Alyah's Summer Recap

The last time we chatted feels like a lifetime ago. Summer in Phoenix isn’t for the weak but we made the most of it and more importantly, survived! This Summer didn’t feel as long and dreadful as last year, which I like to think of as personal growth. However, I was fortunate enough to do a bit of traveling this summer so that’s likely the real reason it moved right along for me. As we gear up for a busy 4th quarter, let’s talk a bit about the last few months. 

June

Under the Tuscan sun

In June I lived out my Euro summer dream. Earlier in the year, a brand we carry, Masha Tea, posted about a writer’s retreat on an olive farm in Tuscany… sounds too good to be true, I know. In my head, there was no way something like this would be feasible for little ol’ me but I thought I’d reach out simply to learn more. One thing led to another and I was planning a two week vacation. I spent June preparing for this trip, making it my entire personality. Every time we received new items at the shop, Lauren would say to me, “Oh that would be real cute on you in Italy!” She’s never wrong. By the end of June, I embarked on my trip. One week spent in Paris, the second week spent in Tuscany, and ending in Rome. I fell in love with each place I visited, but the retreat was by far the highlight of the trip. Think local organic food prepared for us each day, endless tea and fresh fruit, and a beautiful farm to wander, write, read, swim, and do ~nothing~. Living under the Tuscan sun was a lifestyle I'll need to experience again and again. 

July

Rocks as mementos

My European vacation came to a close and I returned to Phoenix. I’m grateful for my little life here but wow, does traveling open your eyes (and mind). The post-travel blues hit hard, but with more traveling on the horizon I kept my head up. I celebrated friends birthdays, made cakes, and ended the month in Puerto Peñasco a.k.a Rocky Point. The weather in Rocky Point isn't any better than Phoenix but any chance I get to be by a body of water, I’m in. I spent 3 days at a condo on the beach – bouncing back and forth from the pool to the ocean, collecting rocks, and eating Mariscos. A few of the rocks I collected are now used as jewelry displays in the shop, I guess you could say we’re getting creative these days. 

August

The ocean is healing

Soon enough, August rolls around and us Phoenicians keep telling ourselves it’s almost over (it’s not) but we like to be optimistic. We crave Fall in Arizona so bad that we decided to bring in the Fall candles to the shop, mid August in 100+ degree weather. Again, we’re optimistic. It seems as though you all were craving the crisp smell of Fall too as we’ve sold through many of our Fall scents, but don't worry there are more on the way!! Thank you for indulging us.

I personally had no desire to spend the whole month in AZ if I didn’t have to. With a friend in San Diego, I was once again headed to the ocean. I spent 4 days in SD and all 4 days were spent swimming in the ocean. The ocean is so healing!!!!! At this point in my travels I have acquired a few essentials from the shop that I don’t travel without. These include, Everyday Oil, Noto Sunscreen, Olo Fragrance, and these shorts. 

September

Nesting

Well now we're here. September has come and gone. It’s officially Fall, according to the calendar, not the weather (unfortunately). September was the first month of Summer I intentionally didn’t plan any trips for. I became an Aunt and needed to be sure I didn’t miss it. My whole perspective on life has changed as I’ve watched my sister become a mom and our mom become a grandma. The newborn snuggles keep me going. While my family has been nesting, the shop has been getting a bit of a revamp too. 

Lauren and I set out to re-paint the beloved pink wall in the shop. After polling our customers we decided to go with the unpopular opinion, funny how that works! We painted the wall a beautiful blue from Backdrop called ‘The Early Stuff’. We loved the color so much that we decided to continue the paint job onto another wall in the shop. Lauren and I are by no means professional painters and the job is far from perfect but it’s done and with minimal mess-ups. I guess what I’m trying to say is, you should 100% stop by to see our hard work :). We also have plans to update the kids section. If you have been in recently you may have noticed a couple small changes so far. The shop is ever-evolving and all the little changes keep it feeling fresh and new (at least we like to think so). 

If you’ve made it this far, thank you. Summer is not easy for small businesses in Phoenix. Any support you’ve given us goes a long way and we cannot thank you enough. With lots to come, we are so excited for the rest of the year. 

Your shop girl,

Alyah