Kartell shoes available at Yoox.

Today, I take my last exam of the semester and officially usher in my summer vacation. Nothing says summer quite like plastic shoes. Each summer of my childhood, I begged my mother for a new pair of jelly sandals. I think my favorite pair was made of clear plastic with silver flecks in them. If it were socially acceptable, I would still wear those shoes every day and on every occasion. Kartell makes an adult version of my favorite childhood shoe. Styled like a pair of ballet flats and made out of varnished thermoplastic technopolymer the Kartell flats retail at $130.

Seeing as how I don’t exactly have$130 to drop on a deliciously glorified pair of jellies, I’ve set my sights on some less expensive ways to recapture a bit of childhood this summer.

* Getting a NYC Library card. Now that classes are over, I can finally read for pleasure again. I’ve decided to ease my brain into summer with some childhood favorites like THE EGYPT GAME!

* Going to parks. What kid didn’t love playing in parks? I complain pretty frequently about the lack of greenery in New York but I’ve made a conscious decision to make good use of the city parks and botanical gardens.