It was recently pointed-out to me that I have never offered you a Gift Guide for Father’s Day!  Shame on me for ignoring the men in our lives. I apologize to all the fathers out there for that omission.

But in my defense, that neglect is because there was nothing my own father ever wanted. The only things we ever got him for Father’s Day is…pistachio nuts!!!  I know—that’s just nutty. He also loved chocolate, but my mother always covered that craving with their romantic Whitman’s Samplers. (If you want to know that cute story, click here: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/holiday-happy-fathers-day-2013.)

In later years, when he got diabetes, I found him some special chocolate that was okay for that malady. I even did a “Joe sent me” for it once—I met the company’s truck along their route when they wouldn’t make it into a store in time for me to get it to him.

But that was seriously it for Father’s Day gifts in my life.

Until now, that is! I’ve come up with some ultra-fabulous suggestions for the men in your life. You’ll be a hero to him with a gift of any of these. So let’s get started. (And in case you don’t keep track of these things, Father’s Day is next Sunday, June 19th! So get crackin’!)

For the ecology-conscious gourmet:

True Gold Honey—This is actually the only honey Mr. X will eat! And now, since I introduced all my friends to the brand, they feel the same way.  There are several flavors, and we each have a different favorite. True Gold is a mother-and-son owned company, so you know they care about their bees, the environment, and, perhaps most importantly, their customers. To that end, all the honeys are 100% pure, raw, and unfiltered.

Mr. X’s favorite is the award-winning Wild Buckwheat, although he’s a fan of all of them, (as am I.) For health purposes, he uses the honey in hot water with lemon every night, (he doesn’t even want any tea in there,) and he even cooks his salmon with the honey on top. My favorite is the sweetest one, Coastal Mountain Sage, and we both can’t wait to try their new-ish Special Reserves: Pozo Wildflower, (yet another award winner!,) and Morro Bay Wildflower, which features ingredients to support a strong and healthful immune system.

Until you discover your own favorite, I highly suggest you go with their very clever Discovery Flight. It’s smaller jars of their five famous flavors in a tall clear plastic tube. Just looking at them like that makes my mouth water.

And True Gold is a kind company—they donate a percentage of their sales to families impacted by disability.

Unless you’re located in Northern California, or in LA, (where they’ll be launching in Gelson’s this summer-yay!,) it’s all on-line ordering for now, but let me tell you—they pack the jars of the precious honey perfectly!!! www.truegoldhoney.com

For the fashion-conscious golfer:

Duca del Cosma Golf Shoes—When I was a guest at George Lopez’s recent Celebrity Golf Classic, I spotted a table full of very attractive shoes. And then I noticed that all the golfers were clamoring for them, so I had to check them out for myself.

The men’s choices are so stylish, while still being uber-masculine. (I always check-out the footwear on all the males I meet. Always have, since I was a teenager.) The shoes are an absolutely perfect Father’s Day gift for your golfing man.

On a side note, I couldn’t help but get a pair of adorable women’s Duca del Cosma Golf Shoes for myself; I don’t really golf much, (unless someone needs me to do it for charity…or comedy!,) but you know I love stylin’! And more good news for everybody is that some of them can also be worn on pavement, which means they’re fashion statements off the links, as well!  www.ducadelcosma.us

For the health-conscious guy:

Upgrade—The list of benefits from one little bottle of this formula a day is soooo long. (They had me at “reduce stress.” Have you met me?) Upgrade is a natural brain supplement from Freeman Supplements, a company who specializes in that field.

The liquid comes in a little bottle, and you can either blow it down all at once, or do it the way the owner of the company suggests, which is to drink half in the morning and half in the middle of the day. Mr. X has tried it both ways, and immediately told me, “I need more of this stuff!” After a few days, he said that he felt “more alert,” but “not in a caffeine-way.” That’s great because one of the benefits of Upgrade is that it “clears brain fog, and provides a clean jitter-free energy for quick thinking and focus.” And it does all that with no stimulants!

I was about to joke that Upgrade will make you act like the Scarecrow at the end of The Wizard of Oz, when he finally got a brain. And then, as soon as Mr. X drank one today, he started quoting the Scarecrow! So I guess it really does work. That, and that great minds really do think alike.

The formula comes in a quartet of flavors: sour green apple, wild cherry, grape, and raspberry lemonade. So, something for everybody. Just pick the right one for your man, or choose all of them, because the gift of clarity is a perfect one for Father’s Day. www.freemansupplements.com

For the looks-conscious guy:

Shiseido Skincare–I’ve noticed that the males among us often neglect their skin, so this great gift can double as a hint! My facialist is actually a guy, and we often talk about how men should be using skincare products. And I just found two to recommend, by this reputable brand that began in Japan and has been around forever! I’m planning to have Mr. X use these, so you know I think highly of them. (And, of course, the Japanese are experts in skin care!)

The absolute must is their new Urban Environment Oil-Free Sunscreen. Everyone on earth is in serious need of sunscreen these days, and this one is lovely. I like it because it’s oil-free, with plenty of good ingredients. And its SPF is a high 42.

The face product you should use right after cleansing and before that all-important sunscreen is Shiseido’s brand new Ultimune Power Infusing Serum, which is the brand’s most potent serum ever! If you give it your man as an early gift right now, his skin should start looking better by his holiday next Sunday!

And to make Father’s Day even easier for you, Shiseido’s website has a specific men’s section, so you know you’re getting him the correct products. www.shiseido.com/us/en/men

For the week-end warrior:

Elixicure—How’s this for a family story for the occasion? Two brothers saw their mother in constant pain, and couldn’t find any high-quality, organic, non-chemical topical treatments to help her. So they created their own! And now that they sell it, the rest of can help our family members, especially our poor achy dads this Father’s Day.

I love that Elixicure comes in both a pump and a roll-on, with the small versions being petite enough to carry with your everywhere. Trust me, I don’t know one male gift recipient who doesn’t need it these days! Mr. X tried it out on his painful knee recently, and told me that he’s been seeing “continued improvement.” The gift of less pain—what says Happy Father’s Day more than that?! www.elixicure.com

For the chocoholic (and isn’t everybody one?): 

MarieBelle—For me, no occasion is complete without something chocolate. And I promise you, there is nothing better in that category than a gift from world-famous MarieBelle in New York! The first time I saw the iconic blue box of them in one of the most upscale stores on Fifth Avenue, my eyes popped-out of my head. The chocolates themselves are still the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen. And their creative flavors are just as delicious. The stunning presentation make MarieBelle chocolates the greatest gift ever!

But wait—there’s more. On my latest trip to the Big Apple, I discovered their scrumptious hot chocolate, which comes in beautiful tins, to boot. My mouth is watering just writing about it! I suggest the Aztec, which their website deems “the ultimate chocolate indulgence,” an assessment I wholeheartedly attest to! A day after an out-of-town friend and I first had it, she realized it would be the perfect gift for her grown son. So we spent an extra couple of hours in the car in Manhattan, (which, as you can imagine, is not fun,) just to get back to MarieBelle’s actual shop in Soho for my pal to get him a beautiful tin of it. But it was worth the trip because he absolutely loved it. And then we found-out that…we could have just ordered it on-line! Which is what all of us do now.

And here’s a very thoughtful idea—if your guy loves hot chocolate, but isn’t doing sugar right now, there’s the Maya, which is sugar-free!!!

I went on their website recently to see what to order for Mr. X, because he adores MarieBelle’s chocolates, and discovered so many new choices, including many male-centric ones, all perfect for Father’s Day. Now I want them all! (But let’s hook-up the dads first.) www.mariebelle.com

For the sports-loving reader:

Seventy-Five–Books are always good choices for anyone who’s a fan of reading, as opposed to surfing the web, and what could be a better book gift for a sports-loving guy than one about professional basketball?! We’ve been celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the NBA this year, and Dave Heeren, a statistician who has been watching games since 1947, (how is that even possible?,) wrote this one rating the best players and teams. As a lifelong basketball fan, I promise you that every sports fan will enjoy this one, either hardcover or paperback. Or even kindle, if your guy likes to read in bed.

Of course, these are all great gifts for anybody at any time. But they will definitely come in handy right now to give your men a fabulous Father’s Day this year.

Happy Shopping!