Fathers Day

Father's Day Favorite: Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal

Filed under: Spirits

When selecting a Father's Day gift of high-end spirits – so much more appealing than the old necktie standby – for the dad with discerning tastes, single malt Scotch or small batch bourbon is perceived to be the safer choice, while for some Cognac implies a prescribed level of connoisseurship which the paterfamilias may not possess. Cognac appeals precisely because it's a bit different however, and a special bottling connotes extra thought on the part of the giver. No father who favors a glass of something good could fail to appreciate Rémy Martin's 1738 Accord Royal. The name is a nod to King Louis XV's decree of that year rewarding Rémy Martin's excellence. The 1738 Accord Royal is a Fine Champagne Cognac blended from nearly 240 eaux-de-vie aged between 4 - 20 years in Limousin oak barrels, producing a smooth, rich and mellow spirit with notes of oak, chocolate, cinnamon and ginger.

Tags: brandy, Cognac, Fathers Day, France, King Louis XV, oak, Rémy Martin, spirits

Sony Dash Hands-On Review

by Dan Roth (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Gadgets

"Can I watch a movie on your little TV?" My daughter asked one night at mealtime. Hey, if it gets her to eat her vegetables, I'm down. She was referring to the Sony Dash that the company generously lent Luxist to try out, and it's much more than a mere video playback device. Small LCD screens are non-news at this point, so what does the Dash do that warrants attention? Well, how's this? I fulfilled my little cherub's request by deftly tapping at the interactive touchscreen for less than a minute. Up popped the requested princess movie via YouTube, and the plate was cleaned. Later, while burning the midnight oil, the Dash set the mood by streaming music from a Pandora station I created.

All of the functions I've described so far are things you can pull off with a laptop, for sure. The difference with the Dash is that it's an affordable $199, and isn't a universal tool like a laptop. Freed from having to cover every possible base, the Dash is optimized for its media delivery role, and consumes a much smaller footprint. With Father's Day coming, you might like to know if it's the right item for your gadget-fan Dad. How does it do? Read on.

Gallery: Sony Dash Review

Tags: apple ipad, chumby, chumby device, electronics, fathers day, fathers day gifts, fathers day presents, gadgets, internet device, sony dash, Sony Dash Internet Viewer, sony dash review

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Glenfiddich Your Dad For Father's Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

We've taken plenty of looks at whisky as a Father's Day gift. Positioning itself as the perfect Father's Day gift, Glenfiddich is offering a global contest to visit the Glenfiddich malt masters at the Dufftown, Scotland Glenfiddich distillery for an exclusive VIP weekend experience. You arrive on July 30th and are given a tour of the Glenfiddich distillery, including a tutored nosing and tasting session, and then a hike out for some scenic mountain climbing in the stunning Scottish Highlands. On Sunday you'll head into the glens for some traditional Scottish activities. You can choose between hunting, shooting and fishing with experienced guides or a tour of Ballindallock Castle complete with live falconry display. Enter on the Glenfiddich Father's Day microsite which also includes Father's Day gift ideas and ways to send personalized e-cards.

Tags: fathers day, fathers day gifts, glenfiddich, scotch whisky, whisky

Five Cigar Recommendations for Father's Day

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars

I'm about to celebrate my first Father's Day, so when I heard that the Beverly Hills Cigar Club had a few cigar suggestions for the occasion, I opened the e-mail immediately. In past years, I would have written the blog post for everyone else ... this year, I have something at stake!

Vin Lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club, has put together an interesting menu of cigars for Father's Day this year. From this list, I'd go with the Oliva Serie V, though my personal favorite these days is the 601 Trabuco (hint, hint).

Let's take a look at the five cigars Lee offers up as Father's Day suggestions:

1. CAO America Monument Pinstripe Torpedo
The wrapper on this cigar consists of two leaves arranged to deliver a pinstriping effect. One is a golden brown Connecticut Shade, and the other is a chocolate brown Connecticut Broadleaf. The filler comes from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and the United States. Notes Lee, "Warm summer nights this Father's Day, heat up the Kalamazoo 900 Grill and let Dad light up America while he slow grills his special burgers. No, he still won't tell you what's in the sauce though."

Tags: beverly hills, cigar, cigar club, cigar lounge, cigars, colombia, costa rica, dominican republic, fathers day, fathers-day, FathersDay, honduras, Mexico, nicaragua, NicaraguanCigars

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24K Gold Ltd. Edition Toy Soldiers from Chandelier x Partners & Spade

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Men's Style

Just in time for Father's Day, Richard Christiansen, advertising guru and founder of New York's Chandelier Creative, has collaborated with Andy Spade's acclaimed design studio Partners & Spade to create the ultimate toy for boys – a five piece, 24 karat gold, limited edition toy soldier set. Comprised of an embossed incandescent gold box with a fitted case for five individually crafted soldiers, it's being produced in a limited edition of 100. Each soldier is handmade, individually capturing a slightly different look and feel, so no two will be exactly the same. They are all engaged in various activities – some are marching, some are standing guard, and others are taking pictures. Accompanying the soldiers are four different props, also 24 karat gold, ranging from a chiseled brick wall and barrel that provide a safe place for cover, to a pile of debris. The limited edition sets will be available to purchase exclusively at Partner's & Spade in NYC beginning Saturday at $500.00 apiece.

Tags: Andy Spade, Fathers Day, gold, Jack Spade, Kate Spade, New York, Partners Spade, toy, toys

A Vilebrequin Father's Day: Beachfront Daddies Get Their Crankshafts Turned

by Jason Tesauro (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style, Modern Gentleman

Vilebrequin's french definition might not exactly translate as "killer beach-trou, bro," but that's what you'll hear all day long whilst sporting a pair. I test-drove this slick import in demanding summery conditions featuring 95-degree scorch, scampering tots, sun-worshipping hipsters, and riparian resplendence along the James River in Richmond, Virginia. The view flowed f

rom blue sky to lush green vegetation, punctuated by a smattering of kayaks that made the panorama look like the scene of a brief paint gun fight. On the rocky beachhead, the afternoon produced a lithe parade of string bikinis, tankinis, and bandinis (sadly, no monokinis). Nearly all of the males wore board shorts of various lengths and tattoos of questionable taste as they reposed on tattered blankets and pulled lotion from beat-up backpacks. The stylish exception shone like a beacon of smartness: my two boys and me in matching Jim & Jam Vilebrequin swimtrunks (those ain't no cute models in the pix, these are our family photos...Brooks & Sebastion with yours truly). If the day were a William Carlos Williams poem, I'd say that So much depends / upon / a blue rabbit / glazed with river / water / besides the white / linen.

Vilebrequin rhymes with "celebs will grin," and anyone who's taken holiday on the gulf of Saint-Tropez will recognize the reinforced double-stitching, spinnaker canvas, and the braided tying cords tipped with engraved zamac, an alloy that will never tarnish or corrode.

If you own a bespoke suit, a tailored shirt, or custom cufflinks, this is your bathing suit. I mean, why on earth would you wear cut-off denims shorts to anything other than a costume party, Daisy Duke convention, or a spontaneous dip outside the Diesel outlet? If you don't yet have a shirt-maker on your speed-dial, consider this your entryway into fine duds. Appreciate the couture of hand-cut back pockets for pattern alignment, water wallet for stowing cash and cards dryly, and a signature label upon the rear waistband that's a handsome and subtle, anti-gauche declaration of brand. Add to this garment's quality construction the whimsical, classic, breezy, patterns of tropical flora and fauna the likes of which one might find papering the walls of cabanas in exotic locales, and you've got a helluva reason to hit the surf.

Tags: bathing suit, fathers day, modern gentleman, swimwear, tesauro, vilebrequin

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The Perfect Beer Connoisseur Set

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Wine, Men's Style

Spiegelau's new Beer Connoisseur Kit is an instant classic. Whether it's for Father's Day or for you, you're not likely to find a simpler and more elegant set of crystalline beer glasses -- and for just $49.

Lager is one of the most common beers, and that's why most people serve all beers in lager-friendly pint glasses. However, the shape of the glass greatly affects the experience of a beer's aroma and flavor, and not all beers are made alike. If you consider the way the taste buds are arranged on the tongue, it makes sense that the way a beer flows into the mouth will affect the taste. The shape of the glass determines that flow, and there is no one-glass-fits-all for beer.

The Kit features, from left to right, Spiegelau's new Tall Pilsner Glass, Wheat Beer Glass, a Lager Glass (pint glass) and a Stemmed Pilsner Glass, ensuring that you always serve your beer in a shape conducive to expressing the beer's optimum flavor.

All the glasses are German-made and dishwasher-safe. If presenting someone with the Beer Connoisseur Kit as a gift, we recommend also gifting them with four imported beers ideal for the glasses, like a Bohemian-style pilsner for the Tall Pilsner Glass, a wheat (or "weizen") beer, an esoteric lager and a highly-fermented, intense pilsner for the stemmed glass.

Tags: beer, beer glasses, fathers day, fathers day gift ideas, fathers day gifts, glasses, glassware, pilsner, pilsner glasses, spiegelau

Father's Day Spa Package In San Diego

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

Mother's Day usually brings out the spa packages but fathers like to relax too. The Father's Journey treatment at the Blue Marble Spa in San Diego offers a papa pampering special on June 18-20. The package uses only natural and organic products and starts with a de-stress scrub with finely ground olive pits, frankincense, rosemary and ginger. This is followed by a relaxing massage that blends Swedish, reflexology, lymphatic drainage and acupressure techniques to stimulate the central nervous system and promote emotional and physical wellness. The package costs $234. The spa is part of the Mission Bay Hyatt, a hotel which recently had a $65 million renovation and has beautiful ocean views, three pools and a waterfront marina with kayaks, sailboats and sportfishing available.

Tags: fathers day, FathersDayGifts, spa package, spa packages

TOMS Shoes Upgraded for Neiman Marcus

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes, Men's Style

You may have heard of TOMS Shoes' good work: they've been supplying one pair of shoes to children in need for every pair that's purchased. Now, they've upgraded their style (and the price) for the posher socially-minded shoe shopper at Neiman Marcus.

The capsule collection comes in a number of styles for men and women, including the four attractive and comfortable incarnations above, for $78 - $85. We especially like the creative linings and the warm, calming beige shade. If you were thinking of getting your father slippers for Father's Day, definitely go with these (and help a kid!).

These shoes can easily be worn as house/garage slippers, or you can pair them with jeans for casual affairs. Either way, that classy TOMS label tells the world you care.

Tags: fathers day, neiman marcus, TOMS, TOMS shoes

If You Like Motorcycles and Wine ...

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wine

Two things we love, motorcycles and wine, are together at last.

Famed motorcycle connoisseur Arun Sharma (GM of MotoCorsa) used to describe himself as "not much of a drinker," but repeated trips to Italy on bike business converted him.

CorsaVino is the name of Sharma's new company, which bottles wine from Pacific Northwest vintner Rich Cushman's acclaimed selections (Sharma lives in Oregon). Cushman and Sharma share a passion for motorcycles, and each bottle has a motorcycle theme. They've released four wines, two Columbia Valley Cabernets, a Viognier, and a Syrah, in extremely limited quantities -- one of the cabernets is already sold out. The bottles are a highly reasonable $25-$30, and make a great Father's Day gift for a motorcycle-loving dad.

Visit CorsaVino's to order, and as they say on the website, "Enjoy the fine things in life."

Tags: arun sharma, ArunSharma, corsavino, fathers day, FathersDay, wine

Classic Malts for Father's Day

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Earlier we discussed the joys of Johnnie Walker as a prelude to Father's Day. Of course, some people prefer single malt Scotch to blends. The Classic Malts Selection, the world's finest portfolio of Scotch representing all of the major whisky flavor profiles, commissioned a survey to assess the drinking man's preferences both as Father's Day gift givers and receivers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, one third of respondents said they would prefer a bottle of high-end spirits to any other gift, and one in three indicated interest in gifting dad with a bottle of single malt. While men typically like to give dad a brand they know he's already fond of, one third said they would try something new if it had a similar taste and style.

Classic Malts has a new tool called the Flavor Map to help find whiskies that fit various taste profiles. You can check out www.Malts.com to view the Flavor Map and find matches. Meanwhile Classic Malts has some tantalizing suggestions. Pictured above are Glenkinchie 12-year-old ($49.99), a Lowland malt with flavors of late-summer fruits and harvest fields, young wood, malted barley and dry, sweet spice; The Singleton of Glendullan ($35.99) from Speyside, robust and sweet with notes of toasted grain, toffee, orange marmalade and brown spices; and Talisker 10-year-old ($49.99) from the Isle of Skye which with notes of dried fruit, peat smoke, barley malt and pepper.

Tags: Fathers Day, FathersDay, Scotch, Scotland, single malt, SingleMalt, Talisker, whisky

Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Green

Looking for a fun and free Father's Day event in the Los Angeles area? On June 21 the 2009 Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance will take place in Beverly Hills featuring more than 100 exotic cars on display lining Rodeo Drive north of Wilshire Boulevard. "In addition to our traditional and classic collector cars featured at the Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance, this year we are also proud to showcase a unique selection of alternative energy vehicles, micro and electric cars, and solar vehicles, amongst others," notes Bruce Meyer, co-chair of the Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance. "From the display of luxurious, cutting-edge automobiles to the world-renowned fashion boutiques, Rodeo Drive offers something for everyone to enjoy on Father's Day."

Tags: Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, classic cars, ClassicCars, electric car, ElectricCar, Fathers Day, FathersDay, Los Angeles, LosAngeles, Rodeo Drive, Rodeo Drive Concours dElegance, RodeoDrive, RodeoDriveConcoursDelegance

Celebrating Father's Day With Johnnie Walker

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Even when dad's not available I like to spend Father's Day with the family – the Johnnie Walker family. They have a Scotch for every occasion, and, as it happens, every dad as well, with five varieties ranging in age, complexity and exclusivity. Having tried (and tried and tried) every blended Scotch on the market over the years, I long ago settled on JW as the best; judging by the Royal Warrant on the bottle, that famous souse the Queen of England agrees. For one thing, it's the only one that's got any real peat to it, and of course we've always been fond of the "Striding Man" on the bottle; We like to think he's striding off in search of a damn drink after a long day's foxhunting, hoping the family is lined up waiting at home. Let's meet 'em:

The classic Red Label (which dates from 1906) and Black Label (1909) are old standbys, of course. We like the former with soda and the latter on the rocks. Originally known as Extra Special Old Highland Whisky in the 1800s, Red Label ($23) is a combination of 30 spicy, smoky malts, such as Talisker, and lingering, lighter grains. It has notes of clove, butterscotch, spice and vanilla, with a robust, smoky character and a warm finish.

Black Label ($34) contains as many as 40 whiskies all aged in oak casks for at least 12 years, including Talisker and Cardhu. The result is a rich combination of dry smokiness, with malt and peat overtones balanced by hints of cedar and fruit, with trademark dark chocolate and vanilla notes.

On to more recent innovations: Green, Gold and Blue Label. Green Label ($60) is actually a blend of 15-year-old Island and Speyside malt whiskies. Notes of spice, green fruit and nutmeg, are accompanied by an aroma of green apples and pears with a hint of sandalwood.

Gold Label ($85) is crafted from blend of 15 different whiskies, each aged at least 18 years. It's a very mellow Scotch, with a creamy, honeyed body and a slight caramel and vanilla nose. Some folk like to freeze it for 24 hours to release its true character as the whisky warms in the mouth.

Finally Blue Label ($220) is the ultimate luxury blend. Many of the rare whiskies come from distilleries that no longer exist, hence the pricetag. The nose has hints of smoke, sherry and fruitcake, while the body is soft and mellow with sherry, honey and vanilla notes married with peat and dark chocolate. The bee's knees.

Tags: Fathers Day, FathersDay, Johnnie Walker, JohnnieWalker, Queen of England, QueenOfEngland, Royal Warrant, RoyalWarrant, Scotch, Talisker, whiskey, whisky

Sparkling Shiraz, Anyone?

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Spirits, Wine

Nothing says summer like a nice cool glass of something sparkly. Well, now you can make anything bubbly!

The SodaStream is a DIY home carbonating machine with no electrical parts, nothing too tricky or messy, and a small splurge price of around $100. The Fountain Jet Start-Up Kit, with which I had the pleasure of experimenting, is currently on sale for $89.99 (normally $139.99) -- and it's perfect for both you and your dad for Father's Day.

How it works: You get the lightweight Fountain Jet, two BPA-free bottles, and a 110-liter Carbonator which makes approximately 110 liters of seltzer. You can select from a number of flavors for sparkling water, or buy their syrups in all kinds of varieties: cola, diet cola, root beer, orange soda, diet grapefruit, tonic, and more.

You put cold water in the bottle, then the bottle and the Carbonator in the Fountain Jet, and press the button on the top to infuse the water with seltzer. Like sparkling water? You're done. If you want soda pop, you add syrup -- which I can honestly recommend; it truly tastes like root beer, cola, or whatever it says -- and you have soda pop!

Not only is it fun to make yourself, but their syrups have no high-fructose corn syrup or aspartame, and you're also doing the planet a favor by not adding cans and bottles to landfills -- and the servings come out to pennies-per-glass.

So what's luxurious about this? You can use it on anything -- turn your whites and even reds to sparkling cocktails or make the most alcoholic gin and tonic ever (by mixing a little tonic syrup into sparkling gin). Look through the gallery to see, and click here to shop for a SodaStream.

Gallery: Carbonating Alcohol with the SodaStream

The first of the non-traditional fixings

Tags: alcohol, booze, carbonated, carbonation, cool summer, CoolSummer, fathers day, FathersDay, sparkling, wine

$5,000 Glengoyne 40 Year Old Single Malt

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

How much do you love your dad? Enough to buy him a $5,000 bottle of Scotch for Father's Day? You know he'll appreciate it, right? Scotland's storied Glengoyne Distillery founded in 1833 has just announced its oldest, most valuable Highland single malt ever, the Glengoyne 40 Year Old (above). The rare whiskey is bottled in a hand-blown Glencairn Crystal decanter with an individual number engraved in the base, decorated by an engraved sheaf of golden wheat on the stopper. The decanter is housed in a lacquered, piano-finished, solid oak wood presentation box, complete with gold plates on the front and hand-stitched cream leather interior. Only 250 bottles will be available worldwide, priced at about $5,000 apiece.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: crystal, Fathers Day, FathersDay, Scotch, single malt, SingleMalt, whiskey

Fathers Day

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