Speaking of the Weekend Getaways: Your Beach Bag Essentials

Speaking of vacation. When I leave NYC I pack my Victoria Secret weekend bag (was a gift, haven't seen it sold anywhere) with following: sandals / MIA Livi, sneakers / Donald J Pliner (you never know, last time in Montauk, NY it rained one day and they saved the day!), Sunscreen (I use at least 30-45 SPF for body on the beach and 70SPF for face) / Neutrogena Face & Body, Fedora / Uniqlo, and some fun play cards and accessories (the more fun they are the better)

Beach Reads

And there's nothing like a good beach read, which, in my case - [I thought "Grace: A Memoir" by Grace Coddington was both too big to carry and, I don't like the sand and water get in my books - cause, I admit it, I'm a book dinosaur, I still read them in print and I save the good ones for my future children!] - it's always a combination of something tech and new media pubs like Fast Company or Wired, some intellectual and New Yorky reads like The New Yorker and/or New York Magazine and, always, a fashion magazine, which in my case it's one of my subscriptions, Marie Clair and/or ELLE.

Beach Sports

This is a good one. Last summer I realized that I, unlikely, have to give up beach volleyball due to several injuries to my wrists I've suffered in my childhood and adolscence playing tennis and badminton. I also realized that I get bored playing all those 'rackquet-y' sports, like beach ball racketting. 

But did you know there are many beach games that your family and/or friends can get involved in? There's, for example, Sand Darts:

You draw a large circle in the sand, with several concentric circles inside that one. The players stand several feet away from the dartboard and toss pebbles or shells onto the sand trying to get as close to the center as possible. See more of some off-beat beach games here.

However, Boogie Boards is the way to go! I'm not a surfer - [after trying it out in Los Angeles, where I lived in two years, I've realized that to excel at it at least a bit, one should stand on that board at a toddler age!] - so, I got to enjoy the boogie board experience tremendously, especially in the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean's waves are so high on the East Coast that they are perrrrfect! 

You can shop for them here.

Beach Foods & Drinks

Oh, that's the best part! Amen for my parents' coolers, which they left for me in two sizes and kinds - we now have plenty of fresh sneaks and drinks on the beach. Of course, there's beer, but what kind? Corona with a piece of lime usually the most preferred beer drink for gals. But Sangria homemade mix is the way to go, and the recipe is simple: Use sparking and cooled red or white wine, you can add the juices like apple, cranberry, blackberry - but not the citrus ones as your Sangria should be clear. Add small pieces of frozen fresh fruits/berries and maybe a piece or two of fresh citrus - like lime and/or orange and/or apple/pear. Viola - you have the Sangria mix!

As for the sneaks, stay on the fresh vegetable and humus side: carrots and/or celery sticks and humus and plantain crackers with a smoked salmon dip. You can find it all at Trader Joe's or any grocery store for that matter. At least in NYC.

SPF

Yep, I've already made my point here.

Bathing Suits

I talked about it too here.

Also, per my personal experience, it is worth to invest in one good quality swimsuit once in a classic style like white, black and/or any other subtle color that becomes you, which would last you for a long time, rather than keep buying the inexpensive ones that would not be suitable after the first season. 

My Michael Kors' swimsuit has been lasting me for the last six years! I know, you might think it's boring, but it always saves my day and it's in a such classic style that each year it's still in style. For the fun times I have Victoria Secret bathing suits that do not make me as happy as my good old MK's swimsuit!