Six Summertime Staples
May 28, 2013
Slide Show: Six Summer Staples
For quick picnics these portable place mats from Wren Bird Arts ($16) feature pockets for utensils and a Velcro strap to keep forks and spoons in place.
Speaking of spontaneous picnicking, this durable blanket ($98) by local design brand Fruitsuper rolls up and includes an integrated shoulder strap and waterproof materials—perfect for creating a dry picnic place nearly anywhere.
Dreamy duo Sonya Westcott and Ayumu Haitani behind the band We Are Loud Whispers wrote and recorded their just-released debut LP Suchness from opposite sides of the Pacific. To create the album Japan-based Haitani emailed his otherworldly instrumentals to Westcott in Seattle, who would then pen and record each track’s wistful lyrics. Suchness’s soft, airy melodies make it a summer soundtrack on par with the Postal Service’s Give Up—fitting since that album was assembled the same way. Listen online here.
Eastlake-based Tovolo's SteadySticks ($11–$14) have stainless steel stakes, which can be firmly inserted into park lawns or sandy beaches, giving picnickers a safe place to set wineglasses between sips.
Luna Sandals's minimalist footwear design uses sustainable materials and manufacturing practices but is made to stand up to 100-mile ultra-marathons and hikes through brutal terrain—or, you know, just strolling around the city. You can make your own footwear with a DIY sandal kit starting at $25, or just spring for Luna’s most popular Mono sandal (pictured) for $75.
Husband-and-wife team Will Lemke and Vanessa Resler launched their dairy-free ice pop business Six Strawberries—Seattle’s first licensed bicycle-powered food cart—in early summer 2012. This summer find them peddling six-plus rotating flavors ($3 each), including Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Blueberry Lemonade around South Lake Union all summer or at select neighborhood farmers markets
