After seeing a post about summer to-do lists on Gala Darling last week, I decided that it is about time that I get my own started. In my opinion, New York City is one of the best places to be during the summer. Sure, it’s really hot (I mean, SWELTERING hot sometimes!), but this city really comes alive during the summer months. The parks turn into beaches with people sprawled out on the grass in bathing suits and shades, any restaurant with a tiny piece of sidewalk to spare opens a “patio” out front, and people actually go out and do things after work instead of rushing home to hide away from the weather.
1. Go to the beach — It is really, insanely easy to get to lots of beaches from here, both in New York and New Jersey. Last year, I spent one day at the Jersey shore (no, not that Jersey Shore) and that was it. I grew up about 30 minutes from a beach, and some of my best childhood memories involve spontaneous mid-week trips to the beach with my mom where I ate too much salt water taffy and dove headfirst into the freezing Atlantic.
2. Devote more time to writing — I’m buying myself a new notebook this week and doing things the old-fashioned way. It’s amazing to me how many of my creative ideas when I was younger came from doodles and random notes scrawled in notebooks. I think I need to get away from the computer, sit myself down in the sunshine and let myself be one with the blank page again!
3. Take advantage of SummerStage — SummerStage is really one of New York’s best summer programs… they provide a ton of free events, from comedy shows to concerts. I used to go more often when I was in college, but last summer I didn’t go to one event!
4. Learn how to make a perfect margarita — I love cooking and baking, but one area that I haven’t explored much is making cocktails. I chose a margarita for this list, since margaritas are the perfect compliment to a warm summer night and a group of good friends.
5. Laugh more often — Sometimes the weather can really dictate your mood, and since it has been cold here since November, I’m really tired of being in a blah mood! This summer, I want to focus on more of the things that make me smile which means spending more time around the people I care about, trying and learning about new things, and trying not to take life too seriously!
Photo Credits (from top to bottom): (1) National Archives, (2) found_drama , (3) Lilia
City Coeur 
