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The Ultimate Gift Guide
Think outside the gift box
Take
a close look at the unused lavender candles and wool
scarves in your closet — you know, those pretty but
completely useless tokens you received last year —
and remember them when you’re out hunting for
holiday gifts.
It’s easy to buy something you want, but
don’t forget who you’re buying for. If you
don’t know what’s on your gift recipients’ wish
list, have a little fun. SunPost contributors
compiled this guide to inspire you.
Cubicle Warriors
Ant farm:
Nobody works harder than ants, right? If you’re a
manager trying to motivate your staff, get them
Uncle Milton’s Vintage Ant Farm. Your employees
may not pull 50 times their weight, but it may
encourage them to pull their own. While you’re
online, check out Uncle Milton’s spacey cosmic
desktop aquarium — that is, for overachievers with
time to spare. The Ant Farm is $13.90 at
www.unclemilton.com.
USB greenhouse:
Give your boss something else to micromanage. This
desktop greenhouse comes with baby marigold seeds,
soil and software to monitor the plant as it blooms
inside a transparent, Mork and Mindy-inspired egg.
For just $19.99, your boss will feel like he or she
actually accomplished something — and helped
something grow! Available at
www.geeks.com.
Green Thumbs
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
membership:
One of the most beautiful and tranquil spots in
Miami, Fairchild treats its members to moonlight
walks, private plant sales, gardening classes and
year-round free admission to the garden, currently
featuring a Roy Lichtenstein Pop art sculpture
installation. One-year gift memberships start at $50
at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old
Cutler Road, Coral Gables; 305-667-1651 ext. 3301;
www.fairchildgarden.org.
Airheads
Flying Trapeze School:
Give those people who are always complaining about
their monotonous lives some trapeze lessons. The
Flying Trapeze School at Bayfront Park offers a
two-hour introductory session for $40 that’s
guaranteed to get them high. Available at Bayfront
Park, 301 N. Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-239-8775;
www.bayfrontparkmiami.com.
Flying lessons:
So, you know someone
who calls himself Maverick, knows all the words to
Danger Zone and loves to tell women they’ve
Lost That Lovin’ Feeling. You can either buy
him the Top Gun DVD, which he’s undoubtedly
already memorized, or send him to flight school. He
likely won’t be prowling for enemy fighters, but he
will probably land from this trip disheveled and
daydreaming about his next ascending flight. Most
aviation schools offer single lessons for $59 to
$99. Go to
www.ProjectPilot.org
and enter your zip code to find flight schools in
your area.
Techies
 Atari
2600 game console:
Forget the freakin’ Nintendo Wii –– it’s been
sold out for months, no one has it “in stock” and,
after a few rounds of Wii Sports Tennis, your lazy
ass will be mothballing the thing. Get your favorite
tech geek the daddy of all systems — the Atari 2600
— and a bunch of original game titles, such as
Asteroids and Jungle Hunt. If the little
prince doesn’t dig your intuitive gift-giving
genius, or if it doesn’t work, there’s a 90-day
warranty. Available for $109.95 at
www.atari2600.com.
Istock credits:
Be a blogger’s
kindred scribe — purchase stock photography in his
or her name from www.istock.com. Prices start at $13
for 10 credits.
USB Hub Man:
For those who carry around more thumb drives than
they have thumbs, give them an arm — and a leg. The
flexible Kikkerland Hub Man features four USB ports
— three run at USB 1.0, one runs at USB 2.0 — and an
LED heart. Available for $18.95 from
www.shiptheweb.com.
Weird Scientists
Miami Museum of Science
mad scientist, astronaut or magician basket:
The widening of a child’s eyes directly
corresponds to the size of the gift, so make sure
whatever you give has a wow factor. The museum store
offers an array of whimsical selections, including
astronaut ice cream, chemistry sets, Jack
Horkheimer’s Star Gazer DVDs, out of this world
lunchboxes and tickets to the planetarium (you may
want to avoid the Pink Floyd shows). Prices vary.
Assemble your own gift basket with goods from the
Miami Museum of Science Store,
3280 S. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-646-4235;
www.miamisci.org.
Families
Miami Children's Museum
family membership:
If you’re on a budget, think big, as in one big
gift. Give a family with young children a one-year
pass to enjoy exhibitions and invitations to private
members-only events. This gift will set you back
$150, but the family who receives it may finally
spend some quality time together — and that’s
priceless. Miami Children’s Museum, 980 MacArthur
Causeway, Miami; 305-373-5437 ext. 128;
www.miamichildrensmuseum.org.
Family history book:
Have the whole clan put together a family history
book from scratch. One account gives shared access
to the whole family, so each member can contribute
in his or her own way. Get a subscription to
www.ancestry.com for $12.95 a month.
Animal Lovers
Pet sponsorship:
Pets are not gifts — especially turtles, which can
live for more than 40 years. Instead of giving
someone a cute responsibility, sponsor an animal in
need in that person’s name. Shelters and sanctuaries
nationwide allow patrons to adopt injured friends,
both domestic and wild, and provide those do-gooders
with a photo and bio of the chosen animal and
monthly newsletters with recovery updates. Available
at
www.bestfriends.org
and
www.petfinder.com/foundation/sponsorapet.html.
Artsy Types
Bear and Bird Boutique and Gallery:
Most of us don’t own art; we just
look at it — in museums, galleries and on our
computer screen wallpaper. Giving someone original
artwork can be personal, meaningful and, in this
case, affordable. This 700-square-foot space,
located above the famous Tate’s Comics, contains
prints, paintings, photography, toys, clothing and
other items with unimpeachable panache. Bird and
Bear Boutique and Gallery, 4566 N. University Drive,
Lauderhill; 954-748-0181;
www.tatescomics.com/munny/index.html.
Bakehouse Art Complex:
If you’re looking for artwork created right here in
Miami, this complex in the heart of the Wynwood Art
District provides local artists with low-rent
studios where guests can view and purchase their
creations. Bakehouse Art Complex, 561 N.W. 32nd St.,
Miami; 305-576-2828;
www.bakehouseartcomplex.org.
Anyone With a Third Eye
Astrological
chart from
Astrodienst:
The perfect gift for that person who is always
trying to guess other people’s astrological signs.
Astrodienst offers gift certificates for
personalized charts and a one-year pass to
www.astro.com for other astrological forecasts.
Botanica
basket:
For the person whose crystal ball has cracked, a
gift basket with such spiritual treats as “break-up
battles” oil and a “tame the bully” candle is the
best antidote. Botanicas are located all around the
city. Here’s a few: Botanica la Milagrosa, 2302 W.
Flagler St., Miami; Botanica la Esperanza, 901 S.W.
27th Ave., Miami; Botanica Santa Barbara,
3124 S.W. Eighth St., Miami.
Cult Heroes
Sweat Records:
Optimize someone’s existence with a gift certificate
from the grooviest independent record store in
Miami. Visit Sweat Records, 5505 N.E. Second Ave.,
Miami; 305-342-0953;
www.sweatrecordsmiami.com.
Uncle Sam’s Music:
No taste is too obscure at the favored record store
of Miami’s musical cognoscenti. Visit both
locations: 1141 Washington Ave., Miami Beach,
305-532-0973; or 4580 N. University Drive,
Lauderhill, 954-742-2466.
Tate’s Comics:
Your recipient will be pleasantly overwhelmed by
this local institution’s bizarre offerings. Visit
Tate’s Comics, 4566 N. University Drive, Lauderhill;
954-748-0181;
www.tatescomics.com/index.html.
Treasure Hunters
C Madeleine's:
This 10,000-square-foot store houses the largest
curated collection of vintage clothing and
collectibles in the area — from 1950s ceramic
poodles to Jackie O-style cocktail dresses to
intricate filigree earrings. Escape mall madness and
try this secondhand gifting experience. Visit C
Madeleine’s at 13702 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami
Beach; 305-945-7770;
www.cmadeleines.com.
Fly Boutique:
Boudoir ambiance and experienced staff make this the
best vintage store in Miami Beach. Visit Fly
Boutique at 650 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach;
305-604-8508.
Rag Trade:
Miami’s newest vintage addition offers a mix of
secondhand pieces, creations by local designers and
ecofriendly attire. Visit Rag Trade at 4600 N.E.
Second Ave., Suite 6, Miami; 305-573-1478;
www.ragtradeco.com.
Etsy.com:
The eBay for crafters, Etsy offers a
variety of handmade items from sellers around the
world. Visit
www.etsy.com.
Beverlee Kagan antique & vintage jewelry:
A South Miami gem filled with antique jewelry
collectibles and costume pieces. Visit Beverly
Kagan’s, 5831 Sunset Drive, South Miami;
305-663-1937.
Smack Talkers
El Cubanito domino game table:
Nothing says Miami more than an insanely competitive
game of dominos. Give that double-nine aficionado a
personalized game table where they can slam their
dominos in style. The tables range from $99.99 to
$649.99. If you can’t afford one,
this shop
also makes game sets ranging in price from $10 to
$40. Available at El Cubanito, 9500 N.W.
79th Ave., Suite 7, Hialeah Gardens;
305-725-5412;
www.elcubanitodomino.com.
Bookworms
Pulp fiction:
If you dig your dames deadly, your men on the make
and your shadows filled with none but the shady,
then Hard Case Crime is the pulp publisher for you.
Like the halcyon days of sophisticated grit, these
pocket-sized books come reeking of lipstick and
gunpowder. Though Hard Case is heavy with rackable
reprints from the likes of Woolrich, Westlake and
Block, they’ve got firsts as well, including Mickey
Spillane’s last (Dead Street), and Max Allen
Collins’ first Ms. Tree offering (Deadly Beloved).
They’re only $6.99 each, so stuff a stocking with
’em at
www.hardcasecrime.com.
Crime — Miami style:
Miamians know that our town’s penchant for crime
goes well beyond CSI, Dexter and
Miami Vice; hell, all we’ve gotta do is pick up
a paper — or step outside. Of course, stepping out
also puts us at risk, but from the looks of things
we wouldn’t have it any other way. Neither,
apparently, would our politicians or reporters.
Former Miami Beach Mayor Alex Daoud is back from a
fed-enforced sabbatical, and his Sins of South
Beach: The True Story of Corruption, Violence and
the Making of Miami Beach (Pegasus, $26.99) will
tell you all about why and how he went, while
Herald crime writers Luisa Yanez and Sergio
Bustos will ensure we don’t forget our morbid
history in Miami's Criminal Past Uncovered
(The History Press, $19.99). Available at Books and
Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, 305-442-4408;
933 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-532-3222; or 9700
Collins Ave., Bal Harbour; 305-864-4241;
www.booksandbooks.com.
Floridiana:
Crime isn’t the only thing on South Floridians’
minds; we also dig culture, especially when it mixes
its high with its low. For design, there’s no better
mix than Herald architect critic Beth
Dunlop’s Miami: Mediterranean Splendor and Deco
Dreams (Rizzoli, $75). For art, we’ve got Paul
Clemence and Julie Davidow’s Miami Contemporary
Artists (Schiffer, $49.95). But it is the kitsch
of Lu Vickers’ Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids: A
History of One of Florida's Oldest Roadside
Attractions (University Press of Florida,
$39.95) that really has us swooning, especially
since it feels like a field trip to a whole ’nother
time of our lives. Available at Books and Books, 265
Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, 305-442-4408; 933 Lincoln
Road, Miami Beach, 305-532-3222; or 9700 Collins
Ave., Bal Harbour; 305-864-4241;
www.booksandbooks.com.
Music Fanatics
Langerado Music Festival:
Give someone a really awesome auditory experience —
and the chance to see bands that rarely come to
South Florida. A weekend pass for next March's
Langerado Music Festival — featuring R.E.M., The
Roots, Beastie Boys, Ani DiFranco and Thievery
Corporation, among others — costs $184.50 at
www.langerado.com.
Turntable:
Help the DJ in your crew get the party started — at
home or at the beach. A Numark PT01 portable
turntable, for spinning LPs and 45s, costs $99.99 at
www.dustygroove.com.
Led Zeppelin: Give that special someone a
Stairway to Heaven with Led Zeppelin's new
limited edition Mothership disc set,
featuring two CDs and a DVD of the band's best
tracks and live performances. Available for $17.99
from
www.amazon.com.
Eric Clapton:
For the ultimate Cream fans — or anyone who named
his or her daughter Layla — Clapton: The
Autobiography, the new tell-all from one of
rock's greatest guitarists, is the perfect read,
both raunchy and stone-cold sobering. Available for
$18.20 from
www.bn.com.
Film-o-philes
Miami Beach Cinematheque
one-year membership:
This is perfect for the person who can quote
Seven Samurai (in Japanese!) and has Lion Video
on speed dial. A one-year membership costs $50 and
includes invitations to special events and parties,
a 12.5 percent discount to regular screenings and a
newsletter subscription. Available at Miami Beach
Cinematheque, 512 Española Way, Miami Beach;
305-673-4567;
www.mbcinema.com.
Upper EastSide Garden,
Janus Film Night picnic and a movie:
The little garden off of Biscayne Boulevard shows
weekly movie screenings from the famous foreign film
distributor Janus Films. The $7 entrance fee will
leave enough money for a bountiful picnic. Available
at Upper Eastside Garden, 7244 Biscayne Blvd.,
Miami; 305-984-3231; www.web.mac.com/uppereastsidegarden/iWeb/Site/Home.html.
Bad
Santa
DVD:
For the Grinches on your list, there’s no sappy,
heartwarming holiday cheer here. Santa drinks,
smokes, has promiscuous sex and even asks kids,
“What the f*$@ do you want?” Billy Bob Thornton has
played a number of miscreants since this 2003 hit,
but none have been more despicable — or funnier. An
unrated version is available for $9.99 on
www.amazon.com.
James Bond Ultimate Collector’s Set:
For the adrenaline junkie, this new box set features
all 21 Bond films — from Dr. No to
Casino Royale — and a bonus disc of extras.
That’s 42 discs full of Bond, James Bond, complete
with digital restoration, commentaries and a Wayne
Newton cameo in License to Kill. Available
for $187.99 at
www.amazon.com — that’s less than $10 a movie!
Love Actually
DVD:
For the sap in your life, Love Actually is
the ultimate romantic comedy. It’s set around
Christmas and is all about love: falling into it,
out of it, keeping it alive and discovering what it
means. It blends holiday sentimentality with romance
perfectly, without going too far. Available for
$9.99 at
www.amazon.com.
TV
Junkies
The Wire Seasons 1 through 4:
HBO will debut the much-anticipated fifth and final
season of its groundbreaking epic drama, The Wire,
on Jan. 6. Before season five gets started, give
Wire watchers a refresher so they can remember
the good times — before Stringer got popped, Avon
got pinched, Bodee got got and McNulty got sober.
Although each season costs $59.99 at
www.hbo.com/thewire, the first three seasons have
been discounted to $39.99 at
www.amazon.com.
Any season of 24:
Let’s face it: The constant tension and suspense is
unbearable if watched each week on TV. Owning the
complete season means you don’t have to wonder how
Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is going to escape
his latest unthinkable situation. Satiate your
anticipation in mere moments with the DVD
collection. Seasons 1 through 6 are available for
$25 to $48 on
www.amazon.com.
Foodies
Personalized TasteBook:
Forget index cards! Combine your own recipes in a
fancy hardcover cookbook — something different for
the gourmet in your life. Available for $34.95 at
www.epicurious.com.
Go organic:
For the health conscious, you can’t go wrong with a
gift certificate to Delicious Organics — an online
organic wonderland that delivers fresh fruit and
produce, flowers and an assortment of ecofriendly
toys right to your door. Available at
www.deliciousorganics.com
Mortar and pestle:
Every gourmet needs one of these low-tech tools for
mashing spices or a batch of guacamole. A granite
mortar and pestle set ranges from $29.99 to $49.99
at www.surlatable.com. If you want to spend the big
bucks, pick up a marble set for $80 at
www.williams-sonoma.com.
Winos
Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator:
Instead of buying yet another bottle of wine for
that holiday party, get something that those tragic
yuppies will truly remember — the Vinturi Essential
Wine Aerator. It uses a fluid flow effect named
after an 18th-century Italian physicist that
improves the texture and taste of any wine by
rapidly infusing it with exactly the right amount of
air as you pour. Just hold the piece of clear molded
plastic over your glass, pour the wine into the
receptacle and listen for the loud sucking sound.
Comes with a velvet pouch and rubber stand.
Available for $39.95 at
www.vinturi.com.
Wines for those who can’t get enough of Sideways:
No, not every bald, middle-aged alkie can land
gorgeous Virginia Madsen types by sticking with
pinot noir and raging against merlot. But if you
know someone who truly believes that’s possible —
and you have a few bucks to spare — try some of
these bottles:
§
Cheval Blanc 2001:
This is the wine (although in the film it's a 1961
vintage) that the lead character, Miles, was saving
for a special occasion, but ended up drinking in a
fast food joint, alone. But this great Bordeaux that
Miles raves about is actually a merlot-heavy blend,
with no pinot in sight. Maybe this bottle could get
your friend some action, but it’s going to cost you
$299.99.
§
Pétrus 1995:
This is at least 95 percent merlot, and one of the
greatest in the world. For $1,599.99, you might
want to be there when it's opened.
§
Marilyn Merlot 2002 (The Velvet Collection):
This features an image of the buxom blonde splayed
out on a big black box filled with a magnum of
merlot, and a peel-and-peek label that reveals the
original Playboy photo of Ms. Monroe. For
$199.99, your friend will never be alone, or sober.
Wines for drinkers:
If they love wine, and they're pretty sure it’s made
from grapes, but can’t tell the difference between a
chateau and a cat's toe, try some of these:
§
Aries Pinot Noir 2006:
The label looks hand-painted and features five-point
stars and a frolicking ram, but don't let that
prevent you from taking this wine seriously. This
$19.99 bottle, from the respected Robert Sinskey
winery in Los Carneros, Calif., is a big step up for
the $10-or-less crowd.
§
Aveleda Vinho Verde:
From Portugal, this light and thirst-quenching white
wine will never confuse anyone. Its impressive label
will stand out in a crowd for just $6.49.
§
Grao Vasco Dao Tinto:
Cheap Portuguese wines always seem one step above
the rest, but this pinot noir-like red just keeps on
giving. It’s fruity with a bite for $5.99.
Wines for real sweeties:
What else can we say? Try these with dessert:
§
Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes 2001:
When the king of sweet wines racks up a perfect 100,
it's time to sit up and take notice. This is the
classic accompaniment to foie gras, but also is an
immense dessert wine that pairs great with sliced
pears. Drink it slightly chilled. $349 for 375 ml
(that's a half-bottle).
§
Disznoko Tokaji Aszu 2001:
Hungarians have been turning out sweet wines for
kings, queens and czars for centuries. Now widely
available, these wines, from the furmint grape, are
rated for sweetness on the puttonyos scale — the
more puttonyos, the sweeter the wine. Start with
four puttonyos ($29.99 for 500 ml), and see if you
have enough stamina to get to six ($69.99 for 500
ml).
§
Christian Brothers Holiday Nog:
It’s not exactly wine, but no holiday is complete
without it. To quote from the label, “The brandy's
in it!” This is a great gift for those afternoon
office parties or for the 80-year-old grandmother
who likes a quick belt every now and then. Don't be
shy — get the big bottle! $11.99 for 1.75 liters.
Compiled by Zoe Crespo, Rachael Lee Coleman, John
Hood, Dan Hudak, Danny Brody, Jason Jeffers, Victor
Thompson, Paula Niño and David Quinones. |
