Father’s day is coming! I grew up with my parents reversing the typical roles. My mom fixed the air conditioner, the cars, took care of the finances and was the woman in charge of the household. My dad stayed at home to write music, tell us bedtime stories and pick up me and my brother after school. Daddy Wayne taught us to always dream BIG, never stop going after your goals and what it feels like to be really loved and adored.
Growing up I often felt suffocated because he asked so many questions about my life. I would often want him to “shut up” and leave me alone. Oh, gotta love those teen years! Looking back I realize how lucky we were to have a caring dad that made us laugh with funny faces and jokes, loved us unconditionally, took interest in our well being and wanted us to shoot for the stars. When he is gone we will trek, press on and never stop reaching far beyond our arm’s length!
If you have a dad that is not the crafty kind, like us, you’re going to have to dig deeper. Here are three suggestions for your doting sentimental dad:
1. FAMILY TICKETS: What does he enjoy? Movies, sports, viewings, cars or art? Baseball is my dad’s obsession. He cried like a baby when we surprised him with tickets to a Dodger game.
NOTE from Wayne: The seats have to be great or he doesn’t want to go. Go for the gold! HAHAHA!
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2.PICTURE MEMORABILIA: My dad still loves photos and wants to hold em’…not look at them on Facebook. Take photos from a recent event like a wedding and put them on a mug like I did. I’ve been procrastinating about putting our wedding pictures in a book for my parents. This montage coffee holder will be a perfect place holder!
For new dads: You can take a cute photo and put in on a shirt like my mom did when I was two. He kept it all these years and now I use it as a sleeping shirt and wear it to a Father’s Day dinner.
3. DINNER AT HOME FROM HIS FAVORITE RESTAURANT: My dad loves his old Hollywood days. He reminisces about the wild times of living off of the Sunset Strip, working at Barney’s Beanery while hanging with Janis Joplin and having many dinners filled with margarita induced conversations of all the “opportunities just around the corner” at the famous El Coyote. Living in the valley and being 45 minutes away from LA has made places like El Coyote a special occasion. Surprising your special man with take-out from his favorite place, in addition to what ever else you have “cookin'”, will be a hit. Maybe your dad loves bagels from Noah’s or a special danish from a bakery. Switch it up.
BONUS TIP
4. BEST HUE T-SHIRTS. My dad loves green and looks great it in. Picking up a t-shirt or Hawaiian Shirt with green in it is always useful. He loves them! What is your dad’s favorite color or pattern?
Happy Father’s Day to all the men who stepped up and did the best they could!
PS. We love you, Wayne. Thank you for being such an inspiration to us. Through good times and the annoying times of “Wayne the Pain” and ‘Wayne the Stain” we love you!
Here is a song my dad wrote called “Dancing with My Dad”. We danced to it at my wedding and it was a big hit!
