24. Catch a classic flick, like “The Goodbye Girl” and “Bonnie and Clyde,” at Bryant Park’s summer film festival every Monday, now through August. I always look to old movies, like these classic eight films, for inspiration in terms of style, fashion, décor, and, of course, jewelry.

23. Throw a party and entertain with your vintage dishware. This is your chance to showcase the amazing pieces you’ve inherited or collected over time. When I have people over, I love to take out my old teapots, glassware, and plates.

22. Follow these five simple rules for taking memorable photos of your family while on vacation or just relaxing at home.

21. Send someone you love a postcard with a handwritten note. It’s so rare for people to put a pen to paper and snail mail a letter these days that when they do, it’s really a sweet and sentimental gesture. The postcard itself becomes a great keepsake that allows you to fondly reminisce the past.

20. Host a picnic featuring heirloom recipes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients from local markets. Consider asking your guests to help you create the unique menu where each person shares a dish they have either inherited or turned into their specialty over time.

19. Hang your sheets out to dry. The sweet smell of air-dried fabric is a pleasant reminder that it’s summer even when you’re indoors.

18. Order a refreshing cocktail at the legendary Bemelmans Bar located in The Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan. Named after the creator of the world-famous children’s book series Madeline, this historic upscale bar features a beautiful hand-painted, large-scale mural on its 80-year-old walls.

17. Catch butterflies in a net during the day or fireflies in an old jelly jar at night. Then let them go and watch them fly away flapping their beautiful wings or flashing their bright lights seemingly with renewed vigor.

16. Enjoy a classic hot dog at New York’s Coney Island (pictured above), where many say the famous summer snack was born in the 1870s.

15. Go for a leisurely stroll along the High Line (pictured above), a 1.45-mile greenway lined with wildflowers and native shrubs, sleek sculptures, wooden benches and chaises overlooking the Hudson River in New York.

14. Share your best summer memories with family and friends using a digital frame or portable slide projector, both of which beautifully set the stage for all your vivid photo stories.

13. Sit outside and paint a picture with your kids using crayons, ribbons, glitter or whatever you have handy. Thenframe your kids’ artwork and hang it on a wall in your hallway, bedroom, even bathroom—anywhere you can enjoy it every single day. Whenever you look at it, you will remember that special day you shared together.

12. Forget Facebook, just for a moment, and pick up the phone or set up a lunch date with an old friend to catch up. Seeing, hearing, and being able to reach over and hug someone is so important. You don’t want to lose that personal touch.

11. Enjoy some al fresco entertainment such as free music and dance on the plazas at Lincoln Center as part of its 40th annual “Out of Doors” summer series, starting July 28th through August 15th.

10. Play catch with your dog and take pictures of the wonderful everyday moment. Because our pets are part of our family, it’s important to include these furry or feathered companions in our family photos. It marks a time in your life when they made you so happy.

9. Do a little spring cleaning in the summer. I love to sit down and sift through piles of papers, drawers, and closets. Each time I do this, I inevitably wind up reminiscing about a photo, button, drawing, or old camp letter that instantly sends me back to a moment in time when my kids, now adults, were little.

8. Collect seashells at the local beach, then later use them to create pretty tabletop décor by placing them throughout the table or at the center on a bit of sand. Or better yet, use the seashells in place of a plate: my mom once used these large clam shells she had thoroughly cleaned to serve a French scallop appetizer. They were such a crowd-pleaser that she continued to use them for years and probably still has them today.

7. Book a last-minute flight (sign up for Travelocity’s weekly newsletter Travelzoo to find the best deals) to my favorite historic cities: Florence (meet local artisans), London (see the longest-running stage production in the world) or Paris (taste melt-in-your-mouth macaroons).

6. Be bold with your summer jewelry. Costume jewelry can add just a bit of fun to any look. I almost always get compliments when I pair this beautiful, long vintage black, plastic necklace that I bought in London with my gold layered necklaces.

5. Sit outside with a stack of your favorite magazines. Every Sunday afternoon, I spend hours ripping out beautiful or inspiring articles about fashion or whatever catches my eye.

4. Change your camera setting to black & white. Losing the color can also eliminate distractions, like the subjects’ clothes or the day’s weather, and keep focus on the particular moment captured. Also, don’t stop clicking. Photos of your family blinking, talking, crying, sneezing, turning around or walking away often make some of the most amusing and nostalgic memories.

3. Learn how to use the iPad!

2. Jazz up your summer look with a colorful Pucci scarf, stylish Repetto flats, a pair of flattering Ray-Ban sunglasses, or any of these great vintage fashion finds on eBay.

1. Create a space that you want to live in. Your home is like no other. Why not fill it with reminders, at every turn, that this is so? Check out my book Living with What You Love for ways to add warmth and love to rooms by celebrating what you cherish most—be it family, pets, jewelry, books, or travel.

4. Change your camera setting to black & white. Losing the color can also eliminate distractions, like the subjects’ clothes or the day’s weather, and keep focus on the particular moment captured. Also, don’t stop clicking. Photos of your family blinking, talking, crying, sneezing, turning around or walking away often make some of the most amusing and nostalgic memories.

3. Learn how to use the iPad!

2. Jazz up your summer look with a colorful Pucci scarf, stylish Repetto flats, a pair of flattering Ray-Ban sunglasses, or any of these great vintage fashion finds on eBay.

1. Create a space that you want to live in. Your home is like no other. Why not fill it with reminders, at every turn, that this is so? Check out my book Living with What You Love for ways to add warmth and love to rooms by celebrating what you cherish most—be it family, pets, jewelry, books, or travel.

Check back tomorrow for the complete list of 25 Fun Things to Do!

9. Do a little spring cleaning in the summer. I love to sit down and sift through piles of papers, drawers, and closets. Each time I do this, I inevitably wind up reminiscing about a photo, button, drawing, or old camp letter that instantly sends me back to a moment in time when my kids, now adults, were little.

8. Collect seashells at the local beach, then later use them to create pretty tabletop décor by placing them throughout the table or at the center on a bit of sand. Or better yet, use the seashells in place of a plate: my mom once used these large clam shells she had thoroughly cleaned to serve a French scallop appetizer. They were such a crowd-pleaser that she continued to use them for years and probably still has them today.

7. Book a last-minute flight (sign up for Travelocity’s weekly newsletter Travelzoo to find the best deals) to my favorite historic cities: Florence (meet local artisans), London (see the longest-running stage production in the world) or Paris (taste melt-in-your-mouth macaroons).

6. Be bold with your summer jewelry. Costume jewelry can add just a bit of fun to any look. I almost always get compliments when I pair this beautiful, long vintage black, plastic necklace that I bought in London with my gold layered necklaces.

Check back tomorrow for #5 to #1!

20. Host a picnic featuring heirloom recipes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients from local markets. Consider asking your guests to help you create the unique menu where each person shares a dish they have either inherited or turned into their specialty over time.

19. Hang your clothes out to dry. The sweet smell of air-dried fabric is a pleasant reminder that it’s summer even when you’re indoors.

18. Order a refreshing cocktail at the legendary Bemelmans Bar located in The Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan. Named after the creator of the world-famous children’s book series Madeline, this historic upscale bar features a beautiful hand-painted, large-scale mural on its 80-year-old walls.

17. Catch butterflies in a net during the day or fireflies in an old jelly jar at night. Then let them go and watch them fly away flapping their beautiful wings or flashing their bright lights seemingly with renewed vigor.

16. Enjoy a classic hot dog at New York’s Coney Island (pictured above), where many say the famous summer snack was born in the 1870s.

Check back tomorrow for #15 to #11!

24. Catch a classic flick, like “The Goodbye Girl” and “Bonnie and Clyde,” at Bryant Park’s summer film festival every Monday, now through August. I always look to old movies, like these classic eight films, for inspiration in terms of style, fashion, décor, and, of course, jewelry.

23. Throw a party and entertain with your vintage dishware. This is your chance to showcase the amazing pieces you’ve inherited or collected over time. When I have people over, I love to take out my old teapots, glassware, and plates.

22. Follow these five simple rules for taking memorable photos of your family while on vacation or just relaxing at home.

21. Send someone you love a postcard with a handwritten note. It’s so rare for people to put a pen to paper and snail mail a letter these days that when they do, it’s really a sweet and sentimental gesture. The postcard itself becomes a great keepsake that allows you to fondly reminisce the past.

Check back tomorrow for #20 to #16!

This May, I experienced deja vu when I picked up my youngest daughter, Laura, at the airport. She had just returned from a semester abroad in Paris, where she studied French, art and business while living with a older single Parisian woman.

The similarities between our experiences were uncanny right down to feeling devastated the day we had to return home. She even went through my same program called the International Education of Students.

However, the biggest points of difference from our trips is that I didn’t have the opportunity to maintain a steady flow of conversation with my family as she did. Before Skype, Facebook, texting and even emailing, my best option to contact my parents, besides a handwritten letter, was a phone call, which I would make every 10 days or so from a post office or phone booth (remember those?) on a street corner.

Laura, on the other hand, always had the opportunity to reach out to us every day. If I didn’t hear from her, I would always find some excuse to write her an email. She was particularly great about taking me on excursions with her. She would often write to tell me in vivid detail about a new shop in the historic neighborhood of Marais or a bistro she discovered while exploring a quaint cobblestone street. Or she would bring me with her to my favorite museums—the Musee Rodin and the Musee d’Orsay—where I spent many, many days writing papers.

Had we signed up for Gowalla or Foursquare—popular online social networks that allow you to literally track participating friends and family on a world map (both offer rewards, like coupons, for visiting certain places)—I would have been able to literally follow her everywhere.

While French lifestyle, traditions, and museums have remained nearly the same since my academic visit, many of the restaurants and stores that she found were new to me. I was able to create fresh memories with her from across the Atlantic without dropping a dime—well, maybe a little money here and there since she found way too many cute boutiques. I feel fortunate to have had the chance to fall in love with Paris all over again through my daughter.

xox,
M

P.S. This week we’ve dedicated our all our posts to Paris and the highlights—historic neighborhoods, unique shops and special exhibitions—of my daughter’s recent trip, as told by her. Check back tomorrow to learn more about what this great city has to offer!

1. SanDisk® Cruzer® Micro USB Flash Drive, $88

Store up to 16GB of images on this tiny, but tough flash drive. As the name “Cruzer” aptly implies, it can transfer data via the USB 2.0 port faster than most of its kind. The lightweight, PC-and-Mac-compatible USB connector retracts easily and travels well, and even comes with a convenient key chain attachment. I have been using this brand of flash drives for years and I can personally vouch that it can take abuse—like being repeatedly tossed in a bag—and has never failed to both save and protect my files.

2. WD series My Passport SE, $140 to $190

Need more space? Back up your desktop files with this Western Digital product, which holds up to 750 GB (or 1 TB) and is available for both Mac and PC. Simply connect it to your computer via a USB port, select the files or folder that you would like to save then hit the backup button, and, presto, it will instantly copy and organize them all. Although it is ten times larger than the flash drive, it is still completely portable and holds a ton more photos, videos, music and other large files. BONUS: You can lock the drive with a password for added security.

About Our Expert: With 20 years as an editor, director and producer of photography for magazines and newspapers, Amelia Hennighausen has been immersed in the change from film to digital from the beginning. Also, as a professor of photojournalism at New York’s Fordham University, she’s made it her job to keep on top of the latest developments in technology and to stay current with the most recent trends.

[Photography courtesy of SanDisk and WD]

Congratulations to the winner of our Father’s Day “His & Hers” Giveaway: Pamm Kesselring of Illinois!

She won a dark brown Monica Rich Kosann Leather Image Case (estimated value: $325) and a Monica Rich Kosann White Topaz Pendant (estimated value: $295). Sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter to enter your name in our next random drawing for a chance to win a special prize.

For more information on Monica Rich Kosann collections, visit shop.fineartoffamily.com.

“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.” ~ Abraham Sutzkever