Posts Written by Vic Arkoff

This three-in-one puzzle box features detailed woodcut prints by artist Bryan Nash Gill. He created large-scale relief prints from cross-sections of trees by pressing the rings until they transferred from tree to paper. Each 300-piece puzzle has different colors on the bottom to simplify sorting.

If March Madness betting means you’re reaching to fill (or empty) your wallet, this full-grain model from ProStyle Sports will do the trick. It’s made from Horween basketball leather, so it looks, feels, and even smells like a pro ball. Inside are eight credit-card slots – nearly enough for season tickets, parking, and $20 beers.

Nine out of 10 dentists recommend we stop lying about flossing our teeth. The portable and USB rechargeable Red Dot Award-winning Oclean W10 makes the task easy and fun-ish with five feel-good flossing modes including gentle for sensitive teeth and a gum massager. Efficiently removes debris and plaque with 1,400 pulses per minute.

All spring break hotels are required by law (we wish) to have Instagram-worthy swimming pools. Overachiever Hyatt Regency Indian Wells has the largest water feature in Greater Palm Springs. The massive $21 million waterpark redo has a 450-foot lazy river, a kids’ splash area, and two 30-foot HyTides Plunge waterslides.

Sleep with the fishes at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. The Muraka is a $15 million, two-level rental resembling a fancy docked houseboat in a blue lagoon. Located sixteen feet below sea level, the king suite’s 180-degree acrylic dome exhibits natural and wild views of the Indian Ocean’s tropical habitat.

When backpacks are too casual, the City Market Tote by Incase offers a stylish and versatile solution. The wide main compartment and side pocket zippered openings allow easy access and security, while the inner laptop divider and pockets keep things simple. Made from Cordura, it’s water repellant, rip- and tear-resistant.

Until the 19th century, Polish vodka-makers used the technique of “malting” (fire-kilned drying) for rich and distinctive flavors. Over time, that old tradition faded as vodka became more associated with neutrality. Belvedere Heritage 176 applies fire to the rye before distillation, to offer a taste of vodka’s flavorful past.

Like the idea of camping except for all the getting back to nature stuff? Chicago’s luxe landmark The Gwen offers the city’s first urban glamping experience. With bird’s-eye views of Michigan Avenue, the 16th-floor private terrace of the Gwen Lux Suite has a boho Lotus Belle tent with a comfy queen-sized bed.

The 1,500-edition What Does Regret Mean? is a hypervisual retrospective of one of the world’s most outrageous bands. Aaron Tanner’s arty scrapbook features a cacophony of photos, flyers, and thoughts from contemporaries like Jello Biafra, Rob Zombie, and Henry Rollins, plus a repro of the band’s deranged ‘zine, Strange VD.

Multitasking is the name of the game with Knock Knock’s Information Central Paper Mousepad. It does double-duty as a desktop notepad for jotting down to-do lists, meeting notes, telephone numbers, or gazillion-dollar ideas. Particularly useful for making you look busy during Zoom calls, even if you’re just doodling.

Established in Belfast in 1776, McConnell’s is Ireland’s oldest whisky brand. (Yes, “whisky” without the “e” as it was spelled two centuries ago.) After a 90-year absence, one of the most storied names in Irish whisky is back. McConnell’s will soon debut a new distillery in a historic building near its birthplace.

At NYC’s MoMA, composer Dorit Chrysler used the movements of iconic Calder mobiles to control Theremins, musical instruments played without physical contact. As the metal sculptures moved, they produced sounds by affecting the electromagnetic fields of the Theremins, resulting in a musical “collaboration.”

Wake up and smell this deliciously nutty take on the popular coffee cocktail. The classic hazelnut liqueur, Frangelico, makes all the difference. Sweet, aromatic, and golden, it’s made in Piedmont, Northern Italy, from a guarded recipe of Italian hazelnuts combined with coffee, cocoa, and vanilla distillate and extracts.

Cycling apparel company Endura jumps into the footwear game with mountain biking shoes for flat pedals and clipless systems, and the Humvee flat pedal option for urban action. Combining traction with durability, they’re packed with tech like StickyFOOT rubber outsoles that conform to pedal pins and lock the foot in place.

Smooth and complex, one of the oldest whiskeys yet from 113-year-old Grand Old Parr is this mature 18-year-old aged scotch characterized by Cragganmore malts. Fittingly, age is of paramount importance here because Old Parr was named after Tom Parr, an Englishman who supposedly lived to be 152… after remarrying at 122.

The Blu-ray reissue of the 1979 martial arts film Monkey Kung Fu is a Hong Kong cult classic from the Shaw Brothers. Weirdly wonderful, it involves gangs, a one-eyed criminal, mysticism, non-stop action – everything except actual monkeys as kung fu masters. The Blu-Ray of Shaolin Mantis is another amusing action gem.

Go big with the super-sized EDC Heist bag. It’s massive yet lightweight and easy to tote with hand straps or the adjustable shoulder/crossbody strap. Big enough to hold your daily or weekend supplies, with huge zippered exterior pockets and interior pockets for smaller stuff. Made with REPREVE Our Ocean recycled plastics.

Downwrite.com is a collaborative songwriting platform where artists and fans can co-create music. Fans commission original songs from working musicians, indie artists, and even notables like Everclear founder Art Alexakis. It’s a cool alternative way for artists to earn money and remain co-owners.

To explore the ends of the earth in comfort and style, Viking sets a new standard for expedition ships with the launch of the Viking Octantis. The star of Viking’s first Antarctic season of expedition voyages is luxuriously appointed, equipped with science labs, and built to take on weather extremes.

Think you’re a card shark? Toot your own horn with Knock Knock’s 52 Farts by cutting the deck (or the cheese) and dealing an air biscuit, butt bazooka, heinie hiccup, or tushy tickler. Each card defines a different slang term to help you know when to hold ‘em and when to let ‘em rip.

Global warming is really gonna mess with cold drinks this spring. The strapped Able Carry Cooler thermal sling goes everywhere on commutes or day trips to help six canned drinks keep their cool for hours, especially when you add an icepack. It comes in White Alpine or Coyote Brown and fits inside any Able Carry backpack.

Inside Crystal Head’s spookiest skull bottle yet is a unique clear spirit made with premium Blue Weber agave sourced from a single farm in Mexico… yet this is vodka, not tequila. Crystal Head Onyx is blended with pure water from Newfoundland, Canada for a clean, semi-sweet finish that’s free of additives, oils, and sugars.

Cheers to Bols Cocktail Tubes, the fun way to sip ready-to-drink concoctions from tall 200ml cylinders serving 1-2 cocktails each. Gift packs offer four tubes in three varieties – Classic, Martini, and Modern – each featuring a different combo of Negronis, Old Fashioneds, Margaritas, and Martinis. Prosit!