With the sun shining and the kids out of school, many of us turn our thoughts to summer pleasures. Even if we don’t have kids or they’re all grown up, summer brings back memories, nostalgia, and the longing for simple beachy fun. Capture pleasure this season with the help of our summer recommendations.   The Fruits of Summer Berries. They’re so good, and full of antioxidants. Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries. Did we mention that even baked in a pie, the antioxidants are still practically bursting out of them? And don’t forget peaches, another pie-worthy fruit. Or delicious eaten as is. Watermelons are full of vitamins A and C. Ice Cream Okay, it’s harder to make a nutritional case for ice cream. But the frozen treat is undeniably associated with summer. Do you know what America’s favorite flavor is? According to the Food Channel, vanilla is the runaway winner with 29 percent of the vote. Chocolate is way behind at 8.9 percent. Rounding out the top ten are butter pecan, strawberry, Neopolitan, chocolate chip, French vanilla, cookies and cream, vanilla fudge ripple and praline pecan. If you’re wondering what the difference is between vanilla and French vanilla, the latter flavor is made with an egg custard base, giving it a richer, caramelized taste.    

Beach Reading What will you be reading at the beach this year? Or maybe on the porch, if the beach is too far away? Many book reviewers recommend J. Courtney Sullivan’s “The Engagements,” a book about four couples trying to understand marriage and the young copywriter who came up with De Beers’ tag line, “A diamond is forever.” We love books that feature jewels!   It’s also a good summer to reread F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” The recent movie version has spiked interest in 1920s fashions and the beautiful jewels of that era.   If you like a little horror in your summer, pick up “Joyland,” the new Stephen King novel. It features a college student working a summer job at an amusement park and the ghost that haunts the funhouse. Summer Fashions   What to wear while you read a paperback and eat ice cream? We recommend a sundress, straw hat and some simple yet eye-catching jewelry. Silver looks great with a tan. A simple silver bangle goes with shorts and sandals or a pretty sundress. Summer hats call for dangling earrings. These beauties resemble delicate angel wings, and will bring a sparkle to your eyes.