Slice Of Life Summer

Quote of the Week By Kinnerith Din

“Style is very personal. It has nothing to do with fashion. Fashion is over quickly. Style is forever.” Ralph Lauren

Nokshi Summer Club🫒

📣 You’re invited!

Join us for Thrift for Gaza — a weekend of vintage fashion, halal food, and make friends. 100% of proceeds will go toward mutual aid efforts in Gaza. Let’s shop with purpose, gather with intention, and give back together

🗓 August 2nd and 3rd 🕐 12–7 PM 📍29 Montrose Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

RSVP HERE

For the Porch That Raised Me, With Love🏘️

My grandparents babysat me in the summers, and whenever it was warm enough, we’d sit on the porch. There, my grandparents would people-watch, gossip with neighbors (disguised as “grown-up conversation”), and bask in the sun’s embrace. 

The porch was not only an outdoor space attached to their home, but a gathering place for reflective silence, storytelling, and belly-aching laughter. It was where lessons were passed down without feeling like lectures and where everyone was rooted in a language more entangled than themselves.

Now, as a young adult, I realize that the art of sitting on the porch is fading away. Gen Z lacks third spaces. All we have is the clurbbbb. And while the club has its perks — hugging the bouncer, the girls' bathroom, and the thrill of being seen —it’s not as becoming as the porch. 

We’ve lost the plot somewhere between $50 cover charges and begging 19-year-old bouncers to validate our existence. 

It wasn’t until I stumbled across a TikTok about a “Porch Crawl” — a daylong hangout hopping between porches for games and fun — that I regained hope. If the club is for being seen, the porch is for seeing — our neighbors, our stories, and ourselves. 

Roots Before Branches: Hair Care Inspo💇🏻‍♀️

Is it a cookie-butter bronde August or a cherry- cola ginger fall? Whether you’re following a trend by coloring your hair this month or staying natural to your roots, here are three holy grail haircare products that will leave you shining and slaying.

The Kristen Ess working serum is perfect for taming puffy, frizzy hair. Apply two drops to your ends, blow dry, and boom! The perfect salon-fresh look.

If you’re craving an at-home transformation, pick up this L’Oreal Wonder Water hair gloss from your local beauty store. Or, if you’re wanting sweet-smelling locks, grab the Sol de Janeiro milky leave-in conditioner!

A Canadian Tuxedo Moment👖

This week’s trend? One that’s taken over the city– and one I’ve very badly fallen for.

I present to you: the bold and extremely stylish denim-on-denim revival. While it may seem like an overwhelmingly contrasting fashion concept, it actually is the easiest, most budget friendly way to appear effortlessly chic and put-together.

What makes the denim-on-denim trend so popular is its versatility. Pair a dark-wash jean with a matching jacket for a sleek monochrome look, or mix things up with a medium-wash denim short and a sleeveless top. Whether you coordinate or contrast your washes– denim combinations somehow always just work.

Denim-on-Denim is a trend that transcends the seasons– whether its leaves or snow falling, it will always remain timeless.

We’re in Dubai this week🍫

What started as a pregnancy craving in the UAE has become the snack everyone’s chasing. In 2021, Sarah Hamouda of Fix Dessert Chocolatier created a chocolate bar filled with pistachio‑tahini cream and shredded knafeh. At first, she shared it only with friends and family – until social media turned it into a global obsession.

The hype really took off when TikTok influencer Maria Vehera posted about it in late 2023. Suddenly, orders flooded in from all over the world, and by 2025 brands like Crumbl, Night Owl Cookies, Shake Shack, and even grocery stores like Costco have started carrying their own versions. The trend quickly grew beyond the original bar, inspiring all kinds of creative takes.

What makes Dubai chocolate stand out is how it keeps surprising people, with new twists popping up all the time. It’s not just a flavor – it’s a movement that’s still continuously evolving, showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. If you haven’t tried it yet, chances are any of your local stores have it in stock!

The True Meaning of this Cult Classic🪽

When I first watched The Hunger Games, I just thought it was about the badass girl with a bow. But rewatching it a few months ago, I realized it eerily mirrors how society has been– and what it's turning into now. The Capitol feels less fictional when you look at how wealth and power are flaunted today while ignoring struggle. The Districts mirror the lives of exploited labor, systemic inequality, and how quickly pain becomes a spectacle to be watched and talked about instead of actually helped. It makes me think…how many of our own “traditions” or "celebrations" try to mask injustice with pageantry or patriotism? This isn’t just a dystopian film.  And honestly, is it really “dystopian” if we are seeing traces of it in our own reality?

Venice: Sink or Swim?🏊‍♀️

Venice is a must-see but not a must-stay. Its charm and history is dimmed by heavy tourism; it almost feels like the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Although tourism keeps Venice financially afloat, locals aren’t particularly welcoming. If you’re searching for warm hospitality, look elsewhere. 

Venice is day tripper central. There wasn’t much to do except explore, shop, and enjoy the beauty. Streets are packed from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., so for a quieter, more authentic feel, stay into the evening.

Entering the city costs €10 and prices only rise from there. A gondola ride is iconic – €90 for 30 minutes, split between up to five people.Afterwards, stroll across some of Venice’s 438 bridges connecting the city and grab one-of-a-kind souvenirs from Libreria Acqua Alta. 

For a cheap midday break, head to Al Merca, a hidden gem wine and snack shop in the city’s center. There’s no seating – just inexpensive local wine (€4 - €7), shade, and fantastic vibes. 

Venice is lovely, but best enjoyed briefly. So, should Italy's sinking city descend to the bottom of your bucket list? I’d say no, but come early, leave late, and savor the highlights. 

Welcome back to The Interlude–otherwise known as Quiet Parts, the Column–with art and poetry pairings for the busy patron. Each week, I’ll be sharing some things I’m reading, seeing, and the ways I’m staying invested in culture this summer. 

Welcome back to The Interlude–otherwise known as Quiet Parts, the Column–with art and poetry pairings for the busy patron. Each week, I’ll be sharing some things I’m reading, seeing, and the ways I’m staying invested in culture this summer. 

With August right around the corner and the summer tumbling toward its close, I’ve been returning to this quote from Rick Bass’s The Wild Marsh as a comfort moving into my senior year: 

“My life, I realize suddenly, is July. Childhood is June, and old age is August, but here it is, July, and my life, this year, is July inside of July.” 

– Rick Bass, The Wild Marsh

At least, for me, even when July ends it will still somehow be July. To the last day of July inside of July. 

See you next week❤️