Like I said yesterday, I can appreciate an item of ingenious design, but I’m generally pretty laid-back. I like to throw a good party or two, when the mood strikes me, and I’m usually fine with just a couple of beers and a bowl of chips. Sometimes though, I feel the need to class it up a bit. I mean, I love playing Wisest Wizard with about 20 of my closest friends until the wee hours of the morning, but there are times when I’d like to have people over and not have to worry about ridding my house of the beer stench the next morning. You know, maybe something a little bit classier than that.
One of the essential items you’ll need to throw an adult soiree is a quality cocktail shaker. Some might be swayed by looks, but this is the one time you’ll need to think substance over style, which is why you should invest in the Good Grips Plastic Cocktail Shaker (Amazon, $9.99). Although it might not look that fancy, it’s actually even better than your regular metal cocktail shaker. For one, it’s made of double walled plastic, which means that it’s insulated to keep your cocktail cold without causing your hand to freeze. The outside also offers a non-slip grip, making shaking and pouring easier than ever. With a measurement marked jigger cap and built-in strainer, this shaker encompasses all the usual attributes that you would need to mix up a batch of cocktails for you and your friends. The only downside is the small size, but your friends will just have to wait a few more minutes for their bevs – no biggie.
A serious issue with this shaker is that it doesn’t have a cheat sheet of cocktail recipes written on it – I mean, how else am I supposed to know how to make a Tom Collins or a Cosmopolitan? What, learn the recipes? Sheesh, that’s asking a lot!
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3.5″ x 3.5″ x 9″
-Capacity: 16 oz
-Includes shaker, jigger cap, and built in strainer
-Double walled construction for insulation
-Measurement markings inside jigger
-Soft nonslip grip
-Dishwasher safe
While I like to think of myself as a person with fairly sophisticated tastes, usually it’s the simplest things that make me happy. I’m not saying that I’m gonna go out and trade my PS3 for a pet rock, but every once in awhile, it’s nice to just sit back and enjoy a break from a technologically dependent existence. This is not one of those times.
A lot of everyday items are just better with a little scientific nudge from gadget community, regardless if there’s anything wrong with their current state or if an upgrade is even necessary. Take a look at these Neon Coasters (Drinkstuff, £14.99), for example. Does a coaster really need a light-up base? No, most definitely not. Is it all the more awesome for having one? Uh, yeah! Add in the fact that the base is pressure sensitive and phases through three different colors, and you’ve got one kick ass coaster. Just imagine the look on your friend’s face as he sets his drink down on a seemingly innocuous coaster, only to have it emit a crazy colorful glow.
I’ll be the first to admit that this seems a little excessive, since coasters are basically only necessary to protect the integrity of your table. Seriously though, how could you not want a set for your next party? Sure, you might have to hire a little extra security to make sure that none of your friends walk off with your new toy, but that’s a small price to pay for greatness.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 90mm x 90mm x 5mm
-Weight: 56g
-Set of 4 coasters
-Color phasing coaster
-Pressure sensitive
-Requires 2 CR2032 batteries (included)
-Not available for delivery in Canada
Ah, summer. The time of year when you can cast aside all your concerns and just waste away the day. Well, unless of course you have a day job that prohibits you from doing so, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t soak up the sun on your coveted weekends. While I do enjoy spending some QT in the sun, I’m not one for extreme outdoor sports. I’m not really one for the outdoors in general, but I tend to make an exception in terms of glorious weather. You won’t find me playing a game of touch football or soccer, and you’ll just barely find me setting up a net for a game of badminton or volleyball. No, my interests lie in lawn sports such as cornhole, ladderball, croquet, and perhaps even the occasional game of bocce ball.
What’s better than a traditional bocce ball set? The Lighted Bocce Ball Set (Hammacher Schlemmer, $99.95), naturally! There’s nothing worse than starting a game of bocce ball, having it run late, and then be forced to call it off because you lack the sufficient outdoor lighting power to continue. I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me. Fortunately, this set makes it easy to play in the dark because each ball includes an LED that allows it to be seen from up to 100 feet away. Not only that, each of these eight bocce balls can be switched from lighted to flashing LEDs, or used interchangeably. The on/off switch is located inside each ball so it’s not like rough play will cause the light to extinguish unexpectedly. This balls in this bocce set are the official size for International Bocce Federation play and weigh only two-thirds of a competition ball, making the game accessible for just about anyone.
I would love to cut out of the office early and start a pick-up bocce ball game. Then again, it is about 90 degrees outside right now. Hmm, perhaps I’ll stay here and get some work done instead. Bummer.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 4 1/4″ (official size for International Bocce Federation play)
-Set of 8 balls (2 each of red, blue, yellow, and green)
-Each ball includes LED light and 3 sets of batteries
-Light can be seen from up to 100′ away
-Choose from lighted or flashing LEDs
-LEDs turned on/off using switch located inside ball
-Stores in convenient nylon case
-Measuring string for scoring
-Hard plastic construction
My desk is a mess. Again. I seriously clean my desk off about once a week and for some reason, it always ends up covered in papers, pens, and other miscellaneous pieces of garbage. I once looked all over the office for my phone for about 20 minutes before I realized that it had been sitting on my desk the whole time, underneath a mountain of paperwork. True story. Now, I could make it my prerogative to be more organized, but that sounds like it takes work and I’m pretty lazy. There has to be a slacker way to handle this situation.
An easier, and more practical, way to clean up your desk lies within the Non-Slip Gadget Holder (ThinkGeek, $15.99). Not only does it hold your phone close, ensuring that you’ll never again lose it in a sea of papers and be forced to miss that important call from your mom, but it’s also a 4-port USB hub. That’s right, now you don’t have to deal with wires all over your desk and unplugged electronics scattered over your desk, fighting tooth and nail to get one of your computer’s USB slots. Instead, you can enjoy the luxury of plugging four of your beloved gadgets into one USB port. With a plug and play attitude that requires virtually no set-up, you’ll be able to actually see the surface of your desk in no time.
My desk is made of glass?! I had no idea!
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 59mm x 102mm x 106mm
-Non slip pad holder with USB 2.0 4 port hub
-Includes holder with 4 port USB hub, mini USB cable, charger output cable, 6 mobile phone connectors, and user manual
-Fully compliant with USB 2.0 specifications
-Backwards compatible with USB 1.1
-Plug and play
-Full list of mobile phone connectors available on product page
-Supports Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Mac OSX, and Linux
Most people I know have trouble making it through the work day (myself included). It’s almost as if time ceases to exist and you think that you’re going to be crunching the numbers forever. I mean, how is it possible that the first few hours of the day pass by so quickly, but that as soon as you realize the day is half over, it slows to a crawl? I find that one of the best ways to pass the time and beat the working day blahs is to surround yourself with amusing objects. Unfortunately, in order to utilize this method in the workplace, your toys are going to have to serve a legitimate purpose.
So not only does the Mummy Mike Rubber Band Holder (Perpetual Kid, $12.99) actually help keep your desk a little more organized, it’s also a fantastic time waster. I mean, what fidgeteer wouldn’t love a silicone mummy to play with? You get to wrap your rubber bands all over his body under the guise that you’re cleaning up your workspace. And when you’re done, you can take them off and start all over again, claiming that it wasn’t done right the first time. And if that doesn’t waste a minute or two on the company dime, I don’t know what will.
Seriously though, the next time your colleague wants to show you the monster rubber band ball he made, just show him this. He’ll be totally jealous.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 5.5″ x 3.25″
-Includes rubber bands
-Made of silicone
