Independence Day Plans!
Independence Day is right around the corner. We’re ready to celebrate with cook-outs, pool side stories and fireworks on the Potomac. Here are our top picks for the holiday, what are yours?
Darby: (numbers 1-5) The 4th of July, red, white, and blue, and Old Glory go together like peas and carrots. If you’ll be visiting friends or family, either for the weekend or just a barbeque, give your host a patriotic gift from Smathers and Branson available at Kiskadee.
As for me, my happy place is the beach and that is where I love to spend the 4th of July with my family and friends. It is one of my favorite holidays, celebrating our freedoms that come from living in this great country, and giving homage to the red, white, and blue. Also, all of our holidays center around yummy food and, although I have stated I’m not much of a cook, you can’t go wrong with my super, duper, easy flag cake.
Ingredients
1 10 75 oz. frozen SARA LEE pound cake, thawed, cut into 10 slices
2 pints strawberries
1 12oz tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1 and 1/3 cup blueberries, divided
Directions
Slice 1 cup of strawberries; set aside. Halve remaining strawberries: set aside. Line bottom of a 12×8 inch baking dish with pound cake slices. Top with 1 cup sliced strawberries, 1 cup of the blueberries, and all of the whipped topping. Place strawberry halves and remaining 1/3 cup of blueberries on whipped topping to create a flag design. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 15 servings.
Christen: I am extremely introverted and large crowds overwhelm me. I am convinced this has something to do with being so short. But regardless of the reason, holidays such as the 4th of July, Halloween, and New Year’s Eve can be rather intimidating. I will take advantage of the day off by doing the things I love — biking at sunrise, staking out a spot at my pool early in the day, and reading through the ever-growing pile of glossies that sit atop my bedside table. Throw in a walk with the dog and dinner with the hubby, and it will have been just about the most perfect day!
Gayla: My favorite way to spend the 4th of July is on the Potomac with friends and family. I like to take the stress out by staying at home and not traveling. And no city has better fireworks than D.C.!
Elizabeth: The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays. My brother still goes back to the parade and fireworks in the neighborhood we grew up in. I never found a similar celebration when I moved Northern Virginia, but when we built our house in the Northern Neck I found one that rivals my childhood. There is a 5K run, a parade down Main Street, and fireworks to end the night. Now I just get to watch them from a boat!
Elizabeth: (numbers 8-11) I’ve never done much to celebrate the Fourth. Aside from sitting out, eating ice cream, and waiting for fireworks to start, I feel there’s not much you should do for this holiday. What better way to celebrate American independence than by piling on your Coola and eating some barbeque chicken?
For those of you who are new to the area, though, I recommend heading to the National Mall — even just the once — to experience fireworks there. The fireworks are of course pretty, but there’s something so wonderful about listening to the patriotic music wafting over the crowd, the sight of the Washington Monument against the sky, the waves of people here to celebrate our nation, right there in the capital. It’s a great time to sit back and reflect on just how lucky we are to be living in the land of the free.
Recommended for your bag, wherever you picnic: Coola Sport Spray Eco-Lux Size ($36), Evian Facial Spray ($7-$18), Hollywood Fashion Secrets Oil Blotting Tissues ($5), and Jack Black Cool CTRL Natural Deodorant ($18)
