Find Your Summer Fun
Photograph by Alexandra Rowley
By now you have probably been bombarded with Back To School ads and noticed the pumpkin spice creep of autumnal products at the store. Is summer slipping away? Not at all. In fact, we are reaching peak summer. Let the following list serve as a reminder to get out there and enjoy all summer has to offer. Follow it and you’re well on your way to the best summer ever.
Go to the Farmers’ Market
Our farmers market is small but growing. We like to get there early because stuff sells out. Right now tomatoes are booming. Try them sliced and drizzled with a nice olive oil, maybe sprinkled with some fresh tarragon, definitely doused with salt and pepper. On a night when it’s too hot to cook, consider this your meal.
Watermelon
Buying a whole melon can be hit or miss. Look for a melon that has some yellow striping on the outside and is heavy when you pick it up. If you get a dud, fear not. It’s great if you blitz the fruit flesh (no rind) in the blender with some lime and salt. Also try chunks of watermelon in a salad with vinaigrette and crumbled feta.
Vanilla Ice Cream
Always have a pint of this on hand, especially if you scored some berries or stone fruit at the market. Chop up the fruit and serve with a scoop of vanilla on top. Summer in a cup!
Pistachios and Campari
This cocktail hour combo will force you to slow down. Campari is a beverage that demands to be sipped due to its bitterness. Pistachios in their shells take some work. It’s not like grabbing a handful of potato chips and munching to get a crunchy salty fix. It takes focus to pry these little gems out of their shells.
Cherries
So fleeting when they hit the market or grocery store. Maybe their time has passed in your neck of the woods. But let this be a reminder for next summer to get your hands on these gorgeous ruby candies. Or better yet, mark your calendar for next year and pick your own (link tk).
Ride a Bike
This is the closest sensation to flying while staying in the ground. My bike hike comes with a couple of challenging hills. Once I breathlessly reach the top, the other side is such bliss when I get to race down and feel the wind whooshing around me. If you haven’t been outside on a bike, now is the time.
Grill Something
Charcoal. Gas. Campfire. It doesn’t matter. The act of tending to something on the grill demands your full attention. But it’s also a great excuse to focus on one thing since you don’t want a charred mess for a meal.
Take a Cool Shower
Get your AM off with this new humid day buster. Instead of your normal warm shower, mix it up by adding more cold water. It will take a few moments to get used to and might send your heart racing. Ultimately you will get a high that is a great kick-off to your day. When you are done bathing skip the towel and air dry.
BETTER DAYS ARE HERE!
Make your 100 DAYS OF SUMMER the best they can be. Enjoy the full issue of the magazine as it was meant to be seen. Better days are here with over 25 pages of thoughts and provisions to max out the best part of the year. Enjoy!
