“Wear matching thongs,” I told my almost nine year old daughter the other day as we were getting dressed for an afternoon trip to the Corrales pool. She subscribes to the gypsy genre of dressing where every article of clothing is precisely chosen yet nothing matches, not even her shoes. Works well for around the house, but when going out in public, she could pass for the perfect What Not to Wear contestant.

As she was packing her towel and sunscreen, she looked up at me in an utter state of shock and in a clarifying tone asked, “We’re wearing matching thongs?”

“Your flip flops, your thongs; make sure they match,” I clarified.

Relief washed over her like the big fountain in the shallow end. “I thought you meant we all had to wear matching thong swimming suits,” she gushed.

Not that anyone in my household owns a thong bikini, but it did bring a visual to mind. The three Huard girls, all of varying size and shape, standing at the Corrales pool snack bar wearing matching thong bikinis, towels around their necks and backsides sunburned bright pink. Not on your life, thank you.

We put on our one-piece suits and headed out. The pool was just what we needed to get out of the house and cool off for a couple of hours, or bake in the sun depending on who you ask.

For a longer outing, we recently did an overnighter in Santa Fe, a trip up to this cultural jewel can easily be done in one day. My mother-in-law is in town visiting for the week and she had never been to New Mexico; so away we went. We were on a quest to show her the charm and cultural treasures rich in Santa Fe and find the perfect southwestern style watch for her birthday. Did somebody say jewelry? I’m game.

With the St. Francis Cathedral as our backdrop, we made our way through the tourist friendly shops around the plaza. When lunchtime called, we slipped into La Plazuela; a beautiful enclosed courtyard restaurant in the historic La Fonda Hotel. Great food, authentic Mexican folk art adorned walls and great conversation made for a memorable meal complete with belly laughs, sopaipillas and honey.

The women in our group continued on the quest as the men had had enough and opted to watch the action on the plaza from a nearby park bench.

With more eye candy than imaginable, we strolled past window after window of sparkly jewelry, colorful pottery, cheap souvenirs and expensive art galleries. We happened to catch Lynden Saint Victor, a new favorite artist of mine in his studio and learned the background and symbolism to some of his newest works. Mom found a watch, two actually.

Another good day trip to put on your list for this summer is a quick jaunt to the Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque. Our family had an opportunity to visit the zoo for the first time last Saturday. It was a special event; my husband’s company picnic, and although it was held in the evening, many of the animals were still out and active.

We worked our way around the park starting with the big cats. The jaguars, tigers, lions and mountain lions licked their chops and eyed us as we paraded past their windows. The little Ocelots, or Lots-o-Dots as my daughter calls them, looked small and tame enough to take home in one of those vented cardboard crates that our parakeet came home in. The Rio Grande Zoo is so beautiful and clean; a must see for out of town guests as well as locals.

Summer is upon us and calling our names. With so many great places to go and animals to see, take advantage of the wonderful scenery, food and unique locales that we live among and discover the many exciting offerings this summer. And like a shiny new watch, sometimes one day trip is just not enough.

Quote of the Week: “Hot Fun in the Summer Time” - Sly & the Family Stone.

Jennifer Huard’s column appears each Thursday. She welcomes your emails at jhuard@abqjournal.com .