Tomorrow is the first day of summer, that magical time when many a longing thought turns to leaping headlong into the nearest Slurpee machine, and life upon a polar ice cap begins to sound downright pleasant.
For my money, no outdoor space is complete minus a hammock, and while a seaside patio in Panama is obviously the best place to enjoy a hammock, you can easily set up your own here in the valley.
Target (www.target.com, multiple locations) carries a Hammaka hammock in green/blue or green/brown ($39.99), made of 100 percent parachute silk. Hammaka apparently agrees with me about the need for a hammock in any outdoor situation, because its hammock folds into an 8-by-9-inch attached pouch for easy transportation.
Target also carries a Hammaka hammock chair ($74.99) in green or blue nylon. The hanging chair includes armrests, an adjustable footrest, a drink holder and an inflatable pillow for all your relaxing needs.
And because that refreshing beverage is going to have to come from somewhere, Target carries the Adagio wood serving cart ($199.99), which has two front wheels for easy transport from indoors to patio, as well as a cooler compartment with drain and flip-top lid and space for glasses, bottles and food.
Pottery Barn (www.potterybarn.com, The District at Green Valley Ranch, 2265 Village Walk Drive, or Rampart Commons, 1085 S. Rampart Blvd.) carries a Chesapeake hammock and stand set (hammock, $89-$99; hammock and stand, $289-$299). The hammock itself is made of quilted, weather-resistant polyester canvas available in three patterns, and the stand is wood.
For the hammock enthusiast who also happens to be an avid outdoors person, REI (www.rei.com, The District at Green Valley Ranch) carries a wide selection of hammocks for every occasion. Looking for a hammock you could call home for the weekend? REI has just the thing in the Hennessy hammock Explorer Ultralight A-Sym hammock ($199), a 10-foot-long creation with a patented never-tip center balance, a polyester mesh canopy to keep out bugs and a removable nylon rain fly. Oh, and the Explorer can be folded into an open-air chair or lounger, or converted into a tent should you decide you miss feeling the ground beneath you. All this, and the Explorer packs up into an easily portable 5-by-12-inch, 2 pound, 5-ounce package.
REI also carries two other Hennessy hammocks (the Ultralight Backpacker A-Sym, $169 and the Expedition A-Sym, $119) as well as several other models of hammocks, including the Camper's compact hammock ($13), the camper's deluxe hammock ($15) and the marina double hammock ($25). And there's the Byer Amazonas Banana, Barbados and Santiago hammocks ($49.95, $53.95 and $72, respectively).
Home Depot (www.homedepot.com, multiple locations) also carries a wide selection of hammocks, including rope, woven and quilted varieties and stands from the original Pawleys Island rope hammock ($133) to the taupe woven hammock ($242).
Enjoy some summer hammock lounging, even if you do have to find a walk-in freezer in which to set up that hammock. And look on the bright side -- the great desert outdoors are usually cool again by Halloween. That's only about four months away!
Maria Phelan is a reporter for the North Las Vegas and Sunrise Views. Retail information appropriate for mention can be sent to mphelan@viewnews.com.
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