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There are hundreds of things I could post right now instead of these Linen Towels designed by Fredericks & Mae, but I care about you, your comfort, and your general appearance when you’re at the beach or poolside this Fourth of July weekend.

Now, you can show up with that old beach towel that has sat in the closet since high school, and, hey, maybe you’ll even look cool with your ‘vintage’ towel. However, after you’ve used it once to mop up the salt or chlorine water, you’d best not trust too much in its ability to dry you off a second or third time.

These 100% Irish linen towels are different. Sure, they look pretty amazing with their color stripes, and yes, linen is exceptionally cool and fresh in hot weather, but did you know linen holds around 20 times its weight in water and dries much faster than a normal terry cloth towel? No? Well, you do now. Plus, their size is large enough to double as a decent blanket or wall hanging; you can’t say that for your existing beach/pool towel, now, can you?
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Pingpong anyone? Imagine special meals around this dining table: a nice dinner with the family, then bring out the net and it’s every man/woman for himself/herself. The first serve goes straight into the mashed potatoes and the second hits your Uncle (accidentally, of course, he got in the way when he was clearing the dishes) because you were overzealous with your best backhand stroke. You can’t let [insert annoying relative] win, now, can you?

All this fun can be had with the You and Me Ping Pong Table, a standard-size pingpong table that doubles as a dining table. And,it gets better: this table is appropriate for both indoors and out. A hidden drawer keeps the net, balls, and paddles tucked away when not in use with a little extra room for napkins and a tablecloth. Keep in mind this could also be a conference room table for your office; solve interoffice disputes with a game! And, it’s now available in black! So sleek.
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This set of trays have nicely sculpted basins that would work well as catch-alls for all sorts of things: office supplies, jewelry, keys and coins… you name it. Finished by hand with a food safe oil, you might even want to use them in the dining or kitchen area for snacks or other small food dishes. Made from solid white oak.

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Pretty, aren’t they? Each Glass Knob is made of extra thick pressed glass, just like you’ve seen in head lamps or those older glass insulators. With two sizes and a few different colors, you have the opportunity to create an interesting art installation as well as a useful group of hooks for clothes and bags. Install a few in the entryway, or a bunch in the bedroom. Either way you’ll have art all the time and a storage option whenever you need it.
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Danish designer Pernille Vea based this candle holder on a 6th century Viking design she saw in the National Museum. It’s rudimentary, for sure, yet it’s also quite handy as outdoor lighting as you could hammer or spike them into trees, the ground, the table, etc. (just make sure if it’s your table you’re all right with a few holes). And, they’re on sale: $24 down from $35. See Danish designer Pernille Vea talk about the design in the video below (or on Youtube).
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If you’ve not seen Cool Hand Luke, you need to watch it this summer, preferably with a cool drink poured from the pitcher of this Long Drink Set. Now, this set isn’t cheap like the loads of plastic pitchers and tumblers stuffing the shelves of every store right now, but it does add an air of sophistication no matter the event. Each piece is hand crafted using age old glass blowing techniques and is presented in a nice gift box, so it’s also an option for a very nice gift- maybe for a wedding?
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There’s something altogether satisfying about a large key ring. It’s less likely to get lost, for one, and hooking it onto a bag or belt is much easier, even if you do sound like a janitor when you’re walking around. A screw clasp will save your fingers/fingernails, and each one would hold dozens of keys, or perhaps just ensure that the two or three keys you carry around won’t be misplaced. The Contour Key Rings are available in four distinct shapes: Bend, Drop, Hoop, and Bell.
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Any bag that unfolds into a blanket wins points for versatility, but it also gets a gold star for making it easy to embark upon an adventure at a moment’s notice. Throw the necessary goods in the Yield Picnic Bag and then take off for your destination. One zip and the bag unfolds to a blanket- the perfect thing for a picnic (or a playdate, if kids and toys are involved).
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If your laptop sleeve is looking tired, perhaps you might consider retiring it in favor of this super minimal laptop/document sleeve from Everlane. A thinly padded interior protects your laptop and the no-nonsense exterior is devoid of any extra trimmings, which means you’ll look every bit the part of the successful [your career choice here]. A zip-top closure that wraps around one edge ensures that you can easily slide your device and other papers in and out with no fuss.
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If you’re absolutely sick of scrubbing out the words ‘Drunk Octopus wants to fight you’ around the vicinity of that ubiquitous two-pronged hook (you know the one I mean), may I direct you towards Scout Regalia’s Wall Hooks? There’s no off-kilter eye and the tentacles are decidedly steadfast and sober, so it won’t inspire any more graffiti upon your walls. However, your friends could be absolute savages when it comes to writing implements and vertical surfaces, and, in that case, all I can do is wish you the best of luck. The SR Wall Hook is made of heavy gauge powder coated steel and available in a pleasing array of colors.

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Have a fantastic weekend.

This Kesito desktop organizer wins points for versatility; three diamond-shaped pieces can be arranged to suit your needs. Place your pens and pencils one piece, your paperclips and other small sundries in another, and then the last can act as a small stand for your phone, business cards, or correspondence. Move them around as you see fit. And, it appears that there’s free international shipping at the moment, so consider that when you’re soaking in the price tag.

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A fire bowl with a stainless grill top option is just what these upcoming summer nights need, especially if you like a somewhat portable option (notice the two handles). Whether you plan to grill your lunch or your dinner, or just melt some S’mores when it gets dark, the ~23 inch diameter of the Helios Fire Bowl is a nice size for a small gathering of friends and family. The lower bowl portion elevates flames to dissipate heat while the cone grate provides enough room for an efficient burn.

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Whoa, there’s a big sale on some outdoor items over at CB2. As a point of reference, this Humpback Lounge Chair’s retail price was $258.95 and now it’s marked down to $124.99. For an outdoor chair, that’s a steal, especially considering you’re not buying it from a big box store where you may also buy groceries (in my opinion, there’s something that feels very wrong about that).
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This NomadClip carabiner is not for climbing and it’s non-weight bearing. So, what in the world is it good for? Good question. It’s a portable charging cable. If you don’t mind carrying a carabiner around, you can clip it to your keys or bag and always have a cable to sync your smartphone. Now, not everyone wants to carry a carabiner, but, which is better, a long cord that can get lost or damaged easily, or a carabiner-that’s-not-really-a-wieght-bearing-carabiner that holds a charging cord in its frame? A steel frame and polycarbonate outer shell will withstand all manner of bumps and drops.
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