There is Such Thing as Self-Care: Summer 2021 Edition
I need a break.
For the past two months, I’ve been recovering from the vacation time difference in San Diego, California, entertaining guests, and working at the restaurant with a slim crew. We’re now in the thick of summer in the city, and people are going out hard to make up for last year’s lack of socialization during CoVid-19. It’s hot. It’s crowded. I’m exhausted.
I have a bad habit of neglecting my own needs (this is possibly due to the super collectivistic culture I grew up in and my profession in the service industry, but that’s a story for another time). Even though I started taking care of my mental health two years ago, I still have trouble finding ways to take care of myself that don’t include sleeping in, watching Netflix, and eating junk food.
I’m changing that this summer.
I need ways to rest without spending so much money. Sure, sometimes I go to the sauna, get a massage, make an acupuncture appointment, or maybe explore a new art exhibit. But I can’t do that every week, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to afford rent or food. But I’ve found a solution — simple at-home spa regimens and seasonal food and drink pairings — that can take me through the rest of this busy summer.
The Perfect Summer Self-Care Day Off
10am-1pm: I’ve journaled, meditated, worked out (or talked to my therapist depending on the day), and studied an unfamiliar wine region. It's time for an aromatherapy bath.
Apparently epsom salts relax sore muscles (have I mentioned we’ve been understaffed like every other restaurant?), essential oils stimulate the parts of the brain associated with emotions and blood pressure, and Himalayan salt lights improve air quality. I’m not too sure about those last two statements, but I do feel relaxed when I get in a hot tub full of lavender bubbles and epsom salts in a candle-lit bathroom with ocean sounds playing on Spotify. I’m pretty much good to go after 15 minutes of soaking and a full scrub down.
2pm-6pm: I’ve studied some more and completed chores (with Downton Abbey or a Disney movie playing in the background). It’s time for my favorite hobby — cooking.
I love the refreshingly acidic and juicy bite you get from summer produce like tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, peaches, and watermelon. I know I’m being basic, but salads are my favorite way to enjoy these fruits and vegetables. These are the two I make on repeat throughout the summer:
Tomato salad with cucumber, peanuts, and sesame (serves one; serves two if you want smaller helpings)
Ingredients:
1 Red tomato (preferably heirloom), diced
1 Yellow tomato, diced
½ English cucumber, diced
1 tbsp Peanuts
1 tbsp Sunflower seeds
1 tbsp Sesame oil
1 tsp White miso paste
1 tsp Mirin
1 tsp Rice wine vinegar
Instructions:
Mix sesame oil, white miso paste, mirin, and rice wine vinegar in a small bowl.
Combine tomatoes, cucumber, peanuts, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Slowly mix in the vinaigrette to desired taste.
Chickpea salad with peaches, avocado, and feta cheese (serves one)
Ingredients:
½ Can of chickpeas, drained
½ Avocado, mashed
1 Peach, diced
1 oz Feta cheese, crumbled
Juice of ½ lemon
Black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Mash chickpeas in a large bowl. Mix in chickpeas, peach and feta cheese. Finish with lemon juice and black pepper.
I love both of these salads with a glass of Verdicchio. Verdicchio’s natural herbaceousness, salty minerality, and floral undertones bring out the sweetness of the summer produce, making it a step up from Sauvignon Blanc (a pairing you typically find for salads). The best ones come from Marche along the eastern coast of Italy and cost $15-$20. Here are my favorites:
2019 Brunori, Le Gemme, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG - Although the Brunori family have always grown Verdicchio, it wasn’t until 1956 that they started bottling it under their own label. Current winemaker/owner Christina Brunori works with old vines that allow for more aromatic concentration of fresh green apples, white flowers, and bitter herbs. The Adriatic winds allow the grapes to maintain the refreshing acidity of this medium-bodied wine.
2020 Collestefano, Verdicchio di Matelica DOC: Verdicchio di Matelica DOC, a lesser known site of Verdicchio in Marche, is best known for more acidic wines since the area is located in a high mountain basin to the southwest of Jesi. Fabio Marchionni (who took over the estate in 1998) farms this grape organically and exclusively ferments it in stainless steel. This produces textbook Verdicchio di Matelica DOC wines that have bright citrus fruit, salty minerality, and piney undertones.
8pm-12:30am-ish: Scott and I caught up on Loki or Hell’s Kitchen. We watched a new movie. We’re getting tired. It’s time for some body pain maintenance before bed.
I was a bit skeptical about using CBD in my routine since I grew up in a very sheltered household that perceived anything associated with marijuana as devilish. But I might as well try whatever I can since 95% of my job is physical, I have gnarly shoulder pain and weak ankles, and I also have trouble sleeping. The CBD cream has a calming scent that helps me focus on falling asleep and not on the pain; so I use it every night.
In the past, I often would talk myself out of self-care due to lack of funds and, even moreso, because it made me feel guilty to focus on myself instead of others (again, I attribute this to growing up in a collectivistic culture). But self-care is like the famous airplane oxygen mask analogy — make sure you’re good to go before helping the people around you. There are so many people going out to restaurants and bars right now and businesses are understaffed and need to stretch whatever manpower they have. If you’re also feeling overstretched this summer, it’s the perfect time for self-care with no excuses. I might change it up for the busier fall season, but after I have another glass of Verdicchio.
