Eternal Summer

Summer is without a doubt the best season. What's there not to love? It's all about BBQ's, the beach, the hot sultry weather, sundresses, sandals & taking it easy! Although it's my favorite time of year, by mid-August I'm usually itching for fall (mostly so I can shop for new clothes!). But of course when the bitterness of winter rolls around I'm once again longing for summer. To curb that longing I’ve put together an Eternal Summer Survival Kit. These affordable little indulgences will give me my summer fix....all year round!

#1 The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter ($20 for 7 oz) : It smells like coconut suntan oil and is especially wonderful to use in the winter when your skin is at its driest. The thick, creamy texture and heavenly smell instantly transports you to warmer and more relaxing days.

#2 Bliss’s A Tan For All Seasons Self Tanner ($36 for 4.4 oz) : A vacation in an aerosol can. I’ve tried many self tanners and this the most natural-looking, easiest to apply AND best smelling out there. Pastiness be gone....forever!

#3 Yankee Candle Sun & Sand (about $20 for 22 oz) : If you light this candle, close your eyes and take a deep breath you’ll swear you’re at the beach. No lie.

#4 Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries and Shakes Cookbook (about $20): Summer grilling only? Nah! A juicy burger hot off the grill will be perfect after a tough day at work, any time of year. This cookbook has a great variety of out of the ordinary burger recipes (and fries and shakes). The Philadelphia Burger with provolone, onions & peppers is a tasty cheeseteak alternative.

#5 Red nail polish (less than $5) : I typically only bother with pedicures in the spring/summer months. But how lovely is it to look down at your toes and see a bright splash of color when outside it's dreary & cold? Not to mention red toes look fabulous with a tan (see # 2!). There are so many shades of red out there, but my fav is a cheapo drug store brand Milani in Feisty Flames.

Enjoy!

As Seen On TV

There's nothing that gets under my skin more than a seemingly adorable outfit ruined by a very noticeable imperfection. A cute pair of trousers that are too short in length. Someone's granny-panty lines staring you right in the face. Wearing a chunky beaded necklace...with dangly beaded earrings...and beaded bangles. But there's nothing I dislike more than exposed bra straps. This is one wardrobe malfunction I struggled with often. When wearing certain summer tops it's just inevitable the straps will show. Unless you constantly wear a strapless bra....but who the hell wants to do that? To try & solve this problem I to use a big safety pin to keep the straps from being exposed. But this method was both uncomfortable and constricting. Not to mention you could run the risk of the safety pin opening and stabbing you in the back. And that’s never a good look.

I'm sure many of you have seen the advertisement for Strap Perfect on TV. It’s the little circular piece of plastic with cutouts designed to keep your bra straps from showing. In the winter months when I first saw the infomercial, I scoffed. Who the hell would pay money for that? But by the time summer rolled around, I was having bra strap woes galore. While perusing the As Seen On TV section in Walgreen's one day I saw Strap Perfect for sale. Six “Perfects” for 15 bucks.....dare I? I’ve spent good money on far stupider things. Like the time I was drunk in a bar & gave the bathroom attendant $20 when she gave me a sob story about her dead beat baby-daddy. And that time I bought sandals that were 2 sizes too big while shopping in Capri.....also drunk. But in Walgreen's I was sober (and curious), so I gave them a shot.

In short, it ended up being a great purchase! The “Perfect” is easy to attach and very easy to adjust the placement. My bra straps always stay perfectly in place. I'll even wear it when I don’t need to, just to avoid the annoying strap slippage that can suddenly occur. Strap Perfect gets the Gina seal of approval and I recommend it to all. Who have boobs of course.