7 Ways to Entertain Yourself

Whip Up Some Party Pops

Who says all cocktails must be served in a glass? Get your soiree started with cocktail popsicles like the Peach and Prosecco ice pops from chef Lindsay Larick of Fresher than Fresh Snow Cones.

INGREDIENTS
amp#149; 3 cups unsweetened white grape juice
amp#149; 1 cup prosecco (or ginger beer for a juice nonalcoholic version)
amp#149; 3 tbsp lemon juice
amp#149; 6 peaches, sliced
DIRECTIONS
Combine grape juice, prosecco, and lemon juice in a container with a pour spout. Place 1 or 2 peach slices in each ice pop mold (we like Progressive's Frozen Pop Maker, $21; amazon.com). Gently pour liquid over the peaches. Cover mold with aluminum foil, secure your Popsicle sticks, and freeze for at least 12 hours.

Score a Deal

Take advantage of tax-free shopping days and priced-to-sell summer goods before the back-to-school shoppers invade. Redecorate your outdoor living space with bright all-weather furniture and accessories, snap up discounted bathing suits and sandals before the fall merchandise moves in and don't miss the chance to try out summer trends like cutoff shorts and rompers in bold prints.

Biscayne wire chair in green, $315;

peddlersdesign.com
Outdoor pillow in yellow haze, $25; potterybarn.com

Picnic Like a Pro

Get serious about this favorite summer pastime. Packing a bright quilt, insulated bento boxes, (unbreakable) plates, and an iPod dock will make you the best-prepared picnic-er on the scene. Fend off Uninvited guests with the iPhone app that claims to emit insect-repelling frequencies.

54'' x 68'' cotton quilt, Utility Canvas $125;

Indulge Your Inner Vamp

Fang fever rages on this summer. New episodes of HBO's True Blood bring the Bon Temps hotties back into your life. And we're sure we don't have to remind you to mark your calendars for June 30th, when The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (finally!) lands in theaters.

Get Moving

With tons of tools available for road-tripping, there's never been a better time to hit the road. Visit free-attractions.com for a list of no-fee fun spots and get printable maps and travel tips from roadtripamerica.com. Pet-friendly programs from Jet Blue and Kimpton Hotels make it easy to bring Fido along. Opting for a stay-cation? Get a taste of the great outdoors in your own backyard on a long bike ride.

Ticino 8D bike in Wintermint, $800;

electrabike.com

Take In a Hot Concert

Whatever your taste in music, there's a live show stopping in a city near you this summer. Lady Gaga's packing up her costumes and over-the-top stage props for her 41-date North American "Monster Ball Tour," but if you're a little more country you can see The Eagles, The Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban all on the same night when they team up for an eight-stop tour.

Kick Up Your Feet

Catch up on your leisure time! Slip on a mood-mellowing lavender eye pillow and swing yourself to sleep in a handmade hammock. Or forgo the nap and dig into one of summer's must-reads: The Recessionistas by Alexander Lebenthal, Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner or Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis.

Handmade cotton hammock, $115;

tenthousandvillages.com