There is nothing like a cold lunch when it gets hot at the beach. And one of the easiest and most elegant is a variation of the lunches that my parents used to make when we lived in Holland. I think of dishes like this as cold comfort food.

6 red potatoes, boiled, quartered and cooled to room temperature

1/2 smallish red onion, chopped

1-2 hard boiled egg(s), quartered

2 strips of crumbled bacon or chopped deli ham

fresh parsely, minced

Vinegrette: olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic clove (minced) salt and pepper.

Assemble it all and toss with the vinegrette. You may want to keep the eggs on the side and just sprinkle with salt and pepper. We served this as lunch with my roasted asparagus (lemon juice, olive oil parmesan, salt and pepper), pickle and a cold beer.

It’s hot today — in the 90’s (0r upper 30’s in Celsius). There is a shore breeze which brings with it some flies and keeps things warm. On days like today it is essential to have good sunscreen (Neutrogena’s Fresh Cooling Body Mist Sunblock, SPF 45 actually does work; it’s like being sprayed with iced alcohol) and a really good hat for late afternoon.

This is mine. A panema in the “Optimo” style that my Grandfather bought in 1959 in Havana. The hatband is marked “El Centro Manzana de Gomez Habana.” It’s a little big on me, but his boots were pretty hard to fill, too.

The story is that Castro was sweeping out of the hills and my Grandfather’s friends were very excited to go and see the revolution. My Grandfather, a Maryland State Trooper, was supposed to have said something like “What’r ya nuts? It’s a revolution” and to have herded everyone into the hired car to catch the next plane off the island.

As a good friend of mine always says “never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” And a really good hat is hard to find.

I am, for the first time ever, traveling relatively light. Which is good since the kids’ luggage takes up most of the car. The always chic Mrs. E and I are sharing a seabag for our beach vacation.Because we are in a beach town on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the dress code during the high season is ….er… lax. I think that it can best be defined as “no shirt, no shoes, no service” to quote “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”.  Since I am no Cary Grant, I’m not that enamoured of showing too much of my 40+ year old skin. But, the typical uniform of cargo shorts and t-shirt isn’t my cuppa, either. Above you will see my solution for hanging about the cottage or running around town in the evenings. The French Sailor Shirt was purchased in Antibes years ago. It is made by a French company – St. James – and is very comfortable and sort of dressy for a “t-shirt.” The flat front white chino shorts are by Ralph Lauren and are in almost daily use. In a concession to modern dress, I’m wearing this kit with navy blue Reef flip-flops. I highly recommend  Reefs for the comfort factor, although I am against sporting flip-flops in public most of the time. Besides, the espadrilles that I usually wear at home would turn heads here in North Carolina. And not in a good way…. The ribbon belt is by Leather Man of Essex, CT.

It’s the last gasp of summer, break out your white trousers and shorts! Dinner tonight at Elizabeth’s Winery and Cafe will see me in a navy linen blazer, blue and white butcher stripe open-collar shirt, pocket square, cream silk trousers and spectator loafers.

Sometimes the dress code is a very personal one.