Can you believe it's already October? Summer is right around the corner - so here's our top picks for making the most of the sunshine.
You won't be ready for a world tour - but it can't hurt to try stand up.
"Choose a board about a foot taller than you, and fairly wide, to help stabilise when standing up" - Pro Surfer, Sally Fitzgibbons
Want proper lessons? RedBalloon has great packages all over the country - check out redballoon.com.au for one near you.
Beach umbrellas may look good, but it's always a constant battle to re-angle so they stay in the shade. Go for a teepee instead (they've come a long way since ugly grey canvas). It's the perfect home for you and your gear - plus, you'll always be able to find it.
Our favourite is from Banana J Creations, bananajcreations.com.au and costs $165.
Start with big, woven cushions (light enough to carry), which work by the pool or on the sand. Printed beach mats are cheap, colourful and save your towel for drying off. Any self-resepcting Aussie has a cooler bag to keep food and drinks (and beauty stuff) fresh all day. Throw in a few hand held fans - they're air con and bug repellant in one.
Celebrate Longer days with an al fresco dinner on the sand. Start the party at six to make the most of the last couple of hours of daylight, and you and your guests can cheers as the sun sets.
Make it practical: stack milk crates for the table base and when the meals over, fill them up to cart things home.
Because no summer party is complete without some inflatable toys.
Try kathmandu.com.au, the partypeople.com.au, rebelsport.com.au, fredflare.com and bigw.com.au for our favourites on a budget.
Blame it on the Olympics but suddenly we're more interested in hurdles now than we were in Little As. To make it more fun, stick propped up hula hoops in the sand every few metres.
Our favourites are $35 each and you can get them at hooplovers.com
For a game with significantly less face-planting, switch to badminton: one match gets more muscles firing than a soft-sand run. Plus, saying 'shuttlecock' will always crack you up (which means better abs).
It's a grown-up version of the ice cream sodas you had as a kid. Pop an ice block into a wine glass and pour a little sparkling over the top for a sweet and frothy drop that stays cool for ages.
Forget crusty-carpeted old-man pubs - you can play quizmaster from a beach towel
or inflatable donut. Break into teams and battle on with the good old classic, True or False. Way more fun than Marco Polo.
Grab True or False from opus design.com.au for $16.95
Tons more eco-friendly than the disposable kind, these melamine beauties make even cheese and crackers look fancy.
Try typo.com.au, hardtofind.com.au and larkmade.com.au for our favourite finds.
Skipping burns twice the calories of walking and is good for your heart, lugs, stamina, strength and balance. Experts say 2-5 minutes a day helps prevent osteoporosis too.
Get one for $22 from Nike.
Brush up on the classics before they hit the cinema.
Les Miserables $12.95 from Random house publishing.
The Great Gatsby $9.95 from penguin.com.au
Life of Pi $28.95 from dymocks.com.au
Great Expectations $7.95 from penguin.com.au
Chop off the top, scoop out the pulp and add a screw in beer tap.
For more details
check out our post on Watermelon Kegs here.
For a cool treat, make your own icy poles in under 10 minutes. The Zoku pod (
$39.95 from zokuhome.com) is like a portable freezer - just pour the juice straight in and watch it freeze. Try blending the pulp of watermelon with a little lime and mint to make a refreshing poolside snack. As a fun side project, forget the boring plastic tray and serve that on a neon photo frame with bright napkins.
Try outliving.com.au for the frame and top3.com.au for napkins.
Grab some mates and find your competitive edge with a tote full of beach friendly games instead.
Try these ideas out this summer to make the most of the warm weather while it lasts! Happy Summer!
XO Elody Events
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