September Musings: Things I’m Loving This Month
A love letter to a slower, more intentional summer and the beautiful things I’m carrying into September, from outdoor entertaining and Nigerian recipes to books, skincare, tabletop finds and early fall style.
Photography by Hannah Schweiss
Usually by September, I’m ready for a sweater, a candle and the first excuse to ease into fall. This year? Not even a little bit. I feel like summer and I have unfinished business.
Maybe it’s because this summer looked different. I didn’t take a big vacation or do anything particularly glamorous. I spent most of it close to home and, honestly, I loved it.
I had coffee on the deck before the day got going, watched old movies outside, cooked for friends, fussed over the garden, read in the sun and tried to catch every decent sunset Chicago gave us. There was plenty of time alone, plenty of time with people I love and fewer reasons to rush from one thing to the next.
It was quieter and more intentional than I expected. It also reminded me how much I enjoy the home and outdoor spaces I’ve created when I give myself enough time to actually live in them.
And, of course, there was time with my sweet little Peanut, my nephew and the absolute light of my life. Being his second mama is one of my greatest joys. Watching him discover the world has made even the smallest moments feel important.
So this month’s musings is partly about what I’m loving right now and partly about my refusal to let summer go just yet. Chicago gave us entirely too much rain, which means I believe we are still owed a few more sunny days.
It is not winter. It is not even fall yet.
In This Month’s Musings
This September edit includes:
End-of-summer entertaining inspiration
Outdoor movie-night favorites
Emma Grede’s Start With Yourself
Nigerian jollof rice, shrimp fried rice and meat pies
Sade and Rooftop Jams
Skincare and SPF favorites
Transitional tabletop, home and fashion finds
A guide to hosting fabulous dinner parties
Photography by Hannah Schweiss
There was gardening, grilling and plenty of time outdoors. I made branzino on repeat (recipe coming soon), tossed together fresh summer salads, experimented with new recipes and returned to a few classic Nigerian dishes I love. I spent more time enjoying the home and outdoor spaces I’ve created, allowing them to feel truly lived in rather than simply finished.
And, of course, there was time with my sweet little Peanut, my nephew and the absolute light of my life. Being his second mama is one of my greatest joys. Watching him discover the world has made even the smallest moments feel special.
It wasn’t a particularly glamorous summer. It was something better: full.
Perhaps that is why I’m having such a difficult time letting it go.
We had so much rain in Chicago that I’m convinced we are still owed a few more weeks of sunshine. But beautiful moments do not have to disappear simply because the season is changing. September can be its own kind of summer, with dinners outdoors, coffee on the deck, open windows and late-afternoon light.
This is my reminder to you, and to myself, to soak up as much outdoor beauty as possible while we still can.
It is not winter. It is not even fall yet.
What I Watched
Our outdoor movie nights were filled with old favorites. I watched Pretty Woman and essentially made my way through everything Julia Roberts. Apparently, that was the mood this summer.
I also returned to old classics, black-and-white films and plenty of Sade music videos. Her music, style and quiet elegance remain completely timeless.
This projector made movie nights especially easy. It comes with a screen cloth, so we had everything we needed to create our own little cinema outside.
What I Read
My favorite book this summer was Emma Grede’s Start With Yourself. I read it in the mornings with my coffee, usually a few pages at a time before the day became noisy.
It is practical, direct and refreshingly honest about the role we play in creating the lives and businesses we say we want. I underlined quite a bit.
Photography by Hannah Schweiss
I loved beginning the day with a few pages before everything else started moving. It reminded me that some of our best routines do not have to be complicated. A quiet place, a cup of coffee and something that shifts your perspective can be enough.
What I Cooked
I cooked a lot this summer, especially when I had enough time to enjoy the process.
I returned to some of my favorite Nigerian dishes, including jollof rice, Nigerian shrimp fried rice and homemade meat pies and patties. You’ll find these recipes, along with more of my favorite dishes for gathering and celebrating, in my latest book, The Art of Celebrating.
Cooking also became another reason to gather. Some evenings were completely casual. Others gave me an excuse to set the table, pour something delicious and make an ordinary night feel like an occasion.
If you’ve been thinking about gathering your girlfriends, my Guide to Hosting Fabulous Dinner Parties will help you plan the menu, create the atmosphere and host without making yourself miserable in the process.
There is something deeply comforting about preparing the food you grew up with. It is more than a meal. It holds memories, culture and a sense of home.
Cooking also became another way to gather. Some evenings were casual, while others gave me an excuse to set the table, pour something delicious and make an ordinary night feel like an occasion.
If this has inspired you to gather your girlfriends before summer officially ends, my Guide to Hosting Fabulous Dinner Parties will help you plan the menu, set the atmosphere and host with more ease.
What I Listened To
Sade was on repeat throughout the summer. Her greatest hits became the soundtrack for mornings at home, slow afternoons and evenings outside.
I also listened to my Rooftop playlist, which always creates just the right atmosphere for drinks, dinner and conversations that stretch into the night. Decorisculture was on repeat
Music is one of the simplest ways to transform a space. Before the flowers, the food or even the first guest arrives, the right playlist begins creating the feeling of the evening.
How I Cared for Myself
This was also the summer of feeding my skin.
I leaned into collagen, face masks, collagen eye patches and as many serums, oils and moisturizers as my face could reasonably absorb. Some might call it excessive. I call it commitment.
And, of course, sunscreen remained non-negotiable. My favorite SPF stayed close whether I was gardening, having coffee on the deck or spending the afternoon outside.
These small rituals became less about chasing perfection and more about taking a few moments to care for myself consistently.
Check out my favorite wellness and skincare favorites
A Few Favorite Summer Moments
I captured the spaces, meals and little moments that made this summer special. A table set outside. Something growing in the garden. A meal I was proud of. Coffee on the deck. A beautiful Chicago sunset. Movie night under the stars. Time with friends. Time with Peanut. Time alone.
None of these moments felt particularly monumental while they were happening. Together, they became the story of my summer.
What I’m Loving for the Season Ahead
My September favorites are less about rushing into a completely new season and more about finding beautiful pieces that can move with us from summer into fall.
I love versatility. I want pieces that can be layered, rearranged and enjoyed in more than one way. And while fall often brings a return to deeper neutrals, I still want color. A new season does not have to mean giving up everything bright and joyful.
For the Table
Photography by Hannah Schweiss
One of the easiest ways to refresh the table is by building a collection gradually. Start with pieces that work for the way you actually entertain: appetizer, salad and dinner plates that can be mixed rather than perfectly matched.
For fall, I’m drawn to beautiful platters, glassware, linens, napkin rings and hosting essentials that add warmth without feeling overly seasonal. A woven napkin ring, a wood serving board or a richly colored glass can completely shift the feeling of a table while layering beautifully with pieces you already own.
Photography by Hannah Schweiss
Around the Home
I love objects that can move around the home and serve more than one purpose. A beautiful vessel might begin on a coffee table, move to a bookshelf and later become part of a tablescape. Those are the pieces that make a home feel collected instead of overly styled.
I also love decorative games that look beautiful on display but give people something to do. Thistic-tac-toe set and marble chess set can live on a coffee table or bookshelf, then become part of an evening when someone inevitably decides they can beat you.
I’m also thinking about the less glamorous side of entertaining: storage. Attractive, functional containers for leftovers and food preparation make hosting and everyday cooking much easier.
Shop My Home Edits
Transitional Style
Photography by Syed Yaqeen
September dressing is all about layers. I’m reaching for versatile pieces that work on warmer days but can be styled differently once the temperature begins to dip.
I also refuse to abandon color simply because fall is approaching. Rich, beautiful shades can feel just as sophisticated as the traditional browns, creams and blacks of the season.
The goal is not to replace an entire wardrobe. It is to find a few pieces that breathe new life into what you already have.
Photography by Hannah Schweiss
Before I Go
That was my summer. Quieter than usual, closer to home and much fuller than it may have looked from the outside.
I’m carrying that same energy into September: cooking more, gathering when I feel like it, enjoying my home and refusing to pack away every bright color simply because the calendar says fall is coming.
I’m not ready to say goodbye to summer, so I’m not. We still have warm evenings left, and I plan to use every one of them.
If you need me, I’ll probably be outside with Sade playing, something on the grill and a glass of something good nearby.
Live beautifully on purpose.
Celebrate Beautifully,
xx Akeshi
P.S.There is still time to gather your favorite people, set a beautiful table and enjoy dinner outside. My Guide to Hosting Fabulous Dinner Partiesincludes practical ideas to help you plan the evening, engage the senses and create an experience your guests will remember.
