Blog Linkup: Summer Essentials

I almost missed this month’s linkup announcement over at The Well. I must already be in summer mode! This month, Meg and Victoria posed this question for us:

WHAT ARE YOUR SUMMER ESSENTIALS?

After last month’s tough question, I was happy to see this one. This one is easy for me to answer because I absolutely loooooove the summer! I’m pretty sure that it’s because my birthday is in July, there are plenty of warm sunny days, and I have had summer months off from school and work for pretty much all of my life. Summer. Nothing beats it. Wish we had a few more months of it!

Anyhoo, so, on to my summer essentials (apparently I have quite a few). Here. We. Go.

1. Open windows. I love having my windows open and letting the breeze flow through my home.

tumblr_m7ba8hrgM11rsb1bqo1_400via

2. Passport. My passport is always ready to go, but the summer is the most convenient season for me to take a vacation, so I always do. Lucky me!

img17cvia Mark & Graham

3. Bathing suit. I do not have an extensive bathing suit collection, but I put every piece to very good use all summer long. I typically wear navy or black suits, but I’m also open to colour.

NMZ14RZ_mkGucci bikini, via Neiman Marcus

4. Havaianas. I basically live in them during the summer months. I know I should probably up my footwear game, but these flip flops are perfect for grocery store runs, lounging around the pool in Florida, and hitting up garage sales. I currently have brown, black, and orange in rotation, but I think I should invest in a red or fuchsia pair. Maybe even a white pair. Beyond that, by the time June rolls around, I’m just so tired of wearing socks and closed toe shoes (and boots!). My feet need air!

HavaianasWomen-Havaianas40000290001356_medium_PRODUCT_TOP_8261via Havaianas

5. Sangria. Red. White. It doesn’t matter. I just love it. I think this is because when I was in my early 20s, I traveled around Spain for a few weeks with my pen pal (Yes, I have a pen pal. Hi Vanessa!), and I was introduced to this delicious summer bevvie.

Apple-and-Pear-White-Sangria-finalvia Love Grows Wild

6. Hammock. I won a hammock last summer over at Lindsay’s blog, and I just can’t get enough of it. It’s the ultimate backyard perch.

hammock-White-Cabanalook at how relaxed I look

7. Ice cream. I love eating ice cream in the summer. When we’re in Florida, my friend Shannon and I stock the freezer with loads of flavours, and slowly quickly eat our way through everything. It’s glorious. The Magnum mini is my current favourite, but I definitely don’t limit myself to just this type.

Product_varietymini116-745979via Magnum

8. Panama hat. I picked up my Panama hat in New Orleans a few years ago, and I just love it. It’s way better than my winter toque!

White-Cabana-Jordana-2here’s a selfie from New Orleans

9. White shirts, tanks, and tees. I can never have too many of these in my wardrobe! I add new versions to my collection each summer (well, every season, really…I do wear a lot of white).

cn9151519the Gap remains one of my favourite go-to tee shot

10. Camera. I got a new camera recently, but I have yet to really figure out how it works. I am really looking forward to playing around with it this summer. If anyone has a good DSLR how-to book recommendation, please let me know!

white-cabana-camera11. Books. Stacks and stacks of reading material for at home and on vacation. I’ve been going to the library every week all winter long, and I’m planning on continuing this habit over the next few months/forever. The Waterloo Public Library is fantastic.

White-Cabana-booksbooks

12. Mozzarella. Any cheese. Any time. Right? Mozzarella is on the top of my cheese buying list because it will go so well with the tomatoes and basil that are growing in my garden. Hello caprese salad, I’ve missed you!

18734e475c3f5c0098996724457d9062via Local Lemons

13. Bicycle. It’s so handy to take my bike around town, and I hope to do it as often as I can this summer. Nothing fancy. Just leisurely rides around town to get my errands done.

a-beach-cottage-coastal-vintage-style-white-bike-hydrangeas-abeachcottage.com-via A Beach Cottage

I guess that’s about it for now in terms of summer essentials. What about you? What’s on the top of your essential list?

As per the linkup tradition, I would encourage you to read through the essential items of my fellow bloggers:

26 and Not Counting
Alyssa J Freitas
soak and simmer
The Not Quite Adult
Carrie Loves
The Yuppie Files
PRBlonde
Knowing Kelly
Something Good
Feathers and Stripes
Cassandra Monroe
Otherworldly
Sunny Side Up
Life Modifier
Leigh Clair
Rae Loves
Rose Colored Water
Rossetto
Fashion to a T
PreppyPanache
Emilie Lima Burke
Ember & March
Business Betties
with love from ellie
Mint Julep Girl
Love Peace and shimmer
Rae Everyday
Little Wild Heart
star-crossed smile
Luv in the Bubble
Perfect Enough For Us
LIFE BY BRI
Sorcha Eleanor
Brikasia
Dreams and Colour Schemes
Elana Lyn
Sequins & Strawberries
Pattern Me Pretty
Beauty and the Pitch
White Oak Creative
The Toppy Top
White Cabana
In The Grey
Taryn Williford
Cooper + Thames
Mrs. on the Move
Magnificent Temptations
Meg Biram
Victoria McGinley

Read my previous linkups here: January, February, April, May. Thanks to Meg and Victoria for bringing us all together again this month.

Design: News from Italy

My dad is currently nearing the end of a vacation in Italy. He was there to reunite with his highschool friends whom he has not seen or spoken to in 50 years. 50! Last year, one of his highschool friends found him on Facebook. Facebook! They chatted online, then over email, then on Skype. So cool. When his friends told him that the highschool friends were having a reunion this year, Dad booked his flight. Can you imagine – a reconnection after 50 years? I think it’s absolutely amazing.

While he was away, my dad texted me almost daily photos of La Dolce Vita. He succeeded in making me jealous, that’s for sure. He’s such a little blogger-in-training! He sent photos of food, countryside, and even a Thonet-ish bentwood chair. He also sent specific photos for White Cabana. Gosh, I feel so proud! He actually reads my blog…and listens to me when I talk about fashion, design, and art!

Here’s a bit of Italy through Dad’s iPad/iPhone, if you’d like to see.

The Richard Ginori brand is well-known in Italy, and dad must have been listening to conversations between my mom and me about the brand. In preparing this post, I learned that the company was going bankrupt in 2013, and it was bought by Gucci. The Richard Ginori collection on display in a window in Firenze (Florence) are very White Cabana worthy.

White-Cabana-Dad-Italy-8White-Cabana-Dad-Italy-9Dad texted this photo from Gubbio (in Umbria), and at first, I wondered why there were two holes in the back of the chair.White-Cabana-Dad-Italy-1But then he sent this one, and I understood.   White-Cabana-Dad-Italy-2He also sent along a few fashion photos (he listens to me, he really listens!). It seems to me that white is the colour of Italian fashion this summer. The photos are from Firenze (Florence) and Sansepolcro (in Tuscany). Bravo!White-Cabana-Dad-Italy-6White-Cabana-Dad-Italy-4White-Cabana-Dad-Italy-5 White-Cabana-Dad-Italy-3A few more photos might trickle in. From what I gather, dad’s been having a grand ol’ time (I’ll spare you the daily gelato and pasta photos).

Design: The Claska Hotel in Japan

If I do make it to Japan like I have been planning to, I would definitely like to check out the Claska hotel. It looks ridiculously clean and calm. The 21 rooms are designed in 5 styles: modern, tatami, contemporary, DIY, and weekly residence.

The Modern:

japanese_room503_slide1-thumb-1260x840-453japanese_room503_slide2-thumb-1260x840-454-1The Tatami:

tatami_room605_slide1-thumb-1260x840-457 tatami_room605_slide2-thumb-1260x840-458The Contemporary:

contemporary_room704_slide2-thumb-1260x840-462 contemporary_room704_slide1-thumb-1260x840-461The DIY:contemporary_room701_slide1-thumb-1260x840-493 contemporary_room701_slide2-thumb-1260x840-494The Weekly Residence:

weekly_room602_slide1-thumb-1260x840-501Images via Claska.

The Friday Five: Pretty Diamond Jewelry

It has been a really long time since I featured jewelry on the blog, so I thought I’d feature some gorgeous pieces of diamond jewelry.

31657091_909725_ED Tiffany Hearts arrow pendant, $2050

30610539_931365_EDTiffany Enchant fleur earrings, $25,600

van-cleef-arpels-frivoleVan Cleef & Arpels frivole between the fingers ring

B6035816_0_cartier_braceletsCartier Love bracelet, $10,800

HPI00585_0_cartier_watchesCartier Tank Anglaise watch

Pretty gorgeous, right? A little bling is always good for the blog!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!