In a normal year, Eloise would be deep in Kentucky Derby party prep-we love to celebrate the Derby with a party and all of our friends! This year, we’re keeping it small with family since social gatherings are still limited, but we’ll still make it special and put on our favorite hats, pour a mint julep and place our bets! I love the roses and the jockey’s silks, so I’ll try to work those into the decorations and theme and, of course, the dessert!

Dinah dove deep into new offerings from two fantasy series she likes with mixed results, and otherwise is focused on cooking healthy meals at home to balance out all of the fun outdoor socializing. Why does spring time just make me want to drink rose and Aperol spritzes??

What We’re Reading and Watching

• Cruel Summer is a new teen show that’s on Freeform and Hulu, and I’m only two episodes in, but I’m totally hooked. Each episode is told over the same day in 1993, 1994, and 1995, and is the mystery of popular girl Kate Wallis’s kidnapping and how the sweet and nerdy Jeanette Turner stepped in and took her spot in the popular crowd, but we’re left wondering if Janine had something to do with her disappearance. -E

• Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason is the story of Martha Friel, writer of a funny supermarket food column, daughter of a sculptor and poet, sister of Ingrid, wife of Patrick-the sweetest man ever, and why she’s self-destructing her life. Ever since an incident when she was a teenager, she’s spent days stuck in bed, days filled with anger, days alienating herself from the world. She wants to reset her life, but doesn’t know if it’s possible. Her journey is funny and sad and crushing and everything in between. I loved it. -E

• I started watching Shadow & Bone, the new Netflix series based on a fantasy series I love. The production value is great and the cast is strong, but I am having a hard time getting into it and wrapping my head around some of the changes they made. - D

• It was a big reading week for me but the true highlight was A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas, the most recent book in one of my favorite fantasy series, but with the focus on two secondary characters from the first few books. The world building is fantastic and there is also a ton of steamy romance! - D

What We’re Buying

• These printables are fun for Derby party of any size! Even with just our family watching, we’ll organize a betting pool and I always pick my horse based on the color of the jockey’s silks. -E

• How cute are these $24 handmade earrings from BR Design Co? I found this company through the Girls Night In newsletter and I love their unique and handmade earrings that come in a wide variety of colors and styles. -E

What We’re Making

• Does anyone else get intimidated by cooking salmon? I’m planning to make the Half Baked Harvest Sheet Pan Lemon Brown Butter Salmon and Potatoes with Parmesan Asparagus - it seems pretty easy and will impress for date night! - D

• I love a Run for the Roses themed dessert, so the girls and I are going to try to make these rose cupcakes-I love that they use green airheads for rose leaves! -E

• For Kentucky Derby flower arrangements, I love to put red roses into silver mint julep cups or these adorable jockey glasses. -E