Welcome back, friends!
I recently returned from a summer trip to Italy, and it had everything you might imagine from such a trip: delicious food, beaming sunlight, gorgeous beaches, and plenty of exploration. Along the way, I also managed to read a few books and kick-started a new addiction to Love Island (Mommy? Mamacita! IYKYK).
I began my adventure in Puglia, a hidden gem of Italy, packed with beaches, vineyards, olive groves, and beauty around every corner. I met up with several family members there to celebrate my cousin Andrew’s wedding. While I’d never even heard of Puglia before this trip, I quickly became a big fan of the region.
We stayed in Massafra, located in the southwestern part of the region. It’s a bit more rural and doesn't have the coastal attractions of Lecce or Bari, which are popular areas in the region. If I were going back to the region, I wouldn’t stay in this area again, but it served its purpose for the wedding. If you’re visiting this part of Italy, I highly recommend renting a car to get from the airport to your accommodations and to explore the region. Without a car, it’s pretty tricky to navigate the different sites.
For example, I had the bright idea to take the train from the airport in Bari to Massafra, which was fine until I arrived in Massafra and there was no train station to get a taxi from, just a barren platform. I was the only person on the train who got off at that stop, so my options to ask for help were a bit limited. I tried calling Uber, but after 20 minutes of waiting to get connected to a driver, I decided it'd be better to drag all of my luggage as far as I could. Unfortunately for me, while the hotel was within walking distance, the walk was along a busy highway with no sidewalk and barely any shoulder to walk on. I could have made the walk work if I hadn’t had two heavy suitcases and another bag to lug along with me. Luckily, I walked into a store that was a 5-minute walk uphill from the station and explained the situation to the person behind the counter. He graciously offered to take me in his car the rest of the way to the hotel and refused any payment. I encountered that kind of kindness repeatedly in Italy, and it warmed my heart every time.
Once my family assembled at the hotel, our Italian adventure truly began. We spent the first night hanging out together at the hotel, having drinks, telling stories, and, of course, sharing a lot of laughter (that is the Lawrence way, after all).
The next day, my cousin, my dad, his best friend, and I all loaded up the car and ventured out to Monopoli for some much-needed beach time. Shoutout to my friend, Iolanda, who is from Puglia and explained the differences between Lidos and Spiaggia Liberas to me so I could make an informed decision on where to go. A Lido is a beach with chair and umbrella rentals available, often featuring a bar or restaurant attached. A Spiaggia Libera is a public beach with no rentals. We decided to head to Lido Pellarossa, which didn’t have the same frills as other beaches, but offered a lower price point and had the essentials we needed for a few hours of relaxation. There are numerous Lidos in Monopoli, ranging from luxury options to basic ones and everything in between.
We then spent the rest of the weekend in Massafra attending wedding celebrations, which included welcome drinks, the big day, and a pool party.
It was the most stunning wedding I’ve ever been to, and we had so much fun celebrating as a family.
Once the festivities wrapped up, I hopped on a five-hour train journey to the Amalfi Coast. I stayed in Maiori, one of the quieter towns in the Amalfi area, which is ideally situated along the beach and has a ferry that takes you to virtually anywhere you want to go in the area.
I woke up early every day, ate the hotel breakfast, then hopped the ferry to a new destination each day. I shopped in Amalfi, went sightseeing in Capri, lounged on the beach in Maiori, and swam along the shores of Positano. Importantly, I ate pasta at least once a day during my entire stay and had some of the most delicious caprese salads and gelato I’ve ever had.
My flights to and from Italy didn’t have wifi, which was a huge bummer as someone who uses internet content to distract me from flight anxiety. With all of that time in the air, plus any free time I had on the ground during the trip, I managed to finish all of these books and shows:
Skipshock
Caroline O’Donoghue has done it again. She won me over with her book, The Rachel Incident, and her podcast, Sentimental Garbage, but this new book solidified my love for her writing. Skipshock follows a teenage girl, Margo, as she boards a train to Dublin, but ends up falling between worlds and discovering an entirely new version of the universe where time moves at a different pace depending on how far north or south you are. The story is told from Margo’s point of view and that of Moon, a traveling salesman in this corner of the world who takes Margo under his wing and tries to help her find her way home. This world is complex because different political and socio-economic dynamics are at play, depending on where you live and how you navigate the space around you. The two quickly learn that Margo’s presence in this new world could be the key to its survival.
King of Ashes
I chose King of Ashes as my Book of the Month pick for June because I’d heard my friend, Niccara, rave about S.A. Cosby’s writing. This book did not disappoint, and I already look forward to reading another one of his works. The story centers on Roman, the eldest of three, whose family runs a crematorium in rural Virginia. When his father is mysteriously critically injured and his brother gets into deep money trouble with the leaders of a local gang, Roman travels home to help his sister run the crematorium and help his brother out of the mess he’s in. There are numerous twists and turns in this book, and as someone from a small southern town, I appreciated how accurately Cosby portrayed the unique dynamics of being a well-known Black family in that kind of environment. This one will keep you on the edge of your seat. I finished this entire book in one day.
With a Vengeance
I’m typically a huge fan of Riley Sager, and I usually read his books in 1-2 days because the plots are just too good to put down. This one was a big disappointment for me. The entire story, a murder mystery, unfolds during a train ride from New York to Chicago. While the book starts strong with drama and intrigue, the plot becomes somewhat predictable, and you never really develop a genuine care for the characters involved. As the mystery murderer on board begins to take out several of the characters, I thought, “I don’t care who lives or dies at this point.” I predicted the ending plot twist around halfway through the book, which made the read somewhat boring. If you’re looking for a real nail-biter, try one of Riley’s other books, like The Only One Left or The House Across the Lake.
Love Island
The Love Island bug has bitten me, and while I’ve never seen a more ridiculous show, I have to say it’s pretty entertaining. I came into the show without any idea what to expect, and I have been pleasantly surprised by the level of drama it offers. If you haven’t seen the show, I’d describe it as if Love is Blind and Big Brother had a baby. A group of singles enters a villa and compete in challenges to find “love.” The last couple standing wins $100K. I binge-watched 15 episodes on my previous few nights in Italy. What I love most about this show is the fact that people repeatedly talk about finding love I this clearly hopeless place and demonstrate just how delulu they are along the way. There are also brilliant moments like this one along the way:
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I’m looking for my next binge-worthy show or book to read. Let me know what you’re into right now in the comments!
That’s it for this week.
Glad you love SA Cosby
thanks for all your book/show reviews! I love reading them and have picked up some of your recs!