AK Month-to-month Recap: June 2026

Summertime is right here — and a busy journey season begins now! June kicked off with a two-week journey to the US, visiting my household in Boston and New York.

In that point, I welcomed half of Scotland to Boston for the World Cup, met my favourite web cat, ate lobster, and did two epic lengthy walks.

Let’s get into it!

Locations Visited

• Prague, Czech Republic
• Beverly, Gloucester, Swampscott, Lynn, Boston, Brookline, Salem, Revere, Studying, and Lynnfield, Massachusetts, USA
• Portland, Maine, USA
• New York, New York, USA

Highlights

A terrific journey house to my household within the US. Truthfully, that is most likely the very best go to house I’ve had since transferring to Prague. I have to make extra of an effort to go to in the summertime months, as a result of they’re SO GOOD!

An unforgettable time in Boston. Once I booked my journey house, I wasn’t fascinated about the World Cup, but it surely was in full swing, and Boston was superb. Individuals from everywhere in the world rocking their soccer jerseys and flags.

Better of all was the Tartan Military, who had been throughout Massachusetts, dressed up of their kilts, taking part in the bagpipes, consuming all our beer, and marching to Fenway Park! I can’t inform you simply how a lot pleasure they added to the town.

Whereas in Boston, I walked the Emerald Necklace in its entirety. The Emerald Necklace is a series of parks and inexperienced areas working from Franklin Park to Boston Widespread.

It took me about 4 hours altogether, and I used to be completely happy to see a lot of Boston in a single day. I do want I had finished it on a cooler day, although — it was scorching and humid and that basically received to me by hour three or so.

On prime of that, I had quite a lot of good occasions in my house area of the North Shore, from walks to the seashore to lobster rolls, museums, and the nice pizza.

I met Child Corn! Child Corn is my favourite cat on the web, and I used to be surprised to see one morning that he was doing a meet-and-greet in Boston. I’ve by no means booked a ticket so quick!

A terrific day in Maine. I went as much as go to my associates in Portland, and shock, shock — the Tartan Military was there, too!

Better of all was that they took over the pub the place we had been having lunch, and my three-year-old niece requested to go inside to listen to the music — so I provided to take her. Cool Auntie Kate took her to her first wild Scottish pub! (Her verdict: “Too loud.”)

New York was SO nice. I went to stick with my sister and brother-in-law in Harlem for a number of days. We spent some good occasions hanging out at their new beautiful place.

My massive journey was strolling the complete size of Broadway in Manhattan! It took about 5 hours and the space was 13.76 miles, not counting breaks and detours. I like an extended stroll, and this actually takes you to so many distinction neighborhoods in Manhattan.

Additionally — this was my first time taking a bus to the new-ish bus station on the George Washington Bridge. I extremely advocate getting a bus right here in case your remaining vacation spot is in Higher Manhattan!

Once I lived in New York and took the bus again from Boston, I hated that we actually drove by means of my neighborhood and went one other 100+ blocks to midtown. This station, at 178th and Broadway, is SO far more handy for Harlem, the Heights, even the Higher West Facet.

I additionally did some strolling in Central Park, met up with associates, ate scrumptious meals I can’t get in Prague, and did quite a lot of procuring in SoHo.

Good occasions in Prague. Charlie and I attempted out the paddleboat on the river, we ate quite a lot of good meals, and one evening my trivia group got here in first place! All thrilling.

Challenges

An terrible warmth wave all through Europe. Report-high temperatures that lasted for awhile, which made it robust coping with the warmth in our house with out air con.

Air con is a troublesome topic for us as a result of our condominium has freakishly tall ceilings, and mixed with the sq. footage, the strongest machines in the marketplace right here don’t have sufficient energy to chill both the bed room or the lounge.

For the hardest two days of the warmth wave, we determined to remain in a resort and convey the cats. Their first resort keep ever! We stayed on the Hilton Atrium Prague, which permits cats (1000 CZK price, or $50, for as much as two small animals) and has good air con.

And whereas it was a little bit of an adjustment for the cats — they growled and hissed at one another for the primary 24 hours, most likely as a result of they had been harassed — they in the end mellowed out and had a good time.

We expect this was an essential step to take to get them used to journey, and we will’t wait to deliver them on one other journey!

I received locked in a tram! The craziest mishap of the 12 months to this point. I received on a tram and I had my AirPods in and didn’t hear the announcement that it was going out of service. It pulled beneath a close-by bridge, the doorways had been locked, the driving force received out, and it was getting hotter by the minute.

No person might hear me and the doorways wouldn’t budge. After calling Charlie in a panic, I discovered the emergency door launch, which doesn’t open the doorways, however makes it attainable so that you can push your approach out with all of your may. I pushed like loopy and made it out.

I do not know how this even might occur — aren’t drivers imagined to verify the vehicles earlier than they go away, simply in case? Somebody might have died in that warmth.

Ricky Martin canceled his live performance. Sigh. I used to be wanting ahead to this! They had been clear that it was NOT attributable to Ricky or the manufacturing firm, so I feel it was due to the warmth wave, regardless that it was an indoor occasion.

Most Widespread Reel on Instagram

An Open Letter to the Tartan Military. After the Scots left Boston, I used to be so heartened and moved by the entire expertise that I wrote a letter telling them how a lot it meant to me.

And this was my most viral publish in a very long time! I’m glad it reached so many Scottish individuals. Oh, they usually now need to have us over in Scotland. LET’S DO IT!! It’s been too lengthy since I visited Scotland, a rustic that I like a lot.

What I Watched This Month

I actually loved the second season of The 4 Seasons. Particularly {the summertime} episodes set on the Jersey Shore.

It’s simply good to observe a comedy the place the stakes aren’t tremendous excessive, it follows a bunch of {couples} long-established of their relationships, and the jokes are humorous and quick. Positively watch it in the event you haven’t but!

What I Listened To This Month

I’m listening to all 500 of Rolling Stone‘s 500 Best Albums of All Time, which I’m having fun with immensely. I’m loving discovering new artists and listening to albums I’ve someway missed my complete life till now!

In June, I listened to albums quantity 50-13. My most prolific month but. And I AM GOING TO FINISH NEXT MONTH!!!

Favourite Discovery: The Beatles by The Beatles (aka The White Album). Now, I do know it’s bizarre to place an album this well-known on the checklist — I’ve by no means sat down and listened to this album begin to end, although I do know nearly all the songs.

However after listening to a lot of the Beatles on this problem, each within the band and their solo efforts afterward, it actually makes you understand what a loopy second this was for them. That every of the members had been pushed to the sting, making among the most various and wild work of their careers.

It appears like this was the album the place they had been essentially the most creatively fractured aside, however then they pulled it collectively and got here again for Abbey Street and Let It Be.

And now I want to observe the Peter Jackson Beatles documentary, as a result of everyone seems to be saying simply how good it’s.

Different Favourite Discoveries: OK Pc by Radiohead, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie, The Persistent by Dr. Dre, Lemonade by Beyoncé, Tapestry by Carole King.

Favourite Revisited Album: There have been so many albums I like featured this month that I’m going to speak about two of my all-time favorites.

Off the Wall by Michael Jackson is my favourite Michael Jackson album of all time — not solely as a result of I like disco a lot, however as a result of I feel that is his most stylistically cohesive album. I truly don’t love the genre-hopping on his later albums Thriller and Unhealthy.

This is without doubt one of the most danceable albums of all time. And a lot of the credit score goes to Quincy Jones for constructing such a beautiful album round Michael’s strengths. The beats, the strings, the horns. A very magnificent album, and when individuals declare there isn’t a good disco album begin to end, SHOW THEM THIS ONE.

To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar is without doubt one of the nice hip-hop albums of all time, and actually, that also appears like inadequate reward when you take heed to it. That is an album that I nonetheless marvel at, over a decade and numerous listens later.

This album is about Black liberation, and it concurrently tells the historical past of Black music. It’s dense. It’s vibrant. It’s protest music. It’s jazz and poetry. It ends with Kendrick interviewing a long-dead 2Pac, utilizing audio from a previous interview.

If it had been as much as me, it might be rating a lot larger on the checklist than quantity 19.

Different Favourite Revisited Albums: Innervisions by Stevie Surprise, Again to Black by Amy Winehouse, Voodoo by D’Angelo, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Membership Band by The Beatles.

Favourite Songs: “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream” by Aretha Franklin, “POWER” by Kanye West, “He Can Solely Maintain Her” by Amy Winehouse, “King Kunta” by Kendrick Lamar, “Golden Woman” by Stevie Surprise, “C.R.E.A.M.” by Wu-Tang Clan, “Gloria: In Exelcis Deo” by Patti Smith, “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones, “Nuthin’ however a G Thang” by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, “Starman” by David Bowie.

Get the playlist: I’m making a playlist of my favourite songs from the five hundred albums — most one per album — on Spotify. You’ll be able to take heed to it right here.

Lowlight of the Month: Able to Die by the Infamous B.I.G. Didn’t count on that — “Huge Poppa” was one of many first hip-hop songs I ever liked, on the age of 10, and I loved his album Life After Loss of life.

I simply discovered Able to Die so extremely crude and immature, and a chore to take heed to for that motive. Sadly his track “F*ck Me” now eclipses Suicide’s “Lady” because the worst intercourse simulation track on the checklist. Dude, I actually don’t have to know what you do with meals.

*Disclaimer: QUITE A LOT of the musicians featured on this checklist are problematic in numerous methods — there are even two murderers within the combine. I’m their music solely from an influential perspective.

What I Learn This Month

Misplaced Lambs by Madeline Money (2026) — This novel tells the story of the Flynn household: two dad and mom with a dysfunctional open marriage, and three teenage daughters whose points vary from relationship a a lot older “Battle Crimes Wes” to trying terrorism on an airplane. Quickly, the household turns into ensnared in a saga involving an area billionaire.

Now. I felt like I used to be going to like this e book, and a few of my associates find it irresistible — but it surely actually didn’t do a lot for me. I discovered all of the characters attempting so arduous to be quirky as attainable, almost all of them talking with identically witty voices. I spent quite a lot of time rolling my eyes.

And whereas there’s some severely darkish stuff within the novel, I felt prefer it was barely touched upon after which wrapped up neatly with a bow. It could have been a tougher and braver option to go deeper into the darkness. Oh nicely.

Coming Up in July 2026

Final 12 months was a quiet summer season for journey. However this 12 months is a VERY busy summer season for journey, and July is kicking off with a number of enjoyable journeys.

This month, Charlie and I are highway tripping from Prague to Provence and again! Our associates are getting married at a chateau in Provence (!!), so we determined to show it into a giant journey.

A few of our locations embody Lac Sainte-Croix and the Gorge du Verdon; the lavender fields of Valensole (which ought to be at their peak in July!), the coastal city of La Ciotat; and the cities of Arles and Nîmes.

It’s a LONG drive from Prague to Provence, so we’re stopping in Germany on the best way there and Switzerland and Liechtenstein on the best way again. (Charlie has by no means been to Liechtenstein and is eager to lastly go to. I haven’t been since my three-day keep in 2011, but it surely’s my favourite of the microstates!)

Later within the month, we’re going to Dublin for the weekend to have a good time my brother-in-law’s fortieth birthday with a giant group of associates. Dublin is a metropolis that I’ve by no means actually related with, however Matt loves it and has deliberate quite a lot of enjoyable actions, so I feel this journey will flip me right into a Dublin fan!

Shortly after that, a number of of my blogger buds are coming to Prague — we’re going to see Pitbull in live performance! YES, IN BALD CAPS!!! This has been my dream for thus lengthy!!!!!

And on the very finish of the month, Charlie and I go away for my birthday journey. We’re going again to considered one of my favourite summer season locations — the island of Ischia in Italy.

What are you as much as in July? Share away!