Once upon a time, (in March) a couple of little gals traveled two and a half hours north to hit up the city of Toronto for a long weekend.

One of the many kid-friendly tourist stops we made on our trip was the Royal Ontario Museum – a totally cool place where the kids made amazing discoveries in the gift shop and I made amazing discoveries in the cafeteria.

You see, it was in the cafeteria of the Royal Ontario Museum that I stole the most fantastic idea ever:

Cucumber Water.

Let me say right now that I don’t typically go out of my way to drink a ton of water.  I drink to thirst and that’s about it.  I know Conventional Wisdom tells us we need to swig at least eight glasses of water each day – but I’ve come to believe that’s not really the case provided you get plenty of fresh, wholesome, unprocessed foods in your diet each day.  Fruits and vegetables are loaded with water – so eat up and you don’t really have to worry so much about drinking up.

And hey, wasn’t it Natalia Rose who said fruits and vegetables are filled with organic water?

Wait. Organic Water?  Really?  Maybe that’s just her opinion.  Or perhaps that’s totally a load of crap.  Either way – I like it.  You had me at hello, Natalia.

ANYWAY – in the cafeteria of the Royal Ontario Museum on this fateful day in March, after breezing by the coolers full of soda, juice and (ahem – non-organic) water, I spied three 5-gallon jugs of water on the counter – those big jugs they turn upside down and have a little spigot at the bottom. I love the word spigot.

Next to each spigot-ted jug was a stack of plastic cups – cups that were practically shouting “free water! free water!!” at my paid-way-too-much-for-admission-into-this-place penny pinching self.

So we approach these jugs of free water and soon discover that inside each jug is some sliced produce… one jug had oranges, another had lemons… and the last one?  Cucumber.

Cucumber!!

While the little ones opted for lemon water – me, the big, brave, green vegetable eating one, opted for cucumber water.  And ohbytheway, I’m totally taking this idea home with me to post on my blog and pawn it off as my own idea – thanks Royal Ontario Museum!

So on the days when I’m feeling a bit parched, Cucumber Water is my new beverage du jour.  It’s cool.  It’s crisp.  It’s makes me remember why I use to love Bath and Body Works Cucumber Melon body lotion.

(Oh man… Cucumber Melon Water!  Thanks Bath and Body Works!)

Sometimes I go the Sparkly Cucumber Water route:

And other times I go the Jug-o-Marinatin’ Cucumber Water route a la the Royal Ontario Museum:

Both are extremely good.  Both are extremely drinkable.  Both are extremely cheap.  I think they call that a hat trick.

To marinate, I slice up a cuke and throw said slices into a large glass jar and fill with water.  (P.S. – I’m not sure how long this unpasteurized vegetable brew is technically good for, so I toss it after a day or two if I don’t finish it all.  P.P.S – finishing this in a day or two is typically not a problem.)

Behold the Ball.

Then let them do their cucumber thang for a few hours,

and chill out with the asparagus on the fridge door.

And after my watery treat is gone?  A snack!

And what’s better than finding a snack at the bottom of your water glass?  I rest my case.

(Answer: Organic Water, but don’t tell my Cucumber Water that.)