I've done the gag gifts, the romantic ones, but now that we're a little older like fine wine, I'm opting for a more refined gift giving this year.
Your guy will love these fashionable and tech-friendly finds to spruce up their professional life -- affordable little splurges they wouldn't get themselves.
Lapel Pin - Who says you can't buy your guy flowers on Valentine's Day? Truly unique, I love this microfiber flower pin, which spruces up a tired jacket and also works as a conversational piece too. I first spotted this attractive statement accent on my Instagram feed and especially adored how these two dapper guys boldly wore it (one, two). Best of all, it's reasonably priced, you can get multiple pins for under $20! I gave one to my cousin, who wore it to the wedding of a friend of ours. Available in lots of colors, but you can't go wrong with black, red, or gray.
Sprezza Box- Fashion delivered for men! A subscription box curated by Sprezza's personal stylists will bring Valentine's Day joy to your man every month and will keep him looking sharp and trendy. Effortless Style for just $28 a month. Each box is guaranteed to have over $100 in value with 5-6 fashion and lifestyle products, so you're getting a lot of bang for your buck. You can pay upfront $300 for the entire year and save $36 or pay monthly and cancel anytime. Everything sent is his to keep! Also, they offer one-box only options, which is how we got started but loved it so much, we did the full year of fashionable items.
Cord Keeper- This 3-pack of black/beige/grey leather cord keepers keeps your cords neat and stylish. Perfect for travel and work. $9.99.
Echo Dot- Alexa is the only woman I don't mind my husband talking to each morning ;) We are obsessed with our Dot. We have it in our bedroom and we'll tell it to play NPR in the mornings, provide us updates on the weather, give us a flash briefing of the day's news and even play little kid music for our boys. I'm saving up to get another one for my office too and have a feeling my husband wouldn't mind receiving one for his either. $49.99.
Wooden Bow Ties- Yes, bow ties and neckties made out of wood! My husband came back from Vegas purporting that men at the convention he attended were donning them and that they were getting a lot of positive attention for it. Definitely a conversation starter and great for the rugged gentleman in your life. $14.99 and up.
Sometimes you just need a big juicy burger and thanks to BurgerFi in Naples you can eat one that not only tastes great, but is made from 100% all-natural Angus beef patties that are hormone and antibiotic-free with no additives.
Established in 2011, BurgerFi is among the nation's fastest-growing better burger concepts with nearly 100 restaurants. Founded by gourmet chefs, Burgerfi is committed to serving fresh food of the highest quality. All recipes are created from natural, fresh ingredients that require team members to cut chop, mix and prepare daily.
Allergies? Be advised that peanuts, nuts and other food allergens are present at BURGERFI as they cook with 100% peanut oil because it’s healthier than other oils out there. Peanut oil contains antioxidants and good fats, and is naturally trans fat- and cholesterol-free.
I tried The Grilled Cheese Burger Melt, featuring two Natural Angus Patties, Caramelized Onions, Aged Swiss and American Cheese in between three griddled buns! This new menu item though will only be available through January 29.
Grilled Cheese Burger Melt
Although I came for the burgers, I was particularly impressed with their hand cut fries. Seasoned with Parmesan, Herb and Garlic Aioli, these fries are Oh. My. Fantastic! They offer Chili & Cheese or Cajun style toppings too. You can also opt for the Cry + Fry, which loads 3 of their large onion rings on top of your order of fires.
Parmesan Garlic Fries and Mexican Coke
TIP: Looking for a healthier, lower carb option? Order your burger ‘green style,’ which is a lettuce wrapped burger with no bun.
Burgerfi ‘green style’ - lettuce wrapped burgers
Need something to wash it down with? We were surprised to see they had local craft beer on tap and bottles of wine for pouring.
There is also a kids menu too with reusable plastic cups and hot dogs and other options.
Inside, the fast-casual restaurant has a modern setting with exposed light bulbs and aluminum benches and tables.
Good news, another Burgerfi location is now open in Ft. Myers / Estero area across from Gulf Coast Town Center.
Disclaimer: My meal at Burgerfi was complimentary in exchange for an honest review.
Tips for Going to Legoland Florida with Young Kids
My boys have always been obsessed with building & blocks, but now they are LEGO crazed. Yet, we had stayed away from going to the LEGOLAND Florida theme park when visiting the Orlando area, unsure if they were ready for it. Let me assure you, the 150-acre park is built for little kids (pun intended) offering more than 50 rides, shows and attractions designed for families with children ages 2-12. Located in Winter Haven, Florida, just 45 minutes from Orlando (shuttle busses from the Orlando outlets are available).
Unlike other Orlando-area parks, Legoland wasn't as crowded - neither the rides or lines for food. (Note we visited in January and February). Also, if you stay at the hotel or have an annual pass you get to enter the park a half hour earlier. Use the time to go on Ninjago The Ride, their latest attraction. They especially enjoy playing with LEGO Technic sets.
Are They Tall Enough?
Yes! Originally, we heard that the majority of the rides had a "42 inch height requirement to ride and with my 4-year-old twins still barely hovering at "39 inches, I wasn't sure there would be enough for them to do to justify buying tickets. However, I was wrong. Yes, I'm sure my husband would love for me to repeat that statement, lol! The 42-inch limit is only for kids to ride alone and does NOT prohibit them from going on the attraction. Thus, as long as we went on the boat, train and safari cart with them, they could experience the same fun as everyone else and even better we could do it as a family.
LEGO Bricks Everywhere
We especially appreciated the many Create While you Wait areas. Even when there was a short line for an attraction, EVERY queue has an area where kids can build and play with LEGO bricks while adults hold their spot in line. Wouldn’t life be great if every line had LEGO bricks for children to play with? *sigh* In the Duplo area there are even size appropriate bricks for younger kids.
Ford's Driving School
Ford's Driving School has two different tracks: Jr which has one simple loop for kids ages 3-6 (not height dependent) and a more curvy track for bigger kids. Kids ride the LEGO looking cars by themselves, by steering and pressing the peddle all by themselves. This was by far their favorite ride, which is towards the back before the water park entrance. There is a ride attendant there though for when kids get stuck to help move the vehicle in the right direction. At the end of the ride, all drivers receive a paper driver's license too, which makes for a great FREE souvenir.
4 Ways to Save on Legoland Florida Park Tickets
Order your tickets online at least two days in advance for additional savings.
Subscribe to their monthly newsletter to discover their latest promotions as well.
Stay on property. Either the Beach Retreat or Legoland Hotel, typically offers packages for free two-day child’s ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket and other admission deals.
If you are a Florida resident take advantage of that perk with an annual Florida Residents Awesome Pass. However, they can only be purchased online and not at the entrance, but proof of a Florida residential address is required for validation at time of live pass redemption.
Figurine Trading
Forget pin trading, I now love figurine trading and I wish I had known about this BEFORE we went to the park for the first time.
Model Citizens, or employees, wear colorful badges that display their name and will have little LEGO guys attached to it. If you spot one that you like you can swap a LEGO Minifigure that your kids don't want any more. Thus, you could leave the park with new souvenirs that they can actually play with, so buy one ahead of time or pick up the discarded LEGO people loitering under your kid's bed and get ready to trade them in for some new ones, maybe even Batman, Disney or Harry Potter!
Must Order Treat at Legoland
Don't leave the park without stopping at Granny's Apple Fries, which tastes like an apple pie in stick form. Basically, they are warm granny smith apples fried and covered with sugar and cinnamon. They come with a whip cream dip and for a few cents more you can order a caramel dipping sauce as well (we did both dips!). My mother said she'd come back to Legoland for the apple fries alone ;)
Legoland Florida Play Areas
While my boys like rides, they are still at the age that they would rather just run around and play. Fortunately, there are several areas in the park for this, including shaded or air conditioned spots! Pharaoh's Revenge is a two-floor covered jungle gym play space with foam balls and crawl areas, which also protects from the sun.
Duplo Village is ideal for toddlers, it's one big playground with a train, a mini tractor ride and a water play area. The bricks for kids to play with in this village are also much larger and softer so as not to be a choking hazard or rough. Plus, the DUPLO Tot Spot is designed especially for children under the age of two and features a small slide and colorful playhouse. Meanwhile, DUPLO Farm offers that and more in an air-conditioned barn with benches for parents to relax and watch from. There is a baby care center located inside too.
Duplo Farm
In Imagination Zone there is a Building Zone with a huge assortment of loose LEGO bricks and already built models for inspiration. Kids are also given wheels when they sign in so they can build LEGO cars and race them. Just be sure and return them when you leave. There is also AC inside and a panini grill cafeteria area, thus a perfect spot to eat at on hot days.
In the new Ninjago World (our video here) there is Cole's Rock Climb area by the entrance that my boys ran to along with Kai's Spinners, which are rotating spinners for a child to jump on and Jay's Lightning Drill, which is a Simon says type game that my boys didn't really understand, but they still enjoyed pushing the buttons and hearing the sound effects.
Pre-schoolers and older kids will love the shaded outdoor wooden playground called The Forestmen's Hideout with slides, nets and climbing areas. It is also staffed for further supervision of kids.
By the Flying School is another, small inside kids area for kids under 2.
