Skipping to Memorial Day

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Lord it was cold (again) today and even though the weather report for New York promises that the temperatures will climb into the 40s and 50s later this week; I just don’t think I can rely on Mother Nature anymore. She has been such a tease – first promising spring with sweet nothings and sunshine, then whirling away in a flurry of snowflakes and stinging winds. Not cool. Not cool at all.

So, here’s my plan. Even though I know the calendar says it’s March 17th (aka St. Patrick’s Day) I’m going to fast forward a little to another excellent holiday: Memorial Day. That’s right, I’m going to mentally skip over crazy, on again off again Spring and go straight into Summer! (In my mind that was pronounced Oprah style as “Suuuummmeeer!” but I wasn’t sure how to spell it.)

How, you might be asking, do I intend to do this? Like so, with my handy make it to “Memorial Day” survival kit. Let’s engage the senses and pretend it’s late May, shall we?

Memorial Day Survival Kit | Design: Laura Messersmith

Memorial Day Survival Kit | Design: Laura Messersmith

1. Smell: The scent of sunscreen always makes me think of long afternoons on the beach. The Body Shop has given us the coconut for the times we don’t need the SPF.

2. Sight: Mary Stewart’s descriptions of a young woman’s adventures in 1960s Greece in My Brother Michael are fantastic – mini vacation!

3. Taste: Dark & Stormys are the official drink of Bermuda. Spicy, summery, and super easy to make. Just mix Goslings dark rum, ginger beer, lime, and ice to your taste. Done and done.

4. Touch: It’s too cold for a long sleeved tee, but Memorial Day wouldn’t be complete without navy sailor stripes, so while it’s still chilly I’m thinking a nautical sweatshirt is in order.

5. Sound: When I need a warm weather soundtrack I turn to Vampire Weekend's eponymous first album. Road trip to the shore with the windows down and the volume up.

 

 

Image Credits: The Body Shop Body Butter | Mary Stewart Book | Dark & Stormy | Gap Sailor Stripe Sweatshirt | Vampire Weekend

Surviving the Polar Vortex

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My nose is cold. So are my fingers and toes. The holiday lights and decorations have been packed away and the world has returned to its regularly scheduled programming. It’s time to face reality and accept that we’re in the middle of plain old winter.

Welcome to January in New York, friends where for days at a time we dip into sub-freezing temperatures that make it an act of willpower to get out of bed and walk the dog.  I’d like to pretend that the three years we spent in Texas made me ‘soft’ and took the starch out of my Yankee constitution, but the truth is I’ve always been a sissy when it comes to the winter.

Since our return to the Northeast I've had to dust off my tried and true solves for beating the winter blues. These are my recommended strategies for those times when hibernation just isn’t an option.

Bright Colors. Perhaps this is obvious, but when it’s grey and dreary outside it lifts my spirits to wear something other than black. Coral is one of my favorite colors and I wear it a ton when the weather is warmer - it just feels like summertime to me. As a result, my wardrobe is full of sherbet colored clothing which conveniently pairs well with more wintery shades like charcoal and navy.

Citrus. Something about winter makes me crave fruit, especially citrus. Perhaps some latent instinct to eat something grown in a warm climate? A desire to detox from a lingering holiday-food hangover? Whatever the explanation, grapefruit, lemon, and orange are the name of the game when January hits and I'm always on the look out for ways to incorporate them into a recipe. I have a feeling that this Grapefruit and Toasted Almond salad is going to be a new favorite in the dinner rotation.

Mental Vacation. Naturally escaping the polar vortex had crossed my mind, but when an actual trip isn’t in the cards then letting movie magic take me somewhere warm is the next best thing, preferably somewhere Mediterranean. For me The Talented Mr. Ripley is the perfect blend of mystery mixed with scenery, but here are a few more options carefully selected by The British Film Institute in case Gwyneth, Jude and Matt aren't your glass of limoncello. Enjoy!

The Talented Mr. Ripley; Image

The Talented Mr. Ripley; Image