How to have the Best 4th of July EVER

Start your Independence Day off right by staring at the beautiful man in the top half of this post. That’s Gary Taylor – google him – he’s gorgeous!

Okay, moving on. Here is my ‘to do’ list to make this 4th of July extra amazing:

1. First thing, hang your flag. Don’t have one? Stop reading and buy one NOW.

2. Eat a patriotic breakfast. Think strawberry/blueberry yogurt parfait, or strawberry/blueberry/whipped creme pancakes.

3. Get your fill of food-eating contests at noon EST. Watch 20 hungry hot dog fans compete in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, a Coney Island July 4 tradition. Across the river, Manhattan’s Eventi Hotel will host Takeru Kobayashi, the world’s fastest hot-dog eater — his record is 69 dogs in 10 minutes. Not in NYC? Catch it on TV – its on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3 (overkill, I know)

4. Recognize those who keep our independence. Go to a local restaurant and look for someone in uniform, or who looks to be a veteran (they will typically wear something on july 4th) and offer to buy their meal.

5. Road trip to the closest place where you can buy real fireworks. I’m not talking about the four-pack they sell in a tent in the Walmart parking lot. I’m talking about one-shot rockets that are the size of a can of paint.

6. Invest twenty bucks in a slip and slide. Invite over friends, fill a cooler with drinks, grill steaks and hook up the slide.

7. Light those fireworks off! (make sure all pets are inside – more pets get lost on July 4th then any other day of the year)

8. Settle down in front of the couch and watch a movie.

Top Ten Patriotic Movies to watch:

10. The Patriot

9. Top Gun

8. National Treasure

7. Forrest Gump

6. Saving Private Ryan

5. Red Dawn

4. All the President’s Men

3. Air Force One

2. Letters from Iwo Jima

1. Independence Day