Tide Clocks

Archive for November, 2006

Giving with Adventure in MindHis idea of a good weekend entails heavy packs, close calls and head butts with nature. Yep, it’s the outdoor guy. He leaves the house as an organized, well maintained, high tech human and comes back looking like Grizzly Adams after a fight with mama bear. There are two things  outdoor guys live for: gear and putting it to the test. It may be redolent of enabling, but here are the hottest gifts for guys who stay inside only when they have to.1) Zeal Optics Maestro Sunglasses ($130)These aren’t for sitting pretty on the beach, these are performance shades. The sepia-polarized polycarbonate lenses with amber tint increase depth perception, intensify contrast, sharpen edges and work in any light condition. All that tech talk means when your outdoor guy is flying downhill faster than anyone should he’ll be able to see in changing light conditions. The lenses curve around the face allowing for good peripheral vision (like in case a mountain lion is in pursuit). They’ll also stay put with spring-loaded hinges that hug the head and won’t slide off when adrenaline kicks in.

The Perfect Christmas Gifts - If You’ve Lost Your ReasonAs conflict and war rages across the world, it’s comforting to know that at the holy time of Christmas there’s always the hedonistic, consumerist nightmare of buying gifts to fall back on. Sometimes it seems that the easiest thing to do is to just dive in – you  can’t swim against the tide forever.There are a seemingly endless supply of expensive, weird and wonderful gifts that you certainly don’t need (or can’t imagine how you ever lived without), and here is a selection of some of the most amazing choices from a - nameless - glossy catalogue that only seems tempting if you’ve lost your reason: like at Christmas, or when you’re in the middle of an 11 hour flight.Despite their financial troubles, Sharper Image come into their own come December, and this year their Personal Cooling System 3.0 might do the job for that gym-crazy friend or family member: looking more like a sci-fi movie electronic neck tag for criminals than the traditional wet cloth, this gadget just needs filling with water and turning on. The miniature cooling system keeps your neck cool, while a tiny fan blows a breeze on the back of your neck – brrrr! Comes in silver or blue at $29.95.In many big cities – and especially Los Angeles – small dogs are nothing more than a fashion accessory: heaven forbid that they ever actually have to put their delicate tootsies on the pavement and walk! If you are someone who must carry Fifi everywhere you go, save the strain from carrying pooch in your Prada and invest in a fold-flat pet stroller from Hammacher Schlemmer. Not only can you now push doggy around like the mini-person he or she really is, the stroller folds up flat and even comes with an accessory tray and a drink holder – presumably for it’s mojito with a bone on a cocktail stick. $119.95.