Issue link: https://www.cominghomemag.com/i/1127311
Summer means something different for all of us. For me, it evokes memories of sweet watermelon from my grandmother's farm and childhood road trips in the family RV. A friend of mine spent the summers of her childhood traveling to the beach. Her family commemorated every trip by purchasing a bottle of local sand. She tells the story that she felt each grain of sand in the bottle represented a moment of goodness she experienced during her trip. A few weeks ago, we hosted a brunch and photoshoot for our grazing table feature (P. 8) and our beautiful cover. It was the first nice day of the year—the sun was shining, and everyone was so happy to be outside without a jacket, enjoying each other's company—and I couldn't help but think about my friend and those bottles of sand. I wanted to find a way to capture all the goodness of this experience and bottle it up for our readers the same way my friend had captured so many sand bottles as a kid. So, I polled the staff to see what they loved about summer, and the result is this issue. It's chock- full of the things that our team loves about summer, along with all the staple content you know and enjoy, plus some very powerful features that show the value of community in good times and bad. This issue truly has something for everyone. We shed light on trashtagging—the latest social media movement everyone in your community can rally around (P. 4)—teach you about the community trend replacing the traditional potluck, and we got three sommeliers to tell us everything you've ever wanted to know about wine (P. 16). Whether your focus is on improving your home, improving your relationship with neighbors, or you simply want to pass the time, think of this issue as your literary bottle of sand—a tiny capsule of goodness and a welcome companion you can enjoy all summer long. In This Issue COVER FEATURES Parlor Talk What is Your Dream Vacation? Upkeep Inspect Your Deck Amazing Graze The Latest Trend Every Community Should Try This Season 5 Questions with a Sommelier Sommeliers Spill Their Secrets Pinch of Goodness ������������������������������������������������ 4 Value-Add ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 4 Design Trends ������������������������������������������������������������� 7 Pass The Time ���������������������������������������������������������� 12 Swim4Elise ����������������������������������������������������������������� 14 Sleep Sense ��������������������������������������������������������������� 18 Pristine Community ������������������������������������������� 18 Ask a CAM ������������������������������������������������������������������ 19 I Swore I'd Never Live in an HOA ������������������������������������������������������������������� 20 Food & Entertainment ������������������������������������ 22 Standing in the Gap ������������������������������������������ 24 Helen Eden Carona Editor-in-Chief cominghomemag@associaonline�com EDITOR'S LETTER P. 5 ....... P. 6 ....... P. 8 ........ P. 16 ...... 3