Five Things To Do This Summer
Image by Olivia Gündüz-Willemin.
Summer feels as though it’s been here for ages, although in fact it has only just begun. Today marks the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year and the true start of that bright, warm season. It hasn’t always been our favorite, but as we slowly realize the importance of Vitamin D to our mental (and overall?) health we also continue to embrace the bright pleasures that spring has introduced. If autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower, then summer is an alternate spring where every bit of sunshine is another chance for reading outside, enjoying the breeze (with plenty of SPF!), and contemplating adventures.
As much as we love distance, we don’t always get the chance to indulge our wanderlust, and so this summer, we’re looking at home. Here are five of our favorite things to do in the summer without leaving your postal code:
Go to an outdoor screening, take a picnic. It’s as simple as searching “outdoor screenings in my area” and one of the best excuses to eat alfresco. Avoid unfriendly company with natural bug repellents such as lavender, rosemary, or mint. It doesn’t have to be the most elaborate affair but a nice basket or easy tote bag filled with snacks (baguette, cheese, tomatoes, berries; whatever you can eat without cutlery) and drinks (avoid waste by filling your reusable bottles at home or have the local café serve your drink of choice into them en route), or go the traditional method and bring your own popcorn from home.
Explore local landmarks. Find shade inside your local museums and libraries, ask around the front desk for interesting events or secret passages and courtyards to relax in. If you live in a particularly historic area, try taking a walking tour and live like a tourist for the day, find all new places to escape the heat while sharpening your historical knowledge to impress visitors with later.
Find the water. Take a walk at sunset to the nearest ice cream stand and take your cone to go along the lake (or river) or even go sit by the local fountain to cool off. If your local public transport network is linked to the waterways, look into easy trips that at least give you a few minutes on the water. Nighttime water taxis from one bank to another. Boat tours of your city. If the beach is your thing, go. If you have a body of water nearby, then make a day trip of it.
Learn a summer drink. Make it constantly. We all have our favorite cocktails to get through the sultriest of humid days with, and thankfully the summer ones are easiest to make, too. Vodka Cranberry. Gin & Tonic. Aperol Spritz. Pick an alcoholic base and fruity flavor you like and mix them with ice. Enjoy all season long. For those who refrain, grenadine (or any other flavored syrup you like) will mix beautifully into sparkling water. Iced coffee is never a bad idea.
Take your summer reading with you, or let your summer reading take you. Nothing provides a better escape (except for a real escape, maybe) than rushing through a heated thriller set fifty years ago on another continent, or falling in love with two strangers as they shyly meet on parallel family holidays at the same resort. Explore a city you’ve never seen or rediscover an old favorite through the eyes of someone else, spying on their favorite places and making them your own.
Olivia Gündüz-Willemin is Editor-in-Chief of The Attic on Eighth. She is dedicated to reading her way through the world and trying to stay as calm as possible.
Raquel Reyes is Creative Director at The Attic on Eighth. She enjoys styling photo shoots, dramatic hair accessories, and old fashioned cocktails.
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