Summer is the ideal time to grab your friends, head to the park and soak up the sunshine—especially with the 4th of July right around the corner. Nothing beats chatting under the shade of a tree and enjoying good food with even better company. Best of all? You don’t have to clean up your pad after the party’s over! Here’s how to plan the perfect picnic. Just don’t forget the bug spray!

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Wine is a great drink to serve if your hosting a party and a perfect gift to graciously thank other's in charge of holiday festivities. Here's an easy guide on how to pick the perfect wine. First things first, you should always taste a wine before making any commitment to purchasing. Try visiting your local wine store to catch weekly tastings. This is especially important if you are planning to buy in bulk for parties! There are three basic steps to tasting your wine:

If you're anything like us, you hate slaving away in the kitchen when the temperatures start rising. Beat the heat with these delicious, low-maintenance recipes that are perfect for the dog days of summer. Best part? You won't even need to touch the stove! The recipes below each serve 4-6 people and only take about 30 minutes to prepare. Served all together, this a great menu for a light and healthy summer dinner. Buen Provecho!

TRADITIONAL GAZPACHO:

Ingredients

Recent studies have shown that having flowers in a room can help improve emotional health by triggering happy emotions and feelings of satisfaction.The best bet is to place flowers in high traffic areas of your home like the foyer, kitchen, living room or dining room. Fresh cut flowers are a budget-friendly way to add some color and fragrance to your home and nothing says “Welcome to mi casa” like a beautiful floral display!

Florist Sonia Ochoa gives us the 411 on how to hook up an amazing floral arrangement on your own: