How To Maximize Your Summer Fun — As Seen On CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin”

We’re officially in August and, even though the kiddos will be heading back to school in a couple of weeks, there is still plenty of time to have some fun with your family and friends and to make some magical memories. So what are you waiting for? Let summer wrap its arms around you like a warm blanket, let the sunshine spark joy in your heart, and make every second count!

To help you squeeze the juice out of every moment left in the season, I stopped by CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin” today to offer some  great tips and showcase some handy products that will set you on your quest to maximize your summer fun.

Make sure to check out the segment above (or click here to watch on CBSAustin.com) and read on for all the details on the items seen on air!

MAKE A SPLASH IN AND OUT OF THE POOL WITH THESE GAMES & TOWELS — ALL AVAILABLE AT JCPENNEY

As the saying goes, “life is cool by the pool.” And while treading water while chatting with friends is always enjoyable, you can always mix things up and add a bit of excitement to your pool outings with some quirky games — and no, I’m not talking about Marco Polo!

The Wembley Inflatable Pool Pong Set ($90 at JCPenney.com) lets you take beer pong, the boozy, table tennis-style game that’s ubiquitous in college campuses,  to the water. The set contains an inflatable float designed to resemble a long ping-pong table, with each side featuring numerous slots in which to place your beer cups so they remain upright. It also contains 6 pong balls and a built-in cooler so those beers never get hot! And trust me: even if you were a champ in your university years, having a table that moves in the water will really put your skills to the test!

Another great source of entertainment is the Poolmaster All Pro Water Basketball Game ($27.49 at JCPenney.com), which features a floating basketball hoop complete with an all-weather net and an inflatable basketball. This one is perfect for the kiddos — particularly if they’re trying to build up their confidence and work on their skills.

Once you’ve splashed all your troubles away and you’re ready to step out of the pool you can dry off in style with an Outdoor Oasis Durable Beach  Towel ( $50 at JCPenney.com) like the ones shown above. Each round towel measures 60″ in diameter and is made of 100% cotton. They’re available in ultra-cute prints like Medallion, Watermelon, and Palm Leaf.

WHIP UP A YUMMY COCKTAIL WITH JOSE CUERVO MARGARITAS

Here in Austin, it’s all about chippin’, dippin’, and Margarita sippin’ — just one of the many ways in which Texas does it better! Ha!

Jose Cuervo Margaritas, which is now available in Orange Pineapple, is the perfect cocktail for those hot and sunny summer days. Made with real tequila, this ready-to-serve cocktail is delightfully refreshing and boasts a yummy fruity flavor that combines the uplifting taste of orange with the sweetness of tropical pineapple. It also makes entertaining guests during summer get-togethers an absolute breeze: all you have to do is pour the drink over ice, garnish as desired, and drink up!

You can find Jose Cuervo Margaritas at local grocery and liquor stores.

MAKE YOUR FASHION FUTURE BRIGHTER WITH A PAIR OF SHADES FROM DISCOUNTGLASSES.COM

The late and great fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld once said, “Sunglasses are like eyeshadow: they make everything look younger and pretty.” The fact is sunglasses are synonymous with being cool. Many of the most memorable characters in movie history sported signature shades — from Tom Cruise and his Ray-Ban Aviators in  Top Gun to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Gargoyles ANSI Classics shades in The Terminator and Keanu Reeves’ custom-made micro sunglasses in The Matrix series. Pop culture icons like Bono, Anna Wintour, Victoria Beckham, and Mary-Kate Olsen rarely step outside without a chic pair of sunnies. And, of course, there’s the fact that the “cool” emoji is a smiling face with sunglasses on!

To complete your outfit and give yourself a nice confidence boost, you can pick up a great pair of shades at DiscountGlasses.com, which is the destination for affordable, trendy, top-quality shades. They offer sunglasses for the whole family and carry an assortment of styles from “it” brands like Privé Revaux, Westend, Wildfox, Lily Pulitzer, RAEN, O’Neill, Realtree, and more.

This summer, I’m loving the Westend Olde Town shades ($69.95 a DiscountGlasses.com) with their pink frames and mirrored pink lenses, as well as the Privé Revaux The Benz shades ($29.95 at DiscountGlasses.com), which feature a rimless design and bright blue mirrored lenses, but there are literally so many cute styles that you can find a different pair for every day that’s left in the summer!

Need another reason to love DiscountGlasses.com? Well, check this out: the company is based right here in the US, and it offers a 365-day return policy so it’s clear that customer satisfaction is its top priority.

KEEP IT CHILL WITH THE PAUL & JOE COOLING LOTION

August is typically the hottest month — not only here in Texas, but in much of the country. With all the days with triple-digit temperatures lurking ahead, we’ll all be begging for some sweet relief from the heat. Enter the Paul & Joe Cooling Lotion ($35 at Amazon.com), which features a fast-acting formula that instantly refreshes and cools the skin.

The formula features Paul & Joe’s signature ingredient, Mediterranean olive oil, which has a higher concentration of vitamin E and polyphenols than standard olive oil allowing it to keep skin moisturized and firm. It also contains Ectoin, a stress-protection molecule derived from amino acids that safeguards skin against external aggressors like pollution and UV rays. Other ingredients include menthol, which produces a cooling sensation, and peppermint oil, which enhances that cooling feeling while tightening pores.

Not only is the Paul & Joe Cooling Lotion incredibly refreshing, but it also smells amazing thanks to citrus notes of lemon lime, and bergamot along herbal notes of chamomile and a hint of cedarwood.  You can use the product as a daily toner or moisturizer or toss it in your bag and apply whenever your skin needs a pick-me-up.

KISS FATIGUE GOODBYE WITH SFH REVIVE

After a certain age, the term “lazy days of summer” seems utterly confusing — as adults, our lives tend to become even more hectic during these months. Many of us have to juggle work obligations with housework (cooking, cleaning, mowing the lawn, etc) and our never-ending parenting responsibilities (shuttling our kids to and from camp, cheering them on during sports games, taking them to visit relatives, preparing snack after snack on a near-hourly basis, and so on). Even rattling off a daily to-do list can prove exhausting! So if you find yourself nodding off around 2 o’clock every afternoon, it’s time to get a healthy go-go juice that will provide you with the energy you need to power through the day.

I suggest trying the SFH Revive Non-Stimulant Energy Generator ($34.99 at CVS stores and SFH.com), a dietary supplement that increases energy, improves alertness, and decreases fatigue.  Revive was designed to enhance ATP synthesis in the mitochondria, the process whereby energy is produced in our cells. As such, the formula contains three components that play a key role in generating energy at the cellular level: Coenzyme Q10, a powerful antioxidant that our body naturally makes (but which is produced at a much lower rate as we age) ribose, a sugar-like molecule with a negative glycemic index; and L-carnitine, an amino acid that transports fatty acids to the cells’ mitochondira, thereby facilitating energy production.

To use, you just mix one scoop of Revive with 12 to 16 ounces of water, mix, then drink. The supplement comes in tasty flavors like Citrus Punch and Mojito and — get this — it contains no caffeine in the formula, so you’ll experience an energy boost without the subsequent crash.

MAKE GRILLING EVEN MORE THRILLING WITH WEBER SAUCES & SEASONINGS

This summer, we’ve spent many a laid-back Saturday and Sunday spent whipping up ribs, wings, burgers, corn, and asparagus on the grill. If, like us, you think everything tastes better grilled, then you’ll want to improve your cookout experience by relying on Weber Sauces & Seasonings to prep all the meats you’re ready to fire up. The brand offers a great collection of marinades, expertly blended seasonings (the Garlic & Herb is one of my faves!), original sauces, and rubs that are specifically designed to work with the heat off the grill and make your meats as flavorful as possible.

And to make the actual grilling process run smoother than ever, reach for the Weber Grill ‘N Spray. Unlike other grill sprays that can start to smoke or even catch fire, this one won’t — it’s literally the only non-flammable grill spray on the market! Instead, it will keep your meats and veggies from sticking to the grill without interfering with their flavors.

Each of these retails for under $5 at Walmart, Lowes and Albertson’s, so make sure to stock up on them STAT!

SIP AN AUTHENTIC MICHELADA MADE WITH CLAMATO

Forget Bloody Marys and instead enjoy a Michelada, an authentic Mexican cocktail that combines beer and Clamato. The latter is a delicious mix of tomato juice and Tajin, a seasoning that incorporates a blend of chili pepper, lime, and salt. It’s also the foundation of any authentic Mexican Michelada.

To create an authentic Michelada, simply follow the following steps:

— First, take a beer glass and run a lime wedge across its rim until it’s moist

— Next, flip the glass over and run it over a plate or bowl filled with Tajin so that the seasoning sticks to the rim of the glass

— Add ice

— Squeeze in a few drops of lime juice

— Add a touch of Worcestershire sauce and a hint of habanero pepper sauce

— Pour 4 oz. of Clamato into your glass

— Add 12 oz. of beer

— Garnish as desired

Voila! You are now ready to enjoy your Michelada!

For more Clamato-based drink recipes, make sure to visit Clamato.com

FUEL YOUR FITNESS ACTIVITIES & OUTDOOR ADVENTURES WITH CELSIUS

Whether you’re going to an outdoor bootcamp like Camp Gladiator, planning a day of paddle-boarding or cycling, or running a 5K, you want to stay energized throughout your entire activity period. Enter CELSIUS, the healthy energy drink that’s clinically proven to accelerate your metabolism, burn calories and fat, boost endurance, and help build lean body muscle.

How does CELSIUS work? Well, it features a proprietary MetaPlus blend that incorporates ingredients like green tea, EGCG, caffeine, guarana seed extract, taurine, and ginger root. This MetaPlus blend facilitates thermogenesis, raising one’s body temperature slightly and hence boosting one’s metabolic rate. By consuming a can of CELSIUS before a workout, then, you’re likely to feel more energized and burn more calories! Plus, unlike typical energy drinks, CELSIUS provides sustained energy without the crash and without any jitters.

Each can contains 7 essential vitamins, zero sugar, no high fructose corn syrup, and no added flavors, color or preservatives. CELSIUS is also non-GMO, vegan, and kosher.

Best of all, this healthy energy drink is available in an abundance of great-tasting sparkling and non-carbonated flavors. My current favorite is Sparkling Watermelon, but my hubby loves the Peach Mango Green Tea flavor. Other possibilities include Sparkling Orange, Sparkling Kiwi Guava, Sparkling Wild Berry, Sparkling Grape Rush, Sparkling Cola, Sparkling Fuji Apple Pear, and Raspberry Açai Green Tea.

CELSIUS retails for $2.79/can and is available at Amazon.com, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target and more.