I’m a winter person. I like bundling up in a warm sweater and sipping hot cocoa and snuggling and all that good stuff. 
I can still like summer for what it’s worth, though, mosquitos and all! I’m going on a lot of first dates these days, and hey, guess what! I’m seeing a new guy (very casually) and we’re doing some summer stuff! Here’s what makes it into my summer duffel- and maybe into yours!
Do you seriously not have your NYC ID yet? For Christ’s sake. For free admission to some of NYC’s best sites, you need to head on over to your community library (or whatever) to order yours. This month alone I’ve been on dates to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Bronx Zoo, and the Met – for FREE. You pay your taxes, don’t you? Reap the benefits!
The link is to the one I have, but it can be anyone. Either you’re playing Pokemon Go or your date is. Either way, it’s amazing to be the one who doesn’t have to hunt around like an idiot for an outlet to charge with mid-date.
Okay, maybe I’m super awkward, but I have yet to master the art of the mid-date “oh my God, I’m burning alive” casual sunblock application. I’m not a big fan of spray-on sunblock in general (feels like a waste. Do you actually get much sunscreen?) but for a fast fix, this stuff is amazing. Also, it’s cooling, so you can suavely pretend like you’re a warm-weather person when inside you’re dying.
Summer hits and I become an idiot. Suddenly I’m wearing shoes I would never wear in winter, and I’m an idiot about shoes in the winter. Don’t spend your morning worrying whether those sandals are going to give you a blister. They probably are. Bring protection.
Speaking of protection…
Have you used this yet? If not, it’s time. It’s summer and you’re going to get bitten by something. Put some tiger balm on and stop scratching!
Am I encouraging you to buy this Kleen Kanteen that I own for sneaking wine into public events to share with a date? Absolutely not. I am, however, pointing out that if you buy this Klean Kanteen, you can pour several glasses in and it will maintain its temperature and taste perfectly. Just hypothetically.
Hey, did you know that lips get burned? They do, and that is not sexy. Stay hydrated, stay out of the sun, and stay kissable.
Maybe I’m just a sweaty smelly person. I have friends who can spend a day baking and spell fresh as a daisy and look amazing. You’re going to want a way to clean up after spending time outside without spending twenty minutes in the bathroom with a pile of paper towels. No need to spend a ton of money on wet towels for grownups. Baby wipes do the trick.
Bonus Things that may not fit into your duffel:
Okay, I get that it’s way more expensive than it really should be for being basically a plastic bin, but KanJam is the most fun thing ever. Just trust me. I lugged it to a date and we ended up playing for three hours.
Summer’s hot. If you’re going to make me go outside, I’m going to sit.
