Summer Essentials-2010 version

Summer is within reach here in Chicago. Kids are playing baseball and soccer on Saturday mornings in the parks, pools are being cleaned and filled and dandelions are already changing from the yellow flower to a white ball full of wishes.

I spent yesterday getting my backyard deck ready for the summer season of barbecues, cocktail nights and dinner parties. On my large deck: new patio furniture, new citronella candles and hanging baskets full of ferns and herbs. My backyard is a beautiful oasis and I spend almost every minute of the summer gardening in my vegetable beds or lounging on my deck.

For this year here is my list of summer essentials:

A Good Book for Lounging in the Hammock. I am reading Wild Romance: A Victorian Story of a Marriage, a Trial and a Self-Made Woman by Chloe Schama. The true story of Theresa Longworth who married and then fought her aristocratic husband to acknowledge their marriage after he left her for another woman. This sassy Victorian woman became a world traveler and writer in an era when women weren't known for their independence or their brains.

Moisturizer with Sunscreen. Obviously a summer must. I use Aveeno Positively Ageless Moisturizer with 30 SPF. I love this product which absorbs quickly, is non greasy and has the loveliest smell.

Chilling Tunes. My music of the summer is Jamie Cullum and Amos Lee. Cool jazz mixed up with some pop and soul and you have the perfect chilling music. I love the music of Jamie Cullum so much I'm flying to Denver in July to see his concert at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Ya, he is THAT good. Now make a tour stop in Chicago please Jamie.

Farmers Markets and CSA's. Support local farmers and enjoy foods good for you and the environment. Looking for a market near you or interested in buying into a Community Supported Agriculture program, visit Local Harvest.

Ravinia For those of you in or near Chicago, Ravinia Festival the outdoor music park is a tradition as soon as the cicadas start buzzing. After years of lackluster musical acts, they finally booked a season worth getting excited about. I scored tickets to Sting and Sheryl Crow for under $30 each. Sure the parking is a nightmare, picnicking on the lawn might not be for everyone (so get pavilion seats) but most of the time it's worth the hassle to listen to great music on a warm starry Chicago night.

Reisenthal Bags. The perfect bags for the beach, hauling fresh produce home from the farmers market or carting books from the library to the house. I have the city shopper and it is my favorite summer bag.

Birkenstocks. Ya not just for tree huggers anymore. Absolutely the most comfortable shoes I own. Mine saved my feet last year with all the walking I did in Oxford. Worth every penny. Check out the collection here.

Hand Lotion. My hands look a little weathered by the end of the summer after months of gardening. The BEST hand lotion on the market in my opinion is Baume Du Jardinier Gardner's Hand Healer. I go through this stuff by the tube full. Love it.

Blackberry. I finally joined the crackberry cult. Disconnecting from my Blackberry for the summer...let's be honest, it's not gonna happen. On the boat, in my garden, I will be connected. Totally connected...everywhere. How did I ever live without?

What are YOUR summer essentials?

Summer Beginnings and Endings

Well it's been an interesting month already, I still feel like I am waiting for sunny summer days. Since I last posted on June 12th the joy of celebrating my son's 16th birthday on June 15th was met with the passing of my mother-in-law the day before. I've been off work and frequently out of town so much I'm feeling a bit disconnected. In the way of trying to ground myself with the familiar I've been turning to the comforts of friends (laughter and support, thanks guys!), fantasy (some good summer reads & films) and food (attempting to eat better when too busy too eat!). Here are a few of my favorite comforts:
1. Water - yes water...I'm trying to drink as much as possible and thanks to my friend Kathy I've discovered SASSY water from the book The Flat Belly Diet. A combination of 8 1/2 glasses of water with 1 sliced lemon, 1 sliced cucumber, mint leaves and fresh ground ginger is totally delicious and perfectly refreshing.
2. Movies - I've lost myself in some good ones lately including the edge-of-your-seat thriller Taken starring Liam Neeson and the fish-out-of-water New In Town starring Rene Zellweger.
3. Farmers Markets - my favorite thing about summer meals is the fresh, local produce you can buy at your neighborhood farmers market. I love buying from local farmers and feel better about reducing my carbon footprint by not buying produce shipped from thousands of miles away. No matter where I am in Illinois or Michigan I am able to find wonderful markets filled with happy shoppers and sellers and hope you have a few options where you live.
4. Flowers - right now my home is filled with flowers in remembrance of my mother-in-law. It's the perfect season to buy at markets and local stands or maybe just from your own backyard! Flowers always give my spirit a lift.
5. The Beach - even though we've had record rain in my area this "summer", it' nice to be just a short drive away from beautiful beaches in Chicago and Michigan. We have a boat at a yacht club in the relaxing boating and artistic area of Saugatuck in Michigan but sometimes all I need is just a walk on the sand to put things in perspective. I've also narrowed down my "Can't live without at the beach" list to 5 things. Here they are: swimsuit, sunscreen, sunglasses, book and a long sleeve hooded dress (Lands' End makes a great one which you can find here)
I leave in 48 hours for a much needed vacation to Colorado, I'll post before I leave and from the mountains.

Must Read Summer Book

My must read summer vacation book this year is Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most Coveted Handbag by Michael Tonello. Tonello's tales of high end shopping thrown in with stories of his past life as an Ebay reseller, hairstylist and makeup artist, he becomes the go-to-guy for acquiring coveted Hermes Birkin bags. Check out his blog and other great links from the website:
http://www.bringinghomethebirkin.com/
What woman wouldn't love to own a Birkin? Last time I checked Ebay, there was a lovely Birkin crocodile bag going for the bargain price of $70,000.

What are you reading this summer?

Libraries all over the State of Illinois are kicking off their Summer Reading Programs this month. Developed through a partnership between iRead and the Illinois Library Association and with the support of Illinois librarians, this summers reading program is Get in the Game, Read! Libraries will offer incentives to participate such as prizes for reading, playing games and attending programs. Local businesses support their area libraries and patrons by donating coupons and gifts for the program.
Summer is the perfect time to catch up on your reading and what better way to support your library than by signing up for their Summer Reading Program.