Summer Have-tos

Summer is upon us and we all want to feel fully immersed in all the season has to offer.  This is my list of things to make your summer totally cool.  

Uber cabs 

Luxury sedans at the price of a taxi.  You put in your beginning and ending destinations and watch the map as your driver approaches your door.  You pay by credit card so no need to stop at the ATM while the meter runs, you get the name and picture of your driver so you know who to expect (reassuring for late night cab rides, ladies) and you can rate the driver when all is said and done.  Just remember, he can rate you too.  So if you've had one too many cocktails and haven't got your sea legs you may wanna just flag down a good ol' yellow taxi.  
 


They've got an app for Androids and iPhones.  Uber services cities in the US and abroad.  Check them out!

Caleche eau de toilette by Hermes

A little pricey but a perfect summer scent - clean, light and airy, with a hint of florals.  I left my perfume at home on accident during my last visit to my mom's.  Mom being Mom, she told me I could borrow hers.  I'd never noticed this particular perfume before, way up on the top shelf like an old abandoned toy.  I figured since not a drop was missing (despite its having been there for a super long time), it must've smelled terrible.  Boy was I wrong.  One spritz and I was in love.  I felt transported to a heavenly smelling place of florals and freshness. ( I love my husband but at my house I always seem to be chasing the fresh clean smell I had when I lived solo.  Oh well, I traded heavenly scents for love.)  But I was drunk on Hermes and I couldn't get enough.  I spritzed after showering and when the summer sun had me glistening with sweat, that fresh flowery scent wafted from my skin, evaporating into thin air.  When it wore off I would think about it, fighting the temptation for another spray. I didn't want to waste a drop!  What if I needed that tomorrow for a nice dinner out or some happy hour drinks?!  The perfume was not mine to keep and the thought of my very own bottle tickled me silly.  (My make up brushes still smell like it so for just a wee bit longer I get my own scent of heaven each morning now that I'm home.)

We never picture our mothers as once leading the trends, with hip accessories and fashion-forward style.  This perfume solidified all I'd heard about my mom back in her 20s - stylish, trendsetting and apparently smelling like a little piece of heaven  all the while.  She was albeit...Cool.  She said I could keep it and bring it home with me but that just didn't seem right.  Stealing a piece of heaven?  Bad karma.  I'm definitely saving for some of this and you should too.  If we all wear it the world would be a lovely smelling place. ;)  Worth the splurge!  Go here to get your very own bottle of heaven.

Ice Cream

Don't know about you but nothing's better after a hot summer day than a little,  a lot of sweet, cold melting ice cream.  My go-to is chocolate soft serve, what's yours?  Does anyone else love ice cream best when it melts a little, kinda like a milkshake??  Soooo good, mmm!!

A Good Read

There's nothing like losing yourself in a good book.  Whether you like easy, mindless reads or deep, thoughtful ones choose one that will keep your interest.  Great for traveling, sitting on the beach or out in the yard grab that book (or mag) and get started.  You'll be glad you did.  

Here are some of my favs:

Love in the Time of Cholera

The Great Gatsby (and not because the movie just came out, it really is good) 

Get your tan on and read a little!

Pampelonne Sparkling Wine

When I studied abroad in Australia I was astounded at how many drinks came in cans - they also had drive through liquor stores (!) - which we frequented often.  I never dreamt drinks in cans (besides beer) would come to the U.S.  But here she is America, and just in time for summer.

Housed in pink, white and green cans, this wine is not just delicious but fashionable.  Pampelonne's Rosé Lime is set to launch any day now with Sangria and Bellini on the way for fall and winter.  About $15.00 gets you four of the prettiest little cans of sparkling wine you ever did see.   Ok so I've never tasted it, but it's wine, it has to be good!  I cannot wait to get my hands on some.  I plan on giving this as a gift to my favorite cousin in a few weeks for her birthday.  C'mon Pampelonne get those cans up and ready, summer's here and time's, ahem, wine's, a-wastin!  Once it's up and running you can place your online order here. 





Uptown Cheapskate and Plato's Closet
Need to make some room in that closet of yours so you can hit those summer sales??  Grab an hour or two, clean out your closet and bring it on down to Uptown Cheapskate and Plato's Closet. 




My newest favorite places, both stores will buy back your clothes for cash or store credit.  Take that money and buy yourself something fresh and new to fill up that newly emptied closet.  Or, scour the racks for some new digs.  Uptown is always my first stop as their clothes are usually more high-end and whatever's leftover goes to Plato's Closet which is younger in terms of style and price.  Last stop after that?  Goodwill.  Someone should get use out of all this stuff so why not share with others?  And if you can get cash for it, why not - no harm in that! The better the condition of the clothes and the more stylish they are the more they are worth. Uptown is not as widespread as Plato's Closet but you can check out their websites here and here.   

Now you've got the stuff necessary for a sweet summer, and that my friends, is worth a glass of champagne. 

*All pics from Google images

All American - Not Just for the Homegrown

You want a burger? No. Do you REALLY want a burger? A melt in your mouth, just the right amount of onions and ketchup, cheese melted to the bread, perfectly grilled burger???

Then you must, you MUST take a visit to All-American Burger on Long Island. (http://allamericanhamburger.us/menu.php) Everyone from all over Long Island knows and raves about it and it is frequented by many celebrities who grew up in the area (including Jerry Seinfeld and Alec Baldwin).

It's styled after a 1960s burger joint and it tastes phenomenal. Ok I take that back, it is heavenly. It looks just like it did in the 1960s and is still run by the Vutaggio family. The line stretches down the street, especially in the summer, and people are willing to wait a long time for that perfect burger. And in NY that's saying something! Established in 1963 well before the Shake Shack, this place has great burgers and fries, a family atmosphere, and offers up a little piece of the past.

The perfect way to enjoy their burgers is to spend the day at one of LI's south shore beaches, stopping here for dinner with friends and fam.

So you're probably wondering why I'm telling you about this great summer burger joint in the fall. The secret to avoiding the crowds is to go in the fall and winter. There's still a line, it just doesn't stretch around the block. But if you go off-season you must make a solemn promise to return again in the summer, just for the crowded, summer experience which has become ingrained in so many Long Islanders' summer memories.

It's Soup-Naziesque in the sense that you need to be ready to order when you're called upon. Otherwise those hungry impatient New Yorkers on line behind you will descend. My advice? Get the Double Double and fries, which are cut from potatoes and fried up on the spot. No frozen bag-fries here! If you just get a regular burger, trust me, you'll wish you had more. A simple menu for simply delish food. And if you're one of "those" people who like mustard on their burgers or have lots of special requests you may not get the full burger-heaven experience that is All-American. Go big or go home here folks. (Check out their menu here: http://allamericanhamburger.us/menu.php)

After devouring the delicious greasiness and offering up a prayer of thanks to the burger gods, you must head next door to Marshall's Ice Cream Bar for a sundae, or better yet, a milkshake. Also retaining its 1960s appearance, I can't think of a better way to end a beach day! And that my friends, is worth a glass of champagne!