The Dog Days of summer are here, and as much as we love dogs at Ped, it’s so hot that all we can think about is spending a day at the beach, cooling off in the waves and relaxing in the sea breeze. Happily, Ped has quite a few things to make the sand-and-surf experience that much more pleasurable. (And stylish!)

Seaside tip of the day: Don’t leave home without 49 Square Miles’ Carryall Tote:

Four words: Best. Beach. Bag. EVER!!!!! Everyone at Ped HQ is crazy about this sturdy canvas bag because it’s spacious enough to hold a beach towel, paperback, snack, sunscreen, binoculars, frisbee, water bottle, and whatever else you need to make your day in the sun fun. And despite being a workhorse of a bag, it’s so dang cute! The leather appliques are whimsical, and the colors sing of warm weather. We love. We love.

Another great way to haul your beachwear and wares from your house to that umbrella in the sand is Mia Zia’s Parisian Market Tote.

Beautifully woven out of natural raffia, this bag is casual yet undeniably chic. Traditional Moroccan construction means it’s sturdy enough to take on whatever rough-and-tumble adventures you care to carry it on, looking sassy all the while with its colorful tassels.

Another must-have beach accessory is a pair of kick-on, kick-off sandals. Cydwoq’s Lizard is just the ticket!

There’s not much to them, but what there is packs a serious style punch! The ultimate in Zen-like simplicity, these beauties will keep you from burning your tootsies’ tender soles as you skip across the blazing sand.

Finally, every day is sunnier with the beach-inspired dazzle of Jamie Joseph’s Starfish Necklace.

The perfect way to add sparkle to your beachwear—whether you’re baring it in a bikini or keeping covered in a kaftan—this necklace is so sweet with its gold-set diamond twinkling like a star within the silver starfish. And what a way to maintain your beach frame of mind the rest of the year!

So, stretch out on the sand and, with Ped’s help, beach all you can beach!

Although I was sad to leave Chiang Mai and my sweetheart of an elephant, Boonpuk, it was time to hit Thailand’s famous beaches. So off we went to Phuket!

* We stayed at the JW Marriott Resort, which was simply amazing! The grounds are blow-your-mind gorgeous! The resort is located right on the ocean and has three pools, several restaurants, and an amazing spa with outdoor rooms. We shared a two-bedroom unit with a kitchen, so we could cook meals at “home.”. Unfortunately, the ocean is too rough for swimming, so we spent many hours at the pool.

The resort's grounds were stunning! My feet lounging by the pool, and Keri collecting shells on the beach.

* The hotel was pretty isolated, so we took a taxi one day to Patong Beach, which is the closest one where you can swim in the ocean. The beach guys will set you up with chairs and umbrellas for about $3, and you can also rent boogie boards, windsurfing boards, etc. While I was enjoying the ocean breeze, I indulged in a 45-minute foot massage with fresh, cold aloe. It was dreamy and only $7.

The view from my chair at Patong Beach, a guy giving his dog a ride by scooter (love it!), and my cooling aloe foot massage. Aahhhhhh.

* Just by luck, we happened to go down a little street and came across an incredible ceramic shop called Siam Ceramic Handmade. It was filled with beautiful hand-painted ceramics, and I bought a few coffee mugs to bring home as souvenirs. We spent about a hour there with the family that owned it. They shared their photos and stories about the tsunami. Wow! (And not a good wow.) They lost three stores in eight minutes when the tsunami struck! The amount of destruction, death, and cleanup they endured is beyond comprehension.

The family showed us photos of the store after the tsunami. The store as it is today, and Keri, Kara, and me with the lovely family who owns the business.

* Fantasea Show—One night we went out for dinner and a show. The performance was absolutely beautiful and featured elephants, tigers, lots of dancers, incredible costumes, music, and gorgeous set design. If you want to go to a traditional Thai dinner show, this is the one! It’s great for both kids and adults!

Finally, you can take the girl away from Ped, but you can’t take Ped away from the girl:

These beautiful handmade bags, of course, caught my eye, and my sweet beach feet in my sweet Cydwoq sandals.

Tomorrow, our final destination: Bangkok!