In the same way that you're practically obliged to eat loads of turkey over christmas/thanksgiving, there's also a seperate list for things you should do over summer. Every year I manage to make a huge list of the things I'd like to get done, but somehow I never get round to doing it. These particular rules should be fun, uncomplicated, and spontaneous to help savour the memories of the coming months...
Here's the list of things to do.... what are your plans for the summer?
1. Attend an outdoor concert [I can actually cross this one off my list, as I attended the Serpentine Sessions with Laura Marling in Hyde Park... we chatted, drank lots of rose wine, and swayed along to the sombre, slightly haunting sounds from Laura's new album "I Speak Because I Can"]
2. Participate in some sort of cookoff/bakeoff - whether it's home made ice cream, watermelon vodka, flapjacks or a simple salad, you can always guarantee it's gonna be fun.
3. Take long, lazy walks after brunch, lunch, and dinner with your friends/significant other at least three times a week - exploring your local area even for 30 mins or so can lead you to find unexpected pleasures in life - or, if you're walking past a park, some additional grass stains, depending who you're with of course.
4. Sneak into a fancy hotel and laze about in the garden/grounds/pool area - since the weather's been more Los Angeles than London recently in the UK, people have been whipping their clothes off at every chance for a bit of sun. So this summer, go one better and try and sneak into somewhere a bit more swanky. Not only will you get a huge adrenaline rush, you can work on your acting skills by trying to convince staff that you are actually a guest and require immediate drinks and service on tap - absolutely no questions asked, thank you very much.
5. Attend a music festival - EVERYONE usually manages to tick this one off during summer. Whether it's Glastonbury, Coachella, or a more low key festival, nothing beats swaying along to the sounds of the summer whilst rocking a cool headband and a beer in one hand. very boho meets hippie hippie shake.
6. donate tired, worn out clothes to oxfam for an instant feel good factor
there's nothing worse than wearing a [slightly too small] pair of hotpants in the dead of summer. although we've all been down the weary road of 'everyone eats less in the summer anyway, so i'll drop a dress size no problem', it's not always that easy, and there's always the fear that the button will pop off at your excruciating efforts to wiggle into them at the very last minute. If it gets to be too much, take them off, and give them away to your nearest oxfam. It will make you feel better that you've donated to charity. Then pop on a gorgeous maxi dress and some ray ban aviators, and you're good to go. Maxi dresses are a summer statement like no other and hide a cardinal amount of bodily sins. If you've got heavy, layered bangs, it'll look even better.
7. Master the art of cocktail making
head down to your local bar early while it's still quiet and flirt with the bartender, persuading him to show you all his cocktails tricks of the trade. After you've flirted up a storm and batted some serious lashes, go home and see if you can do it yourself. Then call on all your best girlfriends to come to a massive tasting session whilst chatting and indulging in the latest episode of Gossip Girl before you head out for a night on the town.
8. Catch up on your reading lists/magazines
Well, this is supposed to be a BOOK related blog after all!!! Daphne Du Maurier's "Rebecca" is always good for a summer read, as well as "Remember Me?" by Sophie Kinsella for all you chick lit lovers. If like me, you have withdrawal symptoms from Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight Saga", grab her short novella on newborn vampire Bree Tanner. But, whether your book favourites range from Leo Tolstoy to Katie Price, make sure you grab something this summer, and I don't mean an ipad or a kindle!!
If, like me, you also have a insatiable appetite for magazines, reach for the latest ELLE/Nylon/Glamour/Vogue to keep in touch with the latest trends, styles, fashion, beauty, and culture this summer.
9. Attend an exhibition
The Tate, Tate Britain, and Tate Modern are just a few amazing places to go this summer for some truly wonderful exhibitions. Most of them are free to go to, and after you've taken in your dose of culture for the day, you can wind down with some kind of lunch at your favourite eatery before taking a walk along the river. Lovely.
10. Have your annual summer barbeque
Now, contrary to general opinion, you don't even have to own an actual BBQ to do one right. You can now pick up temporary BBQs from your local supermarket that costs nothing and are easy to use and disposable [NICE.] Add your nearest and dearest, wine, wine spritzers, vodka, gin and mixers... pair this with a balmy evening, candles, tea lights, and soft music/jazz in the background and you have yourself one laid back part-ay. For candles, you can pick up bags of tea lights on the cheap, but selected candles from Diptyque and Jo Malone are always classic choices, especially the Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir. This candle is a fruity mix of raspberry, plum and pomegranate spiced up with patchouli and frankincense. Combines well with Jo Malone's lime-basil and lime-blossom candles. For music picks, my choice would be Katie Melua's new album "The House". Produced by sensational pop producer William Orbit, it's a step away from songs like the classic anthem 'the closest thing to crazy' but still manages to retain that subtle, saccharine Melua charm.
Have an amazing summer. :-)
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