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Summer Survival Guide 2014
- When the sun goes down, summer in Vegas gets a little more awesome
- DIY party pool: No lines, no cover, no dress code—and you’re always with the DJ
- 8 summer treats to eat right now
- Julian Serrano’s gazpacho is the ticket to mealtime refreshment
- Summer reading list: A mysterious outbreak, Sin City and the end of the world
- The Weekly Playlist: Summer Jams
- It’s hot in Las Vegas. Suck it up!
- The summer job that lasted more than a decade
Drinks & Snacks
The beverages are up to you, but they’ll sip sweeter in a customized tumbler from QLP. Prices vary based on your design, but we like to keep it simple. Unless you’re talking about food—because corn dogs get a little flash with Smart Planet’s electric grill ($30). The product encourages experimentation with other snacks on a stick, and so do we.
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Beats
Calvin Harris is cool, but he doesn’t mix in Neil Diamond and P.M. Dawn. Let all of the gems (and skeletons) in your music library out with Crosley’s iJuke ($300). The neon detailing is a bonus after sundown, setting the mood for that slow dance to “November Rain.”
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Scene
Elvis, UFC Octagon girl Arianny Celeste and a pantsless Zach Galifianakis à la The Hangover. They’ll only charge $29.95 to show, thanks to cardboardcutouts.com. And don’t forget the voluptuous wildlife.
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Landscape
To give your poolside acreage the feel of a desert oasis, go for Yard Envy’s 7-foot ($160) or 4.5-foot ($110) LED palm tree, and throw in a couple of potted Sago palms from Target ($60). Unlike the real thing, they require no maintenance, or defense against scorpions ...
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Details
What’s more fun than a dozen inflatable pink birds for $15? Nothing. Except maybe a dozen sock-monkey rubber ducks for $6.50. Fill your pool with a buoyant zoo from orientaltrading.com, or make it interactive with a floating table tennis court by Brookstone ($80). That poolside basketball hoop has been up since 1993. It’s time.
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Shade
Clothing optional? Yay! Sunburned ass? Boo! Give your guests a stylish escape from the sun with paper parasols by Luna Bazaar ($7.95). You can even plant them in the ground for a decorative twist.