What’s Hot in Southwest Florida (January/February 2022)
Jan 27, 2022 12:47PM ● By GINA BIRCHCHUNKY BLANKIE Part of a new collection from Bedsure Home, this luxurious, large-knit blanket is bold, homey, and meant to last. Following the popular trend of chunky blankets, this one is made with soft, acrylic yarn but gives the appearance of thick wool. The 50- by 60-inch throw comes in pink, ivory, and blue. $129.99; bedsurehome.com
GRATSI When drinking wine outside, trade the bottle for a box. Gratsi is a Mediterranean-inspired boxed wine that produces keto-friendly, vegan, and low-sugar wines. The red is fruity and smooth, while the white is crisp and refreshing. Each box is equivalent to four full-sized bottles. $35; gratsi.com
PURIFIED AIR Small rooms with minimal air circulation can trap viruses and germs. This small-room air purifier from TruSens has a 360-degree filtration system to capture dust, mold, ash, pollen, and particles as small as 0.3 microns. The ultraviolet sterilization system destroys them on the spot. $149; trusens.com
GLASS NOTE PADS. Go paperless while taking notes, recording ideas, and exercising creativity at sports practice, picnics, and parks with a portable glass dry-erase pad from Quartet. The small whiteboard fits perfectly in a bag or purse. It opens and folds like a notebook for easy dry-erase writing. $39; quartet.com
SEAFOOD SNACK PACKS Healthy snacks for your outdoor adventures now include the world’s first mercury-tested tuna in a snack pack from SafeCatch. With 20 grams of clean protein, a variety of premium herbs and spices, and a touch of avocado oil, each package also contains an eco spoon and five tasty crackers. $25.99 for an eight pack; safecatch.com
SLRRRP SHOTS Jell-O shots are party pleasers but can be awkward to serve outdoors. Cut the prep time and mess with ready-to-slurp shots from the creatively named Colorado company, Slrrrp Shots. Made with malt-based alcohol and plant-based gelatin, they come in an array of fruity flavors. Toss them in a cooler and you’re ready to go. Starting at $14.99; slrrrp.com
UNDERSTANDING PIGEONS For the budding birder, A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching, by renowned bird-lover, science communicator, and cartoonist Rosemary Mosco, is brimming with fun and fascinating facts for understanding the world’s most misunderstood bird. Mosco even teaches readers how to “speak” pigeon. $14.95; published last October by Workman Publishing and available wherever books are sold.
INSULATED FOOD JARS Keep food and beverages at perfect temperatures while you’re outdoors with Bklyn Bento’s stylish line of stainless-steel food jars. The best vacuum technology and double-walled stainless-steel insulation maintains food and beverage temperatures with no exterior condensation. 17.99-$21.99; bklynbento.com
HAVE AERATOR, WILL TRAVEL Just because you can’t take a glass decanter camping or to the beach doesn’t mean you can’t aerate your wine to get the most out of its flavor. Slip the Aervana aerator over the bottle and press the button on top. The compact aerator has a matching corkscrew and fits in a small travel pouch. $79.99; aervana.com
SINGLE-SERVE COFFEE Craving a hot cup-o-joe on the boat or camping? The Kahawa 1893 single-serve coffee packs of rich Kenyan coffee just need hot water and five minutes to steep. From a third-generation female Kenyan coffee farmer, the eco-friendly brand supports other female coffee farmers though an online “customer tipping” program. From $16.93; kahawa1893.com
EASY RAIN GEAR A fashionable alternative to bulky rain gear, Rainraps look more like a pashmina than water-repellent activewear. For boating, sporting events, camping, and more, this reversible garment folds into a small travel pouch that easily tucks into a handbag, backpack, or suitcase. $65; rainraps.com
GET SAUCY Simplify your outdoor barbecue with these new one-and-done, small-batch artisan sauces. From Elda’s Kitchen, they come in a range of flavors, are vegan friendly, gluten-free, and contain no preservatives, MSG, or high-fructose corn syrup. From $24; Eldaskitchen.com