Valentines Day Gifts

So, Clueless Guy contacted me the other day with some advice on for him gifts for this romantic holiday.  He found an article on ESPN…. go figure…… with some helpful ideas.

Although the ideas are mainly for him, my personal fav that is a “for anyone” gift is the Apple !Pod.  And look above……. it’s pink!

I already have the video !Pod but I can honestly say that it never leaves my side.  I love the memory capacity and when I’m on a trip, I can also watch movies.  It’s a great gift for anyone who isn’t afraid of technology.  Sorry Mom, Dad, and Grandma…. maybe this gift isn’t for you.  Oh well, there’s always records.  Or maybe 8 tracks?  Do those still exist?

Someone sent us a comment a few days ago saying he saw a New York Times article about a company called PhotoFiddle.  So I took a look at the site, and it seems like it would be a great idea for a Valentines Day gift.  PhotoFiddle takes your pictures and turns them into an oil painting, with a bunch of different options.  Anything from black and white, kaleidescope, colored squares, film negative strips, or even collage, which is depicted below (not so well - I think they’re careful about people stealing images).  It’s a pretty cool site - would be perfect for couples.

Check this out.  I think I found the perfect Valentines Day gift for the golfer.  Golfballs.com has come out with an easy way to create personalized golf balls.  How cool would it be to get golf balls with your name on it?  Or some sort of personal double entendre message like “Hit it Hard Baby” or “Keep it Straight” or “Put it in the Hole” or…well, I could go on forever. Actually, not only can you personalize golf balls, but also hats, towels, bags, and shirts.  Great Valentines or Fathers Day gift.

Do you ever go through your photo albums and think that you just can’t get enough of seeing your favorite candids?  There’s been some photos I have of family or friends that I know I could just stare at all day.

And, better yet…… I could stare at my favorite photo while staying all warm and cozy.  Ah yes……. a photo blanket.  It’s actually a neat idea and one that’s for anyone.  The neat thing is that TreasureKnit offers not only blankets, but pillows, bags, collages, and even towels.

Ah, yes, the carousel.  Clueless Guy, I’d have to agree.   It was a cool gift!  My best gift was actually mentioned in an earlier post.  I was lucky enough to get a new tempur-pedic bed with a new headboard and all.  It is so comfortable and has gotten very nice reviews.  The salesman that sold us the bed said that if you need to call customer service for whatever reason, there is only 1 of a total of 2 people on staff.  In other words,  they rarely ever get phone calls.

I’ve had the bed for about a week now and it’s been broken into quite nicely.  I have to say that if your bed is “killing” you at night, invest in a tempur-pedic and I think you’ll be very happy!

With Christmas now in the rear view mirror, it’s time to look forward to Valentines Day, only seven weeks away.  Are you ready?  Well, probably not, so we aim to give you some more ideas.

My favorite gift that I got for Christmas this year was something called a liquor carousel.  Basically it’s an easy way to pour up to six bottles with perfect 1.5 oz pours.  I’m not sure where it came from, possibly Sam’s Club.

Obviously this gift would be a perfect Valentines Day gift for anyone who enjoys a drink every now and then, and any other time between now and then.

What was your favorite gift?

I hear that pocket watches are making a comeback. I don’t know exactly who carries them - I’m just telling you what I heard. Not for me, but then again I’ve never been one to wear a watch at all. For whatever reason, they make me jittery (don’t laugh. Oh wait, you already did? Nevermind then). I think it’s because I’m constantly checking the time, so that makes me constantly worried about being late. So…I guess maybe I do need a pocket watch then.

Of course, I already have a cell phone which sends emails, makes and receives calls, has chat capabilities, plays old Nintendo games, stores books, and even…tells the time. Oh, and it can be a tip calculator.

Anyway, the point is that some people really like pocket watches. It probably makes them look cool or old school or something.

Come to think of it, my grandpa would have probably worn…er, carried…a pocket watch. And the best site I’ve found for buying them is JewelElegance.com. Go check them out.

I had a chance to join a wine of the month club recently, and I couldn’t be happier with it.  Usually I buy 2 or 3 bottles of wine each month anyway, but I have really no idea what I’m buying, other than it’s red.  I’ll go to Harris Teeter and pick out whatever red wine bottles are marked down the most.  Yup, definitely a connoisseur.  So having experts pick out wine for me is perfect, and I might even develop a taste for certain Merlots or Cabernets (”Cabs” for us experts).

The company I signed up with is GoldMedalWine.com, and they have three different levels of clubs based on your taste and your budget.  If your a big baller and you get bored if brushing your teeth with Dom, you may want to join the Diamond Club, which ranges in price from $150-$180 per month (although they limit that club to 500 entrants).  But if you’re like me and don’t have the discerning palate just yet and/or don’t have the budget, you’ll want to go with the $30/mo Gold Club.  But who knows, maybe I’ll be movin’ on up one of these days.

And for Valentines Day or Christmas, they have gift cards available.  This would be perfect to get that special woman who likes a variety of wine.  Or perhaps you know she likes wine, but you just haven’t been paying attention and don’t really know what kind.

Anyway, very happy so far - can’t wait to get more next month!

So, we’ve talked bout wine and beer of the month clubs, but what about all those coffee drinkers?  Like myself, if you enjoy a nice cup of coffee each morning than a different brand and taste might be a nice wake-up enjoyment.  You can choose from 3,6,9 or 12 month club memberships and choose from many different flavors. 

And, if you really don’t like coffee but you are instead a  cappuccino, lover, hey….. that’s okay too.

It’s actually pretty inexpensive and a nice idea for anyone in your family who are coffee addicts.

You know when you were little, you made sand castles on the beach or wrote little messages?  Well, how about writing a romantic sand message to the one you love and framing it as to look at it all the time? 

This is a perfect, and very inexpensive gift if you live in a warm place near a beach, but most of the US is covered in snow around this time of year.  If this is you, then there are sites that can help you with this idea.  They will take the picture and you pay of it.  It’s still a great gift that your special someone will cherish forever.