Despite lamenting the fact that summer’s almost over, I can look back on these last few months and know that this has been an incredible season… from Yosemite to Baja to Florence Lake and everywhere in between, I’ve kayaked and surfed and hiked and camped my heart out. But it wasn’t all action and adventure… There were the quiet moments too, the ones where I simply sat back and let it all soak in.
Those moments of reflection (il dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing) allowed me to truly appreciate where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing. (The next time you feel like your life is a whirlwind, take a moment to catch your breath and do a little something for yourself — even when that something is really nothing.)
After a long day of adventure (and sometimes even before all the hubbub), I always look forward to putting my feet up and enjoying the pleasant idleness. And for one lucky winner, TravelChair and I have teamed up to give away one of their Lounge Lizards, which will make putting your feet up that much more pleasant too!
The Lounge Lizard is a zero-gravity chair that makes you feel almost weightless when you’re lying in it. Lean back, set the lock, and feel all the stress and tension of the day melt away. It’s the air equivalent of putting a pile of pillows under your feet.
After a 16-mile hike in the Sierra, this was me the next morning…
The Lounge Lizard also makes a great camp chair. It’ll make you the envy of all your backcountry buddies. I know it doesn’t look like a camp chair, or even something that you haul down to Baja with you, but if it folds, I consider it a camp chair!
The whole thing folds up flat into a tidy 20-pound package (admittedly, a much easier deal with the separate carrying bag). It’s made with a breathable, quick-drying, mildew-resistant mesh that you can hose down after dragging it through the dirt to lounge by the sea. And on those hot summer days, you won’t get sweaty back syndrome from a stuffy seat. (This is an especially good feature when your friends keep stealing your chair.)
After a whole summer of schlepping it from car to camp (and even boat to camp), the Lounge Lizard has held up to the abuse and still has many, many more summers (and falls, and winters, and springs) of il dolce far niente ahead.
Even if you’re not the camping type, this chair would feel right at home in the garden or by the pool. In fact, when I first got my Lounge Lizard, I simply took it out of the box and set it up in my living room. I woke up some 20 minutes later, realizing that I had fallen asleep while testing it out! Take it from a person who never naps — it really is that comfortable.
I mean, does this picture need any explanation?
Want to be in my shoes? I’m excited to announce that TravelChair is giving away the coveted Lounge Lizard ($185 value) to one lucky Garden Betty reader!
How to enter: Simply leave a comment below and tell me your favorite memory from this summer, whether it was on the road or at home! To receive an additional entry, follow @gardenbetty on Twitter, and leave a second comment below indicating your Twitter username. You have two chances to win!
The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time on Friday, September 14, 2012. Winner will be drawn at random and announced the following week. Good luck!
Giveaway Rules
- Giveaway begins September 10, 2012 and ends September 14, 2012.
- No purchase is necessary. To enter, leave a comment on this blog post.
- Only US residents ages 18 and older are eligible to enter.
- Two entries allowed per person.
- Odds of winning are based on number of entries received.
- Winner will be drawn at random.
- If winner does not respond within 48 hours after time of contact, that entry will be forfeited and a new winner will be drawn.
This post is brought to you by TravelChair. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that support Garden Betty.
Update: A big thanks to everyone who entered!
This giveaway is now closed. The winner has been announced here.
I follow you on Twitter. – KjNDRA
My favorite memory this summer is harvesting fruit and veggies from our garden with out 3 kiddos.
My surf day. My real surf day at seal. But if I win the chair can go to my friend with achy bones
Dear Garden Betty:
Oh how I long to lay my tired bones on a chair like this. Sitting in 2 hours of traffic every night to drive the 16 miles from the westside to the valley. This after arguing and debating during the day.
My weekends are my time to unwind. And there are a few weekends this summer that will remain forever imprinted in my memory.
One of my fondest memories is the few hours spent at seal beach with two girlfriends. After a fun warm water surf session, we spent an hour on the beach taking silly pictures. I think I laughed the most of the summer during that hour
But…. My favorite weekend was my two night backpacking trip with my boyfriend and my dogs at cottonwood lakes. We found the most beautiful camping spot.
We slept under the stars without the rain fly. The dogs snuggled next to us.
It was perfect. All that was missing is the chair.
We also need a chair for his patio at Crowley. Please soothe my achy bones and pick me!
Following you @justoneacre
Enjoying (believe it or not!) camping in the rain with my 2 babes and hubby.
Relaxing days spent in the sun with friends and family!
Spending time at the beach with my cousins.
charitywism at aol dot com
following you on twitter @elliebunny24
any day in the mountains is a good day – also hanging out at the lake was fun