This Father’s Day
– it’s tomorrow for all of you thoughtless children who didn’t
know – skip the tie and give dad what he really wants: indulgence.
Sure, he may not be interested in a weekend at the area’s most luxe
day spa, but he’s definitely not above some of the goodies we’ve
uncovered.
This Father’s Day – it’s tomorrow for all of you thoughtless children who didn’t know – skip the tie and give dad what he really wants: indulgence. Sure, he may not be interested in a weekend at the area’s most luxe day spa, but he’s definitely not above some of the goodies we’ve uncovered.
And best of all, these puppies supply a fast fix when it come to time because we know you don’t have a lot. Hurry up and read about all the cool stuff you can buy him. The clock’s ticking.
The Baseball Dad
Thank God for baseball dads. Not only are they easy to shop for, they’re downright cheap. Take Pops to watch the Oakland A’s battle the Phillies on Father’s Day for $9 to $36 a seat (tickets at Oakland.Athletics.mlb.com) or spend the weekend with the Giants, who will take on the Arizona Diamondbacks June 20 through 23. Tickets are $12 to $60 and can be purchased at SanFrancisco. Giants.mlb.com.
For a dad who can wait, a real treat is in store June 24 to 26 as the Giants and A’s face off at the Oakland Coliseum. For tickets, log on to Oakland.Athletics.mlb.com.
The Musical Dad
So you want to make a really, really good impression? Try sending dad to see his favorite bands.
The tickets may not arrive in time to stuff inside your card, but pick up a CD by any one of the major artists coming to our area in the near future (see list of upcoming shows at bottom of page) and give it to Dad with a note.
If he’s also a theater fan, consider picking up tickets to the newest show making a splash in San Francisco. “Wicked” doesn’t open until August 30, but tickets are on sale now for $35 to $162 at www.TicketMaster.com.
The Refined Dad
Pay close attention to detail for a Dad who appreciates the finer things in life. Stephen Boyce of Morgan Hill Tobacco Company can point you in the direction of a good cigar, a great humidor or the perfect wine to accompany just about any meal. You can never go wrong with some of the labels he carries, like reds from the Alexander Valley’s Silver Oak winery or the much sought-after 2001 vintage from Opus One wineries.
If you’re in the mood for a more local vintage, Boyce recommends a sampling of local port wines. Morgan Hill-based Guglielmo Winery’s Emilios and Eredita Special Family Reserve ports are both recommended, as is the 1995 DeRose Port from DeRose Vineyards in Hollister.
Wines at Morgan Hill Tobacco Company are priced from $100 to $165, and humidors are available for every price range. Boyce stocks everything from a $30 imitation burl wood version that holds 12 cigars to a $1,200 burl wood Zino that aficionados can pack with 40 of their favorites.
The Golf Dad
Keep dad hitting the links in style with a new golf bag. They’re on sale right now for $109 a piece at the Ridgemark’s Golf Course Pro Shop, down $30 from their regular price. To make sure he’s looking his best, too, stop by the San Juan Oaks Golf Club to pick up Ashworth golf shirts, priced at $29 to $59 and San Juan Oaks logo hats. They start at $12.99, according to Bill Gonzales, assistant to the club’s golf director.
The NASCAR Dad
NASCAR is coming! NASCAR is coming! Visit www.TicketMaster.com to score passes to major races coming to the San Francisco Bay area in June and July. The end of the month brings fans the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma’s Infineon Raceway. Gates open at 6am on June 26, and you can get Dad in for $55 to $125.
If you’d prefer to stay closer to home, consider the San Jose Grand Prix, coming to the city July 29 through 31. A gold three-day pass is $150, and you can tack on the VIP Pit Walkthrough for an additional $30 if you’ve been really obnoxious this year.
The Techie Dad
Drop by the Verizon Wireless store in Gilroy and score two camera phones for $49.99 after a mail-in rebate, said store sales supervisor Roy Prado. Billed as “one for dad, one for grad,” the phones do require a two-year contract, but if your dad just likes to get away from it all, consider satellite radio instead.
Most Sirius and XM satellite radio units are priced between $100 and $200 at Gilroy’s Best Buy, according to Joe Fowler, the store’s mobile supervisor. The radios come in complete ready-to-install packages and lifetime subscriptions are available. Otherwise, you or your dad will be paying $11.99 to $12.99 per month for commercial-free radio.
If you’re trying to decide between the two units, both manufacturers are offering tempting sales to make the decision even tougher. Normally $100 Sirius Starmate receivers, which now broadcast The Howard Stern Show, are on sale for half price with mail-in rebate. XM’s Roady 2 receivers, which allow users to tune to the best of NASCAR and Major League Baseball action, are two-for-one deals with mail-in rebate, said Fowler.
“A lot of dads like to go out and do some fishing or some hunting, so there are a couple of portable systems we carry that they can take with them, too,” said Fowler. “For about $300, you get everything for it to go in your home, your car or to make it portable.”
And When All Else Fails …
Never forget the old adage, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse – you know, the guy who says, “Bam!” for Crest – has offered up his own version of a gift perfect for saving face on Father’s Day: Lizzie’s chocolate brownies. Show up on Dad’s doorstep and be careful – these delectable bites will disappear so fast, things just might get dangerous.
Here’s the recipe:
Lizzie’s Chocolate Brownies
by Emeril Lagasse
1 tsp. plus 1 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 recipe of chocolate icing (see recipe below)
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 17-by-12-inch baking pan with 1 tsp. of shortening.
Step 2: In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining cup of shortening. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar and blend. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition. Add the water and vanilla, and whisk to mix well. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, and stir to blend. Finally, fold the walnuts and chopped chocolate, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Step 3: Bake until the brownies spring back when touched, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Spread the icing over with a rubber spatula. Let cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.
Chocolate icing
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup boiling water
Step 1: Sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and use an electric mixer to combine. Add the water and mix until smooth. Let cool, then use.
Upcoming Bay Area Concerts
Kenny Chesney
Where: Save Mart Center, Fresno
When: Sunday, June 19 at 7:30pm
How much: $49.50 to $59.50
Latin Summer Festival featuring Don Omar, Ivy Queen and Pit Bull
Where: Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View
When: Sunday, July 3 at 2pm
How much: $38 to $92.50
Dave Matthew’s Band
Where: SBC Park, San Francisco
When: Friday, Aug. 12 and Saturday, Aug. 13 at 5:30pm
How much: $57.50
Neil Diamond
Where: HP Pavilion, San Jose
When: Saturday, Sept. 24 at 8pm
How much: $42.50 to $75
Green Day
Where: SBC Park, San Francisco
When: Saturday, Sept. 24 at 7pm
How much: $44.50
The Eagles
Where: HP Pavilion, San Jose
When: Friday, Oct. 14 at 7:30pm
How much: $45 to $150
The Rolling Stones
Where: SBC Park, San Francisco
When: Sunday, Nov. 13 and Tuesday, Nov. 15, 7pm
How much: $64.25 to $454.25
Tickets available at www.TicketMaster.com
