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Men's Socks by Subscription: The Sockscription Review

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style, Modern Gentleman

The idea of the Sockscription is pretty simple (we first discussed it here). The guy who never thinks about buying new socks gets them delivered via mail direct a few times a year. It also makes good business sense for Blacksocks as they know they have your ongoing business. Convenience services such as this make a lot of sense for the modern busy guy - but you also run the risk of having just too many socks. The problem the service tries to avoid is you having hole-ridden business socks when you least want to.

Tags: apparel, business, gift, mens socks, review, sock, socks, sockscription, subscription

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The Ultimate Valentine's Day Gift Guide from Luxist and AHAlife

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Art, Holiday Guides, Luxury Shopping

Before you go overspending on Valentine's Day gifts that will surely be returned, peruse this gift guide from Luxist and AHAlife, "where discerning taste meets an inspired life." We teamed up with AHAlife's careful and creative curators to bring you the best Valentine's Day Gift Guide you'll find, whether you're looking to spend $100 or $5,000. Below, you'll find images and prices for each item on this special list, as well as our reasoning for recommending the items. It's easy (and free!) to join AHAlife, so don't hesitate at the signup page. Close your other tabs and dig in; your Valentine's Day shopping is finished. Here are the Top 10 Best Valentine's Day Gifts for 2011 from AHAlife and Luxist:

1. Camel Bone Jewelry (above) - from $230.00

This exotic collection is so stunning, few women could open it without an audible gasp. There is a certain powerfulness in the femininity and boldness of these rare camel bone pieces. Giving one of these to your loved one is more than an observation of custom; it implies a respect for her primal strength.

Tags: 2011, ahalife, gift, gifts, jewelry, romance, romantic, top 10, top ten, Valentines Day

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Swatch Heartfelt Watch For Mother's Day Is Easy Gift

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Mother's day is tough for gift giving. If you are anything like me, you don't want to spend too much money, but you need to show mom that you care right? It is basically like Valentine's Day, without any romance (and all that comes with it). So what is someone to do who doesn't have a mom who is specifically asking for that new toaster oven? Well Swatch has you covered with a new limited production watch for Mother's Day this year. A nice baby blue numeraled Swatch watch with an easy to read, but feminine dial, and a matching textured blue leather strap. The dial is in steel and polished, with a Swiss quartz movement. Size is 33mm wide which is good for just about any female wrist (while not being too small a watch). The Swatch Heartfelt comes complete with a shopping tote - because all moms can find good use for another tote bag. Really a well designed piece that is good enough to leave most any mother satisfied. Get a Swatch Heartfelt watch online here.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: gift, heartfelt, mothers day, MothersDay, Swatch, watch

Seven His and Hers Recommendations for Valentine's Day: A Box of Chocolates and a Box of Cigars

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Dining

Of course, you don't have to stick to the gender stereotypes on this one. Men do enjoy chocolate, and I've met more than a handful of ladies who are happy to cut and light a double corona. So, feel free to mix and match as you see fit. You'll have all the tools you'll need to make the best choices, thanks to chocolate and cigar recommendations from Vin Lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club.

Some of the selections aren't surprising, according to Lee. "Obvious choices are the fine selections from Godiva, Lindt and Ghiradelli, but we thought we'd suggest some exotic chocolate indulgences you might not be aware of." He continues, "Chocolatiers can now be reached from anywhere around the globe. Our advisers did an exhaustive search, and the choices prove it was well worth it."

Let's start with eight chocolate recommendations that are sure to make your evening fantastic.

Tags: burlwood, cao, chocolate, chocolates, cigar, cigars, crumbs, Crumbs Bake Shop, CrumbsBakeShop, ghirardelli, gift, gifts, godiva, GodivaChocolate, GraycliffHotel, lindt, lindt chocolate, LindtChocolate, LindtLindorTruffles, Romeo and Juliet, romeo y julieta, RomeoAndJuliet, RomeoYJulieta, tatuaje, tatuajes, valentine, valentines, valentines day, valentines-day, ValentinesDay

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Judith Leiber Package Clutch, Handbag of the Day

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

What better handbag to feature on Christmas Day than one that looks like a glimmery, glitzy present? Of course you won't be surprised that it's a Judith Leiber, a beautiful hand-painted and crystal-paved Package Clutch. Silver and gold crystals adorn the outside, including the bow detail front and center, plus it has a goldtone chain handle that can easily be concealed in the golden leather interior. And, just because it's always nice to get a little something extra, it also comes with a little golden vanity mirror tucked inside. $3,995

Source

Tags: clutch, gift, handbag, handbag of the day, HandbagOfTheDay, judith leiber, JudithLeiber, package

Phaidon Atlas Of 21st Century World Architecture Book Makes Ideal Gift

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Holiday Guides, Books

Some people are hard to shop for, or alternatively you don't know someone well enough to get them something they really like. Then you have the added pressure of the Holiday season closely coming to its apex, and you are left stressing about what to get for those important people in your life. Usually the idea of a book doesn't get ones juices flowing as the idea of an exciting gift, but that isn't always the case. Here you have just one good example, of a world of image-rich publications that make a stunning presentation, and provide hours of interest. It is hard to go wrong.

This book is the Atlas of 21st Century World Architecture from Phaidon Press. Call it a coffee table book, but it is one that people will want to look through a lot. The big book is about 20 lbs and 800 pages of pictures and detail rich content that is perfect for anyone with even a mild interest in architecture. I can't put the book down - each full page is dedicated to a specific structure, complete with technical layouts, photographs, and discussions of the building function, design, and about the architect. Structures include single family homes to massive complexes. Further, the book is arranged into color-coded sections by continent. That makes it easy to see the differences in architecture by region as well as culture.

Remember that the Atlas contains new buildings, all from the 21st century. You really get an incredible survey of how varied modern architecture really is. In addition to this publication, Phaidon produces a range of topical publications that would likely suit just about anyone, of any age or interest type. A great gift or for yourself. I just got too excited about this book not to blog about it. Retail price is $195, available direct from Phaidon.

Tags: architecture, atlas of 21st century architecture, AtlasOf21stCenturyArchitecture, book, gift, phaidon

Gizmobies Protect Your PDA in Style

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Services

Whenever I get a new cell phone, I obsess over protecting it from every scratch, but after fruitless shopping for a case that's not too bulky or too expensive or too blah, I usually just give in to the basic black leather case. Yawn. Now that I'm finally ready to join the modern era and get myself a BlackBerry, I started noticing all the cases for those and discovered ... Gizmobies. Forgive my excitement, but now NYC area residents can buy these at the Gizmobies store in Midtown or via its online store (more below).

Made of a thin yet durable gel-like material, Gizmobies provide superior padded protection, come in tons of colors and patterns, and are thin enough that your phone or PDA slips in and out of your pocket or purse easily, yet provide a great grip so that your device won't fall off a table or your lap. You can easily change skins without any trouble at all -- they peel right off, and don't leave any residue.

I recently chatted with Andrea Balkin, who owns the New York area Gizmobies franchise, and here's what I learned: Gizmobies were started about three years ago by a successful technology start-up team with the goal of inventing a product that allowed iPod and cell phone owners to customize and protect their device but keep it pocketable and enhance its aesthetics without adding bulk or weight.

Andrea noted, "I purchased a Gizmobie for my iPhone 1G at the beginning of 2009 and fell in love with the fact that my phone, my most used possession, now felt great in my hand, looked really cool, and had excellent protection! No more ugly bright pink rubber case, which got stuck in my pocket, collected dirt in it, and looked so very pedestrian.

"I loved my Gizmobie so much that I wanted to get another one, but found that there was no place on the East Coast to purchase them. A budding entrepreneur myself, I knew that Gizmobies would be an instant hit out east -- especially in the iPhone Apple mecca of Manhattan!" And so ...

If you're in the NYC metro area, you should stop by Andrea's kiosk in the Manhattan Mall, on 6th Avenue at West 33rd Street. It features more than 130 designs, with new ones arriving regularly, for most BlackBerry phones, Nintendo DSi and Lite gaming systems, Nokia N97 mobile phone, and the Apple suite of devices; iPhone, iTouch, iPod, and Nano ($20-$25). Gizmobies for laptops are due out before the Christmas holidays.

Gizmobies offer a lifetime guarantee that allows the customer to mail the product back to the company's headquarters in Las Vegas if anything should happen to the product. Gizmobies are made in the USA.

Check out the gallery for examples of the array of patterns available, and how Gizmobies look on some popular devices.

Gallery: Gizmobies Protect Your PDA in Style

Tags: BlackBerry, cell phone, cell phones, CellPhone, CellPhones, gift, gift ideas, GiftIdeas, gifts, Gizmobies, holidays, iPod, laptop, Nintendo, PDA, phone, phones

Vladimir Putin Hands Over His Blancpain Watch To Russian Metal Worker Upon Request

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Charity

In a ballsy move, a metal worker at a Russian weapons factory asked the powerful former Russian President and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for his wrist watch. More surprising is that Viktor Zagaevsky actually got Putin to hand over the watch, for good.

The story is simple. While in the Russian town of Tula, Putin was touring a weapons factory and doing a speech on the economy of the region. Putin is extremely well regarded in Russia, and his actual place in politics has been debated as it sometimes seems that he does more than merely sit as a former Prime Minister. Another area of inquiry regard how Putin can afford his lavish lifestyle. Russian politicians report their annual incomes, and while they aren't minuscule, they certainly don't allow for a collection of luxury Swiss watches - among other luxuries that Putin enjoys (such as sport diving in a submarine). While the questions are valid, they are a bit naive. As a former Prime Minister, and currently an extremely powerful man in Russian, Putin is bound to have "alternative" sources of income of wealth upon which to draw from. The former KGB man is no novice at secrecy. Still international questions arise as to Putin's actual status in Russia. Nevertheless, the Russian people seem not to mind. Putin is considered a national hero and symbol of Russian pride. He is fiercely nationalistic.

It was not the first time that Putin was known to gift a watch, but he is not exactly known for it. No one is to my knowledge. Putin is known as an avid fan of luxury watches, and is seen wearing them even while engaging in sporty activities where even most luxury watch owners would sport nothing more than a Casio due to fear of timepiece harm.

The watch that Putin happened to have on at the time was his well-loved Blancpain Aqua Lung Big Date, as he has been seen wearing it often. It is a steel cased watch of a modest size and very thin for a mechanical timepiece. It has a big date complication and water resistant to 100 meters with a soft black leather strap. New, the watch goes for about 6,000 euros. For Viktor Zagaevsky, the watch will certainly have a great deal of sentimental value, not to mention be a new luxury for someone who likely has never purchased more than a bargain watch. I feel that Putin made a prudent decision as the good-will attached with the move is invaluable.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com

Tags: aqualung, blancpain, gift, russia, russian, vladimir putin, VladimirPutin, watch

The Pope Gets A Free Erhard Junghans Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

The German-born Pope gets a German-born watch. Recently, watch company Erhard Junghans gifted Pope Benedict XVI a shiny new Tempus Automatic watch with an enamel dial and a fine automatic mechanical movement. The watch company has been around since 1861, which is apparently the year that the previous Pope was born (I jest).

The watch was presented to the Pope by a German politician, Volker Kauder, who presides over the electoral district where Erhard Junghans is located in the Black Forest region in Germany. The watch was specially engraved to commemorate Kauder's visit to the Vatican and was described as a personal gift to Pope Benedict XVI. It is unclear whether the gift is directly from Kauder himself or as part of a joint gift from Erhard Junghans as well. The watch brand is more or less unknown in the US, and is a higher-end brand from the more basic named "Junghans" brand in Germany.

The gifted timepiece is the stainless steel version of the Tempus Automatic watch that is 42mm wide with an automatic mechanical movement inside and a display caseback. The white enamel dial has black lacquer Roman numerals on the dial and is priced at about 1,900 euros. The watch is also available with a black colored dial, and also in a limited edition 18k rose gold model that goes for about 7,800 euros. It will be seen whether or not the Pope will wear the new watch, but if so, will make for excellent PR for the watch brand.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Erhard Junghans watch for the Pope

Tags: benedict xvi, BenedictXvi, erhard junghans, ErhardJunghans, german, gift, pope, tempus automatic, TempusAutomatic, timepiece, watch

Frank Sinatra's Gold Pasha de Cartier Watch Gifted To Sammy Davis Jr. At Auction

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Also included in the June 11th Antiquorum watch auction is this Cartier Pasha watch model that was a gift from Rat Packer Frank Sinatra to other fellow Rat Packer Sammy Davis Jr. The watch auction comes with news photos of Davis Jr. wearing the watch, while the rear of the watch still bears the engraving by Sinatra that reads, "Sammy, I Luv Ya, F.A.S." A highly collectible item for Cartier fans and Rat Pack devotees alike.

The 18k gold Pasha watch is printed with its manufacture date of 1987, and bears a quartz movement, being the "in" thing of the time. Today this would lead you to believe that Sinatra might have been miserly with his gift, but this was not the case in the late 80's when quartz movement based watches were much more popular than mechanical ones. The watch complications include the time, date with day, moon phase, and second time zone. The watch is very rare, and is estimated to go for a likely lower than actual auction price of $10,000 - $20,000.

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: antiquorum, auction, cartier, frank sinatra, FrankSinatra, gift, pasha, sammy davis jr., SammyDavisJr., timepiece, watch

Bride and Groom Mojuba Kits to the Rescue

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags, Services, Men's Style

Wedding season has arrived, and for the bride and groom, that means the fear of any little thing going wrong on the special day is imminent. And by little (that could turn into big), I mean a headache, or the need for a pen and paper or a bandage or a pair of scissors or lip balm, or a sudden need for deodorant or toothpaste, or the panicked realization that you never did get that shoe shine ... and so on.

Finally, someone has thought of putting a collection of moment-savings items for the bride or the groom into a take-along kit in an attractive bag. Mojuba's Bride Wedding Emergency Kit and Groom Wedding Emergency Kit each cost $165 and come in two styles each.

See the gallery for the style choices and a look at what's inside. Or, see the content lists here: bride and groom.

I think these would make thoughtful shower gifts. BTW, according to the site, in some African cultures, "Mojuba" refers to a bag of magical items that bring joy and happiness, and a prayer of praise and tribute.

Gallery: Bride and Groom Mojuba Kits

Tags: bride, emergency, gift, gifts, groom, kits, Mojuba, rescue, wedding

Frederique Constant Love Heart Beat Watch For Valentine's Day

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

It is now February, with Valentine's Day approaching post haste. If you are a man like me, you are trying to think of the easiest way to 'deal' with the annual obligation. If you are a woman, you might conversely be eagerly awaiting this year's bounty. Therefore, from now until Valentine's Day you'll be seeing items here that satisfy both of these positions.

Here is the Love Heart Beat watch by Swiss maker Frederique Constant. The Heart Beat collection is a mechanical watch line known for its open view to the watch's escapement, complete with perlage decoration. In this watch the FC 310 calibre movement window is contained within the "O" of "Love." While it might be hard to tell, the dial has guilloche engraving with heart shapes to amplify the theme. The bezel of the steel or rose gold plated case has 64 diamonds set for a dashing look, while diamonds further make up several of the hour markers on the face. A satin strap completes a nice, and surprisingly affordable watch perfect for Valentine's Day, or other heartfelt occasions.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: frederique constant, FrederiqueConstant, gift, heart beat, HeartBeat, love, timepiece, valentines day, ValentinesDay, watch

Luxury Gift Ideas From The Oprah Store

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Jewelry, Celebrity Shopping, Big Givers

In an "of course she does, and I can't believe I didn't know this sooner" moment, I discovered that Oprah has an online store as well as a real one in Chicago. There are indeed some nice items in the Luxury Gift Ideas section that weren't too expensive (but, alas, weren't too original, either). Some go to help a good cause, however, like the Beaded O Bracelets, handcrafted of glass beads by women in Rwanda. Check out the gallery for some other gift ideas from a woman who knows how to gift.

Gallery: Luxury Gift Ideas From The Oprah Store

Tags: gift, gift idea, gift ideas, GiftIdea, GiftIdeas, gifts, Oprah, Oprah store, Oprah Winfrey, OprahStore, OprahWinfrey, Winfrey

Flammable Wood Gift Box

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

This nifty Flammable Wood Gift Box by Baxter of California could help you cross a few people off your Christmas shopping list this year, possibly even including a few hard-to-shop-for bachelors who like to keep a nice place. The box was designed by Mark Atlan and comes with three "Flammable" soy-based candles inside in the scents Cassis Noir, Jasmin Noir, and Tubereuse Noire.

Candles can seem a little stale when given as a gift these days but the truth is people do like using them and the packaging is what makes this set unique. $135

Via acquire

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Tags: baxter of california, BaxterOfCalifornia, box, candles, flammable, gift, gifts, men

Light for Life Flashlight is Fast, Green, and Pricey

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets

Flashlights are not an exciting or even particularly interesting part of life but they certainly are a necessity when the power goes out or you hear something creeping around in the backyard at night. So whether for yourself or as an interesting gift for the gadget-lover on your Christmas list, the Light for Life flashlight is certainly worth looking at. Thanks to its ultracapacitor technology it has the longest uptime and fastest recharge available in the market today -- which amounts to 90 minutes of light after just 90 seconds of charging. And because it's made of a durable polymer and will never need new batteries this could just be the last flashlight you ever buy -- which is good for the environment. $169.99

Via Dvice

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Tags: eco-friendly, flashlight, flashlights, gadget, gadgets, gift, gifts, green, light for life, LightForLife

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