Southern Style Cooking: The Beach Essential That's Worth Every Darn Penny

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

The Beach Essential That's Worth Every Darn Penny

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The Beach Essential That's Worth Every Darn Penny

Let's get this straight: I'm mostly a landlubber.

Growing up in Texas, the majority of my "beach" days involved swimming in friends' backyard swimming pools, until high school, when we moved and got our very own swimming pool—that I used approximately four times before I went off to college. I'm not a great swimmer, I don't like the heat, and my freckled skin means that I never end up with a bronze glow at the end of the day—more like steamed lobster. Meanwhile, my husband (a non-swimmer, ironically) simply can't get enough of the sun, surf, and sand.

So a couple of years ago, we decided to find a New York City beach where we could enjoy being on the water without loads of people, and optimize our beach days with gear that keeps us hydrated, cool, and comfortable. We're pretty minimalistic people, so watching fellow beachgoers lug chairs, umbrellas, tents, and coolers didn't appeal much. Still, once we found our beach of choice (which, ahem, is a secret), we quickly realized that long days on the sand get very hot very quickly, and thus, it was perhaps time to invest in some manufactured shade. We'd already streamlined on the cooler front—the Yeti Hopper BackFlip 24 is worth every darn penny—but shopping for a beach shelter was overwhelming and complicated by the fact that we are not only minimalists, but also, as it turns out, somewhat vain.

Alas, we ultimately settled on a mid-range beach umbrella in a modest blue-and-white stripe. It's just enough of a pop of color to let us channel our dreams of the Amalfi Coast while being entirely functional for keeping the sand nice and cool and protecting us from the sun's harmful rays. And you know what? Most newer models of umbrellas come with handy shoulder bags and weigh in at less than five pounds, literally a small lift for a day of shade and comfort.

It was just one small purchase that's gone a long way toward improving our long beach days. What have you bought lately that's made you happy? I'd love to hear.

	Laura Ratliff Senior Editorial Director

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