Best Stuff for Men » Unusual Gifts

A More Inspiring Gift — a Charitable Gift from Gifts In Action

ECJ — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:11:51 +0000

Click to see the many benefits of giving a charitable gift from Gifts In Action

Maybe you’ve been racking your brain trying to come up with the ideal gift from someone who seems to have it all. Well, now you can give a unique gift that will help someone who doesn’t have that much — and simultaneously warm the heart and even inspire that person who doesn’t really need much in the way of material possessions. A charitable gift from Gifts In Action changes lives and spreads a message of hope, empowerment, and greater community.

And — perfect for you, the procrastinator — you can still get it to your recipient in time for Christmas!

=> Click here to get details about how Gifts In Action works and choose the charity gift that appeals to you (and your recipient) and fits your budget <=

Gifts In Action is a charity gift-giving organization based in the UK. The Gifts In Action program is the brainchild of ActionAid, a non-profit organization that has been working since 1972 to end poverty and injustice in the world. Now with programs in 40 countries, ActionAid — and Gifts In Action — attack the problem of poverty at the root, providing programs that help people become self-sustaining and financially independent. It’s not just charity — it’s creative assistance that makes a long-term difference to endemic problems and changes the lives of those it helps.

How Gifts In Action Works

You give the gift of supporting a project somewhere in the world in the name of someone else. The person in whose name you give the gift receives a personalized card from you — either a paper card that you can have sent to them (or have it sent to you to give to them personally), or an e-Card that Gifts In Action will email directly to your gift recipient. They will receive the details of how the gift you’ve given in their name is helping someone in the world address problems experienced by their family, their community, or their country.

Do you know someone who is passionate about education? Give a gift in their name that helps ActionAid train volunteer teachers to teach rural students in Cambodia — thus spreading the benefits of education and economic advancement. Similarly, a gift to Gifts In Action of £20 will provide school books for a child in Haiti for an entire year.

You simply choose which gift program appeals to you and match it to the donation amount that fits your budget

Do you know an environmentalist? Maybe they would like a gift of helping rural Vietnamese children plant 400 trees — teaching the kids about the value of preserving the environment, while simultaneously helping them rid themselves of disease problems caused by mosquitoes and flies.

Do you know someone who extols the virtues of entrepreneurship and financial independence? Maybe that person would appreciate the gift of helping to support a chicken-breeding program in Malawi. A donation of only £10 helps rural women buy broods of chicks. The eggs the chickens produce helps feed their families and can be sold at local markets to support themselves financially.

There are many categories of gifts from Gifts In Action — projects and initiatives that should interest just about any gift recipient you have — from energy-saving stoves for women in Uganda to river ambulances for people without access to good roads in Bangladesh. All of the charity gifts from Gifts In Action are reasonably priced and are used efficiently on long-term projects that can help entire communities.

And right now, you can get £1 off when you buy two or more Gifts In Action and use voucher code GIAAFF on the checkout page. When you use this voucher, Bluefrog Ltd. (the corporate partner of Gifts In Action), will pay £1 (one British pound) of your gift for you. Just choose two or more gifts and enter code GIAAFF on the checkout page.

If you use the e-Card option on the Gifts In Action site, you can still get the gift to your recipient in time for Christmas (sorry, but the deadline for paper cards to arrive by Christmas has passed). Do something good for your fellow human beings around the world, please and inspire your gift recipient, feel better that you’re making a difference, and meet the Christmas deadline… What could be better? It’s a win-win-win-win.

I imagine your gift recipient will never have received a gift quite like the one you give them from Gifts In Action. See the video below to get up close and personal about what they do:

What Easier Place to Find Gifts for Guys than at “Presents For Men”?

ECJ — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:13:17 +0000

Are you trying to find a gift for a man who’s hard to shop for? When it comes to shopping for gifts for guys, you will certainly be able to find something suitable at Presents For Men — the UK men’s store online that features 2,000 gifts, tech gadgets, and manly accessories for men, travelers — even women. But mostly for men. Presents For Men has gathered some of the most interesting, unusual, useful, and fun gifts in one convenient place.

If you can’t find a present for a man at PresentsForMen.co.uk, then you are not online. That is a prerequisite — you must be able to get on the Internet. Presents for Men will take it from there. (Even better, see below for a special, secret deal.)

Fun Gifts for Men

Click to get a Camera Lens Cup from Presents For Men

For example, at Presents For Men, you can find a Camera Lens Cup — a mug that looks just like a camera lens, and includes a removable lens cap that doubles as a coaster. How many male photographers do you know who would enjoy a cup that looks like a lens? All of them! (If they don’t, they have no sense of humor or whimsy, so why are you hanging out with them?)

This lens looks and feels like a real lens and is insulated to keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold.

Hey, photographers get thirsty, too.

Puzzles and Games

Do you know a guy who likes to solve puzzles? Does he enjoy the challenges of things like Rubik’s Cube and Sudoku? Then what better gift to get him than a Sudokube — a 3-dimensional Sudoku game where the object is to get the numbers 1 to 9 on each face of the cube by rotating the different rows.

Click to get the Sudokube for a puzzle-solving guy

Get him a Sudokube and he will probably miss his next flight because he will be too absorbed in enjoying his new puzzle and won’t hear the boarding announcement in the terminal. He will blame you. But it will not be your fault.

Anyway, he will forget all about it after he boards the next flight out and continues to play on the plane. And the Sudokube is just £3.99! (Multiply that by 1.6 to get approximate US dollars.)

Travel Gifts

You don’t want your traveler guy getting lost, so a handy tech-related gift you can get him at Presents For Men is a Universal GPS Nav-Pack. This ingenious travel case will hold and protect his portable GPS device — and, when he wants to use it, he can set it up on the dashboard of his car so he can easily read the screen.

Get a Universal GPS Nav-Pack for your techy traveler

No more fumbling with or holding the GPS device when driving. Instead, the Universal GPS Nav-Pack will position the screen of the GPS at 3 different angles, depending on preference. And the case will not slide off the dashboard because it has a weighted base. It will hold most standard portable GPS devices 3½” and 5″ in size. The case is padded to protect his unit.

See the video below that explains the uses of the Universal GPS Nav-Pack.

You can also explore their travel-related gift store at Travel Paraphernalia for even more gift ideas related to travel.

Brilliant! Click here to get the Universal GPS Nav-Pack from Presents For Men.

I could go on listing dozens of cool, unusual gift ideas for men that are available at Presents For Men, but where would be the fun in that for you? I think you get the idea.

It will be much more fun for you to explore the site yourself and find just the right present for that man who’s hard to buy for. (You know the one I mean.) Plus, see the text link below for a special Christmas deal!

Just for your holiday-shopping ease… Click here to go to a “Secret Christmas Gift Ideas” page at Presents For Men and get 50% off everything you see there by using code SECRET50 at checkout. This is a special code that is not generally available!

The Presents For Men website has guides to Best-Selling Christmas Gifts, the latest fun products (see “New Products”), and Stocking Fillers.

Presents For Men even has an interactive “Gift Finder” that helps you find just the right present for your guy (or gal). You input the recipient (man, teen, grandparent, etc.), the price range, and an area of interest — Presents For Men then suggests many different gift ideas suitable for that person. What could be easier? You can do all this while wearing your pajamas.

They have gifts in the categories of Home, Garden, Travel, Gadgets, Fun & Games, Health & Beauty, Books, and more. They even have Clearance items on sale for ridiculously small amounts of money, so you can shop economically there, too. (If you’re shopping from the US, shipping to American addresses is not terribly expensive — starts around $18).

The Presents for Men site is laid out intelligently and is easy to navigate. It has a search function and will let you know whether items are in stock or not.

The Presents For Men company has been in business for 22 years. They have built their success on word-of-mouth recommendations and repeat orders, so you can shop there with confidence. Presents For Men pride themselves on their customer service and providing quality, practicality, and value when it comes to shopping for a gift.

Try ‘em! Solve all your challenging gift-shopping problems now!

Want to Help the Japanese Economy Recover? Shop at Rakuten

ECJ — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:22:28 +0000

You may be wondering how to help the people of Japan cope with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that occurred March 11. You can do it by buying goods from Japanese companies online. This post tells you the best way to shop Japan via the Internet.

One idea for economic recovery that I have not seen mentioned is to shop directly with Japanese businesses online. Americans and others around the world have donated millions of dollars through various relief organizations, such as the Red Cross, and many others have traveled to Japan to volunteer their services. But, while donations of money satisfy the immediate need to get supplies to the people in the towns of the tsunami-ravaged Tohoku region, dollars can be infused into the Japanese economy long-term by shopping via the Internet from anywhere in the world at Rakuten.

Click to explore Rakuten's huge online mall

Many people outside Japan have not heard of Rakuten. It is an online shopping company. It is Japan’s equivalent of Amazon. The Japanese name “Rakuten Ichiba” translates to “Rakuten Shopping Mall,” which is exactly what it is — an aggregation of 33,000 Japanese shops and businesses. This huge online shopping site offers 60 million products. Rakuten is the second most visited site in Japan, with over 50 million registered users. In fact, this Internet shopping giant is the reason Amazon has not been able to make much headway into the Japanese market. It is estimated that one-third of households in Japan shop at Rakuten. And that says something: Japanese consumers, particularly online, are known for being finicky and demanding. Rakuten has met their needs to the point that it is now one of the top ten Internet companies in the world, and has an international presence. In addition to products, it also has its own extensive travel services site, which anyone in the world can use.

Rakuten is now actively expanding its shopping services in other markets throughout the world, including Europe and the United States. Amazon may be the largest online shopping company, but sheer size is no guarantee of quality (Microsoft sells more operating systems than any other company but no one thinks their OS is the best, and General Motors became the largest automaker in the world selling cars inferior to a number of other makes), so I would not be surprised if, in a few years, Rakuten has noticeably eroded Amazon’s market share. You can think of Rakuten as the Honda of online retailing.

What does that mean with respect to helping the Japanese economy weather the aftermath of the earthquake?

We know that the world’s economic fortunes are subject to ripple effects that transcend national boundaries. Mortgage foreclosures in the American mid-west affect the value of the Euro. The price of labor in China impacts how much Walmart pays its US workers. The Russian wheat harvest affects the price of food in Delhi and Des Moines. With respect to the world economy, Japan is a titan, boasting the third largest economy after the US and China. So any financial woes that Japan experiences as a result of the triple whammy of the earthquake, tsunami, and radiation contamination from damaged nuclear power plants will affect not only the Japanese people but people in the United States and around the world. (Already, it is projected that demand for the Prius will not be able to be met, since there are parts suppliers for the car in the affected region. And US beef exports to Japan may be hampered by damaged port facilities.) In other words, the domino effect from an economic slowdown in Japan coupled with the need to re-build infrastructure could affect your personal financial situation. So it behooves you to help your neighbor.

Thus, if you shop for Japanese goods, you can help not only Japanese businesses and consumers as they recover and re-build, but your own economy as well. The easiest (and most enjoyable) way to shop in Japan from outside Japan is Rakuten. Spend a few bucks there, get yourself some interesting, well-made Japanese products, and you’ll be helping float everyone’s boat. After all, just imagine what it would have meant to a local hardware or stationery store in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina if they had had a steady influx of customers… If they had experienced damage or hardship from the hurricane, sure, packets of freeze-dried food and blankets would have met their immediate physical needs, but long-term, it’s customers buying from businesses that sustain an economy, whether in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi or Ofunato, Japan.

You can find just about any kind of product at Rakuten, from books to ice cream to motorcycle parts. But why not get something interesting or unusual? How about:

Sake
Momotaro Jeans (maybe the best jeans in the world)
Japanese Sandals
Tea Sets
Samurai Clothes and Accessories
Edible Seaweed from Ofunato (the northeast region)

You can also try using the search field on the Rakuten homepage to search for city names in the northeast region, such as Sendai, Kamaishi, Miyako, and Kuji, in order to find stores in those cities from which to buy. Keep in mind that operations at those stores might be curtailed or slowed for awhile — but they will still appreciate the business!

Rakuten currently ships to over 50 countries (and the list is expanding) and their site has pages optimized for a number of countries, including the USA, Canada, China, France, and the UK. If you’re outside Japan, when you place an order you’ll usually be put in touch via email with the shop that sells the item to arrange a shipping method and cost. (Note that some shops offer special free international shipping promotions, or $1 international shipping.) There is a weight restriction on items shipped to the US via certain carriers, but many shops can arrange a shipping method to the US that gets around this limit.

When you first explore the site, you may wonder where to go and how to approach it, but anyone familiar with online shopping can quickly figure it out. Explore. In addition, they have a handy instructional page here.

Think of it as an adventure, man. As well as a good deed.

Here’s a testimonial from a customer in the US posted on the Rakuten site:

“I recently found Rakuten via Facebook, and boy I couldn’t be happier. As a person interested in Japanese culture, this website is great. I’ve found many things I had been looking for as well as new items that have caught my eye. The website is well laid out and very intuitive to navigate. And the search feature is one of the better ones I’ve encountered for a merchant website. And this is all from a website that isn’t set up for business in the USA. If the USA website is half as good, then it’ll be better than most merchants that I’ve purchased from. by Nick M – NJ, USA”

Hey, if Nick can do it, you can, too. And remember, you’ll be helping the cause. It all adds up.

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation, so others can benefit, too. Thanks!

Father’s Day: Get Something Good for Your Dad (or Yourself)

ECJ — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:39:22 +0000

Here’s a wide variety of Father’s Day gift ideas. As you go through them, consider nabbing something for yourself.

Wait a minute… Get a gift for yourself for Father’s Day? Sure. When it comes to Father s Day gifts, if you get something for yourself, you know you’ll get what you want. Besides, why not celebrate your own fatherhood? You can do that even if you don’t have kids. After all, every mature man is a sort of “father”: an originator of ideas, shepherd of projects, creator of art, instigator of adventures. And if you do have kids, if you get a cool gift for yourself, you’ll be able to enjoy it along with your kids’ heartfelt (hopefully), competent (or not) gifts — their attempts to express their appreciation for your love, guidance, and encouragement.

Of course, you want to get a good gift for your own dad for Father’s Day, something that expresses your gratitude for his presence and influence in your life. I say “hopefully,” because Father’s Day can often be kind of an afterthought when it comes to parents’ days. Mother’s Day gets most of the headlines. Father’s Day seems to come in second in the popularity polls. The cliché of dad always getting a necktie for Father’s Day is a cliché because it’s true. But your dad deserves some consideration when it comes to gifts, doesn’t he? To jump-start some ideas, following are suggestions for gifts that don’t suck — things he will actually enjoy and use.

Let’s start with a classic gift idea that can’t miss: a wristwatch, and for a good price (he’ll appreciate your sensibleness). Watches are useful, stylish and, when you think about it, cool pieces of technology. (There’s a reason they’re given on important occasions such as graduation and retirement.) Every day, ChronoShark offers a new watch at the absolutely lowest price anywhere. You only get 24 hours to nab it.

I have a dedicated page to ChronoShark here). And if today’s watch deal doesn’t do it for you, there’s a good chance that tomorrow’s will — they select from the best when it comes to performance versus price. You could also try an excellent online retailer of watches: Discount Watch Store. They have thousands of watches for men, good customer service, guarantee the lowest prices on the Internet, and offer free shipping on all orders.

Polar FT7

Along the same lines as a watch, but a little more specialized and beneficial — how about a heart-rate monitor? Here’s a heart-rate monitor that’s well-reviewed: the Polar FT7. Outside magazine, among others, recommends it (“intuitive and powerful”). It has everything you need and nothing you don’t, and the price is right. Plus it’s cool-looking. Encourage your dad to achieve his fitness goals. Find the Polar FT7 at REI or Moosejaw. And if you want something more top-of-the-line, check out the Garmin Forerunner 110, which adds GPS capability to workout monitoring.

Everybody likes 007. Whether your dad is trying to get fitter or not, guys appreciate action (even if it’s vicarious), and quintessential manly action has always been carried out by James Bond. Get your dad a complete set of James Bond movies. Here’s Volume 1:

You can also find the complete collection of Bond movies on both DVD and Blu-ray at CD Universe, one of the best online sources for music and movies at good prices.

Or would he rather have a TV series? See my post on the best television series for men availale on DVD and blu-ray (for example: The Wire and Fawlty Towers).

With regard to relating to women (your mom or whoever), a good cologne is always appropriate (unless she’s got MCS, in which case there’s a whole ‘nother set of things to worry about besides smelling good). I have found only a few that seem to be universally appreciated by the opposite sex and here’s one of them: Marc Jacobs for Men. In my own informal polling, I’ve always had positive responses (I try it on at the store and ask random women if they like it). It’s also endorsed by the PUA community, and they should know, right? You can get it for an excellent discount from FragranceX.

Every guy should have at least one multitool. They’re handy and confidence-inducing. Here’s one that the editors of Outside endorsed as a practical, everyday choice: the Leatherman Squirt PS4 (can’t go wrong with anything from Leatherman). It’s got 9 tools (including pliers and scissors) in a compact form that isn’t annoying to carry around (just 2¼ inches closed). And it’s only about $40 (or less). Get it from REI. Or from Massey’s Professional Outfitters.

The sword of William Wallace

Here is something that is not a multitool. It’s a single-purpose tool: William Wallace’s sword from the movie Braveheart. Of course, this is not an actual battle sword ( for that you need to go to Swords.com or Budk), but it is an impressive 61-inch replica in high-carbon steel — the most accurate prop replica ever made of this sword. It comes with a display plaque. Inspire your dad with the formidable weapon that helped establish freedom!

Guys need a top-drawer pair of knockaround pair of shoes, whether for late-night ramblings along urban streets or stalking across frosty stubble pursuing a great telephoto shot of a wild turkey. Fortunately, Timberland has a classic pair of chukka boots that fit the bill — the Eastern Standard Chukka (that’s them above) – a vintage style based on shoes that first appeared decades ago, made with premium Horween leather, hand-finished for a rustic look, with coarse waxed cotton laces and a Vibram outsole. Intended to protect a man’s feet during diverse activities, while simultaneously making him look good. Get them from Timberland. Made in the USA.

And if you don’t think these boots are exactly your dad’s cup of tea (or you don’t know his shoe-size), then get him a gift certificate to Zappos and let him choose his preferred footwear. That goes for all the companies linked to on this page – if you’re not sure about a specific item, get a gift certificate: it always fits and is totally in style.

Kansas City Steak Company

You get hungry after a day of stomping around in your boots, swinging your sword, and when a man gets hungry, the food of choice is meat (unless he’s a vegetarian — in which case, well, get him a carrot). Anyway, if you want to treat your dad to a premium steak or other great hunk o’ beef, you can’t go wrong with the Kansas City Steak Company — one of the best online companies for steak and other meats. And of course they’re offering some good deals now — for example, get 8 Classic Steakburgers FREE with a $100 order (use code ABRG84 at checkout). And get $4.95 shipping on all orders. This makes a mouthwatering gift…

Savile Row, London

You want your dad to look good and, believe it or not, he wants to look good, so how about getting him a shirt or two from one of the most renowned shirt makers in the world: Savile Row. They offer exquisite tailoring, use the finest cottons, and carry a variety of styles (all posh). Right now, if you buy 2 shirts you can get a third for half price (through June 21st only). They also carry men’s suits, casual wear, and accessories. Which means you can get him — yes! — a tie. But Savile Row ties are pretty cool. They have a 3-month satisfaction guarantee. Shipping to the US is only $21 and is free on orders over $175. And, for the quality, their prices are quite reasonable. Click the banner below.

A laser-engraved flask makes a personalized gift

We’ve handled your dad’s steak needs but what about when he gets thirsty? I’m not talking about when he needs a bit of agua after running a 10K. No, I’m talking about when he needs a drop of something a little more flavorful. For that, he doesn’t want to carry a Camelbak. He’ll need something a bit more sophisticated: a flask. And why not get him one that’s laser-engraved with art or a message of your choosing? This will be a gift that keeps on giving. See more flasks than you can shake a stick at at the FlaskShop, including photo flasks, stainless steel, novelty flasks, leather designs, monogrammed, and martini shaker sets (which he can use while unwinding with a Bond movie).

TaylorMade R9 Driver at InTheHole Golf

Your father must have a few hobbies. Is one of them golf? If so, my commiseration. No, just kidding… My 81-year-old dad plays golf and loves it. I know he always enjoys upgrading his equipment. So why not get your dad a new club or something else from InTheHole Golf, one of the best online destinations for everything you need to play the Game of Gentlemen. Check out the TaylorMade R9 driver — an advanced, adjustable design that is getting rave reviews. Or maybe he just needs a new golf bag (consider the Ogio Nexos Stand Bag). Or simply get him a gift certificate. You can’t go wrong at InTheHole Golf. Their helpful, informative website will help you choose a great gift.

And, from now until June 20, get 10% off for Father’s Day at IntheHoleGolf — just enter code DAD at checkout.

This is not your dad.

Of course, maybe your dad’s inclination is toward a sport that’s a little more mano-a-mano (as opposed to mano-a-course-o). How about tennis? Does he need a new tennis racket? Then the place to get it for a good price, with a wide selection, is Tennis Boom. Of course, if your budget is limited you could always just go with a can of balls.

The Daiwa Saltiga Surf Spinning Reel is one of the best

Or maybe your dad prefers the contest between man and fish. A new rod or surf reel could be in order. Find a huge selection of fishing equipment, from fly-fishing to deep-sea trolling, at Cabelas, the premier outdoor recreation/adventure outfitter, all offered with excellent customer service.

Utrecht Master's Studio Easel - on sale for over $100 off

Is your dad a visual artist? Remember how I mentioned that a man can be the ”father” of art? Well, if your dad fits that category, you can get art supplies and equipment for him at Utrecht. They’ve been supplying equipment and materials for artists since 1949.

They are currently offering their Master’s Studio Easel for an excellent discount.

Click for exclusive designs at Sunglass Hut

Now that we’re coming into summer, every guy, including your dad, needs some cool shades to wear with shorts and Hawaiian shirts. You can’t get cooler (or higher quality) than Ray-Ban (and Maui Jim). See an excellent selection of Ray-Ban models, including one-of-a-kind designer styles such as those done by graphic designer and muralist Matt Moore above, at Sunglass Hut. A pair of Ray-Bans, whether wayfarers or aviators, is a can’t-miss gift.

Click to see the Droids at Wirefly

A new phone — something he can use to call you or just surf the web. The new iPhone is about to come out and the Google Nexus One is getting rave reviews. Those aren’t the only excellent phones out there — the various Droid phones are also top-of-the-line. Is it about time for your dad to have a cool communication/Web/photo/GPS machine that won’t break the bank? Find many good selections at Wirefly (such as the Droid Incredible pictured at left, or the featured model in the banner below).

Maybe your dad isn’t much of a gamer. But he could be, especially when he finds out about the cool sports games you can play on the Nintendo Wii. Or he is a gamer but he hasn’t gotten around to getting the Wii yet. Or he’s gotten a Wii but he doesn’t have Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 yet. In any event, get him one or all of these things and he’ll have fun. Include Resident Evil 4, too (also find it here). And don’t forget Super Mario Galaxy 2 (about which CNET wrote: “…the new standard against which every 3D platformer must now be judged”). You can also find the Nintendo Wii in black at Buy.com, plus a bunch of accessories.

MEZZI WOODLine Aluminum Briefcase

When you combine style, a cool gadget, and uniqueness, you’ve got an unbeatable combination for a gift. And that’s what you get with the MEZZI WOODLine Aluminum Briefcase — a well-made aluminum briefcase with a wood finish and a chrome handle from Mezzi.com. The WOODLine Aluminum Briefcase was featured on Mission Impossible 3. (Mezzi has supplied cases for a number of TV shows and films, including all those nifty silver cases on Deal or No Deal.) This briefcase is made of high-quality aluminum and has chromed corners. The black interior has 4 compartments, 3 pen/pencil holders, customizable foam, and will securely hold a laptop of up to 17 inches. It’ll keep your dad’s stuff safe with a dual keypad combination lock. And he will own the most distinctive briefcase of anyone he knows. MEZZI makes stylish, durable briefcases at sensible prices. Check the customer reviews for this case on their site. You can also read an independent review of another MEZZI case — the LuxSlim Aluminum Laptop case in black — at Gear Diary, if you want additional input about their products. But really, all you need to know is that, in addition to Mission Impossible 3, the WOODLine Aluminum Briefcase was featured on NBC’s Chuck (one of my favorite shows).

Top 30 Bestselling Signed Books at Abebooks

Does your father like to read? All readers enjoy having a book signed by the author. And you can find a whole bunch of signed editions at Abebooks. Here’s a link to the latest, most popular signed editions at Abebooks. If you don’t see an author that you know your dad likes on that page, use the Abebooks search function here to search for signed editions by authors you know he’s a fan of. It makes for a cool, one-of-a-kind gift. And here’s something especially for Father’s Day: books by father and son writing teams.

Subscribe for under $12 for a year

Then again, maybe your dad is a reader but he doesn’t like books. He likes his reading short, practical, entertaining, and with plenty of pictures. In that case, get him a subscription to a car magazine. Every guy likes car magazines. Me, I like Car & Driver best. But hey, some people swear by Road & Track and AutoWeek. Also check other titles at University Subscription Service, which is one of my favorite online discount magazine subscription services (along with Blue Dolphin). You can’t beat the prices and the service is good. And a magazine subscription is a gift that keeps on giving every month. And don’t you want to let your father how much your care about him every month?

Happy Father’s Day!

Sure, Your Mom Would Appreciate Flowers for Mother’s Day — But What About Something Sorta Different?

ECJ — Wed, 05 May 2010 02:25:09 +0000

Don’t get me wrong — flowers are good and you know she’d love them. But why not go outside the conventional bounds and give her something rather different and memorable? Here’re some ideas…

Okay, if you’re committed to flowers, let’s get that out of the way first. You can still order in time for delivery for Mother’s Day (you do know it’s on May 9, right?). You can get them from Fleurop, the most extensive flower delivery service in the world (I said “extensive” not “expensive”). If you live in Poland you can order on Fleurop’s website and have them delivered to someone in Argentina. Or Nigeria. Or Iceland. And of course the United States. And vice versa. I’ve written previously about Fleurop’s history and scope in my post on humans and flowers. To order, click the text link above or the banner below. And if you are in the UK (or you mom is), you can order from Fleurop.co.uk. Get 10% off an order for a spring bouquet using code SPRING11 at checkout (through 4/30/11).

Now for some different suggestions… How about some customized Chuck Taylor shoes from Converse? I’ll bet you didn’t know you could design a pair. Or she can. Women are into Chuck Taylor’s now. The easiest thing would be to go the Converse site and get your mom a gift card (everybody likes gift cards) and she can design her own pair (on the site, click “Buy” and you’ll see Gift Cards under “Clothes and More”). Or she can choose something else cool out of their selection of apparel. You can have the card mailed. Or send it as an e-card, so it’ll be sure to be on time. Or you can order something like the Jack Purcell garment-dyed sneaker. Lots of options, and she’ll like any one of them.

Of course, when it comes to women (and moms are women, remember) clothes are always in order. But rather than get something ordinary from the local discount department store, how about something from Fossil? Not what you’d ordinarily think about for Mother’s Day, but that’s the idea. They have cool items and they’re offering free overnight shipping on orders over $100 (through 5/5). Use coupon code MOM100 during checkout. Need a specific suggestion? How about a Stella Bright watch, a ceramic watch, or jewelry? And there’s always gift cards.

How about some great food from Spain? That’s right, Spain. This is not Mexican food, this is Spanish food, and the place to get it in the U.S. is La Tienda, a business that imports lots of delicious and one-of-a-kind products from Spain. Their site deserves careful exploration. And their food merits appreciative dining. Maybe you can’t cook for your mom, but you can still give her something really tasty. And unique. They also have cookbooks, cookware, and beautiful ceramics, among many other things.

But let’s get back to customization. How about making her a one-of-a-kind product at Zazzle? You can make her a T-shirt, tote bag, apron, greeting card, mouse pad — they have almost 40 different products to choose from. Use one of your own digital photos. Go to Zazzle’s “Create” page and have at it. You can add your own text, too. Or, if you can’t quite come up with your own design, Zazzle has over a billion products to choose from, plus the Artsprojekt and Labz specialty sites (see the links in the top bar on their site). Use the Zazzle search bar to search on one of your mom’s interests and lots of product options will appear. You can often customize these products, too. Or you could try my Zazzle store (it’s got women’s clothing). You can select expedited shipping to make sure it arrives on time.

When’s the last time your mom had a nice vacation? You can get her a gift card to BedandBreakfast.com and she can select from more than 4,000 B&B’s and other lodgings around the U.S. and Canada. Imagine the fun she’d have choosing a place to go and stay. She could go with your dad, her BFF, or have her own adventure… They’re offering a deal for Mother’s Day, too — 10% off using this code: BBMOM10. See details at the site.

If not a vacation, how about an event? You could treat you mom to a show or concert. Just go to TicketNetwork to select from a huge array of current and upcoming events. How about Wicked? Or Cirque Du Soleil? Or Sting? TicketNetwork has good prices (usually lower than the competition — such as 15% off Broadway ticket orders over $200 with code BWAYSAVE15 through 6/15/10) and good customer service. And if she’s a sports fan (baseball — save 10% using code MLB2010 through 6/15; or tennis, anyone?) they’ve got that covered, too.

And if you send her on a trip or to an event (or even if you don’t), she might want to have some new luggage or a new handbag. Fortunately, eBags, probably the best one-stop shopping spot for getting things to carry stuff in, is letting me offer you a couple of deals in May. Get 10% off plus free shipping on a luggage order over $100 using coupon code COMJGRADS. And get an extra 15% off handbags using coupon code COMJMAYBAG. (These coupons expire on May 31.) Luggage-wise, see the Skyway Sigma Expandable Carry-On – $49.99 (58% Off) + FREE SHIPPING!

Corona Ergonomic Pruner

But maybe your mom wants to stay closer to home… Does she like to garden? How about a nice Corona pruner? (Corona makes some of the best forged tools.) Click the image to the right or here to find them for a discount at BIC Warehouse.

They feature a forged, heat-treated bypass blade. The angled head reduces wrist fatigue.

Does she like to bird-watch? How about a pair of binoculars from Cabelas? These Bushnell 10×42 All-purpose binoculars should fit the bill. And they’re not expensive.

Is she into “green” living? Then you’re sure to be able to find something for her at Real Goods, which carries a ton of environmentally-oriented products and gear.

How about music? Fortunately, I have just the thing: Bach’s Goldberg Variaions, played by Glenn Gould, an absolutely legendary recording. Everybody likes the Goldberg Variations. Or find something else out of a selection of 500,000 works at CD Universe, including movies and television shows.

Maybe your mom is a reader, too. So how about a magazine subscription? It’s the gift that keeps on giving every month… And not just any magazine subscription, but a discounted one. You can get great prices on a big selection of magazines, including many 2-for-1 offers, at University Subscription Service. It’s the only way I subscribe anymore. The prices are consistently the lowest I’ve found and the customer service is good. Just don’t get your mom Popular Mechanics (unless she’s a DIYer). She’d probably enjoy Elle, Smithsonian, Self, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, or any of a hundred others.

Does she enjoy wine? Then she would appreciate a bottle that you can personalize with a label just for her (and ratings of the wines help you choose). Or choose from over 600 products at Wines.com. There is no mininum order and prices start at $10 a bottle.

Click to see the caviar selection at Mackenzie Ltd.

And to go with that wine, how about caviar, or another gourmet food item, from Mackenzie Ltd., one of the best sources of gourmet food on the web? They import only the best foods from around the globe. They have chocolate, too. And I’m talkin’ good chocolate.

And then, of course, there’s a camera. Mothers like cameras because, for some reason, they always want to take a picture of you. So help her out. An outstanding place to find all things photographic is J&R Computer/Music World, New York’s legendary, block-long electronics store. Great prices and excellent customer service. You can order and get expedited shipping to have it there by this weekend. They have a ton of other Mother’s Day gift suggestions as well.

Speaking of suggestions… If none of the preceding ideas has grabbed you and you’re still wondering what to get, try Overstock. They carry millions of products and they have a convenient suggestion page for Mother’s Day gifts (something they provide for every holiday). Of course, their prices are second to none — and their suggestions are okay (not as good as mine, but not bad). And shipping is only $2.95 on your entire order. Give them a try.

If you want still more suggestions and discount deals (for example, Best Buy is offering some special promotions) that I didn’t have the space to include here, go to my GOOD DEALS AND OUTLETS page (for future reference, the link is in the top menu bar). I’m continually updating it with coupons, best-buys, closeouts, interesting products, sales, discounts, and promotions from the best vendors.

Hope this has helped. Just as dads appreciate something besides a steady stream of neckties, moms like variability, too. It shows you put some thought into it. Though, of course, you know she won’t complain about flowers…

And for any moms who’ve happened to run across this post… Happy Mother’s Day! Are your kids sort of clueless? Then share this post on your Facebook page or elsewhere with one of the social bookmarks below, or forward the URL. Who knows — they might just get the hint.

Unusual Gift Idea: Give Someone (or yourself) A Vacation through BedandBreakfast.com

ECJ — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:41:43 +0000

Give someone the gift of getting away on vacation to stay at a bed and breakfast. Or put together your own trip…

Here’s a gift you might not think of every day: help your friends or family go on a vacation to any of over 4,000 locations in the U.S. or Canada with a gift card from BedandBreakfast.com, the leading online B&B directory, reservation network, and specialty lodging guide. BedandBreakfast.com is recommended by the New York Times, Real Simple, Forbes, Time, Newsweek, Travel & Leisure, and USA Today, among others.

BedandBreakfast.com has a comprehensive listing of global bed and breakfasts, B&B homestays, country inns, urban bed and breakfasts, guest houses, lodges, cabins, historic hotels, small resorts, guest ranches, farmhouse accommodations, and working farm and ranch vacations. Searching on their database allows you to find the ideal bed and breakfast inn, whether searching by location, amenities, online booking, favorite recipes, special packages, pet friendly, weddings, last-minute availability, or BedandBreakfast gift certificate acceptance. From Iceland to Malaysia, they cover the world. Their customer reviews help you select the best bed and breakfast for your stay — or your gift to give someone else.

Right now, click here to save $50 immediately and get a $50 promo code for a later purchase when you make on online reservation of 2 nights or more — use code NEWYEAR50 (through January 31, 2012). Enter code NEWYEAR50 during checkout.

BedandBreakfast.com offers a wide variety of additional information to enhance your travel experience. Travelers can post reviews on the BedandBreakfast.com message boards. The BedandBreakfast.com Report describes B&B’s personally recommended by BedandBreakfast.com staff, and there is an extensive BedandBreakfast.com Blog as well.

From time to time, BedandBreakfast.com offers special deals on Gift Cards. But at any time their gift cards are a good value. They feature:

No fees
No expiration
No blackouts
Free shipping
Free photo upload
Free customization
4,000 B&B’s in the U.S. and Canada

(*Note: for security reasons, gift cards are not valid until 7 days after purchase.)

Gift cards start affordably at $25. Your friends and family could probably use a vacation about now — or one to look forward to later. And maybe think about one for yourself, too… Check out BedandBreakfast.com to see some of the great travel and lodging opportunities.

Get Your Girl a Trinity Costume (and Neo, too)

ECJ — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:32:23 +0000

A Trinity costume from The Matrix is fun for Halloween, but you can give this costume as a gift any time. Listed below is everything you’ll need, and you can acquire it all from the links on this page. Also included is how to create a Neo costume for yourself.

It helps, of course, if your girl likes The Matrix. I put together this Matrix costume as a Christmas present for my GF awhile back and it was a hit. The Matrix is one of her favorite movies.

Will it look good on anyone? Carrie Anne Moss is definitely hot in her skin-tight black outfit, but she’s got that slender, college-pole-vaulter build. How about on a woman that is a bit more curvy — someone, say, like Scarlett Johansson? Well, after seeing my GF in it, I just have to say, it works.

Any day of the year is a good day for her to dress up in her Matrix outfit. And if you feel like doing a Neo thing (sort of like a catholic priest without the, uh, catholicism), that’s good, too. (Scroll down to the see the section on how to look like Neo.)

Note: This post was updated with new info and additional links on September 21, 2011.

Trinity wore a variety of outfits in the 3 Matrix films but the one most people remember is what she wore when she and Neo attacked the military installation to save Morpheus in the first film.

Click here to get the basic Trinity costume coat

Several pieces comprise this costume. For greatest authenticity, you’ll need to acquire them from different places. Trinity’s full outfit consists of a coat, pants, top, black boots, and shades. You can add elbow-length gloves to create Trinity’s look from The Matrix Reloaded. First and foremost is the long black shiny coat. This is the piece that will be the most “costumey” in quality – that is, it’s a costume coat that is not necessarily meant to stand up to years of daily wear. But that’s not a problem, it’s not expensive. And the Trinity sunglasses are included (though you’ll probably want to upgrade to a pair from Matrix Eyewear). You can find the deluxe black vinyl Trinity jacket and glasses at BuyCostumes.com, one of my favorite online costume sites.

The real deal when it comes to the shades are these Trinity sunglasses from Matrix Eyewear. They’re fully functional sunglasses at a good price, with a 1-year guarantee.

Next, you’ll need the pants. Remember to keep to the “shiny” motif. Generally, that means vinyl.

I (and my GF) like these straight-leg vinyl pants (at left) from Flirty Lingerie (a fun place to shop). They are really flattering and look great with black boots. However, it’s a discontinued style (i.e., they’re not producing them anymore), so eventually they’re going to run out of the remaining inventory. You can still get them as this is written. Don’t wait. (When you go to the webpage, even though the product description says “Discontinued,” you can still click to put them in the shopping cart; they currently have size “Large,” which will work for most women.)

Vinyl Pants from Pierre Silber

The vinyl pants pictured at right would also fit the bill. These are black vinyl pants from Pierre Silber, an extensive lingerie and adult costume site. Right now you can get them for less than $50. You might want to keep Pierre Silber in mind to explore other Halloween costume ideas.

An alternative pair of pants would be tight vinyl or faux leather (or real leather) leggings paired with thigh-high boots. Try these: Latex Leggings (not pictured).

Coffee Shop Junior's Stretch Leggings

You could go with leggings that she could also wear for clubbing, such as these stretch polyurethane pants: Coffee Shop Junior’s Stretch Leggings, which are inexpensive at Overstock.

Or you could go in an even sexier direction and try this black vinyl catsuit (below), which has the perfect texture and shine, and would go well with the costume coat. It would be a pretty warm outfit, though. Good for a cold Halloween night…

If she already has some black boots, they should work. However, if she doesn’t, or if you’re going with tight leggings, a provocative option would be this pair of thigh-high black boots:

4-inch Heel Thigh-High Boots. They should fit over a pair of tight leggings. And they’re under $60 at Flirty Lingerie.

Funtasma Women's Gogo Boots

If you want something that looks more like the actual boots Trinity wore in the movie’s lobby shootout, you can go to MotorCowboy and have a pair custom-made for just over $300, or you can go with these Funtasma Gogo boots from Wayfair in black patent, which look almost identical and cost only $50. These boots are also very similar to the ones Trinity wore in The Matrix Reloaded. They are suitable for kicking butt and piloting helicopters. If you want to go all-out with high-end leather boots, get her the Jenny Boots by La Canadienne at Zappos (yeah, she’ll love those).

Black Tank Top Unitard

Then you need a top. Again, go with black and sleek. Here’s another all-in-one option. This Black Tank Top Unitard is just right. It’s sexy, athletic, and she can wear it under other outfits. She can also slip those thigh-high boots over it.

Joelle Cotton Wow Tank Top

You could also go with this cotton tank top (click the image at left). It’s got a shaping fit and smooth texture. It’s the Yummie Tummie Joelle Cotton Wow Tank from Revolve Clothing. She’ll be able to wear it for many other uses, too.

For a less expensive alternative, check the Splendid Supima 2×1 Tank (not pictured) — a versatile tank with high-quality fabric you can find at Zappos. Or the Fitzwell Annie Sleeveless Sweater, a very cool-looking garment, and only about $30. Or, for a slightly different approach, the Calvin Klein Essentials Long Sleeve V-Neck, from Freshpair. At least ONE of those tops should work for her.

Finally, round out the outfit with some long shiny black vinyl gloves (the photo’s a little risqué if you happen to be reading this at work).

Remember, as you’re shopping for all these items, to check the merchant’s sizing chart, if they have one, plus customer reviews. Since all these garments are tight, you can usually err on the side of ordering a size larger and they should still work.

You should be able to put a decent Trinity costume together for around $100, or a bit more if you go with all of the best options.

Add all the above elements together and you’ll have a kickass costume, a delighted girl, and some fun… (I was going to include a photo of other girls wearing the Trinity costume, but decided not to — I don’t want to spoil the surprise. You will not believe how cool she looks when she finally models all your carefully-chosen items.)

By the way, if you want to see more variety of Halloween costumes and get info on current good deals at some of the best costume shops online, see my post on Costume Deals and Ideas for Halloween — or Whenever.

How to create the most authentic Neo look for yourself

I’m going to assume you want to match the movie wardrobe as closely as possible. So…

Matrix Lobby Trench Coat

First Neo’s coat. The best coat I’ve found is the “Lobby Coat” made by AbbyShot Clothiers. This is a high-quality coat and the design is very faithful to the coat Neo wore when he and Trinity attacked the military installation. That’s it to the left (don’t worry, you’ll look cooler than their model). Click the image or here to see more pictures. This coat is made in limited quantities, so sometimes it must be pre-ordered; leave yourself plenty of time. You can also see other high-quality movie and TV replica clothing (Firefly, Doctor Who) from AbbyShot, available at Entertainment Earth.

The easiest and least expensive way to get the Neo outfit is as a costume, which also includes the sunglasses.

Here it is from BuyCostumes (pictured below):

Woodland Leather full-length Trench Coat

If the AbbyShot coat above is sold out or a bit pricey for you, there is a great alternative from JKL Clothing: the Woodland Leather full length Matrix-style men’s trench coat (at left). This high-quality leather coat is very similar to the coats both Neo and Morpheus wear in The Matrix. Note that JKL Clothing is a British company and if you order from them you’ll pay in British pounds. Multiply the price in pounds by about 1.6 to roughly convert the amount to dollars (as of now, the coat is approximately $335 plus shipping). They accept all major credit cards and PayPal. This is a stylish, well-made coat.

To get the most authentic Neo sunglasses (pictured at left), you should get them from Matrix Eyewear. Click the image to the left. These are good-quality sunglasses from Matrix Eyewear and will work for everyday wear, too. Matrix Eyewear also carries sunglasses for most of the other characters in the Matrix movies. And they’re very affordable.

To go with the look Neo was wearing in the lobby shootout in the first film, a fitted black T-shirt will work (you’re on your own for all the guns and holsters). This fitted black T-shirt from Calvin Klein has a modern, sort of “cyber-punk” appearance, is not too expensive, and will look great under the long coat. For an even more premium look, try the Long Sleeve Crewe from Icebreaker, which is made of Merino wool and has a similar texture to the shirt Neo wears.

Kenneth Cole Sateen Cotton Shirt

Neo also wears long-sleeve buttoned shirts under his long “cassock” and the one pictured at left should work. This is a Kenneth Cole no-iron Sateen Cotton Shirt in black. It’s got a spread collar, features a modern look, and is priced around $60 at Zappos. You could also try the Blackhawk Warrior Wear Lightweight Tactical Long-sleeve Shirt from Cabela’s in black.

DC Chino 2 Pants from Killer Dana

The pants for your Neo outfit should be black work pants or field-style pants. You probably own some black pants that will do the trick, but if not these are good: DC Chino 2 Pants in black from Killer Dana. They’re close in style and texture to what Neo wears in the film. (Tuck the pants into the boots.) If they’re sold out, Overstock has a good selection of other styles that will work.

Another option for pants would be these black “Best in Town” cotton canvas cargo pants from JKL Clothing.

Corcoran 10-inch Tanker Work Boots

Now you need some boots to round out your Matrix look. You can wear any black boots and be fine, but if you want boots that closely resemble the style Neo wore in the first movie (remember when he kicks Agent Smith down the hallway in the final fight-scene and holds his foot in the air — those boots), then these will do the trick: Corcoran Men’s Tanker 10-inch Work Boots. These Corcoran buckle boots might be even cooler than the boots Neo wore in the movie. And they’re nowhere near as expensive as having a set custom-made at Motorcowboy. Tuck the pants into the boots.

If the Corcoran boots are sold out, or you want something with more buckles, try these boots from Harley-Davidson: the Harley-Davidson Side Light Boots (pictured below). They have a lot of buckles and the heavy toe, as in the film. If you need to, you can black out or remove the chrome plates on the toe. Click the image below to acquire them from Zappos, the company with the best customer service on the Web.

Harley-Davidson Side Light Boots

Another alternative boot would be these Danner Striker II Side Zip Boots (pictured at right). They have a quasi-military look and are black leather, with a zipper on the inner side. Some people swear by Danner, and some say they could be more durable, but for costume purposes these boots would definitely work.

Finally, if you want a really substantial, cool-looking pair of black boots that would work for everyday use as well as for this costume (and are less expensive than the Danners), go with these 8″ Thorogood Jump Boots (at left). Weinbrenner Shoe Company has been making Thorogood boots since 1892, so you know they’ve worked the bugs out. They are known not only for their work boots but their tactical boots as well, and these boots obviously share that pedigree. They’re leather and have a rubber-lug outsole — just the look to go for when you’re trying to subvert the Matrix. You can find those styles and more at up to 70% off from Shoe Metro.

I hope you enjoy all your Matrix adventures with your lady and never forget: the Matrix has you.

If you put one or both of these costumes together, please leave a comment below telling how it worked out. Did she like it?

Hey, wait a minute… You haven’t seen the Ultimate Matrix Collection on DVD or Blu-ray yet? There is no future in that approach. Please rectify that now, Mr. Anderson.

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