circle back Vol. 8
circle back has re-entered the summer group chat
It’s been a minute,1 and instead of getting into the nitty gritty of why we’ve been out of touch—with you, not with each other2—we’re diving right back in. Circle back vol. 8 is all about what’s “in”3 and what’s “out.”
Tschussie
Sylvie F. und Ilana C.
IC: Ins and Outs
Between the end of the semester, some freelance-ish, a brief stint in Puerto Rico, and now a summer internship4, the inside of my brain is currently oscillating somewhere between post-coffee brain zaps and 15:30 brain mush. Considering this state of being, below, is a list that needs no introduction and little explanation:
In
Orange and red 🧡❤️
Oversized cakes (preferably with loads of strawberries a la Laila Gohar)
Morning hip bridges (read: sciatica, “out”)
Holding the door open
Matches (tennis, strike-on)
Wearing a bib (ie. when eating shakshuka, bolognese)
Materials that get better with age (I’m eyeing all things linen from San Juan-based brand, MUNS)
Hot 26 (also my state of being as of 06/25)
The words “freakish” and “freak”
Salad spinners
Little spherical things (pearls, beads, caviar bumps 🙄)
Bb IG dumps5
Out
Things that match (ie. plates, chairs)
Checkered things
Sitting at a desk
Ice chips
Sciatica
Dirty greens
The wind
Bathing suits that give rogue tan lines
Describing things as curated
IG dumps
SF: Carry-On Only Club
Like many others on your Instagram feed, I am in Europe this summer. I’ll try not to make it my whole personality, but I have made my chief personality trait the fact that I managed to pack everything I could possibly need for two months abroad in temperatures ranging from 60 degrees to 96 degrees, activities that include hiking and lounging, weather that promises both rain or shine, into a carry on roller bag. Please, pick your jaw up from the ground and hold the applause.7
When I left for this trip, I proudly landed in the lawful good category.
Here was where I was going to tell you all the tricks and keys to packing a perfect carry on bag, but we at circle back pride ourselves on honesty and to be complete transparent, on our first intra-Euro flight, my lawfully good bag failed me and had to be checked. So, I’ve decided to send home a few clothes that no longer need to live in my bag. In my defense, Europe is unseasonably warm8.
So while I’m embarrassed by my lack of preparedness and packing abilities, it did mean I had to find a hardware store in Vienna, and let me tell you nothing is more thrilling than running errands in a foreign country— no really! As I walked through Vienna with packing tape and a cardboard box, I’ve never felt less like a foreigner in all my traveling days. Leave it to Vienna to make mailing a package feel romantic.9
On another note… a big 26th energy to my favorite co-circleback-er, Ilana, who celebrated that milestone this weekend. Reply with your favorite thing about her ;)
Till next time (which will be sooner than last).
Something SERIOUS - required reading
Something FUN - A meditative moment with hand pillows.
Something MANIC - Personal stylist TikTok as a bedtime ritual10
Something SMART - This extremely fun and informative read for people who love TV and products (or neither, doesn’t really matter).
Something JUICY - Sylvie and Matt went to Berghain. DM for the juiciest pic of him ever…
more like 335,520
Our DMs are stronger than ever
Berlin, carry-on packing, orange
I’ll be in NY for much of July! NY friends, let’s link
2 slides
This winter my only camera that worked was my 0.5. I wont claim nor deny ownership of this wide trend ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It’s a good thing too because our German host just told us her luggage has been lost for five days with no communication or recognition from the airline. That is simply something I could not emotionally handle in this time.
My brown shorts turned a different shade at the Viennese coffee shop in the 95 degree heat today… I’m sure the two schnitzels we had yesterday didn’t help.
Now everyone say a prayer for my clothes’ journey back to the United States.
Specifically the drops from ElodieVintage
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