| Hi, everyone! Kat Odell here, checking in after a very steamy weekday in Dumbo, Brooklyn. I’m one of Pursuits’ freelance writers, typically covering the good stuff—what to eat, what to drink and where to travel. You can find me on Instagram @kat_odell, where I share all the hot tips (like did you know some of New York City’s best cocktails are happening right now at the Ilis bar in Greenpoint?). Summer is officially on. And all I want is a pool, a barbecue and a chilled glass of Nervi-Conterno Il Rosato. Like many of you, I’m heading east to the Hamptons next week for the Fourth of July, which means it’s the perfect time to talk about summer host gifting and how to nail the perfect present. How much should you spend? Do you bring the same thing for a backyard barbecue and a weekend stay upstate? Is a bottle of wine enough? Figuring out the right host gift can be annoyingly stressful. The truth is, a great host gift doesn’t have to be about the cost, but about how thoughtful and appropriate the gift is for the recipient. A good gift does a few things: It has an element of surprise, it ideally reflects the recipient's taste, and maybe it solves a problem or touches upon something you know that person wants or needs. In general, I like to give practical gifts, obviously things you can eat and drink, but also things you can use—that fit the summer theme. Here are two big ways in which I like to think about it. Home goods for entertaining | Like lobster place mats. I absolutely adore these ones by Joanna Buchanan, made from the fronds of Filipino palm trees ($198 for four). They’re just a delight during alfresco summer dinners, especially when paired with thesecharming turquoise and white scallop shell appetizer plates ($174 for four) from New York’s Ro’Table.  Ro’Table Balearic Blu starter plate and Joanna Buchanan straw placemat. Source: Companies How about tissue-paper-thin, mouth-blown wine glasses? I’ve tried just about every top wine glass brand, and the most elegant and pleasing to drink from is German brand Josephinenhütte, led by Kurt Josef Zalto. I think the most soigné move is to give the largest No. 3 size ($198 for two), which beautifully highlights the aromas of any vintage from Champagne to Bordeaux. On a totally different note, I have a strange affinity and obsession with good hand soap (and also dish detergent). I’ve tried so many great brands, but the newest one I love is a line called Naomi. The pump soaps have little scrubby beads mixed in and come with really pretty aromas like Cardamom & Iris ($25).  You can’t beat a fancy bar of soap either. Photographer: Janelle Jones for Bloomberg Businessweek For friends fond of picnicking, or who have a small child that likes to sit outdoors, ZigZagZurich’s artist-designed blankets make a great gift. I like this soft cotton ode to sunset ($164) by Greek painter Kleopatra Moursela. And finally, if you really want to give a big and impressive (and fun!) gift, All-Clad just came out with a new 16-inch gas pizza oven ($1,000). I have a Gozney that I love, but this one is a bit smaller, has a rotating stone, was designed to sit on a table and even folds up for easy storage. You could also pair that with legendary Italian pizza master Franco Pepe’s new cookbook, Pizza Chef (Phaidon; $50). And speaking of pizza, for the friend who loves to blanket a slice in pepper flakes, level up their pie game with Primis Imports’ (adorable) new herb-accented cayenne pepper pizza oil ($18). It would also be great as a salad dressing mixed with incredible umami-laced black garlic vinegar ($20) from Chicago chef John Shields of the three-Michelin-star Smyth, made in collaboration with vinegar maker Lindera Farms.  Fancy vinegar is an often overlooked yet powerhouse ingredient, which makes it great for a gift. Photograph: Ted Cavanaugh for Bloomberg Businessweek Or let’s say you want to treat a friend to an ice cream social. Wanderlust Creamery of Los Angeles sells its insanely delicious, globally inspired pints online ($120 for six pints). You can taste the quality of the dairy in the milk—so, so milky—and the flavors are fun and inspired. I can’t stop thinking about the Ube Malted Crunch: vibrant purple malted ube ice cream mixed with super-chewy, caramelized malted milk bits. It’s incredible. How about s’mores? The nostalgic dessert never goes out of style. A great confectioner in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dandelion Chocolate, just unveiled a single-origin chocolate s’mores kit ($68) that includes its own house-made graham crackers and marshmallows, plus three types of chocolate sourced from Indonesia, Belize and Uganda. There’s even metal skewers, but I think s’mores taste best when prepped with foraged wooden sticks.  S’mores are for making summer memories. Source: Company And now, let’s talk about wine. If you want to go the classic bottle route and really leave an impression—maybe a generous thank-you after a long weekend stay—Dom Perignon’s newest P2 2006 release ( $560) is a power move. Produced in smaller quantities and more expensive than Dom’s regular vintage releases, P2 stands for Plénitude 2, and it’s Dom’s way of signifying a vintage has hit its second peak. These wines have been aged longer (roughly 15–20 years or less), and if you think regular vintage Dom is insanely delicious (which it is), consider this the even more supercharged version. Also consider an amazing American bottle they can stash in the cellar, especially if their hobbies include investing in wine. But let’s say your host prefers spirits. Then consider Olujo ($500), a new ultra-smooth, premium añejo tequila in a stunning ceramic white sculptural bottle. (Here are more ideas from Bloomberg’s award-winning Top Shelf newsletter if they like whiskey, rum or craft beer.) Or, if your host doesn’t drink, I really love Cul Sec, a tight line of alcohol-free, natural-wine-esque expressions ($32), some of which, like Balade Minérale Blanc, are killer alongside seafood. And for something that goes on the body instead of in, my favorite ultra-clean cosmetics brand May Lindstrom just released a shimmery version ($160) of what I think is the best body oil on this planet. The Happy Galaxy smells like an enchanted magical garden with intoxicating floral notes of jasmine and ylang-ylang—I often put it on in place of perfume because it smells so special—and it makes a long-lasting gift (one bottle lasts me around six months). And as an added bonus it gives your skin this perfect (nonsticky) glow. | 
