Lack-of-summertime blues?

Feeling low as we slump to the end of February? Tired of winter in this northern hemisphere? Wishing for a hint of summer?

Let's go shopping!

Things have certainly changed since the days when Doritos and Fritos were the closest thing one could get at the supermarket to a tortilla chip. There are a lot of good brands out there now, but of course Late July was chosen for its name, a name specifically created for thoughts of summer. The company puts it this way: "Late July is the sweet spot of summer. It’s a moment in time when life is simple, pure & good. It’s also our name and philosophy on snack making."

I suppose that's okay, although as a child I would have said that late July was a disaster because summer was half over, and if we were going somewhere fun we had probably been. August was a hot stretch of boredom tainted with growing fear. But their point is taken and the snacks are good, even if they are organic. Are they really "restaurant style" as advertised? Sure, but that always depends on the restaurant.

We're not just here to talk about food, though. Let's go to the can!

Target keeps changing its house brands. A couple of years ago they introduced a new line of inexpensive personal-care products called Smartly. Intelligence, despite being in low supply, seems to be in higher regard these days, and I guess it's smart to be a skinflint. The company said, "A product that gets the job done but doesn’t cost an arm-and-a-leg? That’s smart. A whole line of products that are effective, stylish and unbelievably affordable? Now that’s Smartly, Target’s new essentials and personal care owned brand perfect for a budget-conscious and space-constrained shopper."

I don't see how my can of shaving cream does anything to save space, but for a buck, it certainly saved money. What caught my eye was not the price, but rather the scent -- not "Ocean Breeze" or "Sea Escape" but "Smells Like the Ocean." Pretty straightforward. As the site says about its attributes:

rich, soothing lather

moisturizes and protects

light ocean fragrance

all skin types

Okay, well, I can't say it's good for all skin, because I only have one. Its lather is not really very rich and is not particularly soothing; I don't find it to be very moisturizing or protective, either. But smell like the ocean? Yes, yes it does.

I know that can mean many things, from the brisk scent out in international waters to a fish stink at a barnacled broken-down dock, but it's probably just what you'd imagine: A sea-salt fresh-air breeze. Puts you right on the beach. And that'd the summertime beach, because in the cold weather you don't get much of an ocean scent, and you're probably staying away from the beach anyway. I sure am. So I call it a summertime callback product.

Of course, there are other places to be at the seaside in summertime, like:

This is Scent Theory's Summer Boardwalk hand soap.

"The Theory of Scent shapes our lives," says the company site. "It affects our mood, evokes memories , and makes us feel ENERGIZED, CALM, REFRESHED, HAPPY. A moment of pure indulgence in every pump." Pretty strong words for a product I got in Walmart!

Like "ocean," the word "boardwalk" may evoke different scent-memories to different people. Sea breezes. Sausage and peppers. Zeppole. Sweat. Corn dogs. Unwashed carnies. Small-child vomit. But that's not the direction Scent Theory chose to go, thank heaven. "Revisit the carefree SUMMERS abundant in cotton candy and sunny BOARDWALK adventures. Indulge yourself in something special." They love that CAPS button at Scent Theory!

This soap is definitely different. It's pretty much all cotton candy. Nothing wrong with that. It is a fun scent, and it's not cloying, and it not so strong as to make people think you've been strangling clowns. I haven't had cotton candy in a long time, but this brings back some nice memories. And no, not about strangling clowns.

If none of these things help you through the February blahs, take heart -- February's almost over, spring is less than a month away, and in my slice of New York there's daylight at six a.m. and at six p.m. Keep the faith!