Beach Staycation at Home




Maybe you don't get to travel to the beach, but the beach is a lot of attitude. Let's recreate it for a weekend at home - 

MUSIC


Background tunes are fantastic for the weekend. Keep it barefoot and casual. Take it to Jamaica, Florida, Hawaii... Consider just the sounds of ocean surf. 

Sade, Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, Zac Brown Band, Dick Dale, Bob Marley.



MOVIES


There's something about folks basking in sunshine on beaches that ignites the tropical vacation vibe.  Consider projecting these outside for a new depth of enjoyment on a warm night - 

projector and huge screen 

"Fool's Gold," "The Other Woman," "50 First Dates," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," "Captain Ron," "Teen Beach Movie," "Bikini Beach," "Blue Crush," "Summer Lovers," "Adore," "My Father the Hero," "Shirley Valentine," "Just Go With It," "Flirting with Forty," "Summer Rental," "A Perfect Getaway," "Gidget," "Point Break." 

FOOD

I find it real helpful to go to restaurants online that at beaches you want to visit, look at their menu. Get some ideas going for what you want. Seafood is an easy go-to, but barbecue of any kind is great.  Go Hawaiian-inspired. Go Cuban-inspired. Go Jamaican-inspired. Just dig right into the fresh flavors.


Stock up on anything you can grill - lime/cilantro marinades, tortillas, fresh fruits (watermelon, limes, pineapple, kiwi, mango), avocado, salsa, rum, Coronas....

Consider cold salads from pasta salad to shrimp salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, fruit salad, cole slaw. 



Below is my Caribbean Salsa - it's amazing on street tacos, salads, with blackened fish.

DRINKS

Whether it's alcohol or not, summer drinks are the best. Sometimes, I just pour some club soda and drop some fruits into the glass, maybe a hunk of peeled ginger or lemongrass, lime.... It's even good with an old-fashioned summer staple dropped in (otter pop from the freezer). Add some rum and you have a fine cocktail. Rum and Curacao are the usual on-board choices, as well as some good island beer or Mexican beer. 


Iced tea, lemonade, limeade, exotic things like prickly pear syrup add a whole new level of fun. One of my favorite things to do is put a gummy shark on the rim of a glass. 



WATER/FIREPIT

You can't possibly get into the beach mood without some water. Seaside fun also involves a firepit for cooking and smore'ing.


Plant some fountain grasses, bring in some bags of sand, and make a beach recreation firepit!

Sprinklers, patio misters, water pistols, inflatable jacuzzi, above-ground pool, pool floats, outdoor shower - all great ways to get your water on.









SCENTS


Coconut, lime, cedar, sandalwood, lavender, citrus, mint.... 




ATMOSPHERE/ATTITUDE



Blues, greens, citrus colors, sunlight, barefoot, houseplants, hawaiian leis, margarita glasses. It's an attitude of plants, sunlight, barefoot, produce-heavy meals, surfer vibe.

balance board

Consider the pursuit of things like tai chi, qi gong, yoga, meditation, creating art, playing guitar, building a tiki bar.  It's an attitude.

DECOR

Hammock, lounge chairs, outdoor chairs indoors, rattan, sisal rug, grasscloth wallpaper, tropical plants, hanging chairs - 


FASHION

The beach asks for pure cotton and linen, bleached denim, and straw sun hats, sandals....

Some great fashion sites for these resort-wear items - 

Billabong, Title Nine, Venus, Ron Jon Surf Shop, O'Neill, Tommy Bahama, PacSun, Bonobos.




BEACH CRAFTS

Bring a little beach to your home each summer.  Elements like driftwood, shells, sea glass, and river rocks scream summer - beach!

driftwood - 


driftwood




seashells - 






sea glass - 






river rocks - 




There's lots of ways to bring beach feel to your home - from Cape Cod sailboat preppie to barefoot stranded on a desert isle. Home should be a sanctuary, a refuge, a place to live our your fantasy, recover from the world, renew your soul. Honor yourself in your home all year. It has more impact than a week of flight travel, rental cars, crowds, and ass in the sand when it comes to actually chilling. 




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