Lifestyle/Art

Published on August 30th, 2020 | by Darren Paltrowitz

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10 Gift Ideas For Early 2020 Holiday Season Consideration

Between birthdays, holidays, housewarming opportunities and general well-wishing, it never hurts to have a few gift ideas up your sleeve. Yet as weird as it sounds to say, the 2020 holiday season is literally just a few months away as this article is being written; I am just 2 hours from going to the beach, for some reference. In turn, below are 10 brands with interesting products worth looking into, all of which orderable online and available for prompt delivery in case you are wondering what to get someone in the near-future, and many of these gift options being friendly to social-distancing.

Argent: The Consortium

A 2015 Cardboard Republic Architect Laurel Nominee, Level 99 Games’ Argent: The Consortium is a cut-throat worker-placement/engine-building game of manipulation and secrecy in which the criteria for victory are secret and the capabilities of your opponents are constantly changing. You will need to outwit the other candidates, use your spells at the right moment, and choose the correct apprentices to manage your plan. A European-style game that minimizes luck and focuses on player interaction and strong core mechanisms, it allows new strategies to emerge each time you play. An expansion titled Mancers Of The University adds Technomancy as a playable schoo as well as an option for 6-player games. 2 smaller expansions, Summer Break and Festival Of Masks, provide additional content for the base game.

Google Stadia

In recent years, when people were talking about the latest and greatest video games, odds are that they were talking about titles produced for Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo-helmed consoles. However, Google’s new-ish Stadia console is still somewhat-new to the video game market and absolutely stands out from the pack. Not only is it box-less and cloud-based, but the games that you own for Stadia can be played on your television, your tablet, your mobile and your desktop alike — with your progress on each game universally-saved between devices. Just buy the controller set, connect to your media device and you start playing.

This month alone Stadia Pro subscribers were treated to 8 games which they could download, including Strange Brigade, Metro 2033 Redux, Kona, and Just Shapes & Beats, joining 18 additional games that were currently free to claim with a Pro membership. If you have a few extra bucks on hand to purchase games, I would highly recommend Mortal Kombat 11, PGA Tour 2K21 and F1 2020 for a healthy mix of action, adventure, and sports. We are just days away from the September 2020 Stadia Pro downloads being unveiled and released, and I am very excited.

Social Justice Social Club

Social Justice Social Club is an ideal streetwear brand for the socially-conscious as its creators infuse a sense of activism into every design. Designed for both men and women, SJSC offers clothing and accessories which capture the passion and commitment to make the world a better place. 10 percent of all company profits are donated to organizations fighting for changel a list of organizations it supports is available on its website’s “Giving Back” page. Furthermore, each month SJSC also designates 1 product for which it donates 100 percent of its profits to.

As a big fan of “lucha” (normally wrestling but a pun in this case), I am a big fan of the “Tu Lucha Es Mi Lucha” shirts. Inspired by a sign SJSC folks saw during recent Los Angeles protests, these shirts are made from 100 percent American-grown cotton, are eco-friendly (WRAP-certified) and have a comfortable unisex fit to them. Great t-shirts aside, there are plenty of cool hats, facemasks, socks and stickers available for online ordering via the SJSC website.

FOCO Bobbleheads & Replicas

FOCO is widely-known as a leading manufacturer of sports and entertainment merchandise. Its product lines include apparel, accessories, toys, collectibles and novelty items, including properly-licensed products related to the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, MLS, Disney, Warner Bros/DC Comics, Nickelodeon, Sanrio, WWE, and over 100 colleges and universities.

As a pop culture junkie of past and present, I made 3 recent additions to my home from the FOCO collection that I recommend to anyone and everyone: 1) WWE-licensed Andre The Giant bobblehead, 2) Barbara Maitland from Beetlejuice bobblehead, 3) New York Mets Citi Field BRXLZ replica. Conversation-starters to say the least, no?

TIDAL

As someone who is still working from home full-time, music is one of the things that helps keep the day moving ahead for me. And as of late, I have been relying on TIDAL for my daily music streaming, whether on my home Sonos system, my recently-acquired Cleer Audio Ally earbuds or my desktop speakers. Launched in 2014 by Norwegian public company Aspiro and currently owned by Jay-Z, TIDAL has more than 60 million tracks and 250,000 music videos. Now available in over 50 countries, TIDAL regularly streams concerts live and on demand, offering plenty of exclusive content not found on other streaming services.

Usual Wines

A subscription service is available for those who fall in love with the wine and want it dropped off at their doorstep monthly, Usual Wines is currently offering Summer Rosé — a pack of 12+ (single-serve) bottles of Usual Rosé — with a limited-edition Thermal Tote Bag to keep the wine chilled for hours. Said Tote Bag is complimentary with purchases of 12, 18, and 24-packs of Rosé. Usual Wines sells both monthly and one-time-order boxes of California-based sustainably-farmed Brut, Red, and Rosé varieties, also offering a “Mixed Pack.” Customers can text 415-941-0440 with any questions or to order more wine.

Subscription aside, the newest innovation from the company is Usual Spritz, the brand’s first-ever low ABV canned wine. Made with clean and simple ingredients, the limited-release Usual Spritz is composed of sparkling wine mixed with (a splash) of real, 100% natural guava juice, and nothing else. It is a bright and crisp low-calorie option (132 calories per 250 ml can) that’s great for this year’s (socially-distanced) Labor Day weekend backyard BBQ (and beyond) while also an elegant alternative to a hard seltzer.

Drift Rove Vent Freshener Wth Camp Scent

Speaking of social-distancing, if you plan to be heading out for a road trip or camping in an RV, Drift is absolutely worth checking out. A new way to keep your vehicle smelling fresh with a monthly subscription of air fresheners that seamlessly clip to the car vent, Drift is delivered to your doorstep each month, keeping your scents smelling fresh. The August scent of the month is called: Camp. Thus, you can celebrate the end of summer with a scent as cozy as a drink by the campfire. This is most likely the last car air freshener you will ever need, as it is made of premium aluminum and comes with a lifetime warranty. The Rove Vent Air Freshener itself is a minimal, sleek, design forward air freshener, created to blend into your dash, with scents that stand out.

Laurel & Hardy: The Definitive Restorations on DVD & BluRay

The comedy films of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy — “Laurel & Hardy” — have been beloved around the world since they were first released between 1927 and 1940. But unfortunately many of the available copies of those films over the years have been blurred dupes printed from worn-out negatives. Now, the best of the duo’s short comedies and 2 of their finest features have been fully restored. They look and sound as spectacular as when they were first released, and this collection includes the home video debut of Laurel and Hardy’s legendary 1927 silent “pie fight” film The Battle Of The Century after being “lost” for 90 years. The many hours of extras included within this set include 2,500 rare photos and studio documents, audio and film interviews with co-workers and experts, original music tracks and trailers, and a full restoration of the team’s one surviving color film The Tree In A Test Tube.

If horror is more your thing, the same excellent company behind Laurel & Hardy: The Definitive Restorations has released home-video versions of Girls Just Wanna Have Blood and Weird Fiction. If live music and concerts of the recent past are more your thing, the MVD Entertainment Group put out a well-produced, hit-filled 2019 BUSH concert video release earlier this year.

Veritas Farms CBD

One of the primary buzzwords of the medical field for the past few years has been “CBD,” which is short for cannabidiol, a chemical compound from the Cannabid sativa plant. Not all CBD is created equal, to say the least, so the jury is out when trying to decide whose CBD products are the best. But Veritas Farms is absolutely one of “the good ones,” as founded under the pure air of the southern Rocky Mountains in Pueblo, Colorado. With hemp grown similar to that of a high-quality vineyard, Veritas Farms produces a wide variety of formulated hemp oil products. Carrying the motto of “Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet,” Veritas Farms produces straight-form hemp oil, gummies, topicals, skincare products, pet-friendly products and hand sanitizer gel. Absolutely something for everyone. The berry-flavored CBD gummies are my favorite of what I tried from Veritas Farms, providing 5 mg of CBD per gummy in the 30-count bags and 7.5 mg of CBD per gummy consumed from the 5-count bags.

In November, Veritas Farms will be offering a limited edition, seasonal 4-pack of full spectrum hemp oil tinctures. Embracing the holiday spirit, the holiday bundle will feature four seasonal flavors: Cranberry Orange, Clementine Spice, Sugar Plum and Cinnamon Roll. For only $49.99, the bundle includes all four flavors of tinctures in 15 mL bottles with 250 mg of full spectrum hemp oil per bottle. The 4-pack will be available via www.theveritasfarms.com/holiday-cbd-tinctures on November 2nd.

The Perfect Spritz Kit by Ketel One Botanical

As made available through Cocktail Courier, The Perfect Spritz Kit by Ketel One Botanical is ideal for multiple occasions, whether it is celebrating the end of a work-from-home day, or kicking off a long weekend poolside, or really any occasion that can be made memorable with a Botanical Spritz in hand. That’s why Ketel One Botanical includes everything one ought to need to make this fresh-tasting cocktail, from glassware to garnish. Its easy-to-follow instructions consist of just 3 simple steps, so in no time, you ought to have the perfect Botanical Spritz on-hand. With just 73 calories per serving, Ketel One Botanical’s Spritzcomes in 3 different varietals: Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit & Rose Spritz, Ketel One Botanical Cucumber & Mint Spritz, and Ketel One Peach and Orange Blossom Spritz. And as the kit makes 6 drinks when properly-portioned, it is quite economical for its current $64.99 pricing.


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About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."


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