If your New Year's plans include a dinner at home, whip up a batch of this champagne citrus sorbet to serve as a dessert, or as a unique treat at midnight. One your girl will remember all year.

And fresh fruit sorbets are much easier to make that you might think. Especially if you have an ice cream maker... which are available from major home retailers for about $50. If you don't have one, you'll have more work to do, but it's still no harder than mixing and stirring ingredients.

This sorbet mixes the dry, clean flavor of a good champagne with the tart sweetness of citrus fruit. Think of it as a frozen Mimosa. Which also makes it good for serving when you invite her over to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Champagne Citrus Sorbet
2 cups good champagne
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice
1 tsp orange zest (optional, but adds a flavor kick)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
(Makes about a quart)

In a medium saucepan bring sugar and water ...More

In a previous post (read it here), I explained some things to know when buying champagne. One was that all champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is champagne. (True champagne is produced in the Champagne region of France.) But that doesn't mean that sparkling wines are any less desirable.

This week's selection from WorldWineBoutique.com is a South African sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir grapes that will add a little color to your New Year's Eve celebration. And contrary to what you may think, the rose color does not mean it is a cheap, "pink champagne". Just the opposite. This particular bottle has been getting rave reviews.

Here are the bullet points:
- Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes
- One of the first South African wine makers to produce a sparkling wine in the Méthode Champenoise ...More

This New Year's Eve you may be inspired (or asked) to raise your glass and toast to the new year. (Hopefully before your 8th glass of champagne.)

To keep you from making it your first truly embarrassing act of '08, I consulted etiquette expert, Diane Gottsman of the The Protocol School of Texas, along with authors John Bridges' and Bryan Curtis' book Toasts and Tributes, to gather some fundamental toasting tips that'll help make your tribute memorable. For the right reasons. Cheers!

1 - Plan Ahead.
If you know you are going to say something at an event or party — or even if you think there is a possibility you may be asked - plan what you are going to say. And rehearse it. Spontaneous works in certain situations, but not when toasting.

2 - Wait For Everyone.
Never begin a toast until everyone has a glass of at least some liquid.

3 - Stand Up.
Toasting when seated can send the wrong message. Like a lack of respect for the person you are toasting, a sense of insecurity in yourself, and a disregard for your audience's ability to see and hear you. Get up out of your chair. An exception would be if the toast is taking place in a crowded public restaurant.

4 - Raise Your Glass.
And don't hold it in front of your face. Hold your glass high, or extend it in the direction of the person you are toasting.

5 - Wait For Everyone Again.
Wait for everyone to raise their glasses before beginning your toast.

6 - Make Sure It's a Glass.
Since a toast is usually for a celebratory situation, it calls for at least moderately formal glassware. Champagne, wine and cocktail glasses all pass. Even a beer mug is acceptable. Coffee cup? Not so much. ...More

What's the best way to cure a hangover? That debate's been raging as long as people have been waking up on strange floors with steel-drum bands banging away inside their heads.

Last year on New year's Day, I posted a few remedies to help you avoid spending the first day of the new year clinging to the porcelain goddess. Along with a brief explanation of what causes the pounding and nausea. (You can read it here.)

Basically the prevailing wisdom is that since the hangover is caused by dehydration and toxins in your system, taking in fluids with electrolytes and a little sodium, and eating greasy foods that can absorb the toxins, will reverse the effects. Suggestions were sports drinks, fruit juices and a late night breakfast of eggs and bacon or sausage.

Over at Chow.com they've posted an article (read it here), with ten common hangover cures, including painkillers, Taurine (the ingredient in many energy drinks), Pedialyte (yup, the stuff you feed babies with diarrhea), Vegemite and even borsht. They also include some caveats for a couple of these remedies, like taking a painkiller with acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, can actually cause liver damage in combination with alcohol.

But, just like opinions and insane exes, when it comes to hangover cures, everyone has one. ...More

With '08 getting rung in next week it's time you got yourself a new calendar. And with retailers slashing prices up to 50%, this is the best time to buy one.

Keep in mind, whatever you decide on is going to be hanging on your wall for at least a year, so choose carefully. Make sure your calendar has photos of something you really like. Perhaps a hobby. Or a special interest. To help you decide, I've got some suggestions. Whether you're a computer geek or a do-it-yourselfer, there's one out there for every guy.
(All are available from Calendars.com or Amazon.com from $5.99-$19.99 unless otherwise noted.)

For fans of the stage, particularly modern dance:
SCORES NY Calendar
Show your love of the arts and enjoy an entire year with a dozen of your favorite professional dancers from one of the most popular theaters... um, clubs... in NY.
$19.95 Buy at www.scoresny.com

For the fashion conscious:
Sexy Stars of Shirley
Models for Shirley of Hollywood have a habit of going on to become famous. Among the stars featured in their '08 calendar are some of their past models including Brooke Burke, Leanne Tweeden, Victoria Silvstedt, Julie Strain and March 2007 Playboy Playmate Tyran Richard.
$15.95 from www.WickedTemptations.com (Free with $75 purchase.)
...More

Tired of those ubiquitous magnetic ribbons that are everywhere in every color? Me too.

It's not that I disagree with their messages. I'm sure they are all worthy causes. But it seems every cause and every group has their own ribbon, in their own color, and they're stuck to the back of every car on the road. We've just become desensitized. And the messages have gotten lost. So maybe it's time for a new graphic representation of the message. Or, like one company is doing, resurrect an old one.

Peacemagz has taken the iconic 70's two-fingered peace symbol (famously used by President Richard Nixon every chance he got), and turned it into a 7-inch tall magnet with a message.

Available in either a man's or a woman's hand, each is designed with a cuff that displays one of several messages of peace, like "Imagine" and "War Sucks". Or show your patriotism with an American flag cuff.

$5 each, with a minimum purchase of three magnets. (Peace always comes at a cost.)
www.peacemagz.com

A few interesting facts about The Dead Sea (gathered in one lazy shot from Wikipedia.com):
1. Its shore is the lowest dry land point on Earth.
2. It's not really a sea, it's actually a lake.
3. It is the world's second saltiest body of water.
4. Because of the healing minerals, salts and botanicals found in and around its waters, the Dead Sea was one of the world's first "health spas".

So, since a guy's skin could use some serious healing after what we put it through, Ahava skin care has created a line of essential Dead Sea skin treatments just for us.

The line is formulated using mineral-rich ingredients found in the Dead Sea region, the same stuff used as far back as Biblical times to rejuvenate and heal. They add in ginko and ginseng extracts which help to detoxify and nourish skin. And there's no harmful alcohol or greasy oils to redo the damage you're trying to correct.

The line includes a deep-cleaning mineral gel for the shower ...More

Poor Aunt Mabel still doesn't understand that you are now a grown man and, while it fulfilled its purpose when you going through your "confused teen" stage, Hot Topic is no longer your go-to store of choice. Bless her gift-card-giving heart.

So what do you do with a gift card - or three - for stores you'll never set foot in? Sell 'em. Or trade them for cards to stores where you actually shop.

There are a number of places online where you can get some value out of those unusable cards. (And you might as well... the store already has its money whether you redeem your card or not.) But not all are created equal. Some let you trade for VISA cards. Some let you use them to pay bills. And the fees, selection and guarantees vary widely.

Besides the most obvious place to buy, sell or trade, eBay, here are three others that have been around for a while and will let you post your card for sale or trade, or even let you auction it off to the highest bidder. You most likely won't get full value for it, but it beats letting it sit in a drawer. And you bargain hunters may also want to troll the sites looking for deals on cards to buy at less than face value.

CardAvenue.com
- Allows you to buy, sell or trade cards.
- Charges 3.95% of the purchase price, plus a 50 cent closing fee to the seller in the case of a sale.
- Charges both parties 3.95% of the purchase price, plus a 50 cent closing fee in the case of a trade.
- No fee to buyers when buying cards. ...More

Layering is a winter sports fact of life. Except a lot of the available performance layers look lame. Especially in the lodge après-ski, when you're sidling up to the snow bunnies. That's when you'll want something that not only looks good, but handles sweat and odor control.

Snowboard industry veteran and innovator, Stephan Cleary who launched Burton's Anon goggles and Learn-to-Ride program, noticed that a lot of people weren't wearing performance layers, but were opting for cotton shirts and hoodies. Which may look better and keep you reasonably warm on the slopes and while mountain biking, but have the unfortunate characteristic of holding in moisture and odors. So Cleary developed Eesa, high-tech performance apparel that has all the properties you look for in technical layers, but with a street-wear look.

Made with the moisture-wicking, anti-microbial, quick-drying fabrics you want in high performance layering apparel, Eesa's clothes are patterned after striped polos and rugby shirts, graphic tees, henley's and club-worthy button-downs. Made for keeping you warm on the slopes all day, and looking cool in the lodge after. While you and your snow bunny of choice discuss how the other guys all look like they're dressed in their PJs.

www.eesa.com

Photographer Kevin Lynch's new book, Octagon is the ultimate gift for the ultimate fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championships.

As big, bulky and intimidating as many of the fighters featured inside, the coffee table-crushing 20.5 x 26-inch book is packed with over 800 pages of rare color and black & white photos of combatants moments before, and immediately after, they battle inside the Octagon. All your favorite fighters are here, including Matt Hughes, Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Rich Franklin, Ken Shamrock, Tito Ortiz and more.

Packed in a handmade, leather-bound clamshell box, and rumored to weigh in at over 70 pounds, Octagon will set you back a cool $2500 for one of the 450 limited editions produced. If you want to go for one of the additional 150 that come with signed, limited edition, chromogenic prints of the cover, be prepared to part with at least $7,500. It's enough to make the average guy tap out.

If you want to see the book without having to take out a second mortgage, it has been making the rounds on the art gallery and book store circuit worldwide. Check www.octagon-book.com for places and dates.

If you dig the polo look (and on the rare occasion even pop the collar when you're feeling a little "Kanye"), but Ralph's horse and Lacoste's croc feel a little too conformist or too "Connecticut" for you, check out these shirts from Attus Apparel.

Launched this year, Attus makes top-quality, embroidered polos for guys who want to make a statement with their clothes. A loud statement. There's The Jerk (main pic), for when you feel like giving the world the finger, The Sid unleashes your inner punk rocker, and The Shredder is perfect for the chairman of the (snow)board. You may have cut your hair and taken a corporate job, but The Hesher lets everyone know you're still a hard-rocking, head-banging, 80's hair band fan. Don't head out for a night of hard partying without wearing The Hangover. (And comes in Blood Shot Red.) Finally, The 40 let's your homies know those little 12 ouncers won't cut it when you're at the party.

All Attus polos are cut for a slim fit and are made of 100% cotton that's been ...More

Once a year Michelob breaks from the usual and brews some truly special beers for the holiday season. Right now, just through the new year, they are offering their Celebrate brews, a pair of higher alcohol beers with unique flavors and deep rich colors.

Mich's Celebrate Cherry has a deep garnet color and is brewed with Munich carapils caramel malts and European aroma hops. Then natural cherry juice is added and it's matured on dark sweet cherries.

Celebrate Chocolate has a rich chocolate aroma and complex dark cocoa taste that comes from brewing with caramel and roasted malts and a variety of Hallertau/Tettnang and Alsace hops. Then they mature it on real cocoa beans.

These brews are definitely "dessert" beers, and are perfect after a holiday dinner with some cake, in front of a fire. (And the brew-masters over at Michelob suggest you drink them at room temp to get all the flavor.)

They come in limited edition 24-ounce platinum bottles, and they also offer a gift pack (pictured), that comes with a pair of crystal snifters to add a little class to your holiday imbibing. Dear Santa, I've been very, very good...

$25 for the gift pack
www.michelob.com

There's a new e-card company out on the Internets, and they're shaking things up by offering video cards. Video cards guys won't be embarrassed to send.

Rattlebox , promising "e-cards that don't suck", offers a broad selection of short videos with customizable messages that you can send for any occasion. Sure there's the usually cutesy one here and there, but the majority definitely have a certain attitude. So you can say it without sap.

For the holidays, their choices run from cute vintage cartoons to "Here's your F'ing Christmas card" to strippers dressed as elves giving lap dances. Or choose "Santa's Tips" (pictured) where Santa shows the proper way to "water" a Christmas tree. There's a little something for everyone. (And the more adult ones come with a warning, and an option to either view the card or close it.)

You can also post the videos on blogs, MySpace or Facebook, or send them via email or IM.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to send out a few "Santa Likes Bad Girls" cards.

www.rattlebox.com

Good news for fans of The Boss: E Street Radio has returned to SIRIUS Satellite Radio through March '08. Until then, Channel 10 will be dedicated to playing all Bruce, all the time. With guest DJs like E Street Band members Clarence Clemons, Nils Lofgren and Roy Bittan, giving you an insider's look into live in the band.

Huge Bruce fan and don't own a satellite radio? You can win one here. SIRIUS and I will be giving away a Sportster 4 radio (pictured) and a copy of Springsteen's latest studio CD, Magic, on Friday, December 28th. Click here to enter.

Even if you don't win, you can still get yourself some free Bruce. And a free radio. Head over to www.sirius.com/estreetradio to get ...More

There's something about the pairing of sweet and salty that gets your taste buds firing. Dip anything salty in chocolate - pretzels, peanuts, potato chips - and you've instantly upped the flavor factor by adding polar opposites together.

Here's a recipe for an incredibly easy to make sweet and salty treat to bring to your next holiday party. Or just have a round the house. There are several versions I've seen, but this particular one comes from my brother. He's always called them PMS Cookies and would make them, oh every 28 days or so, for my sister-in-law. (Apparently the salty/chocolate combo has powerful "mood regulating" properties as well.) Not sure if the term "cookie" is what they should be called. Technically they are made using crackers, but I'm not going to argue semantics. But I will say that anytime he's made them for a party, they are the first thing to go. That sweet and salty combo is hard to resist.

You don't need any baking skills whatsoever to make these, so give them a try for something homemade to bring to your next holiday party. Or just to have on hand every 28 days or so.

Ron's PMS Cookies
3/4 cup Butter
1 1/2 cup Sugar
1 Bag chocolate morsels or chips (can substitute any flavor, like butterscotch as well)
1 Box Saltine crackers ...More

Wayne Gretzky may have hung up his skates for good back in '99, but that hasn't slowed him down. Part owner and head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, he also owns a vineyard in the Niagara Peninsula of Canada. (Prompting one writer to comment, "The Great One has become The Grape One.")

One of his wines, Wayne Gretzky Estates No. 99 Unoaked Chardonnay 2006, is this week's selection from WorldWineBoutique.com. (And, as a BG reader, remember to enter coupon code WWB103BG when you check out to get 10% off your order.)

Here are the bullet points:
- This is considered the flagship wine of Gretzky Estates.
- It is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes.
- Harvested October 2006, bottled June 2007
- It's labeled "unoaked" because the wine is cool fermented in stainless steel, not oak casks. ...More

Lynn Spears, mother of the serial-marrying, head-shaving, umbrella-wielding, drunken-driving, baby-endagering Britney, and freshly knocked-up jailbait Jaime Lynn, has a book deal to write a guide book on parenting. On. Parenting. (I'll let that sink in for a minute.)

Thankfully, someone at the publishing house regained consciousness long enough to Google Mrs. Spears' children and decided maybe her parenting advice shouldn't be unleashed upon an unsuspecting public. And postponed the book "indefinitely".

Since book publishers seem to equate "famous" with "expert", here is a list of some other misguided celebrity expert guides we'd like to see:

Coming Back Stronger: How I Used Holistic Healing to Speed My Post-Surgery Recovery, by Andy Petitte

Silence is Golden, by Rosie O’Donnell

101 Cold Remedies, by Jim Henson

Success and the Humble Executive, by Donald Trump

Instruments Are Optional: The Art of Night Flying, by John F. Kennedy, Jr.

How to Satisfy Your Woman Every Time, by Clay Aiken ...More

For you hardcore beer pongers who like to take your game on the road, the portable beer pong table market is heating up. Into the fray comes Pong A Long and their 8-foot long, pro beer pong table.

It's got a high quality, hard as hell, white melamine surface for true bounce, and brushed aluminum sides and edging for durability and chip resistance. The legs are also adjustable should the basketball team stop by for a round. And the graphics on top help set the cups in that perfect pyramid no matter how drunk you get. (If you prefer a more minimalist look, they've also got a sleek, all black, graphics-free table. Great for you Goth and Emo pongers out there.)

When the tourney's over, it folds down to a highly portable 2-feet by 2-feet, good for stashing under a couch or dorm room bed. Or grab it by the hard plastic handles and throw it in the car for some tailgate pong action.

Priced at an unheard of $89.99, it'll leave you enough coin left over to actually buy the beer. Plus, if you enter coupon code BACHELOR-PONG (make sure to use all caps), they'll knock another $5 off. And as a Holiday bonus, from now until December 22nd, if you buy a Pong A Long table, you'll be entered to win a 30G Microsoft Zune.

A quality beer pong table to play on. Beer money left over. And tunes. Merry Christmas, everyone.

$89.99 (Enter coupon code BACHELOR-PONG [all caps] to save $5)
www.pongalong.com

Energy drinks are the lifeblood of students, sales people, club goers, graveyard shift workers, and others. The problem is they contain a boatload of sugar. Which gets you buzzed, but also sets you up for a huge crash. A new energy drink squeezing its way into the crowded market also wants you give you wings. It just wants let you down gently.

Syzmo (pronounced SIZZ-mo), is the first energy drink on the market to be certified organic and be Glycemic Index tested. Instead of sugar, it's sweetened with all-natural Blue Agave syrup which gives the drink a low Glycemic Index score of 30. That gives you sustained energy without suffering a crash after. It also has organic coffee fruit, guarana extract, green tea extract and yerba mate extract, giving you an herbal lift, not ...More

A quick one-day giveaway today so we can do our best to get it to you in time for the holiday. (But with the high volume of packages this time of year, we can't make any promises.)

If your girl's been naughty (or you'd just like her to be), win her this set of three sequined stockings stuffed with sexy holiday panties from Shirley of Hollywood.

The black stocking is embroidered with the words "Bad Girl" and has a pair of black silk panties inside with a rhinestone appliqué on the front that reads "BAD GIRL", and red marabou feathers on the back.

The hot pink stocking has "sexy" embroidered on the front and has a silk thong inside with "SEXY" in rhinestones on the front, and pink feathers on the back.

Finally, the red stocking ...More

On Monday I posted a quick piece about a $15 discount on wines from MyWinesDirect.com. (Read the post here.) Some of you encountered problems with the coupon code and weren't able to use it. I spoke several times to the owner of the site to get the problem rectified. He promised me the problem is resolved and for the inconvenience, has upped the discount to $20 on a purchase of $79 or more. The discount is good until this Friday, December 21.

If anyone has a problem using the code, or gets an error when trying to make a purchase, email me immediately at hey@thebachelorguy.com, as well as leaving a comment so other readers know there is a problem.

There's only two months left until the Redneck Rapture: the 50th running of the Daytona 500. And a NASCAR Nextel FanView can get you so close to the action you'll swear you're riding shotgun.

Formerly available just for rent at the tracks, NASCAR fans can buy this race-day scanner that lets you choose from up to seven in-car camera angles or the in-house race broadcast. You can also get race standings, updated driver info and lap times. And for the voyeur in you, you can listen in on team communications. (That's on replay only. Lest other teams use it to hear crucial strategy.)

It weighs just 12 ounces, has a five hour battery life, and can also be used for Busch and Craftsman Truck series races. If it only had a place to store your dip and a beer holder...

$369.95 if purchased online. $415 at the track.
www.nextel.com/fanview

Have you ever looked at the Great Pyramids of Egypt and thought "If only I could create the same thing at home using wine bottles"? Me either. But if you're bored with traditional wine racks, and want something more minimalist and simple that doesn't have to be mounted on a wall or take up too much space, try The Wedge.

It's a set of two non-slip, hard rubber wedges that lets you stack up to six wine bottles (or 10 beer bottles to proudly display your craft beer collection), into a pyramid. On your countertop or behind the bar.

You can use a single wedge to create a bottle stack against the wall, or use them both to create more room in your fridge by corralling all those loose beer cans. The Wedge won't damage surfaces and they can be repositioned over and over. Sometimes the simplest things work best.

$12.95 for a set of two
www.bluw.com
*Use coupon code 2589872 and get 20% off your order*

Being a "Pick-Up Artist" seems to be the hot thing these days. VH1 had a series where a "master" PUA taught a group of losers to become ladies men. (It was off the charts funny.) Writer Neil "Style" Strauss has a series of books on how to get Game. And the web is littered with sites from self-proclaimed gurus who swear their method is best for getting busy.

Over at TheGuyReport.com, they interviewed two PUAs to find out the secrets behind getting the women of your dreams. I'm not saying their techniques work. And I'm not saying they don't work. But I will say it makes for entertaining reading. Click here to read the interview.

[UPDATE: The "bach15" code had problems. Use discount code: bach20 to get $20 off your order of $79 or more.]

Today is the last day to order wine from MyWinesDirect.com, pay zero for shipping, and still get your order by Christmas. Plus they are offering $15 off any six bottle wine pack (which start at $79), for BG readers.

Their tasting packs are perfect for someone who is new to wine drinking, or for someone who loves trying new wines. Their most popular is the Mixed Tasting Pack of two whites and four reds from Chile, Australia, France and California. Or give the Holiday Hits six-pack, featuring Cab-Syrah, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. There's something to pair with whatever is being served.

Tonight (12/17) at midnight ET is the cutoff to get your wines by Christmas. And with the $15 coupon, six bottles of wine start at just $64. Delivered. And the discount is good until December 31st, so you can order bottles for your New Year celebrations too.

Enter coupon code bach15 when ordering.

www.mywinesdirect.com

You procrastinated. Or got caught up in all the whole gotta-get-it-done-before-the-end-of-the-year nonsense while those last few holiday parties snuck up on you. And you think you've run out of time to get something special to bring for the party hosts. Or get something for the people at the office.

Don't panic. You've still got time. Dancing Deer Baking Company can still get your order to you by Christmas if you order by tomorrow. And that's with standard shipping. They'll still be taking orders all this week. And offering a discount to BG readers.

Based in Boston, Dancing Deer is an all-natural, gourmet baking company that makes a wide variety of delicious cookies, cakes and brownies, all baked from scratch without preservatives. They arrive to you in gift-ready, artsy packaging (perfect for those of us that can’t even tie a bow, let alone wrap something). And instead of the done-to-death gift baskets, their baked goods come stacked in towers.
...More

One of the hottest clothing lines right now is Compton, CA based and artist-owned True Love & False Idols. Their men’s tops push beyond anything you've seen before, with innovative, all-over prints of graffiti-inspired art covered in color washes and the occasional embellishment.

Seen on the backs of club DJs, celebs like Jamie Foxx and MMA fighters Chuck Liddell Bas Rutan and Randy Couture, TL&FI shirts and hoodies work by themselves for weekend wear, or with a jacket on top for a night at the club.

Not your typical printed t-shirts, their first season of designs "tended toward a wild, stream-of-consciousness, overdesigned look... built around such themes as glittery idolatry, weaponry, redemption, desire, and the love of good hard music." (Cool. Can't wait for next season.)

Prices range from $50-$85 for their top-quality tees, but a couple of you will get this look free, right from TL&FI themselves, when two winners are chosen on Friday, Dec 21 to win a select TL&FI t-shirt. (Style may vary from the pic shown.)

But ya gotta be in it to win it, so click here and enter your email address for your shot.

www.trueloveandfalseidols.com

The only time I like shopping is when I can do it in my boxers while I watch the Sunday night game, beer in hand. So until Best Buy changes their policy and lets me shop their TV department in my underwear with an open container, my only alternative is to do my shopping online. Which is fine with me.

Online shopping doesn't just save you from the traffic and crowds, it also opens up a world of gifts to choose from - giving you access to the hard-to-find, the rare, and the truly unique and unusual. Gifts that will be remembered. Gifts that'll impress. (And being impressive from the comfort of my couch is what I live for.)

Here's a list of 21 sites (in no particular order) where you can buy impressive and memorable gifts for everyone on your list. So get comfortable, put the game on, and get your shopping done.

Think Geek - www.thinkgeek.com
Type of Gifts: Anything that computes, lights, flashes, beeps, talks, etc.
Best For: The guy at the office who fixes your computer. Or your 12 year-old nephew.
Sample Items: Light Cube, Electronic Emoticon Car Display, Doomsday Device Keychain.
Site Navigation: With thousands on items to choose from, the site offers top categories broken down into easy-to-locate subcategories. Also offers a Gift Finder.

Red Envelope - www.redenvelope.com
Type of Gifts: Sophisticated accessories, clothes, jewelry, bar ware, home decor.
Best For: Someone who has a sense of style and taste. And expects you do too.
Sample Items: Men's Valet, Looped Candlesticks, Silver Plated, Engrave-able Wine Stoppers.
Site Navigation: Search by Occasion, Recipient, or specific shops.

Spoon Sisters - www.spoonsisters.com
Type of Gifts: Inexpensive and unusual gifts, gadgets, books, party supplies.
Best For: People who have an appreciation for the wacky.
Sample Items: 45 record insert cuff links, Growing Message Bean, Pick Your Nose cups.
Site Navigation: Broken down into over two dozen categories, including: What's New, Holiday, Office, Party Accessories, Sale, etc. ...More

Here are three holiday cocktails to choose from when you see her standing under the mistletoe, drinkless and alone.

Merry Berry
1 1/2 oz Smirnoff Blueberry Flavored Vodka
1 oz of white or red cranberry juice
1 oz of tonic or soda
Squeeze of Lime

Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Berry Bells
1 1/2 oz Smirnoff Flavored Vodka
1/2 oz Cointreau
1 oz Lime juice

Shake and serve in a chilled martini glass.


Frost Bite
1 1/2 oz Jose Cuervo Tradicional
2 oz Chilled cranberry juice
2 oz Chilled apple juice
Club soda or seltzer
Ice

Fill a glass with ice. Add tequila, cranberry juice, and apple juice. Top off with soda. Serve in a highball glass.

Whether you're giving or receiving wine this holiday, storing those bottles - especially the rare ones, if you're lucky enough to get one - is more than putting it that decorative rack you got for your birthday.

Over at GearCrave.com, they've written a great post on how to keep your wine drinkable longer. There are tips on which wines should be stored chilled, and whether humidity is good or bad for your wine.

Most of us just tear through a bottle and don't need to worry about storage, but should your boss hand you a bottle of Mouton-Rothschild '67, you'll want to make sure you don't destroy it.

Click here to read the post.

Not every party is an "adult only" affair. Around the holidays, nieces, nephews, friends' kids and various other rug rats could be running around the living room as you enjoy some rum-spiked nog.

If kids will be at some of the parties you're attending this season, bring something from Wonderland Bakery. They make a wide variety of cookie "bouquets" and gift tins filled with holiday shaped cookies that'll keep the little ones bouncing all night.

They have sweets for grown-ups too, like their Chocolate Pyramid and Cappuccino Surprise and Chocolate Dream Cake. And the caramel and chocolate dipped apples could make a bishop kick out a stained glass window.

Wonderland ships overnight anywhere in the nation, so even if you're late finding something to bring to a party early next week, you can have a delicious dessert in your hands in plenty of time. In a beautiful gift package ready to hand to the hostess. Or her kids. (Just bail before the sugar high kicks in.)

www.wonderlandbakery.com

Christmas Eve falls on a Monday this year. And you know what that means. Monday Night Football. Perfect excuse for getting the guys together while the ladies wrap gifts. And because you'll be celebrating, this calls for more than a six-pack.

Once a year Budweiser releases their special Brew Masters’ Private Reserve. Brewed in a limited run, it's a rich, malty Doppelbock created with four types of malts, including Munich and caramel malts - classic for this style of beer - creating a smooth, toasted malt flavor.

The brew comes packaged in a huge 46.5 ounce bottle with a swing top cap, should you want to save some for later. And you will. The gift set also includes two stemmed pilsner-style glasses, because drinking this beer out of the bottle would be an insult to the brew masters who created it.

It's the perfect gift to give another guy without triggering any awkwardness.

$25
www.budweiser.com
1-800-DIAL-BUD for retailers.

The Mitchell Report just got released, and what has most people talking is the fact that it names names. And how shocking some of those named names are. And how unfortunate it is for some of those players whose names were named. We may have expected Bonds and Giambi, but Clemens and Pettitte? Say it ain’t so, Roger.

In honor of the Report’s release we decided to list some other unfortunately named players from sports history. These individuals were blessed with the exceptional physical abilities, yet cursed with a name that could get a play-by-play announcer fined by the FCC.

Here is list of 20 such players, along with the announcer calls we would love to hear:

Dick Pole - Pitcher in the ‘70s
As he is being taken out of the game: “It looks like Dick Pole is getting yanked.”

Pete LaCock - Baseball player in the ‘70s
After a hit: “That’s some sweet stroke on that LaCock.”

Dick Trickle - NASCAR driver
“Dick Trickle has caused a slick racing surface...”
or
“Looks like Dick is coming right up Jeff Gordon’s rear...”

Gaylord Perry - Hall of Fame pitcher
After being suspected of throwing spitters: “Gaylord loves those lubricated balls.”

Boobie Clark - Football player in the ‘70s
“The fans couldn’t take their eyes off that big Boobie all game.”

Reds Weiner - Football player in the ‘30s
After a great game: “Reds Weiner really grew in stature today.” ...More

Since puberty, when we had to scrape those first few budding whiskers from our face, the Three S's have been a part of our morning - and pre-date - ritual. Shit, Shower, Shave and you're ready for anything.

A new grooming line called Ritual, pays tribute to that time-honored tradition, with a product for each of the three phases of readiness.

Packaged in a wooden box, logo burned into the lid, the products of Ritual look like the stuff guys used back when men were men, and barbershops were where you went for a straight-razor shave, a girly magazine and an argument over sports.

For the Shit part of your ritual, the kit contains Nature Calls ($9), an odor neutralizer made specifically to mask bathroom odors. A couple drops pre-sit down renders a courtesy flush obsolete. Even after Burrito Friday.

For the Shower segment, grab Trifecta ($16), a body, hair and face wash packed into one time-saving product. Lather everything up with powerful dirt-defying suds laced with essential moisturizing agents, including soy and wheat protein.

The Shave is the most delicate part of the ritual. The one where poor product or bad technique can render you a nicked-out mess. ...More

We have a new sponsor to introduce: WorldWineBoutique.com, a site dedicated to offering you hard-to-find and limited run wines, as well as wines produced by small boutique vineyards. Great bottles you may not be able to find easily anywhere else.

I'll be featuring one of their bottles every week, give you some good info on the wine, and whenever possible, some interesting or unusual details about the wine or winery you can weave into a story you can tell your date while pouring her a glass. (Gotta impress those dates.)

And when you see something you like, they'll give you a 10% discount on your order for being a BG reader. Just enter WWB103BG when you check out.

This week's wine is Highbank Red Blend Basket Pressed Coonawarra 2001.
Here are some bullet points:
- It is an Australian wine from one of the country's most highly regarded vineyards.
- It's a blend of 70% percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, making it a huge, full wine. ...More

With all the holiday parties you'll be hitting the next few weeks, you can be assured there will be some drinking going on. And although you may not want to admit it, at some of those parties, you may drink to excess. And if there's no designated driver around, you either cab it home or wake up on the host's front lawn.

Mornings on the lawn suck. So to make sure you get home, keep a few of these "Dear Cab Driver" cocktail napkins on you. These multi-purpose wonders not only keep you from getting a water stain on the bar, but they also let the driver know where to take you, and where to access your money, after your friends push your passed-out butt into a cab.

$3.95 for a 12 pack
www.spoonsisters.com

What's better than enjoying music from your iPod? Letting everyone around you enjoy music from your iPod. For that, use the iMainGo. Part protective carrying case. Part compact external speaker system. And one of the best sounding systems I've heard in a while.

They pack a whole lot of sound into those small speakers. And use tuned porting to pump up the bass, so you don't get that tinny sound many small speaker systems have, that gnaws on your eardrums. Even at high volumes the sound stays clear. ...More

Back in the day, guys used to make their own seltzer or soda water to drink - or to mix into drinks - by shooting CO2 into water bottles. (If you've ever seen a Three Stooges movie, you've seen the device they used.) They could control the amount of fizz depending on how many squirts of gas they put in, and add flavors to punch up the taste.

If you want to do the same at home, for about half of what it costs to buy soda, try the Soda-Club. We gave one a shot at the BG Test Kitchen and found it's pretty quick and easy to mix up a batch of homemade soda.

Simply fill the carbonating bottle with water, screw it into the machine and press the button to release a shpritz of CO2. The more you press, the fizzier the water. ...More

Looking to bring the intimidation factor to your next beer pong tourney? Break out your own custom printed balls from Adam's Balls, and let 'em know you take this game seriously.

Their seamless, "tournament quality", 40mm balls are printed in full color - not one or two colors like some of the other printed balls available. The print won't run, peel or smear either. (Even after a test soak in grain alcohol for a week.) And Adam's Balls will print anything you want. There's no prudish censors telling you what you should or shouldn't have proudly displayed on your balls. (As long as you don't violate copyrights or otherwise protected material.)

Ordering is easy. Upload your graphic to their Build Your Ball! page, choose the quantity (they'll run you just $2.25 per ball on the minimum order of 25 balls) ...More

Fanscape is holding a New Music Sweepstakes, and you can enter to win a 27" Samsung HDTV along with a collection of new music from Blake Lewis, Maroon 5, Lupe Fiasco, OneRepublic, and Mat Kearney.

The contest runs now through January 16, 2008, and all you have to do to enter is click here.

One winner will be drawn at random on the 16th and will take home the HDTV and five new CDs: Blake (American Idol runner-up) Lewis' Audio Day Dream, Maroon 5's It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, OneRepublic's Dreaming Out Loud, and Mat Kearney's Nothing Left to Lose.

Click here to enter.

If you love barbecue, you've probably heard of Stubb's. If you haven't, it's a name you should get to know. You may have seen Stubb's sauces in the supermarket, but unlike most bottled brands, his taste of the same homemade flavor and exceptional care that made him famous.

And with his new overnight delivery service, you can have his smoked-to-perfection meats on your dinner table tomorrow. Besides ribs that fall off the bone, you can express order peppered pork tenderloins, smoked turkey, pork sausages, legendary beef brisket and all of his sauces. Forget cooked goose and plum pudding, this is what makes a holiday party to remember. And without any prep or cooking. You can order at www.stubbsbbq.com

But if you're looking to roll up your sleeves and get knee deep in some old fashioned barbecuing this weekend, here is his recipe for Tender Brined Pork Loin Chops from the Stubb's Bar-B-Q Cookbook. According to Stubb's, brining the chops does two things: It permeates the meat with flavor, and it helps keep the meat moist when cooking. And nothing beats moist meat.

Tender Brined Pork Loin Chops
1 cup Stubb’s Pork Marinade (or lemon-pepper or Italian marinade)
1 3/4 cups warm water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar ...More

For answers to all your burning questions on women and relationships, tune into a live chat hosted by the dating site Chemistry.com.

On Sunday, December 9th at 7pm ET they'll be hosting the webchat "Sex, Love and Lies: The 21st Century Romance" with human attraction expert and biological anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher.

Part of the discussion will attempt to answer questions such as: why do women lie in relationships? Good luck with that.

To participate in the webchat go to Chemistry.com or http://www.chatworld.com/events/match

To wine, or not to wine? That was the question. It was posed by one of my readers who is going to a dinner party, and as a non drinker himself, does not want to bring the "customary" bottle of wine for the hosts. Which is a very common situation. Especially if the hosts themselves are non-drinkers.

He wanted to know what else would be appropriate to bring, if anything. With holiday season upon us, and the seemingly endless parties being thrown, chances are good you'll be giving a number of host gifts over the next few weeks. So I asked some expert friends for their opinions.

Diane Gottsman, etiquette expert and owner of The Protocol School of Texas (she also gave us the great guide to what's what on the table), says above all else "when you are invited to dinner or a party, the etiquette rule is to never show up empty handed."

So what if your hosts enjoy wine, but you don't want to bring anything alcoholic? Like beer, there are wines available that have had the alcohol removed. ...More

You put all that money and effort into building a tricked out home theater. 56" flat screen hooked into a blu-ray player. Top-end surround sound system so you can feel the explosions as well as hear them. And big, comfy seating so she can curl up next to you during the movie. So when she wants popcorn with her double feature, shaking some Jiffy-Pop over the stove, or tossing a bag of popcorn into the microwave, kind of ruins the whole "theater" illusion.

Instead, use the Retro Popcorn Maker, a counter-top sized replica of the diner-style poppers from the 50s. Just measure the right amount of poppable corn in the measuring cap, pour it in and turn the unit on. In a few minutes you'll have a large bowl of fresh, hot, non-microwave-tasting popcorn.

And it uses hot air instead of oil ...More

There's hope for the rest of us who aren't well over 6-feet tall, ripped, and ridiculously good looking.

A modeling agency in London, with an office opening here in the US, has become successful by specializing in "ugly" models. The Ugly Modeling Agency represents the truly weird, strange, and flat out awful looking (read: most of us), proving you don't have to be Brad Pitt to get paid for your looks. And judging from the video, the worse you look, the better.

For holiday parties, having the right mixers on hand is just as important as having the right spirits. One you may not have used yet (or even heard of), is Pomegranate 7UP.

Adding the wildly popular pomegranate flavor to the familiar lemon-lime, this version of the Uncola is a limited edition, made just for the holidays. And it works for drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Here are recipes for one of each. The Mistletoe Mojito adds a holiday twist to the tropical favorite. And the Merry Berry Float can be served as a dessert, or as a "cocktail" for those kids that may be tagging along with mom and dad to the party. (Stock up. It's only available until Jan 31st.)

MISTLETOE MOJITO
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
8 fresh mint leaves
2 ounces white rum ...More

The big party season just kicked into high gear and now it's time to show off a little - and splurge a bit on yourself, too. Quality clothing speaks volumes without you having to say a word. So what will you wear to bring the ladies into YourSpace? For the festive season, here are a few suggestions: ...More

Corkscrews have gotten so high-tech lately, that there's barely any effort needed to pull a cork. Notice I said "pull" and not "pop". With all the new technology being put into removing corks from bottles smoothly and effortlessly, the satisfying "pop" that used to announce the opening of a new bottle has become as rare as the bell-induced ring of an old phone.

Over at Built NY, they missed the sound of corks popping, and the days when opening a bottle of wine was as much a part of the experience as drinking it. So they developed the Wine Ratchet Magnum. It's half ratchet wrench, half old-school corkscrew. With some updated touches.

Because having the right tool for the job stops you from tearing the cork in half (corkscrew was too short), or piercing the bottom of the cork and getting fragments in the wine (corkscrew too long), the Magnum let's you choose your weapon ...More

Vacationing along the beaches and mountains of Waikiki is an experience. Driving a chrome orange Lotus Elise around the beaches and mountains of Waikiki is an experience to remember forever.

Until the end of the year, the new Waikiki Parc hotel is offering the Room & Vroom package, a one-of-a-kind vacation that combines the beauty of an exotic Hawaiian location, with the raw power of an exotic handmade sports car.

The two-night package starts at just $565 (single or double occupancy), and includes a 24-hour rental of a Lotus Elise, in your choice of Chrome Orange or Chili Red. Cruise the beaches of Waikiki, then test the car's 4.8 second 0-60 time as you race up the hills of Oahu, before heading back to immerse yourself in the nightlife the city offers. ...More

You know those old, torn jeans you've got broken in to the point where they are as comfortable as a pair of sweats? They're perfect for wearing while hanging out on a Saturday afternoon. But not much else.

If you're looking for something that has the same worn-in comfort as your old jeans - but with a high-end style and premium quality appropriate to wear to the office for casual Friday, out for dinner Saturday night, and to the game on Sunday - try a pair of Fidelity Denim.

New this fall, the men's line from Fidelity gives you that vintage feel, but with clean lines and a designer finish, along with that slightly lived-in look, only without the frayed bottoms or holes that make you look like a thrift store shopper. And they come in the darker shades you want this time of year.

Their Camino cut (shown on the left in the main pic, in Midnight Sapphire fabric) gives you that classic ...More

An Open Letter to PR Reps and Ad Execs:

Dear Product Marketers, Public Relations Reps and Ad Execs:
I know you're not known for your subtlety. Nor are you known for knowing when to quit. When something catches on, you'll beat that horse until it's deader than Dog The Bounty Hunter's career. And with a seemingly endless and ever-increasing supply of products and services targeted to men lately - some new, some just rehashed, repackaged and renamed - that's exactly what you're doing.

The "man market" craze first got our attention with the word "Mancation" - a word you guys coined to define a vacation specifically designed for men. I guess "Guy Getaway" wasn't emasculating enough. And heading to a tropical locale to lie on the beach, bikini watch, and drink ourselves into a colada coma was no longer good enough. PR flunkies everywhere were pitching stories about the need to alleviate the stress of work and bond with our fellow males while white water rafting and hanging off the sides of mountains.

After that it was open season on anything guys touched. The entire manosphere of products and services for guys has been man-ized and man-named. It's complete mandemonium.

And it needs to stop. Immediately. ...More

I must've needed longer to recover from my Vegas trip than I thought. I just realized the Vegas poll was still up and the Thanksgiving poll I had planned never went up. Blame it on Sin City.

The results of the Vegas poll had a couple of surprises. If I was laying down my hard earned Benjamins, I would never have bet that over 17% of you would say you had no desire to ever go to Vegas. That was surprising. I would have put the number at around 8%, maybe even less. I'd have gotten killed on the over/under. About 27% of you haven't been yet, but want to go. (Are you waiting for Lady Luck to personally issue an invitation? Book a trip now.)

Only 5% of you responding said you go for the gambling only. Almost four times that many head to Sin City to party and for the nightlife (19.2%). Which holds up with the casino's own reports that the majority of their income is now made outside of the gaming tables. Almost a third of you (31.8%) visit The Strip for a combination of both, which is exactly what the rich resort and casino owners were betting on.

My next poll has to do with Holiday shopping and how you plan to do yours. Online only? Or are you going to battle the crowds and traffic and head to the mall? Take the poll below, on the right.

If you bought your HDTV early on in the rise of flat screens, you probably only have one HDMI input, instead of the now-standard three. Which sucks because you have to keep switching between cable and your gaming system and your HD-DVD player. And whatever else comes along.

Belkin's got a new HDMI 2-to-1 Video Switch that let's you add a second component, without the hassle of switching cables every time. And if you've already got two or three inputs, expand to three or four, and hook all your stuff up. ...More

Grab the latest piece of pie. Beta House, the latest (direct to DVD) installment of the American Pie juggernaut, hits stores Dec 26th, featuring "the most hilarious and outrageous freshman year in collegiate history". (Translation: expect lots of boobs and penis jokes. And plenty of farm animals.)

In honor of this auspicious occasion, I'm going to give away five copies of the unrated DVD to five lucky readers. And because I'm in a giving mood for the holidays, I'm also giving away one Sony PSP, so you can watch the movie on the road.

The DVD has extras that include: ...More