, no matter how small and inconsequential they might look like. You'll be happy you did.
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How was July? July was my first official month as a writer, mom, and caregiver after resigning in June. I’ve spent countless hours brainstorming the future of my newsletter, Dash of Prosecco, which will relaunch in September. Because, as my life changes, so do I - and so does my cooking and my outlook on all things Venice I write about in there. So, in July I tuned into my gut feelings and made space for newness. I also started an exciting collaboration with a lovely Instagram friend about tableware... yum! (hopefully, it'll come to fruition for you all next year). But, cool as all this may sound, on a daily basis very little went to plan. It wasn't easy to accomodate the various hats I wear in life, especially as Francesca entered another sleep-regression phase. But eventually I learned that I can still do meaningful work while foggy-brained and sleep-deprived. The trick is to lean into rest and what feels easy and natural. Lesson of the month: easy doesn’t mean value-less. Also, Pier and I went on our first date night since becoming parents - so so proud of us.
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| First date night as new parents. |
Writing of the month: I’ve been working hard on a new series for Dash of Prosecco that will go live in October. It’s something different from what people might expect: a 3-part series that's rich, thoughtful, and designed to shift the way we think about overtourism - and ourselves as travellers. You're going to love this so stay tuned and if you haven't yet, subscribe here.
Published blog posts:
- a list of tableware trends and beautiful table objects I spotted here and there on Instagram (this one really resonated with many of you);
- a "spend the day with me" kind of post where I take you shopping for spices, walk through the weekly market, check out vintage murano glass, and enjoy a summery lunch at my in-laws;
- my summer reads and thoughst on sourcing books from Amazon.
Extra nice thing of the month: Mani pedi and painted toenails. It's been ages!
TV series of the month: Pernille on Netflix. I'm more and more interested in exploring the galaxy of female sexuality of mature women. It's something so underrepresented and equally nuanced and intriguing. I'm only 38, but knowing there's uncharted territory for me to explore in the coming years and decades - and that I'm allowed my desires even after kids - is a way more appealing thought than I expected. I'm like "oh, I'm looking forward to that", while before it was more like "hmmm tricky!". Pernille does a lovely job at that.
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| pistachio dress, pea green sandals and Venetian terrazzo floors |
Garment of the month: July means summer sales in Italy. I've gotten myself a nice dress in the shade of pistachio ice cream that flatters my soft curves and yields compliments everywhere I go. It's 100% polyester - I know, WTF! But the design is so good, I had to buy it. The idea is to find a skilled tailor who can re-create it using more sustainable fabrics. Over the years, I've collected several beautiful garments with strikingly good design for the same reason, but finding tailors who can sew a piece from scratch, and not just do alterations, is becoming increasingly difficult around here. Too bad.
Movie of the month: who's got times for movies.
Book of the month: Breakfast at Tiffany's. As I mentioned here, I much prefer the ending in the original story than the more patriarchal one in the movie. If you loved the 1961 screen adaptation with Audrie Hepburn, then get yourself the book asap. It's a perfect little summer read, and the Penguin Little Clothbound Classics series is a joy to hold in your hands, and easy to stick in your beach tote without taking up space or weighing you down.
Cookbooks of the month: That's Jessica Elliott Dennison's Lazy Baking and Midweek Recipes. I admire her realistic approach to everyday cooking - it resonates deeply with what I do at home for my family lately - less project-based, more "dinner's on the table and is a good one" kind of food. I've just preordered her new book, Weekend Recipes, and it should be with me soon. (Jess has self-published her latest cookbooks. You can buy them directly from her website if you're UK-based, or send her a DM on Instagram to get it delivered outside the UK - that's what I did! This is a great way to support the author directly, considering how unfair the traditional publishing industry is.)
Francesca's milestone of the month: She's standing 😍 and crawling around in her own funny way. I bet she'll be walking by her 1st birthday, in September.
Purchase of the month: Ffern's Summer 25 scent is hands down THE most important purchase of last month. I signed up for their subscription almost like an afterthought. Then I realised it's a bit of an investment but at that point I wanted to find out what all the hype is all about. I haven’t worn perfume in 15 years. A little splurge is ok, I thought. I love that Ffern's fragrances are made of natural and organic ingredients, making them safe to wear for me AND baby Francesca. Anyway, don't ask me how and why, but my first sniff of Summer 25 turned out to be an almost mystical experience. I was transported back to my childhood. My head was spinning, and I cried a little bit (like a lot). Saying that it awoke my senses would be an understatement. Incredible what our nose can do for us right? Also noteworthy this month: a surprisingly effective deodorant from French pharmacy brand, Caudalie: it's fairly clean, smells of eucalyptus, has got beautiful packaging, and is pretty good at keeping fresh and smell-free. A game changer.
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| About 5 euro cheaper than in the UK/US- worth stocking up while in Italy this summer. |
Screenshot / saved post of the month: Kate Arends' advice for starting / maintaining new friendships 👇
Recipe of the month: Sri Lankan-style curry with fennel seeds flatbreads from Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan's new cookbook "Kitchen Table".
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| We made this two days in a row 😋 |
A wish for the coming month? Loads of family time. Witnessing Francesca's first dip in the sea.
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