BEST Java EVER!

Here in the DC metro area, the temperature has reached record highs – nearing the 100 mark, which means that it feels like 1100 out. As someone who grew up in the part of New York that is almost Canada, I’m not designed for these extreme temperatures. Experts recommend that to “beat the heat”, you not engage in any activity which involves moving. If you are thinking about moving, it’s recommended that you use plenty of sunscreen and consume at least 32 ounces of water an hour to stay hydrated. Obviously, doing much of anything was completely out of the question on Sunday – the idea of going to Eastern Market, or into the city to walk around had come up in discussion, but were promptly dismissed because us here at Best Summer Evah wanted to have a summer that didn't involve a trip to the hospital for heat stroke.

That’s right – the weather forced me to legitimately relax. I usually relax in my meticulously planned out way which involves going on long bike rides or walks, seeing monuments, checking out something that was written up about in the post, or otherwise gallivanting about the DC metro area. The heat killed my agenda. With my fair western New York skin and history of sunburns, I knew that relaxing by the pool at our place was completely out of the question, which was just as well, because the one time that I had been down there before it was a disturbing mix of Romper Room and MTV Spring Break.

I decided to read. I grabbed my book (Kimmmm’s summer reading : Portrait of a Lady, Henry James) and headed out in search of a coffee house that wasn’t Starbucks and had a shaded patio. I found perfection at Java in Arlington, which was located close to my apartment (I did hydrate and sunscreen up before leaving the house). After a huge mango smoothie for and a few hours lazily reading in the shade, I can say that I truly did relax on Sunday afternoon and as an added bonus found a cool new place to hang out.

So I lift my mango smoothie as a toast to this heat wave… may it pass quickly!