Posts Written by Vic Arkoff

Chocolate and mezcal are two of Mexico’s greatest gastronomic gifts, so MarieBelle chocolates and Del Maguey Vida Puebla bundled them for this limited edition. Infused with Del Maguey mezcal, the boxed bon bons are inspired by seven classic cocktails: Margarita, Carajillo, Negroni, Old Fashioned, Paloma, Mai Tai and The Last Word.

Add some “ooh la la” to your Valentine’s Day imbibing with the peculiarly sexy “Gintimates” cocktail accessories by Hendrick’s Gin and Wiederhoeft – a Bottle Corset to dress your naked Hendricks 150ml; a Pinky Garter to mind you to keep your pinky up during sips; and a Cocktail Garnish Chain to decorate your beloved’s cocktail glass.

After living years with coffee jitters, MUD/WTR’s organic coffee alternatives are a new daily ritual. They’re made with USA-grown mushroom superfoods like Lion’s Mane, Chaga, and Reishi plus a fungus that grows on caterpillars (I kid you not) and healthy herbs for the original Cacao/Masala Chai, Matcha, Rooibos and Turmeric varieties.

Brewing tea on the go is easy with Bota, a stylish all-in-one smart tea bottle with a built-in brewing chamber, separate steeping chamber, temperature controls, and double-wall insulated food-grade thermos to keep drinks warm 12 hours. The leak-proof design makes 10.2 ounces of hot tea in five minutes.

Royal Caribbean launched the gargantuan Icon of the Seas, an over-the-top, maximalist combo of mega ship/floating city for 7,600 passengers. It’s so huge that cruisers will forget they’re on a boat. The cherry on top is Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea with six thrill rides covering 17,000 square feet.

Still hanging tough this Dry January? Seedlip Notas de Agave has your back with its zero-alcohol alternative blend of prickly pear, lime, and agave flavors to replace hankerings for tequila cocktails. It warms the palate with notes of vanilla, damiana flower, and peppercorn and is meant to mix with tonic or other NA ingredients.

Designed to keep your tech gadgets and accessories tidy and tangle-free, Troubadour’s updated eco-friendly tech cases have well-positioned pockets for your chargers, cables, EarPods, and more. The size of a dopp kit, the waterproof, recycled vegan leather Rig Case 2.0 has a roomy interior that opens wide thanks to its double zipper mouth.

Start practicing your Rockettes style high kicks, skiers. For the 2024-25 snow season, Montana’s Big Sky Resort is building what will become the world’s longest ski lift with seating for eight people in a single row. It’ll have tush-warming seats and will be faster, too, cutting ride time by 30% and doubling uphill capacity.

Bourbon and chocolate are a brilliant taste pairing, so Woodford Reserve’s Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall paired up with Compartés chocolatier Jonathan Grahn to create a limited-edition of four truffle flavors to complement a 750 ml Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon: butterscotch chocolate, oak-smoked salt caramel, pear nutmeg, and maple pecan.

Genesis is on a roll. The impressive, progressive Korean brand has swept awards — biggies like Car and Designer of The Year — for two years running. After getting an advance look at Genesis’ next crowd-pleaser — the 2025 GV80, the brand’s first crossover coupe — we’re astonished that they continue to make all the right moves.

Breaking Bad partners-in-crime Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are real life partners in Dos Hombres Mezcal. They clearly had a blast modeling their charitable merch collection of hoodies, joggers, tees, etc. Every cent from profits goes to rebuilding infrastructure in the Mexico village of San Luis Del Rio where Dos Hombres is produced.

VinFast Auto didn’t just stand out at CES 2024 for its unexpected reveal of its futuristic VF Wild electric pickup truck concept. The young Vietnamese company also launched its DrgnFly electric bike just one year after its initial showcase.

Following in the footsteps of their Indigo Gin, Empress 1908’s Elderflower Rose Gin pays homage to the distillery’s home city of Victoria, BC, AKA the City of Gardens. Inspired by Victoria’s flowers, Empress Elderflower Rose Gin has a bright floral bouquet of nine botanicals, including red rose petals, elderflowers, lavender, and black carrot.

Sober curious? Wet your whistle during Dry January with the line of non-alcoholic liqueurs by premium French liqueur maker Giffard. Drawing on five generations of know-how Giffard uses the same fruits and plants as their liqueurs, extracting essential flavors — Elderflower, Ginger, Grapefruit, Pineapple — through traditional maceration techniques.

Cookware company Le Creuset makes bread-making consistent and beautiful with the innovative Le Creuset Bread Oven. Crafted from enameled cast iron for better heat distribution, the purpose-built domed lid circulates steam, while the low-profile base produces a crispy crust branded with Le Creuset’s three hallmark rings for bakery-quality results at home.

Ring in the New Year with Freixenet’s most popular cava, Cordon Negro Brut. Affectionately known as “Black Bottle Bubbly,” this inexpensive sparkler from Catalunya, Spain, is the world’s #1 imported sparkling wine. Crisp and creamy Cordon Negro Brut’s delicate bubbles are best served as the heart of mixed cocktails like Mimosas, Spritzes, and Bellinis.

Inspired by the desert air at twilight, Sauvage Eau de Parfum is super popular for a good reason: it smells good on every man. Grounded by notes of ambroxan, pepper, vetiver, and patchouli, it melds top notes of spicy Calabrian bergamot with the lingering sensuality of Papua New Guinean vanilla extract.

The Cool S Winter Bike Jersey/Jacket from State Bicycle Co. floods us with middle school memories of doodling in the margins. We only wish we had a cool fleece-lined, wind-resistant zip-up jacket like this back then. The retro look continues with a composition notebook pattern on the back and sleeves.

As the name implies, Manly Bands makes badass men’s rings including wedding bands. Case in point is their rockin’ collection of rings made in collaboration with Fender Guitars. Each handcrafted band combines real Fender guitar strings with hard materials like Ebony, Birdseye Maple, Titanium, Black Zirconium, and Fender tweed.

Home gyms and man caves would seriously benefit from an aroma besides BO and IPAs. We suggest the Charcoal Reed Diffuser from scent-sational specialists, Apotheke. Unlike flowery fragrances, Charcoal’s blend unites cedarwoood, sandalwood, smoky embers, burnt maple, and a hint of raspberry for a robust room scent lasting 3 to 4 months.

Aquaman & the Lost Kingdom reminds us that Aquaman knows a thing or two about water. So does actor-surfer Jason Momoa, who’s passionate about protecting our oceans on screen and off. He’s put his considerable muscle behind Mananalu Water, a sustainable, resealable aluminum-bottle H2O brand determined to eliminate single-use plastics.

Jay Baron gets us. He creates Retrograde Supply Co.’s endearingly funny patches, which manage to be ironically cheery while sharing self-effacing messages of personal failure and global dread. There’s an iron-on patch or three for everyone, whether you’re plagued by worry, self-doubt, or simply having a bad hair day. Buy three, get two mystery patches free.

Motocross legends-in-the-making can now dress for the job they want with an exact replica of the AGV helmet used by competitors in the Moto3 World Championship. The spirited graphics on Ian Guevara’s helmet made their first appearance in his first winning race on the Motegi circuit to reflect the Spanish champ’s motto: “Life is music.”