The Summer Bucket List is Back

Plus new snickerdoodles, and a giveaway to kick things off right!

Friends, The Summer Bucket List is back after a two year hiatus and right on time! I wrote this at 3am because my 12-week-old is sleeping through the night and apparently my first instinct with a pocket of free time is not to sleep - but write lists. (Don’t worry, I know the 4 month sleep regression is coming for me… lemme just have this moment.)

This year's list has everything: irresponsible volumes of ice cream, a little free bakery opening in Bellville, John meeting the Pacific Ocean for the very first time, and one deli sandwich I have been thinking about for far too long. Additionally…

The Bucket List is also a video series on Instagram because if I’m going to chase a sweet summer, I ought to bring my camera. Come see - the vibes are high and the zinnias are completely out of control.

Here’s our Summer Bucket List, 2026. And I insist on knowing what makes your summer list thaaaaankyou!

---

Just Baked

Nearly two decades of cookies on this site and somehow the simple snickerdoodle never made the cut. Maybe I just needed time to sit with it… which I did. I took the classic (the cream of tartar tang + cinnamon sugar crackle) and rolled the dough in a thick buttery cinnamon streusel before it hit the oven. It’s coffee cake meets cookie. It’s a cookie that made me stop mid-bite and think oh, OKAY - which is exactly the reaction a snickerdoodle has always deserved and never quite gotten. All in due time!

Here’s the recipe → The New Classic Snickerdoodle Cookie

---

A Few Good Things

• In case you missed it, it’s not too late to vibe these last few days of June and Timothy’s June Almanac. Currently loading July. I can hardly believe we’re very much mid 2026.

• Speaking of sandwiches, because we’ve always got sandwiches on our mind, right? This Ultimate Car Sandwich has its place this summer whether we’re road trip or beach picnic bound. The pepperoncinis really do some heavy lifting here.

• The album playing this week: Sam Fender’s People Watching

• As a former Girl Scout (Girl Scout well into high school so I was… really in) I can’t wait to see the movie Cookie Queen (which also happens to be cast by my good friend Whitney!).

A Summer Full of Giveaway Here on Substack

Friends, this summer the newsletter is getting a giveaway series and I am so excited about our lineup. Consider it my thank you for being here!

First up: the folks at Year & Day are giving away their Outdoor Core Set and it feels like a perfect early summer prize. I’ve been reaching for their outdoor dinnerware every time we eat in the backyard - which is every evening until the mosquitoes run us back inside at approximately 6:43pm. The set is made of plant-based materials, plastic-free, and microwave safe. The Big Bowls in particular are earning their keep around here.

To enter, answer this question in the comments below:

What’s one thing on your summer bucket list that absolutely must be eaten outside? A sandwich? Ice cream? A slice of something? Tell me everything!

Giveaway open until Friday July 3rd. Open to US residents. Winner will be contacted via Substack message.

Stay tuned for more giveaways, cookbook interviews, and general summer fun headed your way!

See you in the comments! xo