Everyone already has those cute plastic cups that say Pool. Be creative. To inspire our friends who never know what to bring to dinner, these are our summer gift picks:

• Anything in a Marder's Green Gift Bag
  The Marder's green bag is the Hamptons answer to Tiffany's blue box. Lots of choices here. A big herb plant is nice for a kitchen garden. Garden gloves, wooden-handled spades, books and animal puppets for the kids are perfect.  But our favorite item is the $15.95 pouch of live ladybugs for the garden.
• The Hamptons Dictionary by Miles Jaffe
  Good pre-dinner fun from the creator of Nukethehamptons.com. Written by local gadfly, artist and son of architect Norman Jaffe.  A slightly-angry look at the culture that has overtaken Hamptons life in the past two decades. Available at BookHampton.
• Philistines at the Hedgerow by Steven Gaines
  Great stories about recent Hamptons history. Gaines is a wonderful storyteller. Downside: only for clueless newcomers, most have already read it.
• Imaging the Past: East Hampton Histories
  Awakening the Past: The East Hampton 350th Anniversary Lecture Series
  The early history of this community is fascinating. And if your friends can't be bothered to read it, a book can always sit on the coffee table.
• Wine
  Too typical you say? Not if it's Bryant Family or Colgin Cabernet.  But for something more accessible, we bring Champagne.