Beach Essentials

It's April...which means it's warm enough for the beach! Yay!!!

I love going to the beach--as long as I can sit under an umbrella, slathered in sunscreen with a good book and plenty of water.

My beach bag is packed (with lots of books) and I'm thrilled to have a lax day with one of my girlfriends (who's visiting from up North).

1. Big floppy beach hats are a must! Skin cancer is nothing to be lax about. This is a pretty one from Sears.

2. Cute sunglasses help with the glare from the sun. Plus, they protect your eyes. I love retro ones!

3. Flip flops are made for the beach! P.S. You don't want searing hot shoes after being on the beach all day. Turn them over and put them under your towel. The soles won't burn your feet then.

4. Do you know the best time to buy bathing suits? Winter. Victoria's Secret always has the cutest bikinis.

5. Lacoste Beach Bag (I LOVE this bag. It's so summer-ey!).

6. I've read this book twice. And I still love it. I saw it had won an Edgar Award when I was browsing around Borders during it's closeout days (sadness). I don't even know what an Edgar Award is, but Tana French so deserves it. In the Woods was so titillating! It's a murder mystery in the present with a murder mystery from the past all set in Ireland.

7. Staying hydrated (from non-alcoholic drinks) is important. You would not believe the number of people I've seen drop because of lack of hydration. And if you use eco-friendly water bottles it's better for the environment. Plus these are super cute. I have one in purple that I love!

8. Sophie Littlefield's A Bad Day for Pretty. Which is another crime novel (but it has a romance in it!). AND she has great titles. A Bad Day for Sorry, A Bad Day for Scandal.

9. Chapstick. Or any moisturizing lip balm. But I like Chapstick (with SPF)

10. Picnic baskets! Even if you hit up one of the great seafood places on the beach, having snacks is always  a great idea. Be ready to fight a seagull.

11. Elizabeth George's 17th Lynley novel called Believing the Lie. I love her series. I might not know any British royal things...but I know who Lord Lynley, the eighth earl of Asherton is (don't tell me it doesn't exist). It's a murder mystery too. There's a theme here...

12. Sunscreen. I don't know how to say it without sounding like a crazy person. Wear sunscreen. ESPECIALLY on the beach. Skin cancer is horrible. And yes..I wear SPF 100. I own that bottle.

13. While browsing TJMaxx last week I saw a medium sized bundle of beach mats. I didn't really give it much of a thought until I passed by again and saw that the pile had dwindled down to about five mats. Obviously they were selling fast. I moseyed on by and saw the cutest things ever (they had been rolled up). They were Tommy Hilfiger and the price was really low (reeeeally low). I have the pink flamingo and green mat. I love it already and it's going to the beach with me.

14. Fun leopard beach towel. Ah-mazing

15. Ok. I'll admit this is a bit extreme compared to my TJMaxx deal. But this is a beach mat for more than one person. Plus is has pockets for drinks and your phone. It's brilliant! AND it was designed by a SCAD (great school) graduate named Julie.

Garden Love

It's not spring yet but there's not much of a winter where I live anyways. The stores have started stocking garden tools and accessories. Most of the stuff is fairly basic (and boring) while some of it has been adorable.

I'm not much of a garden person. I don't really like dirt or bugs (who live in the dirt) and the weather is muggy. But I do really, really love pretty gardens and I really like the nifty and cute garden tools. Almost enough to spend time creating a garden. Almost.

And yes, that's a chandelier (an "outdoor" one). Who doesn't need a bit of sparkle in the garden?

Clockwise from the top left corner

• Room Essentials (RE) Garden Kneeler, Multi Colored. Here
• Orla Kiely garden tools...not available to the USA..boo. But available in the UK if anyone's interested. 
• William Morris 'Cray' Print Hand Tools Set from here
• Esschert Design Rose Collection Garden Boots, here
• Sisal Flower Shape Planter, at Target
• Tea Tin...but I think any tin like this would be wonderful to grow kitchen herbs. Here
• sprinkler, here
• Exhart White Anywhere Crystal Pendant, a la Target
• Tool Box from Alice Supply Company
• Glass Mister from here
• a pink wheelbarrow, here
• Smith and Hawken Wire Basket, here
• Victoria and Albert design (from Wild and Wolf) Garden Tool set, Anemone Print. Here
• Garden for the Cause Kneeling Pad and Tool Combo Set, here
• Water hose from Alice Supply Company, here
• Esschert Design Russian Flower Collection Watering Can, here