Inspiration of the Week: Farewell to Summer

Austin in the summertime is hopping with things to do. By the time August rolls around, I am hopeful that it is indoors; that’s for sure. The heat in August baffles me every time! You would think after decades of living in Texas I would get used to it. Not only is August sizzling, but also when school starts again. I hang out with some fun youth gals outside of work, so I can’t help but still operate in semesters! August marked a lot of different emotions when I was back in school. Depressed because my days of laying by the pool and going to camp were done but also hopeful and excited for the new school year to come. In honor of summer starting to come to a close, I thought my inspiration for this week would be two of my favorite things: summer and movies. Here are a few of my favorite summer movies that I can watch over and over again.

Shag

This movie is one of those that you either have never heard of or have grown up watching. I fall in the latter category (as does Lizzie). The story involves four gals on the road trip of a lifetime where they “go to the beach and meet boys and go to wild parties and dance!” Each character is just too perfect for words, and the boys are all adorable as well. The title Shag comes from the dance style that is done in the beach town that they visit. One of the girls enters and wins the shag competition with Chip, the boy of her dreams (I always preferred Chip). If I told you the HOURS that my sister and I spent trying to learn how to shag, I would be embarrassed.

Dirty Dancing

This movie needs no explanation. You know how OBSESSED the Sprucettes are with Dirty Dancing! Keegan and Lizzie are still trying to master the finale dance. Once they do, you will be sure to see it via video. Patrick Swayze is a dream boat and the rebel every girl wants to be swept away by. We can all relate to Baby feeling like that girl who is so awkward and says ridiculous things like, “I carried a watermelon.” 🙂 LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Parent Trap

We are talkin’ about the original here people with the one-and-only Haley Mills. All the way from the claymation cupids at the beginning to the credits at the end, this movie is perfection. As a little girl, I LOVED to pretend like I was a twin with my friends at camp. We actually did wear swim caps and would stand on each others’ shoulders to reenact the scene in the lake. I think we had every line memorized. The characters, the clothes, the sets are all AMAZING. And who doesn’t love Verbena, the housekeeper, and Grandpa!?

Now that summer is ending, my last movie is one of my favorites to start the school year with. Anyone agree?

Footloose

Don’t you love that in this movie the greatest rebellion of a teenager was to dance!? Too funny. The soundtrack pretty much makes this movie and improves any playlist I ever put together. Kevin Bacon has some serious moves in that abandoned barn. Ren apparently turns the town on its head with his fancy feet. The sidekicks in this movie are too perfect. You have SJP and her frizzy hair and Chris Penn playing Willard, the good ol’ boy who can’t dance. Also, this may be a stretch, but I tended to have a crush on their friend Woody. He throws off his glasses at the end and dances like a mad man. This, my friends, cannot be topped.

Hope you guys watch these flicks one last time this summer. You know we will up here at Spruce!