So, truth be known, Father's Day is not the easiest of holidays now that the kids are grown.
Time was a tie cake or a minor league baseball game was a sure thing, now Time at all is a precious gift.
As a design family any member is bound to be gifted a book on 1001 Chairs or a dog made of recycled newspaper overruns or bamboo bedside lamp, but Dad's Day, well, we feel like we should kick it up (or down) a notch, just to make it special.
And as an environmentally sensitive company we want to make sure that we are giving gifts that stand the test of time. Sure a Zombie Survival Crate seems like the right choice, but what happens when you run out of Zombies? How many cans of spam do you really need?
Instead we wanted to put together a thoughtful list of forever gifts (if only in memories) that speaks to the timeless, selfless, fashionable and darn right goofy guy that we get to call dad.
We definitely have our share Papa Poems, Wagon Wheel Pasta Artwork and hand print apparel (our favorite being a pair of boxer shorts that produced days of under the breath giggling due to strategic hand placements). But the best part of these kind of gifts was the behind the scenes action that made them bubble with love. As we would make our gifts each year we would go around the table and answer questions like, "What is one word to describe dad, or what is your favorite memory?"
"Funny!", "Goofy!", "Clear!" (my husband is of Northern European descent). Or, "Remember the time he let us roll around in the back of the Volvo station wagon?" Failing to mention the bonus trip to the ER for a few stitches. "And remember when he let us use real hammer's to hammer rocks?" Side note: when it's the back of the head, they give you staples.
All these memories pour out in giggles and wiggles. Poor decisions usually make the best stories!
A vacation, even if it's just in your own backyard, can bring a family together and create memories that last a lifetime (and spark great conversations for Idea #1!)
My husbands dream vacation usually involves a Yurt. Glamping Hub puts out a great list of some of most inviting spaces around the world. What dad wouldn't want to set up camp in Northern California?
And we think that Airbnb is really on to something with this amazing Airstream adventure in Andulucia!
OK, not what you think! We love to make sure we are involving all the senses, even on dad's day, so how about some candles? Scents these days are sophisticated and heady and darn right masculine.
Imagine notes of basil and tobacco or the grounded scent of leather, oakwood and moss.
And for a truly unique experience one of our favorite stores in NYC, Min, offers Scent Stories. Scent specialists spend time getting to know their clients, their hobbies, interests, personality and then develop a cologne based on their unique style. They also make incredible shaving products as well.
Those that know us know that one of our all time favorite online stores is The Grommet. I gleefully bought almost every holiday item here last year.
They have created a thoughtful collection of dad gifts and then a great Top Ten list of Gifts Made by Maker Dads.
Cuft links made from little ones fingerprints!
And then imagine this hammock (although I think it might be difficult to imagine dad ever getting time in this hammock!)
Not just for dad's day!
As you have probably guessed by now, I would totally (a few words are hard to shed from my So Cal upbringing) love any of the gifts I have suggested here.
You can't ever go wrong with the classic troll around the track. From luxury race cars, to Nascar and even helicopters, few of us will ever get to experience the thrill of the speed any other way.
Forbes has a great list of must try places (even a course for women only, just in case we need to get a jump on Mother's Day).
We could do a whole blog on the importance of sound. The giggle of laughter, the sweet whisper of, "Dad?" or a lullaby that only he can sing to put baby to sleep.
We encourage all things audio, from a great set of headphones, soulful speakers, to a classic LP player.
We have Sonos players peppered all over the house. It's common to walk in to me belting out a tune with Melody Gardot or someone giving a soulful rendition to a Carlos Santana ballad.
We love the blog that Sonos did for Father's Day with Band of Horses and their new track and tribute to dads, "Whatever, Wherever".
Have a listen and a smile with the dad in your life.
Happy Father's Day!
Renee
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee is an absolutely wonderful designer. Very talented and easy to work with! She will transform your room or outdoor space into exactly what you want, only better!
Talented, creative, dedicated, great communicator. Renee is such a special person.
We have worked with Renee Carman at this company for almost 2 years. Renee is professional, personable, and a pleasure to know. She is very helpful and will go the extra mile to please her clients. Renee has excellent expertise and knowledge of interior design. We have a beautiful home and highly recommend her.
Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!
Renee was a pleasure to work with and has great vision. We were doing a total rehab of a recently purchased property and she was able to look at a gutted out '50s cottage and turn it into a beautiful mid-century modern home. She understood our budget and timeline and was good about narrowing all our options down to just a few choices. This expedited the process, made it less difficult and more enjoyable. Once the rehab is done, we look forward to working with her again and finish the rest of the rooms.
Renee at Mandeville Canyon Interior Design was simply wonderful to work with. She was able to understand what we were looking for in terms of color, function and design from the moment we first spoke. She's easy to work with, goes above and beyond and delivers an outstanding design.
I highly recommend Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design. I don't think I will attempt to decorate another room in my house without the help of Renee!
Love working with Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design ! I had the opportunity to collaborate on a large scale design project recently and the results were fantastic! Creative, resourceful and one of kind design ideas made this design opportunity with Renee "one of a kind" Have a large or small project? You won't be disappointed!!
Renee not only has an amazingly creative eye, she also directed a massive renovation for us this past year that included the challenges of operating during the pandemic. She put together a team that had an incredible work ethic and brought the project in on-time and on-budget. She's a great listener. When we threw ideas at her, she was never dismissive; quite the contrary, she made them better. Her patience, attention to detail combined with her whacky sense of humor meant we were all able to smile while producing a home that we love. A great talent and a great lady.
Rene is amazing! Great customer care and wonderful attention to detail.