Slice Of Life Summer

Quote of the Week By Kinnerith Din

“What we call the beginning is often the end

And to make and end is to make a beginning.

The end is where we start from.” — “Little Gidding” , T. S. EliotJoin the Les Adore Writers Team!🫶

Quarter Life Crisis?🎂

Do you glare up at the ceiling at night, pondering if you’re in alignment to become the most daring version of yourself? Or is it just me? 

I call this the quarter-life crisis: the haunting in-between space where you’re technically grown but still deciphering what that means. 

No one talks about the absurdity of putting cosmic pressure on yourself at 20. When you’re 19, your health, leisure, career, and aspirations feel so promising. But since turning 20, questions surrounding my future run rent-free in my head.

I have a 20-year-old friend who’s engaged with a kid, one in their second year of law school, and another who just signed a lease—and then there’s me, scrolling TikTok at 2 a.m. philosophically decoding the purpose of life. 

But maybe that’s the point?

To be 20 is to live in sonder—to recognize that each peer around me inhabits a life of profound complexity, charting trajectories that are incredibly meaningful, yet different from my own.

The late-night questions, the comparisons, the doom scrolls—they are all part of the beautiful chaos of becoming and unbecoming, learning and unlearning.

To my 20-somethings, honor your own pace. Your 20s are for you, with love.

Serving Looks On and Off the Court: 2025 US Open🎾

Forget the final score! The real highlight of the 2025 US Open was its fashion. From Ayan Broomfield’s feature with the Ralph Lauren’s Oak Bluffs collection to Naomi Osaka’s crystal-studded Labubu, the fashion at this year’s US Open tournament is every bit as exciting as the tennis matches. 

From Aug 18–Sep 8, 2025 the US Open is where Hollywood, the music industry, and fashion’s street-style stars all come together on and off the court. While this is arguably one of the biggest sporting events of the year, it's a big event for fashion too. 

Our favorite tennis stars are serving on-court styles too. Including: 

Naomi Osaka in Nike

Her outfit featured a cropped jacket, a bubble-hem skirt, and custom rose-detailed hair accessories and sneakers, including a custom bedazzled Labubu named “Billie Jean Bling.”

Venus Williams in Emilio Pucci

Her outfit features a kaleidoscopic minidress in black, brown, and beige inspired by Pucci’s upcoming Fall/Winter 2025 collection with a coordinating racket cover to match.

Autumn Girlies, This One’s for You🍂

As fall trickles in, we see the trends begin to change into something a little more calming – think spiced chai and apple macchiatos.

Starbucks’ new fall menu dropped this past August, so make sure to check out the iconic drinks while they’re still offered!

Matching sets are the perfect vibe for between seasons: grab AS Revival’s Rosy Reset hoodie and shorts for the perfect back-to-class fit.

We’ve also got the perfect soundtrack for your hot girl walk. Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving drops September 26 (perfect for a main-character strut through campus).

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Layers of September🧣

As the crunchy golden leaves start to fall from the once bright green trees of the city, it reminds us that summer has come to an end and the official beginning of fall is here to greet us. For the fall fashion girlies, September is the ultimate debut: curated closets, layered looks, and endless inspo.

The oversized blazers, maxi skirts, trench coats paired with cozy knits; knee-high boots; and warm-toned accessories make this season more fun and fascinating. It is the perfect time to make your Pinterest dreams come to life.

As the city transforms into brown and golden hues, so does your wardrobe, reminding us that style, like the seasons, is all about embracing change.

The Kale Caesar That Took Over Charlotte🥬

Charlotte just got a Caesar salad that everyone’s trying to recreate. Bird Pizzeria—a New York Times–recognized spot in Charlotte—has made waves not just for its pizza but for a simple salad that’s gone unexpectedly viral: the Kale Caesar.

The salad itself is nothing complicated—kale, Parmesan, croutons, and Caesar dressing—but ‘Bird’ manages to make it stand out. It’s balanced, fresh, and the kind of simple done really well that keeps people coming back.

It all started when this TikTok video blew up, inspiring recreations across the country. Now foodies everywhere are testing their own versions, proving that less is more—and that flavor doesn’t need a laundry list of extras to be memorable.

If you’re in Charlotte—or planning a visit—this is one salad that earned the internet’s attention for a reason.

Self Made and the Stories We Don’t See. 📚

Self Made feels like a vibrant celebration of Madam C.J. Walker’s journey from washerwoman to America’s first self-made female millionaire. But Walker’s story isn’t just about one woman’s success, it's a window into the many others whose achievements go unrecognized because they don’t fit the “usual” narrative. The challenges she faced fighting poverty, racism, sexism, and skepticism are struggles many trailblazers encounter. For me, what stood out was the idea that for every Madam C.J. Walker we know, there are dozens more who shaped communities, industries, and lives without the spotlight. Stories buried under silence, overlooked or erased, often because they challenge who we expect to be a “success.” Self Made invites us to look beyond the surface, to see that building a legacy isn’t just about fame or fortune; it’s about persistence, courage, and claiming space in a world that sometimes resists it. It makes me wonder: how many stories are still waiting to be told?

Crema by Your Name🧺

Ever wanted to feel like you’re in a movie? Look no further than the famous(ish) Call Me by Your Name town, Crema. Considering my Milanese friend is obsessed with the film, this was a hotspot for daytripping. Take the day, unleash your ultimate fangirl, and see where all that movie magic was made. 

The 45 minute train ride from Milan will take you to Crema Station. Here, you’ll be standing right where Elio and Oliver delivered their heartbreaking goodbye. Next, explore the town and walk the scenic streets to the Cathédrale de Crema. 

For those who want to fully immerse themselves, venture to the local bike shop in the city’s center and rent a rustic bike for €20. A 15 minute ride will take you through the untouched Italian countryside to the Fontanile Quarantina. Take a quick swim, eat a peach, and sit in the sun. 

Crema’s an absolutely lovely place to geek out. It’s not a super well-known spot and it by far had the most “effortlessly local” feeling of any town I’ve been to. Tourists are scarce, the vibes are beautiful, and the town feels like a breath of fresh air.

Autumn Anticipation, Sharpening the Oyster Knife❤️‍🩹 

This week, standing at the edge of summer staring down the cliff of fall, I’ve been dreaming of ways to romanticize all my dread for what’s to come. I return to oysters, cozy moodboards of northeastern autumn, and this quote from Zora Neale Hurston’s “How it Feels to Be Colored Me”

“No, I do not weep at the world–I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.”

See you next week❤️