summer must-haves

well, we've passed the july 4th holiday and summer is in full swing but that doesn't mean you don't have time to enjoy a few of my new favorite warm weather finds.

my husband recently discovered these outdoor "sofas" from lightinthebox.com. the brilliant design (they wrap into themselves once you've finished your lounge) make for easy transport to use at the beach, park, and just maybe as an extra bed for smaller guests in a pinch. i took mine to the beach for independence day and though i'm sure i got some strange looks (my bright contraption is seriously eye catching) i was seriously comfortable and couldn't have cared less. it took this insomniac/non nap taker 10 minutes tops to be off to dreamland.

getting it filled with air is a bit of a trick till you get the hang of it which entails a bit of thrashing your body about as you trap air inside your portable sofa. it's easy once you've sorted it the first time and well worth the effort!

i found this hat in cambria, ca. on a road trip we took down the coast in early june and i'm completely obsessed! it's got a wide brim all the way round so it meets your dermatologist's sun safe requirements as well as your casual style requirements. made from recycled tarps used on brazilian cargo trucks, the company says these hats have had quite the traveled life as the heart and soul of them, the tarps, most probably made the trip from the amazon to sao paulo and back again many times. the story behind the scenes is fascinating but i think the best part of these hats is that they're indestructible, trust me, i can break just about anything. i love that i can lay down or sit in a high back beach chair without the whole hat going sideways on my little noggin. fold the back down while the rest keeps you sun free, cool and protected. hand crafted by brazilian artisans make real deal hats truly one of a kind.

this one i actually played extensively, more like obsessed over, when visiting my brother and his family a couple of years ago but only recently bought it when i spied it at a malibu toy store. in a world where everyone is on a device instead of engaging in life it's a blast to see both kids and adults playing tiki toss. people stand in line to play this simple game and i've heard rumor of drinking games being made up on the fly, encouraging raucous competition. either which way, family time or party game, tiki toss is a hit with everyone.

xo,
gaye.