Bustle

Welcome to the Summer Issue.

There are few things that bring me more joy than the first outdoor cocktail of the season. I have my recipe down pat. Not just for the drink itself (a gin gimlet, up and ice cold) but for the optimal conditions, too. The heat should be ambient and unobtrusive, the sunlight indirect. The sidewalk should buzz with the gentle ripple of passing foot traffic. The server should be attentive but unfussy — bonus points if they’re attractive and/or a gossip — and the menu should include a mix of beige carbohydrates and raw seafood. The pleasures of this particular combo? Endless.

When I was a teen, I imagined the best bits of adult life would involve grander scenes than the one I describe above. I knew I wanted a Big Life — one overflowing with joy and connection and new experiences — and imagined a highlight reel packed with adventures I’d spent months, even years, planning. Instead, I’ve discovered that the best fruit is mostly the low-hanging kind, and easy pleasures, indulged regularly, are what actually keep your days humming along.

When the team at Bustle started thinking about how to make the most of the summer, we yearned (understandably) for reasons to get off our phones and out into the world. But as the contributors of our first-ever Summer Issue confirmed, you don’t need an excuse to make a moment out of the things you love. That concert you’re looking forward to? Go ahead and get over-the-top with your outfits. Saving up for a Mediterranean getaway? Make like the movies, grab a baguette and splurge on the fancy butter already. Living big starts small: Sign up for that class. Dust off your dancing shoes. Order the thing you really want on the menu, even if it’s basic — just like white wine, it might actually be cool again.

I’m especially excited about our beautiful shoot with the ever-impressive Leighton Meester. Her conversation with Jessica Pressler, who’s been covering her since the OG Gossip Girl days, will delight you in multiple ways. (The kids! The husband! The not-too-much work!) It’s also a reminder that life isn’t all that complicated when you know what really counts — though having a cocktail in hand definitely helps.

—Charlotte Owen, Editor-in-Chief