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8 Things You Need For an Epic Summer

With Memorial Day in the not-so-distant past and Labor Day in the far-distant future, it's just about the time of year when you start breaking out the white pants, firing up the grill and shedding any extra layers of clothing. Gear up for an epic summer with these essentials, brought to you by CBS Local's Eat. See. Play.

Sign up here for more E.S.P. recommendations of things to eat, see and do nearby.

Photo Credit: Oneida

Anchors Away
Anchor Hocking Beverage Dispenser
Price: $24.99

Whether you fill it with lemonade or a liberally spiked punch, the 1.5-gallon, vintage-looking Anchor Hocking glass beverage dispenser from Oneida will keep your favorite party drinks fresh and cool, no matter how high the temperature gets.

Get the Anchor Hocking beverage dispenser here.

Photo Credit: Pac Sun

Tropic Thunder
Palms Ahead 5-Panel Hat
Price: $28.00

Comfortable and colorful, the RVCA's Palms Ahead Hat features details like a flat-print bill, adjustable snapback, tropical multicolor print and two-tone logo sewn on front. Made with breathable 100% cotton, it'll keep the sun off your face and your overall outlook on the cool side.

Get the Palms Ahead hat here.

Photo Credit: Pac Sun

Chairman of the Boardshorts
Billabond Sergio Boardshorts
Price: $54.95

Patriotic without being ostentatious, these red, white and blue-striped Sergio Boardshorts from Billabong are ideal for any 4th of July pool parties on your heavily booked social calendar. They're made with a quick-drying, 4-way stretch material, so you can hop in and out of the pool without ever getting water-logged.

Get the Sergio Boardshorts here.

Photo Credit: Hammacher Schlemmer

Basket Case
Lighted Poolside Basketball Hoop
Price: $229.95

It's ok to act like a kid every once in a while, especially if the situation involves pool games. The Lighted Poolside Basketball Hoop from Hammacher Schlemmer is equipped with three LED lights, an impact-resistant backboard and a rust-proof, stainless steel frame, ensuring that you've always got game.

Get the Lighted Poolside Basketball Hoop here.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Shred It And Forget It
Bear Paws Meat Handler
Price: $19.95

Ever wonder what kind of chicken comes pre-shredded, or what happened to pork to make it pulled? Ya, neither have we… Lift, carve and shred your own meats on the grill with the heat-resistant, multi-use Bear Paws.

Get the Bear Paws here.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Feeling Haute Haute Haute
Haute Dogs: Recipes For Delicious Hot Dogs, Buns and Condiments
Price: $12.93

Short rib sliders have replaced cheeseburgers, chickpea quinoa has replaced rice, and buffalo chicken egg rolls have replaced wings. With everything else getting fancier, hot dogs should no exception. Russell van Kraayenburg shows you how to crank up your franks with over 100 old-school, modern and internationally-inspired hot dog recipes from the Haute Dogs cookbook.

Get the Haute Dogs cookbook here.

Photo Credit: Amazon

A Dave New World
Dave's Coffee Syrup
Price: $21

Call us stuck-up, but pouring hot coffee over ice does not an iced coffee make. No, summer's most essential beverage should be cold-brewed and a little sweet, a combination Dave's Coffee Syrup seems to have mastered. In with the cold, in with the brew.

Get Dave's Coffee Syrup here.

Photo Credit: Solstice Sunglasses

Persoulful
Persol 3056S
Price: $309.00

No sunglass retailer today combines old-school style with new-school panache quite like Persol. Helping maintain that reputation is the 3056S, which provides a sleek but versatile look in three classic colors.

Get the Persol 3056S Sunglasses here.

By Jesse Husid and Arielle Sachar

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