Piano Key Necktie

Chathamite's Guide to Father's Day Shopping

Over the years, you have likely given your father a set of golf balls, a "World's Greatest Dad" T-shirt or coffee mug, a tie with piano keys that will eventually find its way to the back of his closet. This Father's Day, why not get Dad something he will actually enjoy?

Chatham has plenty of original gift ideas that will have your father counting down the days until next June.

If your father is a coffee drinker, TM Ward Coffee , located at 7 S. Passaic Ave., has specials on selected coffees. It also has discounted barbecue sauces and other necessities for grilling, perfect for helping your dad enjoy his outdoor grill this summer. The store also offers gift baskets, and shoppers can pick-and-choose the contents of the baskets.

"If you bring in your own wine or beer, we can incorporate that in your gift basket," said Axlyn Sommer, owner of TM Ward. "We're not selling it but you can bring it in [and] we can add it into the gift basket."

TM Ward's specials run from Friday through Sunday.

If your father needs a grill to enjoy his grilling sauces from TM Ward, Dreyer's Lumber and Hardware sells Weber Grills, which employees say is a preferred item this year. Dreyer's, which is located at 0 Watchung Ave., also sells power tools and everything else a handy dad needs.

Looking for something a little more original? One unique present would be a gift certificate for a rock climb at Gravity Vault , located at 40 Watchung Ave. Whether your dad is a lover of the outdoors or has never laid eyes on a rock wall before, this could be the ultimate way to show him your love and gratitude.

"One of the great things [customers] can do is bring in [their] father for an hour session with one of our instructors," said Gravity Vault employee Chris Del Rosario. "The father can either climb all by himself or have a friend join him. They can go climb for an hour for $50, that includes all thier rental gear and insctructor; or they can do a private belay class where they learn how to manage the ropes."

If your dad needs a sharp-looking shirt, Fairmount Country Club members get 30 percent off on men's clothing and 25 percent off on in-stock equipment this Father's Day.

Local restaurant Charlie Brown's Steakhouse   will be open for brunch on Father's Day, and Charley's Aunt opens at 11 a.m.

Father's Day Roundup « SWEET DESIGNS – AMY ATLAS EVENTS

Of some terrific ideas to ensure that dad feels special. While mothers are often touted as fashion inspirations, fathers seem to get stuck with the short end of the stick. Whether it’s a grandpa sweater they wear every day in the winter, or a Halloween costume hat-turned-favorite accessory, dads seem to be remembered more for their fashion misses than their fashion hits. But while we bemoan every short sleeved shirt in an outdated print or khaki pant and running shoe combo that Dad walks out of the house in, the man deserves some credit for his self-confidence.  After all, he’s the one who taught us how to ride a bike (and bandaged up our knees when the first few tries didn’t go so well).  He’s the one who played one-on-one basketball with us until we made the team.  And he’s the one who gave us a reassuring squeeze as he walked us down the aisle. We may not have inherited Dad’s unique sense of style, but we sure got a healthy dose of confidence from him.  Treat dad to some fun masculine treats this weekend and who knows, maybe the polka dot ties from Bees Knees Creative will inspire him to finally part with his piano key necktie.

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The physiological mechanics of piano technique, an experimental study of the nature of muscular action as used in piano playing, and of the effects thereof upon the piano key and the piano tone