When I was home for the long weekend, my parents and I had a huge BBQ to celebrate July 4th. As usual, my mom made her signature garden salad—with most of the ingredients picked from our backyard. Sure, it's a basic salad, but somehow, it always tastes crisp and crunchy and looks fluffy and fresh.
I finally asked her to share her secret: she uses paper towels to dry off every vegetable she adds to the bowl after washing them. For example, after pre-washing the lettuce, she leaves it in a plastic bag with a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture. She also lets ingredients like cucumbers and tomatoes air dry on a paper towel before adding them to the salad. What a difference this makes!
Do you have any salad-making tricks?
This week, as I waited for the A train in the sweltering underground heat, I glanced over at another woman on the platform. She was dry as a daisy, fanning herself with one of these—a portable, battery-operated fan. I immediately thought of all the things that I carry in my purse to be prepared (a sewing kit, a mini-flashlight, Advil, Shout wipes) but it never crossed my mind to carry something as brilliant as that.
Now, I'm totally rethinking my summertime essentials and the things I carry to get through a hot day in New York. PureWow suggests Evian mist, Shine Control sheets, and this awesome cure for ponytail hair.
One thing is for sure: I'm definitely getting that fan!
PS: An ode to summer in the city.
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This article from Travel & Leisure about how to hail a cab in New York made me smile. Did you know that you're supposed to flap your arms like a bird if you want to signal a cabbie that you need a lift to the airport? Hilarious. There are more tips—and fun illustrations by Michael Hoeweler—here if you really want to learn how to snag a taxi like a pro.
I'm curious—do you take a lot of cabs? Since moving to Brooklyn, the subway has been my chariot of choice. :)
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One month until September? How is that even possible?! I'm working on my end of summer to-do list, now. What's left on your list? Next week, I'll be sharing several friends' picks for how they want to spend the last four weeks of the season. Balmy summer nights, trips to the beach, sangria—it goes by too fast. Stay tuned for several fun ways to make the end of summer count!
(Image via Pinterest)
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