In my eyes, spring is a sister to autumn. They are the mediate seasons; graceful transitions between the extremes of summer and winter. While I do hold a torch for the romantic idea of a soft, cosy autumn, I am unfortunately confronted with the reality of darker days and too-cold floors. The reality of spring far outshines any of the ideals surrounding it. Under the first glimpses of the sun, my neighborhood turns technicolor; the streets lined with cherry blossoms and idle white flowers. To me, the new year truly starts on the spring solstice. I wanted to share the media that I find enhances my experience of spring. Everything on this list is perfectly paired with light layers, a morning walk and an iced matcha.
Eve Babitz
Eve Babitz’s semi-autobiographical memoirs detail her escapades against the setting 1960’s California. Her playful writing and introspective party-girl persona make her the perfect spring muse. As a Joan Didion fanatic, Babitz’s memoirs serve as a form of escapism for me, rather than pieces of writing that I can personally see myself in. That being said, Didion’s cool composure seems better suited towards the frostiness of the winter. Babitz’s entire body of work is seasonally suitable, but my personal favorites include Black Swans and Slow Days, Fast Company. Kaia Gerber’s book club recently collaborated with Gracie Abrams to discuss Babitz’s Sex and Rage so I highly recommend you check that out.
The O.C
I am of the opinion that The O.C is the perfect 2000s teen show. While the show definitely emits a summer vibe, I personally like watching media of that nature in anticipation for summer break. Summer Roberts is another spring muse, and I adore the entire cast. With the sunny Orange County setting and ridiculously soap-opera plotlines, The O.C will keep you entertained and ignite a fiery desire to move to Southern California as soon as possible. I just find this show to be so perfectly slightly outdated and so far removed from my own reality that it serves as my perfect form of escapism. Since finishing the show, I have embarked on a pursuit of finding the Seth to my Summer.
Lil Yachty + Faye Webster
These two artists perfectly encapsulate my spring music vibe. The fact that they’re childhood friends brings me so much joy. Yachty’s most recent album Let’s Start Here converted me from a casual listener to a total fan. I just love him and his vibe. He’s releasing a collab mixtape on the day this is being published, and I’m anticipating that it will be my April soundtrack. My personal favorite Yachty tracks are drive ME crazy! and A Cold Sunday. Webster’s soft voice is reminiscent of Clairo, and she carries a dreamlike softness that makes her music just so pleasurable to listen to. My highlights of her discography are Hurts Me Too and A Dream with a Baseball Player.
Juno
A very significant bullet point on my 10 year plan is to get an orange striped cat and name it Juno. Diablo Cody is just such a charismatic writer and Juno is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s just so comforting and familiar. Elliot Page’s portrayal of Juno is so compelling and Micheal Cera is one of my favorite actors of all time. This film is a staple for any self-proclaimed film girl and I highly recommend this for the spring season. A bonus musical addition to this list is the Juno soundtrack by Kimya Dawson.
Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
An unavoidable part of spring is my unsupressable urge to spring clean not only my room, but my entire life. This essay collection is a wonderfully structured, beautifully written reality check every time I am consumed by that feeling. Specifically, Always Be Optimizing is a much needed reminder to ensure that I’m actually practicing self-care for its intended purposes, rather than performing to an invisible audience or the male gaze. I think it’s good to ground yourself in reality amongst the rebirth and changes of the season. A much recommended read.