It is never too early to contemplate what to get for Father’s Day. Unlike the advice my wife gives me for Mother’s Day (“don’t get me anything that plugs in”), Dads are often happy with stuff that involves power. Here are a handful of ideas that will make him happy.
Men crave power, when it comes to their devices. The folks at mophie have been at the leading edge of rechargeable batteries, and they have introduced the powerstation USB-C XXL. It is a high-capacity universal battery with enough power to charge a USB-C laptop as well as charge all your other USB devices. Featuring a variety of compatibility options, this advanced 19,500mAh rechargeable battery has enough power to keep all your devices charged as well as the ability to provide USB-C laptops with up to 14 hours of extra battery. There is nothing more aggravating than your mobile device warning you about shutting down for lack of juice, and being too far away from a wall socket. I like the “priority+” feature, which recharges your device and then the unit when plugged in. Even if your favorite Dad is not a road warrior, this unit is a great item for his arsenal.
Before they were fathers, men enjoyed setting up their sound system. It was generally the last thing dismantled before a move and the first thing set up in the new dorm room or apartment. Technology has evolved, eliminating many of the wires that tethered all the equipment. If your favorite father needs an upgrade at his desk, or if the precarious “wife approval factor” is relevant in the equipment around the house, consider these speakers. The cool design is pleasing to the eye (black and white versions also available), and crucially the sound is great. Smooth and transparent sonically, the Egg Wireless Speakers go great with an audio/video rig in the living room or within a home office setting. The two way bass reflex design provides a surprisingly solid bottom end, which can be supplemented by a sub-woofer (sold separately). The integrated amplifier delivers crisp highs.
Show your Dad that you respect his eclectic and deep taste in music by getting him a copy of this superb documentary. The market is awash in music documentaries, and as with most genres, the best bubble to the top. This one does so. The film tells the story of piano player Pinetop Perkins, drummer Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith and guitarist Hubert Sumlin, each of whom were Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf sidemen. The latter two were crucial stepping stones in the foundation of rock and roll. The film captures some of the sidemen’s last interviews and final live performances, before their deaths in 2011. Putting the trio’s influence into perspective are a veritable who’s who of the music scene: Gregg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Shemekia Copeland, Warren Haynes, Robby Krieger, Joe Perry, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks and the late Johnny Winter. The film is packed with great music and great footage.
“It’s Better Than It Looks,” by Gregg Easterbrook
I have been fascinated by this author for many years, and only recently discovered he also grew up outside of Buffalo. He has written a series of thoughtful articles and books, mostly debunking the myth of the ‘good ole days.’ He has assembled a compelling thesis that we are better off today than ever before, by every conceivable measure. If your Dad is one who pines for yesteryear, this book is for him. If your Dad is one who looks forward to tomorrow, this book is also for him. Easterbrook writes in a smooth, easygoing way. He sets up seemingly unassailable positions and gently unpacks them with facts and observations that raise your eyebrows. That was always the indicator that my Dad was paying attention to something remarkable, and I bet that will be the case if you give your Dad this book.
Like many Dads, I need cheaters when reading books. Like many Dads, I find it a hassle toting around eyeglasses. The folks at ThinOptics have developed a clever and stylish solution. They have just added the FlashCard to their line of collapsible and extremely portable reading glasses. With its metallic yet soft touch finish, FlashCard complements ThinOptics’ case accessory ecosystem, which features protective cases that fit onto Samsung Galaxy and iPhones, keychains and universal pods that stick most anywhere. This lineup keeps ThinOptics ingenious glasses always with you.
(MALIN+GOETZ) spf 30 face moisturizer
Dads of yesteryear had a facial regimen that drifted not too far from Barbasol and Aqua-Velva; the idea of a moisturizer was for Moms. And sun protection was a sign of male weakness. We have come a long way, baby. Now it is obvious to all cool rockin’ Daddies that a daily moisturizer with sun protection is smart and de rigeur. Keep your Dad looking young with this great emollient. The multiple sunscreen absorbers help protect all skin types from UVA and UVB skin damage, such as premature aging indicated by winkles and lines. The water resistant formulation is great as we steam into the summer months, but this is a year-round solution.
Is your Dad one who travels? Does he have some sort of a fashion sense? Is he smart about trying to stay healthy? Get him a Bioscarf. In black, white, olive and a few more colors, it is the first functional and fashionable air filtration garment to hit the market. It can replace unsightly air masks for people who are trying to protect themselves from pollution, germs, pollen, even cigarette smoke. The company’s founder was in China when he pondered an alternative to the medical masks “that make you look sick.” Independent labs have shown the Bioscarf outperforms the competition, attaining a 99.75% average filtration efficiency. The company gives one scarf away for every scarf purchased, taking a page from the books of thoughtful companies. In addition, the Bioscarf is made from sustainable materials (including recycled water bottles) and even the label is made from recycled PVC pipes. Keep Dad healthy and stylish when he is playing road warrior.
Dear Evan Hansen at Ahmanson Theatre
Make plans to take your Dad to this production in Los Angeles in the fall. Running from October 17 to November 25, a couple tickets for Father’s Day would be a very forward-looking gift. The Broadway production has been met with rapturous reviews, from the NY Times (“a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical”) to the Washington Post (“one of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history”) to myriad teenagers and their parents. The winner of six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, “Dear Evan Hansen” features a book by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy, Tony and Academy Award-winning composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif. The original Broadway cast recording of “Dear Evan Hansen,” produced by Atlantic Records, was released in February 2017, making an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200 and entering the chart at number eight – the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961 – and went on to win the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Rare is the production that cuts across generations with such aplomb.
Is your Dad too old for Coachella, but still cool enough for a more manageable music festival? The folks behind KAABOO have continued to leverage their success in Del Mar. Not only have they made each successive music festival in Del Mar better, they have begun to spread their footprint elsewhere. They struck an amazing partnership with the owner of the Dallas Cowboys for a KAABOO in Texas a year from now, and the producers have just announced their lineup for KAABOO Cayman. There are many price points available, and you may not have the funds to send Dad to Del Mar with the limited edition $15,000 admission ticket, but he would undoubtedly send you a postcard or some selfies if you sent him to Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman next February. The lineup features a pleasingly eclectic musical lineup, along with KAABOO’s traditional blend of comedy and cuisine.
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