I hate to go to a friend’s house empty-handed. Even if they insist that I don’t need to bring anything to a dinner party or backyard bbq, I feel strange showing up without some sort of contribution. Now, I like to cook, but if you are without that skill set in your arsenal then you probably stick with my favorite backup: booze.
It doesn’t matter how good your intentions are, if you bring warm booze to a party that’s just unforgivable. Save yourself the public floggings and embarrassment by not just chilling your beverage of choice, but making sure it stays cold. The Wine Bottle Cool Wrap (Convenient Gadgets & Gifts, $6.95) is like a koozie for a wine bottle. Because the wrap attaches via velcro straps it fits just about all wine bottles and it comes in a variety of fun colors. All you have to do is pop it in the freezer for a bit and it’s ready to keep your vino nice and cold.
Pair this wrap with a bottle of your favorite vintage and you not only have a delectable drink, but also the perfect hostess gift. For those of you who don’t know what a hostess gift is, it probably doesn’t matter because no one’s inviting you anywhere anyways.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 7″ x 13.5″
-Wine bottle koozie
-Freeze koozie to keep wine chilled
-Fits most bottle sizes
-Attaches via velcro straps
-Available in blue, red, pink, green, and clear
It’s summertime and that means one thing: grilling. I don’t care if you’re a hardcore carnivore or a straight-up vegetarian, you’ve got to enjoy the deliciousness of a grilled meal. For a lot of us, it’s hard to get a quality grill experience going because we’re simply not that good at it. Even if you consider yourself an expert grillmaster, there’s always more to learn.
For all the novices out there, the aFire Mini Grilling Planks (Amazon, $11.46 – $11.86) will give your grilling an edge that rivals even the best grillmasters. These grilling planks come as a set of four and are available in four different types of bark that yield varying tastes. It couldn’t be easier to use them as all you really have to do is soak them, set on the grill, allow the smoke to enhance your food, and enjoy. With a high natural oil and flavor, each hand selected grilling plank imparts a smoky flavor and aroma to the food cooked on it. What’s really great is that they work with both gas and charcoal grills, so you can use them just about anywhere.
Don’t you want Dad to be the cream of the crop when it comes to grillmasters?
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 7″ x 2″ x 6″
-Set of 4
-Available in black cherry, cedar, golden alder, or sugar maple
-Imparts smoky flavor and aroma to foods
-Higher natural oil and flavor
-Hand selected
-Sustainably harvested
-Easy to use: soak, heat, smoke, and enjoy
I’m pretty sure I have the tiniest bladder in the world. I must get up to go to the bathroom at least four or five times a night. The worst thing about getting up in the middle of the night, besides being ripped from your sleep and cozy bed, is that you have to stagger to the bathroom in complete darkness. Some people are lucky enough to have a bathroom right inside their bedroom, but even that won’t keep you from stubbing your toe or, worse yet, failing to notice a lifted toilet seat.
Who needs to turn on a light when you have the Glow in the Dark Loo Roll (Firebox, £4.12)? You can pee in obscurity by the glow of the toilet paper roll because it uses energy from a sufficient light source during the day to power itself at night. Now, I’m not saying it’ll be like you have a couple of floodlights in your bathroom, but it should be enough to make out the toilet bowl and any other immediate obstacles.
Great Scott!
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 9cm diameter
-Glows in the dark
-No batteries required
-Glows thru contact with sufficient light source during the day
-Illuminates immediate area only
I love the summertime, don’t get me wrong, but I could do without all the insects. There’s nothing better than hanging out with friends, barbecuing up a storm, and enjoying the sun – except for the bugs. It’s like they know when you’re having a good time and they’re just waiting for you to turn your back so they can attack. You can slather yourself up with bug spray to ensure they won’t devour your flesh, but what about your precious food? Is there no saving it?
The Giant Food Umbrella (Taylor Gifts, $9.98) is exactly what it sounds like: a giant umbrella for your food. The umbrella design allows you to place the cover over an entire table of food without having to worry about your food being subjected to the elements while you chat with friends, finish grilling, or even hang out indoors for a bit. Made of nylon mesh attached to a metal frame, this cover is sturdy but probably won’t help you if it rains (bummer). Then again, who’s hanging around in the rain?
It’s your job to make sure there aren’t bugs inside the umbrella before running off to frolic in the sunshine.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 17″ x 49″ x 27″ (open)
-Covers food to keep away bugs
-Button press open
-Made of nylon mesh with metal frame
I’m not advocating sneaking liquor into your favorite location, but if you need to do it then the Bootlegger Mini Liquor Bottle Ankle Concealer (Kegworks, $12.95) is a perfectly viable option. The pros of using this device are that hardly anybody is gonna be checking your ankles for hidden booze, it fits just about anyone, and it makes for easy drink access. However, its options are kind of limiting: you can only wear loose-fitting pants (it would be a little obvious with skinny jeans or a skirt), it only holds miniature liquor bottles (those things are hideously marked up), and the liquor bottles aren’t included. Ok, so that last one is really more of a quibble.
If you’re hiding booze on your ankle, perhaps you need to rethink your priorities.
.
.
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Size: one size fits most
-Capacity: 6 miniature liquor bottles
-Fits snugly around the ankle
-Ideal for sporting events, concerts, beach, etc
-Liquor bottles not included
-Made of spandex and elastic
