Happy Summer!
It’s officially the first day of summer, and it’s not raining nor is it 100 degrees – hooray! There are so many things to be excited about when summer actually hits: flowy dresses & skirts, finding and flaunting that perfect new bikini, sandal shopping, 4th of July, amusement parks, ice-cream trucks… the list goes on, including all the refreshing, light, and tasty treats to help keep us cool in the blazing sun!
Today’s edition of Tasty Tuesdays features my top 15 summer essentials followed by a mouth-watering delight from the exotic coasts of Thailand. Yummy!
Top 15 Summer Essentials by abcDanah
- Maxi-Dress: A modern version of the old-school “hostess” dress is seen everywhere now as it’s a total must-have that can suit you all-year-around! Its ease and romantic essence makes it an excellent piece for summertime, whether for day or night. Wear your favorite piece with chunky bangles, a cropped cardi, and your favorite go-to flat sandals (or even better – pumps/wedges!)
- Romper/Jumpsuit: In shorts or pants, the romper and jumpsuit are effortlessly-chic summer staples for all the ladies. Take it from day to night with the flip of a sandal or a sleek blazer.
- Printed Skirt: I’ve become slightly obsessed with skirts this year and printed graphics are the perfect thing to splash onto the piece. The perfect partner for all your tanks, tees, and platform sandals and depending on the fabric, it can look super sweet with tights and booties in the fall.
- White Jeans: I just snagged myself a pair of off-white jeggings from Diesel and boy are they comfy and they look super sleek! With your striped top, a slouchy tank, or your over-sized blouse, this is the one-hit wonder that just keeps on delivering crisp tunes.
- The perfect Tank Top: Whether in stripes, geometric patterns, flora, polkadots, paint splatters – you name it – I don’t have to list every single way you can and will wear this piece – just trust me! You won’t live without it.
- Neutral Flat Sandal: I’ve recently become a busy gal, taking on a summer class, interning for Blueprint for Style, working at Betsey Johnson and running my blog here. With that, I need shoes that I can walk in but still look chic and stylish! These are them! Get yourself a pair now.
- Bold Shades: Seriously, ditch your boring, shapeless – yes sunglasses can be shapeless – shades and grab a pair of geometric specs. I mean who wouldn’t want to look like a chic Jackie O?
- Day-to-Night Platform: Although school is out for most of us, our days still tend to be longer during the summer months, hence putting our feet in major overtime. Treat your soles kindly by finding a pair of eye-catching platforms that you can wear with everything in your wardrobe and walk in ALL day!
- Crossbody Bag: I’m still on the look out for my IT cross-body.
I love being resourcefulI hate digging through my tote-bag to find something, which is why I’m on the lookout for a classy but cute cross body to hold my essentials and just a bit more if needed. I love the idea holding the same bag ALL day! - Tunic Dress: When the heat hits, nobody wants to layer pieces of clothing on top of one another. Since this has become a trend though, find a dress that has layers in it, but stay lightweight in fabric and loose in fit. This piece is so versatile and can literally go with just about anyone’s style, considering the number of patterns and cuts available.
- Printed Scarf: Never before have I seen so many ways to wear this pretty little number than recently – as a head-band, turban, around your neck, braid tie, bag accent, belt – you name it! With so many pretty patterns, it embodies everything I love about summer fashion most – ease, comfort, and fun!
- Finishing Serum/Cream: My hair DOES NOT behave in the summer – it gets frizzier than ever, forms poofs and knots, gets dry and lioness-looking in the worst possible way. To tame the mane, I absolutely, no questions asked, need a finishing serum no matter what I do with my hair on any given day. My favorite ‘frizz-ease’ master is John Frieda – the products smell amazing, are inexpensive, and actually work! I’ve also recently become obsessed with using a moisturizing in-shower mask 3x a week – it works wonders on my long locks!
- Mineral Makeup: I’ve been meaning to do a post on the wonders of mineral makeup and why it’s so beneficial for your skin. For now, I’m just going to enforce that you go to your nearest drugstore and pick up mineral foundation (try to find one that’s absolutely talc-free). The formulas are so lightweight, yet still allow buildable coverage if needed. Mineral makeup is perfect in the summer humidity and heat since its free from chemicals, dyes, fragrances, and other harmful ingredients taat can potentially damage your skin (I’ll definitely do a post on it if anyone is interested!)
- High-pigmented lip balm with spf: Don’t forget to give your lips some love, too! In the summer heat, nobody wants to drown their face with loads of makeup. Instead, I stick to the ‘this or that’ method – that is, I’ll either wear my lips bold or glam up my eyes – not both! Look for a lipstick or lipgloss with spf to protect your lips in the sun from getting dry and/or burned – it’s hard to tell!
- Gel/cream eyeshadow: If you choose to play up your eyes, stay away from powders as they tend to look dull in the sun. Instead, opt for gel or cream based ones to really make your eyes twinkle.
Thai Mint Rolls
Now, I may not have made this incredibly delicious treat before, but I sure have tasted it at a Thai restaurant and instantly fell in love at first bite. Seriously, it’s so refreshing, cool and absolutely perfect for the summer. It’s light, yet filling, and loaded with flavors and above all, it’s healthy!!
Ingredients
- 2 heads lettuce, leaves separated, rinsed, and patted dry
- 3 carrots, peeled
- 4 scallions (with 3 inchse of green left on)
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded
- 16 rice paper (spring roll) wrappers (found at your local Asian market)
- 32 fresh mint leaves
- 32 small sprigs cilantro
- Spiced Chili Sauce (I recommend Thai Kitchen’s)
Directions
- Remove any tough veins from the center of the lettuce leaves and discard; set lettuce aside.
- Slice the carrots, scallions, and red bell peppers into 4-inch “sticks.”
- Dip a rice paper into a bowl of water for 5 seconds; shake off excess water and place on a clean kitchen towel.
- Stack several lettuce leaves on the lower third of the rice paper. Top with a few carrots, scallions, and peppers followed by 2 mint leaves and 2 cilantro sprigs.
- Fold the bottom of the rice paper up over the veggies. Fold in the sides to close off, then roll up. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Serve the rolls on a platter with the spiced chili sauce on the side.
- Serve immediately, otherwise cover the rolls with a damp kitchen towel for up to 3 hours.
I neeeeeed some so badly right now! If you’re already out and having a lazy Tuesday, go to your nearest Thai restaurant and order some asap – I promise you won’t be disappointed. Otherwise, get cookin’!
Comment below on what you did and what you have
planned for the rest of the summer – any vacations?
PS: Don’t forget – this Thursday, June 23rd is Betsey Johnson’s National Pink Day! Take a look at my previous post for all the info and fun happenings going on at Betsey Johnson Tyson’s Galleria with me and the pink ladies!! You DON’T want to miss out – you could meet Betsey!
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