Blew Out My Flip Flop...

Some things go out of style, and you're thankful.  Others leave you wondering why such a great product disappeared.  I am happy to report that one of my favorite defunct items is back with a vengeance:  Tiddies Flip Flops!

Do you remember them from the late 80s early 90s?  Ah, yes, the somewhat naughty named flip flops that everyone wore back in the day.  Aside from making me giggle, Tiddies are incredibly comfortable.  Thick cushioned flip flops with soft rubber straps make you feel like you are walking on air.

I've bought several pairs to give as Christmas gifts this year.  They are great for summer fun, resort wear, retro birthday gifts, and holiday gifts for anyone who sported them back in the day or those cool hipster college kids of today.

Spice It Up:  Oh, how I wanted to match the Tiddie's with a vintage Pat Magee's t-shirt!  I searched high and low, but Pat Magee's closed its last shop in 2002.  So, my runner up retro t-shirt is a Panama Jack.  Yes, we are dipping into that Weekend At Bernie's look and it is total greatness.

Feeling uber nostalgic?  Remember those corduroy OP shorts? Unfortunately, those are long gone, but you can purchase OP swimwear at WalMart.  Happily, the Hawaiian Jams store is still open in Honolulu, but I'll give you fair warning their new styles don't look anything like the board shorts with big flower prints of the 80s.

Last, but not least, you must top off the retro beach look with some sporty sunglasses.  Yes, the blue reflective lenses are back "in."  In my mind, these were the "Rob Lowe"style Wayfarers as opposed to the traditional "Tom Cruise" black Raybans from Risky Business--such a fashion dilemma!

It dates me a bit to admit I wore all of these items the first go-round, but I'll sooth my antique ego by sipping a margarita and listening to Jimmy Buffet...Blew out my flip flop...stepped on a pop top... 

Where to Buy:  Tiddies sandals $39.99, Panama Jack T-Shirt $16.00, Rayban Wayfarers $149.50 (cheap knockoffs available at WalMart & Target for $8.00-$12.00--they even have the neon colors for the rims)

If you're looking for great Surf nostalgia, check out the Texas Surf Museum in Corpus Christi, TX.  Pat Magee is featured as one of the legendary Texas surfers.

Amazing Adventures!

Some of the best gifts are not trinkets, but rather memorable experiences.  A scavenger hunt, ala the Amazing Race, is guaranteed to get those couch potatoes off the sofa and diving into a local adventure!

Whether for a birthday, date night, anniversary, proposal, corporate team building, or holiday outing for the family, a scavenger hunt is a neat way to engage the entire family or a group of friends in a day to remember.  Most hunts include the use of your smartphone, so the teens/tweens won't feel deprived of technology for the day!

My friend, Misty W., discovered this great idea while dreaming up a plan for a special birthday for a dear friend.  There are several great scavenger hunt services that you can tap into online which are tailored for your particular interests.  Watson Adventures is one that specializes in hunts at local museums, while My Mystery Party focuses upon faux murder mysteries.  For adults, there is the ever popular Urban Beer Hunt. 

Watson Adventures is highly recommended and has been featured by the ABC News, Daily Candy and the New York Times.  Upcoming public hunts include The Met in NYC, Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, the American History Museum in D.C., and the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco.

Up the ante by utilizing Segways on your hunt.  In most cities, you can rent Segways for city tours to tie into your adventure.

Or, plan team costumes like these Gnome and Where's Waldo teams at the Urban Beer Hunt.

Spice It Up:  Prepare the contestants for their adventure with a drawstring bag to carry.  Pack it with bottled water, a snack and any extras they might need to gather clues.

Make sure the teams use their smartphones to take pictures as they reach each checkpoint and to record any antics along the way.  After the race, use the photos to make a photo collage commemorating the adventure. 

Where to Buy:
Scavenger Hunts - Hunts vary by price depending on the size of your team, where it located, and whether it is custom designed for your group.  Most hunts allow for as few as 2 people to as many as 50. 

  Basic Hunts - These are downloaded on your phone and are preplanned for general use.  Tours For Fun - $44.00 for a group, Scavenger Planet $20.00 for a group

  More Elaborate Hunts - Watson Adventures, My Mystery Party, Urban Beer Hunt prices range for each of these hunts depending on whether you have a custom hunt or public hunt.  ON average it is $35.00-$40.00 per person but may require a minimum number of people.

Segway Tours - In Dallas, try Dallas Segway Tours $60.00-$85.00 per person.  In other cities, search online or check Trip Advisor for recommendations.  It is worth your while to call and negotiate a possible group rate or discount for non-peak days.

Drawstring Bags - Found at most sporting goods stores.  Academy from $9.99-$32.99  Custom type or monogram bags at Etsy (Etsy sites allow for small orders 1-10 which is preferable to promo sites which require minimum of 150+ bags). $10.00-$15.00 per bag

Photo Collages - Easily created on photo sites like Shutterfly.  Or try Pic Monkey to create your own printable collage.  $5.00-$15.00

Pillow Collage - See my post dated September 4th for a quality collage pillow from Stitchagram.

Green Thumb Goodies

Got Green Thumb?  Channeling Mr. Greenjeans?  For aspiring gardeners, a gift for gardening pursuits is always welcome!

Target has a terrific gardening section with many festive garden stools, kneelers, gloves, and tools.  Each season they change up the colors & styles, but you can always find a neat set to give. 

I especially like these waterproof gardens shoes that masquerade as hip sneakers!

Spice It Up:  Combine this gift with any plant or a bag of seeds.  Even better, check out this clever gift of “Seed Money” to pair with your garden gift.  This is a fun gift to share with kids, as well, because they can learn about coin denominations while learning to plant.
The seeds look like plantable coins and each denomination is a different type of seed:

• Pennies: Mix of wildflowers including Black-Eyed Susan, Spurred Snapdragon, Shirley Poppy, White Tarrow, and Sweet Alyssum
• Nickels: Herbs including oregano, parsley, basil, chive, thyme, and sage
• Dimes: Root crops including carrot and turnip
• Quarters: Salad greens including bibb, Black Simpson, Salad Bowl Red, radicchio, and endive

Money may not grow on trees, but it sure is fun to plant like this!

Where to Buy:
 

Garden Water Proof Shoes - Target $6.85 pair

Garden Kneeler - Target $6.24
Garden Tool Set - Target $19.99

Seed Money - available on various websites, but I found it at Leafcutter Designs.  Mixed sack of 50 coins $16.00 or full set of 180 coins with money rolls for $50.00

 

 

What Would MacGyver Do?

Admit it—every guy dreams of having crazy skills like MacGyver.  Whether for life threatening situations or for around the house chores, MacGyver has timeless wisdom for both.

Help your honey with his Honey-Do list by giving him his very own MacGyver kit!   “The MacGyver” which includes Duct Tape, WD40, Gerber Multi-tool and Gorilla Glue.  Be sure to add a box of Paper Clips, a Mullet Wig and Acid Wash Jeans for good measure!

Spice It Up:  Give him one of these unique Survival Straps.  While they look hip to wear, the cord unravels several feet to be used as a rope, tourniquet, or strap.  

Whether he is a hunter, fisherman, sailor, surfer, camper, climber or outdoorsmen, he will love this handy tool.  In harrowing situations, they can be quite useful—let’s hope your guy doesn’t need to use it for anything more than stylishness! 

Inspire your burgeoning Survivalist with this book: What Would MacGyver Do?  True Stories of Improvised Genius in Everyday Life

Top it off with a silly -t-shirt—imagine the conversations these shirts will inspire—ha!

Where to Buy: 

The MacGyver Kit – Broquet online provides an already assembled kit.  $65.00

Home-Made Kit – Lowe’s/Home Depot/Ace Hardware offer all the necessary items.  Buy a simple tool box or backpack to fill with: WD40, Duct Tape, Paper Clips, Multi-Tool, SuperGlue, etc.  Then, stencil on the tool box using a Sharpie Marker “WWMD”—this will ensure a good laugh!

Survival Bracelet – There are several brands for the survival bracelet, though I like Survival Straps because they are actively involved in Charities.  $24.00

Book – Found at Barnes & Noble in store or online.  $12.00

T-shirt – Online at Tshirts I Want or at Swag-City $18.00

Up A Lazy River

“Up a lazy river by the old mill run
The lazy, lazy river in the noon day sun
Linger in the shade of a kind old tree
Throw away your troubles and dream a dream with me…”

For Father’s Day, grab your family and take Dad floating on the river or lake for a relaxing holiday.  Present him with his own Big Bobber Cooler so he'll relax and enjoy the ride with a cool drink.

This cooler is amusing, and practical:

+ Easily seen in the water so he won’t lose it when coasting through the rapids

  + Can be tied with a cord to his inner tube, kayak or fishing boat to keep it arm’s length away

 

  + Meets the code for coolers on the rivers (yes, many rivers have a cooler size restriction—a relief that he won’t have to walk it back to the car when the park rangers are policing the river for outsized coolers)

 Spice It Up:  Get him ready for the trip with Keen Newport sandals. This brand is one of the best waterproof sandals out there.  

Keen sandals are better suited for summer activities than flip-flops because they have a protective rubber toe and grippy soles to prevent injuries on slippery rocks, and the cut-outs allow air to keep feet cool.

No doubt he will end up wearing them all summer long whether swimming, working in the yard, or hanging out on the weekends!

 

Then, stock the cooler with a six pack of various craft beers (at some stores they are sold in singles), so he can sample a variety of tasty beers.

Or, for a non-alcoholic twist, buy a cool selection of old school sodas like Big Red, NeHi, IBC Root Beer, etc.


 

Where to buy: 

The Big Bobber cooler can be purchased at Academy, Bed Bath & Beyond, BassPro Shop, or WalMart. $29.99

Keen Newport Sandals are available at many sporting goods stores including: REI, Whole Earth Provision Company, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Cabela’s. Keen’s have styles for both men and women in a variety of colors $100.00

Note: Be sure to check for sales—I bought a pair at 50% off at Whole Earth Provision Company. REI shows them online on sale for $69.99

Craft Style Beers: Check your local liquor store for a variety of Craft beers in the can (no glass allowed at the Lake or River!).  For guidance, check out the Craft Beer Brewers Association website called Craft Beer or the Beer Advocate. on average $7.00-$18.00 per six pack

Retro Soda Pop:  Old fashioned sodas can be found at local gourmet grocers or look at these websites online: Vintage Soda Company and Dr. Soda. $1.29-$1.50 per
bottle
Note: Careful with the retro sodas as most are packaged in glass bottles.  While they will fit in the Bobber, it is best not to have glass in the pool/lake/river.