Calling All Beach Bums
It's the dog days of summer. There's nothing really to do with high temperatures and mounting humidity besides plan your weekend escape. For me, this means days at the beach. It is fascinating (and slightly disturbing) that the almighty Hamptons doesn't have vibrant beach clubs where you eat long lunches, drink bottles and bottles of rose, and laze around on rentable daybeds like the South of France, Italian Riviera, or Ibiza. There are only private beach clubs (generally stuffy and boring) and Gurneys (very reality TV). Therefore, you are on your own to create your own beach nirvana. In this week's find, we provide the essentials for these adventures (food, water and shelter) so you look like a seasoned pro as you head to the beach!
App
If you want to go to the beach, you need to know where to go. This handy app provides a list or map of beaches by proximity to your location. It even includes a description of the beach and useful information such as hours, parking, whether there are lifeguards on duty, restrooms, concessions, etc. Most importantly, it tells you the water quality (hot topic with Brazil Olympics) which was the genesis of this information. You may be surprised to learn of a beach you weren't aware of. Of course, in August it is nearly impossible to find a quiet beach, but this app may be of assistance ...
Food & Water
Before you go to the beach, you need to be prepared to spend a long time there. Therefore you need temperature controlled food and drinks. Most beaches don't have a concession stand (consult your Swim Guide App), and if they do it is hard to find anything you want other than Ice Cream Bars. Therefore you need to bring your own food and drink and you need to keep it cold. This is where Yeti comes in. I was made aware of this Brand by two Find members, Matthew S. and Jeffrey K., who were both separately raving about the quality of the gear. This company was founded by two brothers Roy and Ryan Seider who were frustrated with cheap coolers that could not keep pace with their active and rugged pursuits. Therefore they set about to make a cooler that was way over designed and they came up with the Tundra. This cooler comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, so buy the one that works for you. It is incredibly durable and retains ice much longer than you will need it, as it was constructed for hard core wilderness excursions. I say pack it up, and head to your local beach (and keep it in mind for tailgating in the Fall)! Separate and aside, this company has grown like a rocket ship and recently filed an S-1 to eventually go public ... ask your financial advisor!
7 Railroad Avenue East Hampton, New York 11937
Now you need some food to pack in your Yeti Tundra. If you are anywhere near East Hampton, I suggest you head over to Villa Italian Specialities for their sandwiches and prepared foods. Much like Milano in the city, their specialty is the Italian hero. I recommend the Villa Combo (Ham, Genoa salami, provolone, sweet peppers, lettuce, tomato & Villa vinaigrette) if you are alone or the The Godfather sandwich (Prosciutto Di Parma, Genoa salami, Cappicolo, Coppresatta, Mortadella, fresh Mozzarella, roasted peppers, and Pepperchini drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar on a Jumbo Italian Hero for 2 People) if you are more than one. Have them slice it in quarters, so that it is manageable on the beach! Remember to order in advance, so you don't have to wait in line!
Shelter
Now that you have arrived at the beach on a sunny day, you need to immediately get in the shade! Therefore, you need to set up your umbrella such that it provides maximum shade and doesn't blow away. Countless times I have been chasing my umbrella around the beach, really a hazard to other beach goers, because I wasn't able to secure it properly. To prevent this, you need a specialty tool that will ease the process of anchoring the umbrella in the sand. The Sand Grabber is your tool! It it easy to twist into the sand and then bolts any typical beach umbrella in place. You will look like an expert immediately and have secured your place in the shade.
Shelter
Under your umbrella, you need a clean place to lie down and ultimately eat and drink. Therefore it needs to be devoid of sand and other beach debris. The folks at Quicksand have developed a system that removes sand from the surface of the mat. They originally set off with loftier goals: to solve the issue of dust kicking up when helicopters were landing and taking off thus creating a brown out. Thankfully, they have applied this technology to more important endeavors ... like going to the beach. How often have you kicked sand on top of your towel and then find it impossible to clear??? Now, you don't have to worry about your sandy feet ....
If only there was someone to drive you to the beach and set up all this gear! Don't worry, its not that bad and other beach goers will look at you with envy ... consider Swim Guide, Yeti Tundra, Villa Italian Specialties, Sand Grabber, and Quicksand Mats Found!