Holiday gifts

Shanghai Tang's New Pocket-Sized Refillable Atomizers

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance, Holiday Guides, By Design

Shanghai Tang has collaboarted with Travalo to produce refillable pocket-sized atomizers

Looking for a unique gift for the holidays or an early purchase for Valentine's Day 2011? Look no further than Shanghai Tang, the luxury Chinese which is offering pocket-sized, pump-action refillable atomizers in coordinating leather pouches for men and women.

Shanghai Tang collaborated with Travalo, the innovative producer of pocket-sized, pump-action refillable atomizers, to create one with a patented PumpFill valve that refills in seconds. The atomizer, which provides up to 50 sprays, can be refilled in seconds from any pump-spray fragrance bottle. The pressure regulator within ensures no leaks making it extremely convenient to carry in your handbag or pocket. Each Shanghai Tang Travalo set includes two capsule
atomizers, encased in a skillfully embossed leather pouch elegant enough for all occasions.

The Shanghai Tang Dragon Travalo Set for men (seen above) comes with a black leather case embossed with a dragon---a traditional symbol of power, strength and good luck. A dragon is also engraved on the black and gun-metal capsule atomizers which are filled with Shanghai Tang's signature Mandarin Tea fragrance for him.

Tags: atomizer, gifts, gifts for men, gifts for women, holiday gift, Holiday gift guide 2010, holiday gifts, perfume, shanghai Tang, travalo, Valentines day gifts

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Holiday Shopping Guide: Entertainment Classics

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Rare films, classic TV, revivals and revolutionary cinema. DVDs make great presents because they're great experiences, whether discovering the early works of Charlie Chaplin, reminiscing on a first date movie, uncovering the latest and greatest of art crimes, or journeying deep into the jungle into one of the greatest war films ever made. If there's one thing the end of year brings us, it's a host of new DVD releases, all specially packaged for gifting. Choose a film or TV set that a friend would be proud to have as part of their library. Here are our top picks:

Mad Men Season Three

With an ominous Old Fashioned decorating the cover of the new box set of AMC's groundbreaking show, the cover design foretells Don Draper's deadening downward spiral in the unparalleled Season Four. There's only one thing to hold us over until Season Five. Revisit Season Three for all of its amazing story turns: marriages crumble, agencies fall apart, hidden identities revealed, all amidst the backdrop of JFK's assassination, putting the 60s all into perspective. It's one of the few shows that delivers more and more with each viewing. Snap up this boxset and revisit the magic and tribulations of Madison Avenue in preparation for next year.

Tags: box sets, dvds, holiday gifts, holiday shopping guide

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Holiday Shopping Guide: 10 Gifts for Women

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Jewelry, Holiday Guides

We already covered gifts for mom so this list is geared for the other special woman in your life, your wife or girlfriend. It definitely leans to the romantic and personal (no vacuum cleaners or washing machines here) but some things, like cashmere and laptop bags, are universally appealing and would be great for a friend, sister, or neighbor as well.

Tiffany Keys 'Kaleidoscope' Pendant, $12,000

It just wouldn't feel right if we didn't start our list with diamonds, as they really are many a girl's best friend and are a sure-fire way to dazzle your special someone this holiday. The possibilities are endless but for this list I've chosen one of Tiffany's Key pendants, the Kaleidoscope, for its recognizable style (and little blue box) as well as its dazzling beauty and 'statement piece' potential.

Tags: gifts for wife, gifts for women, holiday gifts, holiday shopping, women

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Holiday Shopping Guide: 8 Gifts for Book Lovers

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Holiday Guides, Books

In a world that increasingly favors digital and paperless technology the experience of reading books is not the same as it used to be, but no matter if you prefer turning pages by pressing a button on an e-reader or by hand the old fashioned way there will always be something magical and mysterious about real paper books. A new Kindle and a boatload of e-books is great for some reads (like working through the current New York Times best-seller list) but when it comes to true reading luxury and timeless, endearing gifts for the book lovers on your holiday shopping list we say go for good old-fashioned hardcovers and beautiful, well-made accessories.

Bee & Butterfly Bookmarks, $30
As pretty as antique jewelry these Bee and Butterfly bookmarks are handmade in the USA of brass and plated metal with colored Swarovski crystal accents, beautiful floral patterns, and long colorful tassels. Perfect for a gardener or nature-loving reader, unwrapping them will be easy but hiding them away in a book won't be!

Tags: books, holiday gifts, holiday shopping

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Birchbox - The Luxe Beauty Gift that Keeps on Giving

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Birchbox is a service which, for the low price of $10 per month (or $110 if you'd like to give a year's subscription as a gift), provides you with brand new luxury beauty products to try right in your mailbox. It's like moonlighting as a beauty editor for a women's magazine, only you get all the perks and none of the pesky deadlines.

Basically, you know how you see all those fabulous beauty products on the shelves and wonder what using them would be like, and whether they're worth it? Stores have become so stingy with samples and rubbing a little lotion from a tester on the back of your hand doesn't really give you any indication of long-term results. Birchbox eliminates this problem by sending you samples -- big, fat samples, not the weensy ones -- of new high-end beauty products every month. You can even personalize your selection by indicating your coloring, skin type and personal style.

And, if you like something Birchbox sends you, you can go to Birchbox.com and buy the full size directly from the site. This, as well as referring friends and completing surveys about products (both totally optional), earns you reward points, 100 of which results in a $10 gift card good for anything on Birchbox.com. Brands include Naturopathica, Luxist favorite Laura Mercier, Tatcha, Kiehl's, NARS, Stila, Too Faced and more.

I wasn't sure that Birchbox was necessarily the right fit for Luxist, but then I saw the glee on my friend Beth's face when her Birchbox, made of 100 percent recycled materials, arrived. As she rifled through the sizeable samples, excited to try out the products chosen especially for her, I realized that Birchbox has all the makings of a luxury gift: high-end products, generous servings, personalization and delightful packaging. It's like getting a special present every month. Birchbox is truly the luxe beauty gift that keeps on giving.

Tags: beauty, Birchbox, gifts for mom, gifts for women, holiday gift ideas, holiday gifts, samples

Holiday Shopping Guide: 10 Gifts for Your Man

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Holiday Guides, Men's Style

Shopping for a husband, boyfriend, or significant other can be intimidating for many of the same reasons shopping for dad often is, but you can take at least some of the guesswork out of the process by focusing on gifts that are fun, functional, and really good at doing whatever they were meant to do. And of course if they're also expensive and brag-worthy (like most of our favorite picks below) that's frosting on the cake.

Leather Officer Jacket, $2,195
If you want to buy him clothes take our advice and steer clear of the sweater aisle and set your sites on something like this Leather Officer Jacket instead. Soft dark brown lambskin and clean lines result in a look that's both trendy and timeless and will easily mesh with a variety of personal styles.

Tags: gifts, gifts for men, holiday gifts, holiday shopping, men

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SushiSamba's Cocktail Tree

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Dining

Like the cocktail trees at SushiSamba? Now you can get your own through their online store. The cocktail trees were designed by Avi Kendi from Metal Dimension in collaboration with SushiSamba and are handmade from forged steel with a blackened patina and satin lacquer. The trees are available with a set of 12 glasses for $250 each. Perfect for using for your own holiday cocktail parties and making your own versions of the popular SushiSamba cocktails.

Tags: cocktail tree, holiday gifts, holiday party, holiday shopping, sushisamba

Holiday Shopping Guide: 10 Gifts for Dad

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Holiday Guides, Men's Style

Dads are especially hard to shop for because they always seem to have everything they need and heaven knows they hate getting useless keepsakes and knickknacks. But that's not to say fathers don't appreciate the finer things in life, or getting something with some sentiment behind it, so show your dad how much you care this holiday season by spoiling him (just a little) with a gift that he'll love and use but would probably never have gotten around to buying for himself. Here are our top gift picks for dad -- all beautifully functional, fun, and top of the line.

Vulcain 50s Presidents' Alarm Watch, $8,350-$23,000
The Vulcain 50s President's Alarm Watch is great for any guy really but seems especially suited to dad or grandpa due to its nostalgic 1950s styling and interesting historical story: Vulcain has been gifting one to each new President since Eisenhower. Features include a casing of steel, yellow gold, or red gold and their famous Cricket movement (automatic).

Tags: gifts for Dad, gifts for men, holiday gift guide, holiday gifts, holiday shopping, holiday shopping guide, holiday shopping season

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For The Disorganized And The Hyper-Organized: A Product From Porsche Design: The Lean BriefBag Brings Order To The Workplace

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Men's Style

A Product From Porsche Design: The Lean BriefBag Brings Order To The Workplace

Here is another product from Porsche Design in Zell am See, Austria. Originally created for Porsche Design business consultants, who must be the most organized people on earth, this product became accessible to the rest of us just last week. The price is $570.00, and this is without the VAT tax, which in Germany, runs between 7-19% of the total price --a bargain for people whose briefcases are repositories for odd receipts, napkins, gum wrappers, and the like.

Called the Porsche Design P2150 2.2 Lean BriefBag, it was created on the lean management principle, whose goal is avoid all kinds of wasted space. In this case, the idea is to allow only what is actually needed to be placed inside the BriefBag. My long-deceased grandmother always used to say, A place for everything, and everything in its place. Had she been alive today, she might have worked for The Porsche Design studio, because if anything defines their lean principle, this old saying does.

Tags: briefcase, holiday gifts, holiday gifts for men, luxury briefcase, P2150 Roadster 2.2. Lean BriefBag, Porsche Briefcases, Porsche Consulting, porsche design, Porsche Design lean BriefBag, Porsche Design Studio, Porsche Luggage

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The Ultimate Shoe-Lovers Gift: A New Designer Pair Every Month for a Year

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes

Net-a-porter has come up with the ultimate gift package for shoe-loving fashionistas this Christmas: a $10,000 shoe subscription that provides a new pair of designer shoes, of your choice, every month for a year. And that's not all: to help make the choosing easier and ensure you love every single pair the package also includes one-one-one expert fashion advice (including an initial consultation and a direct line), sneak previews of upcoming designs, the ability to pre-reserve your favorite styles, and express shipping for satisfyingly fast delivery. It's the ultimate "of the month club," the perfect way to give her exactly what she wants without worrying about picking out the wrong thing, and a guaranteed hit under the Christmas tree.

Via nzherald.co.uk

Source

Tags: holiday gifts, Net-a-Porter, net-a-porter.com, shoes

Holiday Shopping Guide: 10 Gifts for Mom

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Handbags, Jewelry, Holiday Guides, Luxury Shopping

Moms are the glue that holds the world together. They work hard all year to keep us happy and healthy, sacrifice their own well-being for ours on a regular basis, and just generally smooth over the rough edges of life to make it all a little more bearable. Celebrate your mom this holiday season and show her how much you love and appreciate her with one of our luxe and pampered holiday gift ideas.

Spring Street Design Group 'Garden Critters' Handbag Hanger, $32
Handbag hangers are one of those little luxuries that women love to have but never think to buy themselves. This one, depicting a pretty bejeweled dragonfly, brings a cheerful dose of sparkle to any table along with a reminder of warmer spring days to come.

Tags: gifts for mom, gifts for mothers, holiday gift guide, holiday gifts, holiday shopping, mom, mother

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Holiday Shopping Guide: 10 Gifts for Wine Lovers

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Wine drinkers come in all shapes and sizes with preferences ranging from classic to trendy and casual to serious and here at Luxist we love them all. Wine and the holidays go together like bread and butter so whether you're looking for a hostess gift or something for a wine-loving boss or family member you can't go wrong. Need inspiration? Here are some of our favorite holiday gift ideas for the grape nut on your shopping list.

Parrot Corkscrew Waiter's Friend, $60
Wine openers are a no fail gift option for any wine lover as they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and price ranges and are something every wine drinker uses. Steer away from plain and boring and opt instead for an opener that has plenty personality, like this Parrot Corkscrew designed by Alessandro Mendini for Alessi.

Tags: gift guide, gift guide 2010, gift guides, gifts for wine lovers, holiday gifts, holiday shopping, holiday shopping guide, wine

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Holiday Gift Idea: The Playboy Digital Archive

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets

The era of holding on to Dad's old stack of Playboy magazines is over. Now instead of storing piles of magazines, you can have the entire archive in a pocket-sized 250GB hard drive from Bondi Digital Publishing (the same company that developed the Complete New Yorker DVD set).

The hard drive includes every issue of Playboy magazine from 1953 to 2010, over 650 issues and more than 100,000 pages covering a span of 56 years. The hard drive is a USB bus-powered portable device that allows users to search, view, explore and organize the entire archive of digital editions, no power cord necessary. The aluminum hard drive measures 3" x 5" and includes 200GBs of extra room on the drive to store other documents. It sells for $299.95.

Tags: gifts for Dad, gifts for guys, gifts for men, holiday gift guide, holiday gifts, playboy archive, Playboy Magazine

Holiday Gift Idea: La Loop

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

I've reached that age when reading glasses are a must. One problem is that I have a tendency to leave them places. One solution comes from designer Elizabeth Faraut, of La Loop. She has created pieces that are necklaces with a handy circle for keeping your glasses in place when not in use. The jewelry collection includes oval shells from New Zealand, round matte black Onyx from Mexico, cylindrical Pyrite from Spain and a Marcasite loop in steel leather.

Prices range from the $22 Sport Loop to the $200 St. Tropez that pairs Swarovski crystals with an iridescent gold Italian leather to the $430 square sterling link chain, handmade in Germany, shown above. The brand can now be found in more than 500 stores across 16 countries that includes museum stores and specialty boutiques such as Le Bon Marche in
Paris, Isetan in Tokyo and Harrods in London. They are also available online.

Tags: glasses, holiday gift ideas, holiday gifts, la loop, sunglasses

Holiday Gift Idea: The Avatar Pinball Machine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets

Got an Avatar fan on your Christmas list? Check out the new Avatar Limited Edition Pinball machine from Stern Pinball. After the success of the arcade version of the Avatar pinball game, Stern is releasing a limited edition run of 250 of the machines.

The machine takes its cues from the popular James Cameron movie with images of the planet of Pandora and the Na'vi people. The machine has a 3-D backglass with beautiful images of the mythical planet. The machine's sound effects include an original voiceover by Stephen Lang, who plays Colonel Miles Quaritch. As the player you are Jake Sully, when you capture the pinball in the the transporter link that reveals a Jake Sully figurine thereby transforming you into his avatar. The game takes you on a journey through scenes from the movie including escaping the Thanator, fighting the Viper Wolves, and riding the Leonoptyrix. After a fierce battle with the RDA in the bumpers you face Colonel Miles Quaritch in his mechanical AMP Suit (check out a video after the jump for a look at the machine in action). Each machine will be numbered with a plaque and a certificate of authenticity. The Avatar Limited Edition machine is $5,499.

Tags: avatar, holiday gifts, pinball, pinball machine

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