There’s been a lot of talk recently about gun control in the United States. With so many issues on the table, there’s been quite a lot of debate and plenty of people have been avidly adding to their gun collection. I’ve discovered an awesome new collectible item that we can all agree, should be in every American’s home defense arsenal. The BUG-A-SALT shotgun! Keep out those nasty home invaders like flies and roaches by staging a full “A-SALT” at your front door with this handy new tool.

Check out Surfer, Artist, Inventor and Developer of the BUG-A-SALT Lorenzo as he explains how to use this new gadget. What a suitable replacement for the fly swatters, glue strips and roach motels of the past, right? I mean it’s 2013 already and I’m glad someone is stepping it up in the Man Vs. Bug arena! At war with these household pests since his childhood, California native Lorenzo Maggiore is a “sinewy 51-year-old, who favors cargo shorts and wraparound sunglasses”. According to the Wall Street Journal, he is a surfer and yoga practitioner who speaks in a distinctly Southern California patois.

Lorenzo set out on his salt-gun quest in the early 90s and after a less than successful initial attempt, the idea was shelved until 2008. After maxing out a wallet full of credit cards the design was fine-tuned and ready to be sold to the public. In a fundraising event hosted at  www.Indiegogo.com, Lorenzo and team were able to raise $500K+ for advance orders of the weapon. I can only imagine the sniper rifle and handgun models that must be in development now!

It sounds like one laid back Southern California Surfer dude set his eye on the goal and scored a big one for the American household. Now he just needs to find a way to have this new Gun Collection Made in the USA.

Here at Heavyweight Collections we take pride in our quality, American made product that stands the test of time. We believe in providing the hardworking American man with a t-shirt that is just as tough as they are. We are family owned an operated right here in California. So, when I came across CA based wildlife artist Ed McBride and his son Ed jr. at McBride’s Metal Works, I couldn’t help but see a connection.
Ed, who moved to CA as a teenager, discovered he had a talent for transforming scrap metal into amazing sculptures. If you’ve ever visited Mammoth Mountain in CA, then you’ve probably seen his work in the main village, where a giant life sized grizzly bear snarls with realistic detail. Well known and renowned for his steel sculptures, vintage western style signage, and antique sculptured saws, Ed also makes fully functional barbecues unlike anything you’ve cooked on before. Dragon BBQs! Boasting a 9′ height and 10 ‘ wingspan, this steel scaled beast has a belly full of slow cooked goodness no one could pass on and it even breathes fire! Original and timeless!
Not unlike our heavy t-shirts, Ed’s works of art are unique, built to last and created from a skill and craft that is being passed on through the family tree. This entrepreneurial family man has been creating quality American artwork for decades. Start collecting yours now!

We’ve all heard of the Beanie Baby bonanza in the 90′s, the Cabbage Patch doll craze in the 80′s or maybe you still have that binder full of Pokémon cards. Many of us never had any idea how fast collectors would scoop them up! Even when they did, we were all amazed at the thought of them having any value in the years to come. You just never know which collections will retain their value in the future and which ones will end up in the back of the closet, collecting nothing but dust…Dust equity.

In case you haven’t heard, in the past year Penny Skateboards have exploded on the scene, to say the least. The classic, 70′s style plastic skateboard that can fit in a locker is flying off the shelves across the globe. Boasting a seemingly endless array of color combinations, these were made for collecting. A perfect gift for the trend setter in your family, even if they already have one! Grab them a new set of different colored wheels, bushings or a glow in the dark deck.

The classic styling of “The Original Plastic Skateboard” is just what everyone is so stoked on. From the old school skater that remembers surfing the sidewalk and busting out wild kick turns, all the way up to modern pros like Greyson Fletcher, seen here at San Clemente Skatepark pushing a Banana Board to it’s full potential.

So, If you’re looking for a new and exciting collector’s item or maybe just aiming to spruce up your current skateboard quiver, this is the hot-ticket item you have been looking for. It’s always nice to get in on the beginning of the tide. Although it takes lots of time for a modern collector item to become worth much, these little skates would be fun to own while you wait!

There is no shortage of articles on restaurants or happy hour specials and while not attempting to pose as a restaurant critic, I thought I would do some research on the local happy hour specials in my town.

San Clemente, CA has enjoyed a reputation for being a sleepy little beach town with a nick-name of the “Spanish Village by the Sea.” In more recent years, the city has been built-out, expanding into the hills and growing in population. We have re-built and re-modeled some of our older Spanish style buildings like the Casino and residents have high hopes for doing the same to more of them. Consequently the restaurants in our little town have grown in number and offer a great variety of entertainment and cuisine.

Beach Fire – Located on Avenida Del Mar and under new ownership, Beach Fire now accepts reservations. Live entertainment can be found in the lounge area

While shopping around this year I have noticed an increase in “new” vintage style items popping up in retail stores. Could it be that people are seeking out those types of items more these days? Collectors of the vintage would not usually consider buying the “new” to enhance their collections but it seems to be a growing decorating style. The trend that I have noticed includes items like wall decor, tin signs and containers, wood chests & trunks and lighting options, just to name a few.

I grew up in a house that was filled with all different styles of antique furniture, wall art and antique lamps. I was sure that I would never include those styles in my place when I broke away from my parent’s home. Low and behold, that is exactly what has crept into my decorating style as the years have rolled on by. While I prefer the actual vintage items that you will find like treasure in a pile of junk, the new things I am seeing are truly exciting.

I found some really interesting containers that I could use to enhance my Christmas

Wine is an interesting item to collect. As you know, it gets better with age and proper storage is a must. The wine lover will know all about the grapes; how and where they’re grown, when they are harvested, how they are processed, etc. They will study how the variety of different grapes are blended to achieve the ultimate transformation into their favorite wines.

When it comes to storage, you will find that there are many options to choose from. I ran across an article posted on “Mashable Lifestyle” that had research on the different wine racks and how cosmic they can get. The award for the most impressive wine rack that I have personally seen goes to “Aureole“, a restaurant located inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. They describe it in their own words . . . “Designed by pre-eminent restaurant designer Adam Tihany, Aureole’s visual trademark is

I was watching “Pawn Stars” tonight and saw them buy a first edition of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. The guy who sold it says that he is not a book collector but could use the money.

Charles Dickens was one of the most popular writers of his time. He was not only a

NYPL, Print Collection

Dickens wrote 15 major novels and countless short stories before his death on June 9, 1870. There is so much to learn about this impressive lad that grew to be more famous than he would ever realize. If you are interested in a pretty comprehensive