lundi 4 juin 2007

When will it be summer already?



Granted, it's not quite summer for me yet, neither academically (almost, though!) nor even technically seasonally, and while we're still getting that dratted marine layer coming in early in the evenings and leaving late in the mornings, it's still practically summer. Why, the burn on my shoulders says it is. (You'd think that I'd learn that prolonged time spent outside, even if not on the beach, could result in a sunburn. No, lesson not learned yet.)

In the style of Splendora, here's a list of my summer picks.

What to wear: Patrick Robinson Silk Crinkle Georgette Dress. Shh, it's from Target! Regardless, it's super-cute on, takes you easily from day to night with just a change of shoes and accessories, and it's machine-washable. Can you ask for anything more from a dress?

What to flip flop: Havaianas, in any color. I'm sorry, there's really no other acceptable substitute.

What to ballet flat: Melissa + Campana Sapatilha in gold. Comfortable, and they don't look like your regular plastic jellies.

What to heel: What, you want real shoes? It's the summer. But, if you must, these Lucie high heels from J. Crew will certainly do the trick. You can never go wrong with a classic strappy black stiletto.

What to makeup: Fresh High Noon Freshface Glow. A bit of this, a touch of mascara (my current favorite), some lip balm, and you're good to go!

What to bag: Kate Spade Cape Cod Griffen Shopper. Does anything remind you more of summer than a good ol' Maine lobster? Oh, wait, that's just me? Anyways. I'm not usually a plastic PVC bag sort of girl, but I couldn't pass this one up, with of course this used to keep wallet, phone, etc shielded from the curious eyes of others. If not, then the ever-classic Hervé Chapelier, in all its myriad of forms and color combinations, is always great for the beach, the park, extra just-in-case bag when traveling, etc. It might not be as trendy as it was a couple of years ago, but that's a good thing in my book.

What to sunglass: Do you constantly lose, scratch, sit on, etc your sunglasses? Oh wait, that's just me again? These sunglasses are perfect for you (and me) then (although I'm not quite sure why they look so ugly online).

What to eat
: Otsu, first seen here, more recently seen here. Oh my, but this dish is good. I made some last night for lunch this week, and couldn't help but eating the dressed noodles straight out of the mixing bowl. It's a great vegetarian dish with plenty of protein, nice and light for the summer, and I think that if you replaced the honey, it'd be perfect for your vegan friends as well.

What to drink:
Pernod. I used to hate anise, and couldn't tolerate Ricard, but I had Pernod again for the first time in many years at a pique-nique yesterday (that I had already had several glasses of wine probably helped matters), and couldn't help but gush about how perfect a summer drink it is. (Yes, I know the same company makes Pernod and Ricard. I had Ricard again as well yesterday, and far prefer the Pernod.) It's light and summery and requires nothing more than water as a mixer. (What's next, I start playing pétanque?)

What to do: Spend as much time outside as humanly possible. Go to the beach, have picnics and BBQs, go to outdoor concerts and movie screenings, etc. But don't forget the sunscreen!

What to read
: Anything not academic. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have very much of a choice there.