Mable's Unique Shopping Blog » Outdoors

Men’s Sun Glasses by Dragon

Lauren — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 01:31:02 +0000

Sean and I were talking about what style of sunglasses he would be sporting this summer, but the thought of retiring his good old aviators didn’t appeal to him much. However, we did end up talking about styles and brands of men’s sunglasses that are most popular in California. Many areas have their own “local heroes”, and San Diego is no exception. While Oakleys (based out of Orange County) are always a favorite, you can’t leave the house without seeing a score of men wearing Dragon sunglasses. Truck stickers with the Dragon logo are also really popular. As it turns out, Dragon is a San Diego County (Carlsbad) based company, which explains the hometown love that the brand enjoys here. Their styles are largely designed for the sports enthusiast, so you’ll find incredibly sturdy frames that block 100% of all harmful UV and Blue Light. Wrap-around sunglasses frames are also one of their hallmarks, as are the occasional fashion forward style. There is a new 2007 model called “GG”, which is straight up 1980’s nerd style: thick two-toned coffee and bronze frames, perfect for rocking the blazer, t-shirt, and Vans look. To cater to a wider audience, they also offer more subdued, metal frame sunglasses styles. (You can see GG shown at top left, in black.)

If you’re looking for a pair of men’s Dragon sunglasses, eBay has an awesome selection. Even better, I’ve been watching auctions and you can definitely get a new pair for well below retail. Oh, the magic of eBay.

Happy Summer: get outside and stay cool

Lauren — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 02:36:09 +0000

Can you believe it? Summer Solstice is finally here! Today is the longest day of the year (in terms of hours of sunlight, which we find to be a great gauge for awesomeness), and the official start of the summer season. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere then you’ve probably got 3+ months of sunshine coming your way!

If you happen to live in an especially sunny climate, such as our own San Diego “300 days of sunshine” California, you might find yourself wishing for a little relief from the heat. When you’re outside and away from your air conditioned houses and cars, try using a portable mister like 8.5″ tall Cool Blast. All is takes is a superfine mist of water and you’ll be feeling 30 degrees cooler. It doesn’t even need batteries. Brilliant! They’re even on sale right now, so you can beat the heat all summer for just a few bucks.

On Sale: $14.99 or 2 for $25 (usually $20 each)

Luxury Remote Control Pool Fun

Sean — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 02:37:56 +0000

It’s summer time and we’re all going to be spending a lot more time in our pools. You may not have one, but your neighbor probably does, and you’ll go to at least a couple pool parties this summer, right? Well then the only thing stopping you from being the coolest pool party guest or host is having a motorized pool lounger … or two.

Seriously though, who wouldn’t want a ride on this sweet double joystick double thrusters pool lounger that can not only get you from one end to the other with out getting wet, but can do 360 spins? Weeeeeeeee!!! To top it off this bad boy has a drink cozy, and comes with air pump so you don’t look like a chump blowing up your pool lounger with your own lungs while everyone is already having fun. Get your motorized pool lounger now.

$149.95

Feel free to kick it up a notch at your own pool party with this remote controlled floating serving tray that holds 5 drinks and 16 ounces of snacks. Just imagine yourself relaxing in your sweet crystal clear pool on your motorized lounger, drifting in the slight breeze and when the sun is too much you motor over into the shade. Then when hunger or thirst strikes you beckon your floating snacks with a flip of a button and chow down. Just keep in mind that there are five 12 oz. drink holders and your bladder can only hold so much. But then again if you are by yourself and it’s your pool …

$49.95

Solar Powered Orb Light

Sean — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 00:12:44 +0000

The weather is changing and that means we get to spend more time outside. Good outdoor lighting can really make a difference and I think everyone should have some glowing orbs lying around their backyard. These aren’t just your ordinary light up orbs though.

Since it’s officially Earth Day I thought I’d recommend these solar powered glowing orbs from Hammacher. Not only do these collect the sun’s energy during the day, they also gradually change colors to create some relaxing ambient light at night. Their sturdy translucent plastic globe is watertight and can be left floating in a pool or set upon it’s stand for table illuminations. The bright LEDs slowly turn blue, pink, and green and the orb can detect darkness to turn off automatically at dawn.

$39.95

5-in-1 Emergency Tool

Lauren — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 22:00:15 +0000

Whenever I’m watching a movie and a car goes plummeting into a body of water… I hold my breath with the character in peril. Maybe it’s a sympathetic thing, or a testament to our innate survival instincts. Either way, when the character inevitably can’t open the window or door, I remind myself to buy a hand held glass breaker. The fine folks at Swiss+Tech have made such a device, but it also has 4 other useful functions. “The BodyGard 5-in-1 Emergency Tool incorporates five specific devices: automatic glass breaker, safety-blade seat belt cutter, high-decibel sonic alarm, flashing red distress light, and bright-white LED flashlight.” So in-between all those times that your car gets submerged in water or the electrical systems get shorted in a fire, you can also use this pint-sized bad boy to ward off would-be attackers. Now that’s peace of mind.

$14.99

Clever Doormats

Sean — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 23:31:18 +0000

The more common funny doormats say things like “Hi, I’m Mat” or “Wow! Nice Underwear” but I found some other funny doormats I’d like to share.

What sparked this post is the sheer simple cleverness of the “You are Here” doormat. As soon as I saw this and got over my initial chuckle I wondered why I didn’t think of that. I was also proud to see that this particular doormat is made of 100% recycled truck tires.

Another clever doormat made from recycled rubber is the sewer manhole cover. It comes in Boston, NYC, or generic Metro styles.

Lastly are my personal favorites because they are quite nerdy. “There’s no place like 127.0.0.1” is one, and the other simply says “welcome” but stylishly encoded in binary (just a bunch of 1’s and 0’s).

Have you come across any funny doormats you’d like to share? We’d like to hear from you, so leave a comment below to let everyone know about it.

$17.99 – $39.99

Portable Gel Seat

Alison — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 01:00:06 +0000

Welcome to the most comfortable sitting experience you’ll probably ever feel. This portable gel seat from Hammacher & Schlemmer is designed with maximum comfort in mind. You’d be surprised how many times a day you might be able to use this: waiting at the bus stop, sitting on a park bench, behind your desk, in the bleachers during a sporting event, or anywhere that has less than comfortable seating options. The pliable gel interior disperses weight evenly across the cushion, relieving painful pressure when sitting. The center groove even gently slopes for tailbone comfort- which helps to eliminate back pain- and the entire design is just slightly sloped to encourage correct posture. Good things do come in small packages; at a wee 2.5 pounds, the gel seat is compact (folds right in half) and portable (comes with a handle).

$59.95

Backyard Ice Rink

Alison — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 18:34:29 +0000

Living in cold weather climates has it’s ups and downs. One of the funnest things about the normally not-so-fun freezing temperatures is the ability to make your own backyard ice rink! Just think… no more driving to the ice skating rink or paying entrance fees. Now you can have your very own outdoor home ice rink to skate or play hockey on anytime you like.

Whether learning how to ice skate is on your “to do” list or you’re an ice skating pro, having your own ice rink is a great winter treat. I just moved to California from back east, and although the warm weather is fantastic, I’ll always kinda miss cold weather fun like this. Playing in the snow is great, but outdoor ice skating is even better, it’s great excersize, and it’s fun for all ages. It doesnt even matter what size yard you have. KB Toys offers DIY kits to make an ice rink in 4 different sizes, so even smaller yards are not left out. There is a Snow Toy sale going on at KB from now until February 12th and all of the Ice n’ Go rinks are 30% off.

How to build an ice rink with your Ice n’ Go Kit

$149.99-279.99 (normally $199.99-399.99)

Remote Control Pirate Ship

Sean — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 22:14:37 +0000

Remote controlled cars and trucks make great toys to play with, but pale in comparison to being captain of your own pirate ship. Ready to sail for captains ages 5 and up this remote control pirate ship is best suited for calm waters (pools, ponds, and small lakes). This 18″ galleon comes equipped with twin propellers and a deadly cannon that makes sound and light effects upon command. The wireless range is 80′ so don’t let it out of your sight or it might sail off into the sunset.

For those little landlubbers who want be captain of a ship, but aren’t yet allowed to play in the water there is the Black Pearl Remote Control Pirate Ship that operates on land and features Jack Sparrow and friends action figures.

For the big kids who need the attention to detail and can handle a bigger motor there is the King’s Ransom RC pirate ship. Made by AquaCraft this galleon has a pre-painted fiberglass hull and is ready to hit the waters or sit in a static display.

Complete the pirate themed gift set with a very special Captain’s Dream t-shirt from Threadless or pirate costume. Heck, why not throw a huge pirate themed party and get every guest in the swashbuckling mood?

Garden Fort

Alison — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 02:33:31 +0000

I’ve always been a nature lover, and although I’ve never thought myself to have a green thumb I’ve always wanted to try growing a Garden Fort. I remember reading about sunflower houses when I was little and being amazed at what a little planning and some seeds could produce.

Hearth Song’s exclusive GardenFort would be a great spring time gift whether you are a nature lover, gardener, or just like the idea of being surrounded in a lush little secret garden of your own. This would be a great eco-friendly activity for you and your children as warmer months approach. (What a great way to get kids outside *playing* after being cooped up for all those winter months!) The kit includes supporting framework as well as 4 fast growing seeds like cypress vine, and moon flower.
$69.95