The Art of a Slow Summer

Now that we're deep in the throes of summer, it's hard to believe we're already halfway through July. There are still so many bucket list items left unchecked! We haven't made it to our favorite ice cream shop yet, our August vacation to visit the in-laws is only a week away, and before we know it, the kids will be heading back to school. Already?

We know the feeling of the summer spiral all too well: the season is wonderful and full of possibility, yet somehow there never seems to be enough time to do it all. But as the late July and early August heat settles in, perhaps this is the moment to slow down rather than speed up.

We've curated the perfect guide to embracing a slower summer this season. One filled with time in nature, meaningful moments with the people we love, ways to stay cool, and simple pleasures that invite us to truly savor these fleeting summer days.

Morning Rituals Worth Lingering Over

Oftentimes, in the excitement of summer, we lose all sense of routine. One day is spent at the beach, the next the kids are off at a friend's house, and before you know it the weekend has arrived and you're heading into the city for a concert or dinner with friends. In all of the fabulous chaos, there is something wonderfully grounding about creating a few small rituals to return to. Little moments of calm before the day unfolds, a chance to settle into ourselves and prepare for whatever adventures await.

Sunrise Sips: My mother always used to do this and, to this day, she still does. There is something undeniably peaceful about carving out a moment for yourself before the rest of the world wakes up. Even if it's only once a week, spending the morning watching the sunrise with your favorite beverage in hand can completely change the tone of the day ahead. There is something about watching the morning dew sparkle while sipping an espresso or iced coffee that simply heals the soul. As it turns out, those early rays of sunshine do more than just look beautiful; morning sunlight has countless benefits for both our physical and mental health. Bonus points if you manage to enjoy it outdoors rather than through a window pane.

Read Rather than Scroll: We hear it all the time: we shouldn't be reaching for our phones first thing in the morning. Consider this your friendly reminder to actually put it into practice. Pick a summer read, nothing too heavy, just something you can slip into and out of easily without losing the thread of the story, and make it your designated morning book. Instead of flooding your brain with emails, headlines, and to-do lists before your feet have even hit the floor, spend a few quiet moments getting lost in someone else's world for a while. Even fifteen minutes is enough. The whole point, after all, is to slow down.

Summer Anthem: As you begin getting ready for the day, packing coolers for a beach afternoon, folding the laundry that's been sitting in the basket for two days, or simply deciding what to wear, put on a little music. There is something magical about having a designated summer morning playlist filled with songs that make you want to dance between chores and preparations for the day ahead. The right soundtrack can make even the most ordinary moments feel cinematic. This, perhaps, is one of the secrets to slowing down in summer: finding ways to romanticize the everyday and allowing yourself to enjoy the in-between moments just as much as the adventures themselves.

The Art of an Afternoon Outdoors

We would be remiss if we didn't mention the simple act of getting outside as one of the best ways to slow down and savor summer. Chances are, you're already spending plenty of time outdoors. Between baseball games, beach days, concerts in the park, and evening walks with friends, your calendar is likely already full of sunshine-filled plans. But intentionally slowing down while outdoors? That's something entirely different. This is your invitation to trade productivity for presence for an afternoon or two. To linger a little longer, notice a little more, and let the summer sun work its magic. Consider it a prescription for a bit of solar charging this season. We've gathered a few ideas for staying cool, soaking up some vitamin D, and enjoying the outdoors at a gentler pace.

Ecological Expedition: There is something deeply peaceful about being truly present in nature, which is how we arrived at the idea of an ecological outing. The concept is simple: head outdoors, whether that's your local marsh trail, neighborhood park, favorite stretch of coastline, nearby pond, or even a city green space, and begin identifying the species around you. The tiny frogs darting through the reeds, the wildflowers growing through sidewalk cracks, the sparrows hopping beneath park benches. Bring along a field guide, an app, or yes, even ChatGPT, and turn your afternoon into a little treasure hunt. Better yet, invite a friend and compare discoveries along the way. Learning about the plants and animals that share our neighborhoods has a funny way of changing how we move through the world. Suddenly, what was once just another patch of grass becomes home to butterflies, native flowers, and birds you never noticed before. It's a lovely reminder that wonder often exists much closer to home than we think. Apps like iNaturalist and Merlin Bird ID make identifying species surprisingly easy and add another layer of curiosity to your afternoon adventure.

Open-Air Market Outing: For some of us, particularly the shopaholics among us, there is undeniable joy in getting a little lost in an afternoon of browsing. This summer, skip the fluorescent lights and crowded department stores in favor of an open-air farmers market, artisan fair, or vintage market. It's shopping, yes, but slower. More intentional. More enjoyable. And as an added bonus, you're supporting local artists, makers, and growers along the way. We have two recommendations for your market excursion. First: arrive hydrated. Few things can derail an afternoon wander faster than overheating in the summer sun. Grab an iced matcha, fresh lemonade, kombucha, or whatever cold beverage feels most like summer to you and make it part of the ritual. Second: give yourself permission to buy one thing you normally wouldn't. Maybe it's a hand-thrown ceramic mug, a vintage print for the gallery wall you've been meaning to start, or a jar of homemade passionfruit jam you'll probably finish within the week. The impractical little treasures are often the ones we remember most fondly. Most importantly, don't schedule something immediately afterward. Leave room to wander slowly, linger over stalls, and get pleasantly lost among the flowers, peaches, handmade soaps, and baskets of tomatoes.

Innertube Social Hour: This summer is all about discovering the art of investing in a really good innertube. Whether you have access to a pool, lake, river, or calm stretch of ocean, gathering a few floats and a few friends may just be the ultimate recipe for slowing down. Bonus points if you can get your hands on one of those oversized inflatables that comfortably fits multiple people, essentially a floating living room for long summer afternoons. Bring a few drinks, gather the girls, and simply drift, chat, and enjoy staying cool while the afternoon unfolds around you. The beauty of the innertube social hour lies in its simplicity. No elaborate plans, no packed itinerary, no pressure to be doing something productive. Unlike the traditional beach setup, there's no lugging heavy chairs from the car to the shoreline, no sand somehow finding its way onto every belonging you own, and no constant trips back and forth to the snack shack. Instead, you're weightless, cool, and wonderfully unhurried. Sometimes the best way to connect with the people we love is to remove the agenda entirely. Just good company, cool water, and a few hours with nowhere else to be.

Gather Around the Table

Without long workdays, homework assignments, soccer practices, and meetings that run late into the evening, summer often gifts us something that feels increasingly rare: time around the table. There is something deeply special about intentionally gathering with family or friends to share a meal, stories from the day, and the kind of laughter that somehow only happens over good food. Whether it's an everyday ritual or a dinner party you've managed to pull together on a whim, summer invites us to linger a little longer between courses and conversations. Take advantage of these evenings. Spend the afternoon slowly assembling something delicious, set the table outdoors if you can, and savor the luxury of having nowhere else to be. And because none of us are particularly interested in standing over a hot stove while the late July sun is doing its thing outside, we've gathered a few refreshing, oven-free dishes that celebrate the best flavors of the season without heating up the entire house. Fortunately, summer produce does most of the heavy lifting for us this time of year.

Watermelon Gazpacho: Every summer growing up, my mother made her famous watermelon gazpacho. To this day, one spoonful tastes like summer to me. It's a little savory, a little sweet, and unbelievably refreshing on a hot evening. Somehow it manages to feel both elegant enough for a dinner party and casual enough to eat barefoot in the backyard. The best part? It's incredibly easy to make and happens to be the perfect use for a watermelon that's just beginning to cross over from perfectly ripe to slightly too soft for slicing. Serve it chilled in small bowls or glasses as an appetizer and prepare for guests to ask for the recipe before they've even finished their first serving. For an extra touch, top with diced cucumber, crumbled feta, fresh herbs, or a drizzle of good olive oil.

• Watermelon
• Cucumber
  
• Red bell pepper
• Red onion
• Garlic
• Fresh basil
  
• Lime juice
• Red wine vinegar
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper

Summer Strawberry Salad: If there were ever a salad that embodied summer, this would be it. This is the season for perfectly ripe strawberries, peppery arugula, and meals that feel as refreshing as they are beautiful. Toss them together with a light vinaigrette, a handful of toasted nuts, and perhaps a crumble of creamy goat cheese, and suddenly you have the dish everyone will be returning to for seconds. Because on a hot summer evening, few of us are craving anything heavy or complicated. A crisp salad filled with local ingredients at their absolute peak, enjoyed outdoors as the sun begins to set? That's summer dining at its finest.

• Arugula
• Fresh strawberries
• Avocado
• Crumbled goat cheese 
• Toasted almonds, pecans, or pistachios
• Fresh basil or mint leaves
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
  • Honey
  • Dijon mustard
  • Lemon juice

Banana-Split Popsicles: No slow summer guide would be complete without a frozen treat. These banana split popsicles are one of those recipes that somehow feel nostalgic and exciting all at once, and they happen to double as a wonderfully easy activity to make with kids on a hot afternoon. Simply slide a popsicle stick or wooden skewer into a banana, coat it in melted chocolate or Nutella, and roll it through your topping of choice. Crushed peanuts, toasted coconut, sprinkles, mini chocolate candies, there are no wrong answers here. Once decorated, place them in the freezer until the chocolate shell hardens and the bananas become perfectly icy and refreshing. Store them in a container in the freezer and you'll have an instant dessert waiting for those evenings when the heat lingers long after sunset. They're simple, nostalgic, endlessly customizable, and exactly the sort of treat that disappears much faster than you expect. The kind of summer dessert that inevitably leaves someone asking, "Are there any more in the freezer?"

• Bananas
• Popsicle sticks/ BBQ Skewers
• Small candy or nuts of choice
  • Crushed peanuts
  • Mini Marshmellows
  • Sprinkles
  • Mini M&M's