Making a Splash With Wine Holder

For wine connoisseurs with everything--including a sense of humor--consider the new Bottle Butler, a plexiglass holder that makes a wine bottle appear to be suspended in air.

Billed by its manufacturer, Chelsie Products of Dublin, Calif., as “the perfect predinner party spoof” as well as “a dramatic way to display the evening’s wine selection,” Bottle Butler comes in clear acrylic, wood--oak or ash--for $20; the black acrylic version is $25, shipping and handling included.

Bottle Butler will be distributed and available in selected wine shops, gift and department stores Oct. 1. To order the holder before then, contact Chelsie Products, 6681 Sierra Lane, Suite E, Dublin, Calif. 94568; (415) 551-8384.

Bathtub Rail

Lumex, a New York manufacturer of bathroom safety products, has introduced a new one-piece molded safety rail that slips over the side of the tub and fastens securely without the need of tools to install it.

Tub Guard Model No. 6963 fits nearly every kind of bathtub, except the old-fashioned type with a lip on the top. Because it has a suction pad underneath, it also fits over tubs with shower doors that have either 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch door railings. You can attach the Tub Guard at the back of the tub to assist you in getting in and out.

Tub Guard is simple to install, a Lumex representative said, and because it’s lightweight--just 2 1/2 pounds--you can take it with you on a trip. It has a plastic lever that lifts up, so it can be secured over the top of the tub. Turn the lever clockwise to open, and once it is placed over the edge of the tub, turn it counterclockwise to close, and flip down the lever to lock.

Tub Guard Model No. 6963 comes in white, beige or light blue and retails for about $50. It is available nationwide at Lumex dealers, home health-care stores and pharmacies. If you’re unable to find it in your area, call Lumex’s toll-free number, (800) 645-5272.

Towel Anchors

Just out from For Shore Enterprises in Los Angeles are Towel Tacks, sturdy plastic anchors to keep your picnic tablecloth, beach towel or blanket secured to grass or sand. The anchors also come with a drink caddy to hold your soda can upright.

Towel Tacks, invented by former Chippendales dancer-singer Chad Austin Powers, are 8-inch long stakes with a knob on top. You place a corner of a blanket or towel over the nob and then secure it with a locking ring, twisting it a quarter turn over the nob to lock into place. A company spokesman said that the holders will not damage the cloth. Put the anchors on all four corners of the cloth and push the stakes into the ground or sand. The drink caddy also can be secured over the stakes in a similar fashion.

Suggested retail price for a set of four anchors and rings, plus one bonus drink caddy, is $7-$9 at selected Southern California surf shops, drugstores and groceries. They come in pink, green, yellow, blue or black or two combinations of colors. You can buy additional drink caddies, sold separately for $2 each. If you can’t find Towel Tacks in your area, they can be ordered at $9 a set, including shipping and handling, from For Shore Enterprises, 3718 E. 26th St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90023; (213) 262-8099.