Refresher Course

Catching those rays and making the most of it in the summertime is key. Here are some of my favorite ways to stay cool in the heat, pairing summer jams with icy imbibements.

This takes me back to a fine meal on Brenu Beach in Ghana, sippin ice cold Fanta cocktail in a glass bottle:



A glass of lemonade, don't be afraid:



It's all about Pimm's and lemonade in the summer! Yum. Or Arnold Palmers.

Well, I have to do it dairy free, but the milkshakes at Maggie Mudd are a great treat, as is f(x), sticky sweet Korean girl group sonic crack(their first full length album was fresh out last month--drink it, drink it, power up!):



P.S. I totally dig Amber, the one who fantastically tiptoes along the line between butch-femme. It seems the Taiwanese-American tomboy Kpop idol, barely out of her teens has inspired lezzie shipping to no end!

My deck tanning is always accompanied by bottle of Dry Cucumber Soda. Seriously, this is the most perfect soda I've ever had. It's just a touch of cane sugar sweetness, with a light cucumber fragrance and flavor, and the perfect level of sodium-free carbonation. Just like this Roy Ayers slow groove, it's laid back, not too overly done, and an expert blend of all the right notes, to create a sparkling yet mellow effect.



Cucumber slices in any drink is delish! For the evening edition, if you're in SF the cucumber gimlet at Bourbon and Branch's library bar is divine.

Drink it down til the sun comes up.



Really, what's better than Hawaiian Shave Ice and Jake Shimabukuro's strums?

Another tip for any drinks, add frozen fruit instead of ice cubes (mango chunks work well).
For dessert, I made my own strawberry sleigh ride, mixing hulled, quartered strawberries, a chiffonade of mint and a tablespoon of granulated sugar, then stuck it in the freezer:



A chiffonade of mint peps up any beverage too, especially sparkling water. If you're in Belgium or the Netherlands, Spa Citron met munt is full of win if you're lazy, mintless, or too cheap to buy a 2 euro mint plant.

Inspired by a confection at Gartine in Amsterdam, a scoop of sorbet in your fizzy drink is an effervescent delight. Try the lime sorbet in a vanilla soda. Taste the difference between a lemon and a lime:




For SF folks, have it with a coconut at Trouble Coffee.



And Lipton Ice Tea (with bubbles) is amazing if you can get your hands on it.
It even makes Hugh Jackman Dance (You can see him singing live in SF exclusively this month):



And last but not least, watermelon-lychee drinks with tapioca pearls, are also particularly fab.



Bottoms up, friends!!!!!