Being the natural nerd that I am, I can't help you with your Hipster Coolness Quotient. Sorry. However, a friend has been having trouble dealing with the heat sans Air Conditioning (this weekend is ROUGH!), and I thought I'd pass along ideas and some links that have pretty decent tips.
Personal faves:
For daytime, I always carry my fan from Granada. I love that thing. I like to pretend I'm still living in Spain and stick the handle in my bra strap like the Abuelas did. However, you can also pick one up from any HealthPlus kiosk, or any place that's handing out free stuff, really. They are also quite effective - although they aren't as easy to stick in a bra strap.
Also for daytime, the playgrounds with water features should be squirting the water any day it's over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. I believe they are supposed to stay on until dusk. Rappaport (toddler friendly), Owl's Head, Sunset Park, and Slope Park all have water features. Garfield is great for toddlers, but it's farther away.
Obvious solutions for daytime also include visiting Atlantic Center (or your grocer's freezer section) and using their AC. The grocery can get a little awkward after a while, however, and any children you have with you will get very restless. Atlantic Center (notice the initials) is better because you can move from one large consumer delight to another. The library works too, if it's open.
For sleeping, you need different ideas. I love fans. I didn't have an AC for a long, long time, and my standing, oscillating fan still allowed me to sleep. No, they don't lower temperatures, but it sure feels good. Also, cooling off the inside of your wrists works really well. That and the temples. On really bad nights, wet your head. Those of us with lots of hair can benefit from this longer, and I suggest a towel or two under your head. Your pillow may suffer, but it works.
Here are some handy links:
From Wiki-Land.
From Environmentally Conscious Land.
Find a cooling center. (They are usually senior centers in downtown Brooklyn. None near Sunset Park at this time.)
1 comment:
Seriously, lady, this was a very helpful post. I just wet my head and I feel WAY better. I'm just going to wet my head every couple hours every day and night for the next few months and I'll be fine. I wet Sophia's head but poor baby it only lasts like two minutes before her peach fuzz is dried. She is super irritable about the whole heat thing. I swear even more than me. Is it like this all summer? I had no idea.
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