It’s officially Sweaty Season in DC. Here, Washingtonian staff members share their favorite purchases to help beat the heat:
Buena Onda Pét-Nat
“Although I’m admittedly a little basic in my tastes, I’ve never really been the rosé type. But this bottle changed how I felt about the wine, a literal palate cleanser from the cloying memories of rosés past. It is dangerously chuggable and refreshing. I recommend pouring it into a tall glass of ice (sue me) and pairing with a juicy summer peach eaten over the sink.” -Daniella Byck, assistant editor ($27, Domestique)
White Cotton Face Masks
“Because I apparently like to torture myself, I’ve spent most of the summer walking around in a black felt face mask. I finally caved this week when temperatures neared the triple-digits and ordered a five-pack of white cotton face masks. I’m hoping these will trap less heat and it will no longer feel like I’m sucking air out of, say, an Easy-Bake Oven. Plus, with five masks, I can continually wash them and have a clean one each day. TTYL, maskne.” -Mimi Montgomery, associate editor ($9, Amazon)
Drink Pouches
“My fantasy of meeting up with my coworkers for a socially distanced cocktail got one step closer to reality this week when I ordered these reusable drink pouches, which a lot of people seem to use to keep smoothies on hand. Now the path from my blender to my cooler to a good old-fashioned hang is a little clearer. And if a family camping trip is ever again in the cards, nothing—besides an unusually attentive ranger—would stop me and my wife from bringing along a few frozen grapefruit margaritas to enjoy discreetly.” -Andrew Beaujon, senior editor ($13, Amazon)
Water Balloons
“I got an old-fashioned game of water balloon tossing together for the 6-and-under set in my household last week…and might have ended up enjoying it more than the little ones did. We already had balloons on hand, but something like these should work fine. If you don’t have actual kids to entertain, here’s a good frosé to pair with the fun.”-Kristen Hinman, features editor ($15, Amazon)
Flavored Water Packets
“We wanted to try to find something to convince us to drink more water, because of how hot it is—and for general health, of course. My wife really prefers things with very simple, natural ingredients. We came across this product, and it’s delicious.” -Jacob Raim, web editor ($5, True Citrus)
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
