The Best Bet
There is no more classic summertime read than Edie: An American Biography. Told as an oral history, the story—Wasp princess turned Factory star turned drug casualty—is gripping by itself. Add in the cultural icons (Warhol, Jagger, Dylan) and the glamour-edged dissolution (don’t miss Joel Schumacher’s description of a visit to the infamous Dr. Roberts), and you won’t be able to put it down. Read it now, before Factory Girl comes out this fall. Try the Strand for an out-of-print hardcover to get the extra pictures, but the paperback version takes better to sunscreen spills ($14 at Barnes & Noble, 4 Astor Pl., nr. Broadway; 212-420-1322).
A Touch of Spice in the Terry
The Moroccan motif makes these bath mats more interesting than the usual white rectangle ($12.99 at West Elm, 112 W. 18th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-929-4464).
They Really Are Comfortable. Really.
Cole Haan’s new line of pumps, including the patent-leather Tivona shown here, incorporates Nike Air technology for heels that don’t punish ($275 at Cole Haan, 620 Fifth Ave., at 50th St.; 212-765-9747).
Cold Drinks Made Easy
These flexible silicone trays come in vivid colors, fit in narrow freezers, and produce picture-perfect cubes ($9.99 for two at Bed Bath & Beyond, 1932 Broadway, at 65th St.; 917-441-9391).
At the Beach, Function Is Fashion
For 45 years, Birdwell Beach Britches have been the favorite of lifeguards and surfers, in part for the swift-drying nylon and in part for the trim, flattering fit (baggy shorts are passé, FYI) ($50 at Jack Spade, 56 Greene St., nr. Broome St.; 212-625-1820).
Channel Your Inner Saint-Exupéry
Even if you don’t have a small child to do the necessary chasing, a butterfly net conjures instant summer nostalgia and makes a great prop in the winter months ($34 at Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., at 57th St.; 212-753-7300).