I’m Trying to Keep My Cool

I don’t know about you, but by mid-August, I’m officially over the heat. I still want to squeeze every last drop out of summer — beach days, family dinners outside, all of it — I’d just prefer to do it without melting! So this week, I’m sharing a few things that are helping me keep my cool, from a surprisingly high-tech bra and the perfect beach umbrella to a cold noodle recipe that requires very little time near a stove. Here’s what’s making these dog days of summer a little more delightful.

I love the beach, but I do not love roasting in the sun for six straight hours. I recently found this very reasonably priced beach umbrella on Amazon, and it has all the bells and whistles I want without requiring an engineering degree to set it up. It’s 7.2 feet wide, comes with a sand anchor and carrying bag, and you can tilt it as the sun moves — which means fewer towel relocations throughout the day. It also has an air vent at the top, which is helpful when the ocean breezes start picking up.