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Great Gifts 2005

By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

Except for those super-organized wonder people, many of us start thinking about holiday gifts about Thanksgiving time.

One of the best parts of being a journalist is people send you new products to try. Some of them are wonderful, some of them make no sense at all. Two of this year’s electronic marvels have become party games at my house—no one can make them work. My favorite geek, my computer consultant and my brilliant son have all tried. I feel like my loft could be a reality show—the winner being the person who can make everything work .

Here are a few of the things I loved. And know your family and friends would love to receive them as gifts.

For Your Fortunate Friends

Bath Fortune Cookies
A great East meets West for the benefit of all. Let these fortune cookies fizz up in your bath water, leaving behind a cute fortune and an incredible cookie fragrance. This little treat softens skin with cocoa butter and makes you feel good all over. Net wt. 9 oz. (Six 1.5 oz. cookies)

Price: $19.95
Sold at: www.dramaqueenstyle.com

Fortune Cookie Fortunes Holder
I  have been fascinated by fortune cookie fortunes since I was a kid. I would always save them, date them, and wonder if my fortune would come true (especially the good ones).
But years later, I could not remember where I put them,
Now I feel organized in one small aspect of my life. I have a fortune cookie fortune album that neatly displays my future predictions. I find myself going to more Chinese restaurants now just to get fortunes.

For Your Technically Perfect Friends

Docupen
This portable scanner scans anything, anywhere. It weighs only two ounces and has a memory to hold up to 100 pages. No more tearing out pages in the dentists office or at the beauty parlor. Take your Docupen out of its leather case and scan what you need right there.
It works at home, in the office, or out of the office.
www.planon.com
planon@planon.com

For Techies Who Travel

The Laptop Desk Version 2.0 is one product with two solutions. (perfect as a Hanukah gift as it can count for two nights gifts)
It’s ergonomic design allows for 5 typing angles and ventilation channels let your laptop breath. It is lightweight and compact. But most charming of all is each Laptop Desk comes with a personal note from the person who packed it. That high touch, personal touch means a lot to high tech people.
www.laptopdesk.net

For Seduction

(you do not have to wait for Valentine’s Day)

DeTango Party of Two Martini Set
This is the perfect gift for your sweetie. Two DeTango martini glasses and one large glass mixer with stainless steel measuring lid, perfectly packaged in a cute retro inspired gift box. Take this over for some drinks and romance!
Dishwasher safe

Price: $44.95
Sold at: www.dramaqueenstyle.com

For Your Friends With Wanderlust

“SNAPSHOTS OF THE MIND” by John Graham, is a collection of travel writing covering five decades and five continents.
The pieces are not mere descriptions of lands and peoples but are evocative of the thoughts, emotions, and deductions that go with those strange and wonderful experiences that occur during travel.
The writing shows more than the scenes that are susceptible to the camera’s lens: it delves into the history, language, connections, and meanings of the experience. It is designed to persuade the reader to think and to travel.
“Snapshots of the Mind,” John Graham, PublishAmerica, Baltimore, MD, USA, 2005, ISBN: 1-4137-5590-9 (Trade paperback, Available from Amazon.com at $19.95, plus shipping and handling.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1413755909/qid=1122392159/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-3941621-5386307?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Books That Build Holiday Traditions

Chrismukkah
The Merry Mish-Mash Holiday Cookbook
By Ron Gompertz
www.chrismukkah.com
recipes by Kathy Otark
Photographs by Larry Stanley

Over 55 heavenly hybrid-holiday recipes. Even if you are not in the mood to cook, you will enjoy browsing through this cleverly written book. With this book, you do not have to choose. You can have it all and celebrate diversity

Everyday Traditions: Simple Family Rituals for Connection and Comfort
by Nava Atlas
Amberwood Press, 2005

Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us
By Allen Salkin
Warner Books
This hilarious book, which includes a forward by Jerry Stiller (also known as “Seinfeld’s” Frank Costanza), recounts the history of Festivus - from advent of the ceremonial aluminum pole to the newly created Miss Festivus pageant.

Better Than Mistletoe For Getting Holiday Kisses

WHIPSTICK lip balm from Lush  $7.95

This lightly whipped, yet rich formulation has sensual chocolate and essential oils of orange, tangerine and vanilla that ooze sex appeal and reminds you of your favourite chocolate bar.    But it is its rich blend of moisturisers and emollients that really deliver the goods.   Cold pressed almond oil, olive oil and wheatgerm oil, blended with beeswax and shea butter make the lips incredibly soft and plumped up, at the same time as moisturising and helping prevent water loss.   Whipstick is presented in a neat makeup bag size tin, you’ll love to flash.  Be tempted - smear it on all over! Get one for yourself and one for your lover

Overwhelmed By the Holidays and Everything You Have to Remember?

I found a little gadget that remembers all your passwords for you. Pass2Go is a password management & form filling tool that runs on a USB key, that can easily be attached to your key chain. Pass2Go memorizes online passwords, automatically logs users into Web sites, generates random secure passwords and fills out long registration forms with one click. With Pass2Go, users can now travel everywhere with their computer passwords and digital identity all on their USB key. One master password is created for entry to the USB key, to protect it should it get lost. No installation of the software to the PCs used while traveling.

How To Look Great Through the Holidays

This is a tip from Oprah’s makeover pros. Model in a Bottle®, a matte finish setting spray that holds foundation and eye makeup in place all day and evening, is among the featured products highlighted when Oprah’s pros share their secrets with viewers.

Model in a Bottle® is the key to locking in that perfect makeup application – after applying makeup, simply spray a fine mist of Model in a Bottle® on the face. One easy step seals your makeup and eliminates the need for reapplying.

If only there was something that would keep my house clean all day.
www.modelinabottle.com

Give the Gift of Peace on Earth (or at least in your life)

NoiseBusterR noise canceling audio headphone is the perfect gift item for frequent travelers, commuters, users of lawnmowers or motorized exercise equipment, music lovers, or anyone who just needs a little solace from the constant din that surrounds us.  From now until December 31, 2005, the NoiseBuster headphone is available for a discounted price of $50, nearly 30% off the regular $69 price, when purchased online at www.noisebuster.net.

The product electronically reduces irritating, anxiety-provoking, background noise by coupling low-frequency noise waves with their exact mirror image waves. The NoiseBuster headphone can be used on its own for simple peace and quiet or in conjunction with a portable audio device for excellent music clarity without overamplification and distortion.

The NoiseBuster headphone contains patented electronic noise cancellation technology that delivers 18dB of low-frequency noise reduction.

The open-back design of the NoiseBuster headphone is comfortable for the wearer and the product folds for portability. The NoiseBuster achieves a good ear seal without enclosing the ear in unwieldy, and often hot, closed earcups.

The product has been specifically engineered for superior noise reduction and acoustic performance by electronic noise cancellation experts.

NoiseBuster is available from Pro Tech online at www.noisebuster.net or by calling 800-468-8371. Only online purchases will receive the discounted price.

Cool Way to Get More Energy for the Holidays

Liquid Ice Energy Drink was part of the recent Hilary Duff 18th Birthday Party celebration in LA at the club Mood. Coming on the heels of its being the official energy drink of the Live 8 Concert in Philadelphia and part of New York's Fashion Week, Liquid Ice is proving its superior taste and better nutrients are getting the attention of those in the know. Or at least those who want to look good and party hearty.

Couldn’t everyone on your holiday list use a little more energy?

Hot Products to Nurture You During the Holidays

Today's hustle and bustle leaves most of us without a serene moment to enjoy our beverage of choice, whether that is coffee, tea or a sumptuous hot chocolate.

So many of today's home machines only do one thing and in large quantities, sacrificing flavor and time.  With Tassimo, you enjoy a fresh cup every time.  No washing or changing of filters, gears and the like.

Here, finally, is a complete return to the roots of exquisite teatime, piping cups of Joe and deep mugs of elegantly smooth, warm cocoa -- at home!

No need to run to the local café or convenience store....

Providing quality and taste for discerning palates, as well as less-than-a-minute efficiency for time conscious consumers, Tassimo's one-cup preparation ensures no mess, leftovers or delays associated with outdated brewing systems or crowded coffee shops.

Unlike other single serve brewers, Tassimo uses real liquid milk to create the dense foam or steamed milk for cappuccino and latte eliminating the need for a complicated steam wand or frothing attachment.

Providing a menu of delicious and favorite brands such as Gevalia(r) coffees, Twinings(r) teas and Suchard(tm) hot chocolate, each T-DISC contains a precisely measured amount of coffee, tea, chocolate or real liquid milk and is sealed to protect the flavors inside.

Available at Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Bed Bath & Beyond, Linens 'n' Things.  $169.

How to Eat Healthy During the Holidays and Everafter

Ann Gentry, owner of the Real Food Daily restaurants, has written The Real Food Daily Cookbook. Her tasty, healthy recipes are easy to follow and she provides great information on which tools you’ll need in your kitchen, which basic ingredients you should keep on hand and how to put it all together.

For Your Favorite Flossers and Cleanliness Queens

Even after being rinsed visibly clean, toothbrushes can remain contaminated with potentially pathogenic organisms.”  Now comes a new toothbrush-sanitizing product called VIOlight Travel that allows consumers to take that sanitizing protection with their toothbrushes when they travel outside the home.

The VIOlight technology utilizes a Germicidal UltraViolet (UV) bulb — the same technology used in hospitals and dental offices — to eliminate germs and bacteria on toothbrushes. The VIOlight’s UV bulb has been laboratory tested and has been proven to eliminate up to 99.9% of germs it comes into contact with on a toothbrush, safeguarding consumers from harmful bacteria and cross contamination.

The sleek tubular design of VIOlight Travel is unobtrusive and will fit compactly in any dopp kit, gym bag, cosmetics bag, suitcase or even in a briefcase. The unit holds a single toothbrush or electric toothbrush head and features a removable drip tray for easy cleaning.  Adults and children alike can simply place their toothbrush in the VIOlight Travel, shut the lid and the sanitizing process begins.  After 7 minutes, the battery operated unit shuts off automatically, keeping toothbrushes bacteria free until the next use. Not only does the VIOlight Travel keep the toothbrush clean and sanitized, it also prevents those germs from being transferred to other items.  Actually, the VIOlight Travel isn't just for travel. The compact design of the product allows it to be kept in convenient places like a glove compartment or office desk, all the while keeping the toothbrush free from germs.

For People Who Miss Their Family or Pets When Traveling

LoveLocket, a unique personal, portable photo gallery. It's the only locket in the world that holds up to 9 photos!

Even Prince Albert of Monaco is a fan! This is an awesome gift item for the holidays, Valentine's or Mother's Day.

The gorgeous, custom-crafted LoveLocket is designed in the shape of a mini treasure chest and embellished with a brilliant round-cut diamond as well as the monogram of the wearer,  hand crafted to order in either 18 karat gold or sterling silver.

LoveLocket is also completely customizable - spell out a family name, adorn each frame with the initial of the person whose picture will be on the other side or choose a sentiment like, "Forever."

LoveLocket is available at www.lovelocket.com or 1-888-3-LOCKET.

For Julia Childs Fans

Exploding onto television screens in 1963 with her WGBH (Boston) program “The French Chef,” Julia Child quickly became a household name. Known for her extensive knowledge of French cuisine as well as her down-to-earth approach to kitchen navigation, Julia endeared herself to home cooks immediately; mistakes were okay, as were everyday culinary triumphs such as boeuf bourguignon and salade niçoise. Julia’s cry of solidarity was, “If I can do it, you can do it…and here’s how to do it!”

Julia adored the rich world of food and wine; she decried fad diets and many other food trends, always attending first to her palate. In 1989, after a severe earthquake in California, a reporter asked her what she would eat if she knew it was to be her last meal. True to form, she replied, “Cracked crab, oysters, something with duck, asparagus...whether it's in season or not...something chocolate for dessert, and a bottle of wine with every course."

For five years now Gastronomica has been known in the culinary world as a cutting-edge magazine that offers beautiful essays and in-depth articles about topics as varied as Vegemite and vineyards. The August 2005 issue features the same high level of writing but with an exciting difference: This issue of Gastronomica is devoted solely to remembering Julia Child and honoring her legacy. Julia, who died last year at the age of 91, changed the way America thinks about food, cooking, and the culinary world as a whole.

An extraordinary roster of contributors has provided their thoughts, memories, and perceptions about the life and legacy of Julia Child, and many speak to how she affected their lives. Many of them are instantly recognizable to any food maven: Jacques Pépin. Anne Willan. Jasper White. Sara Moulton. Just as important are the less familiar contributors who have not written publicly about Julia before, such as Julia’s longtime personal assistant, Stephanie Hersh.

This issue of Gastronomica is many things. It is a glimpse into Julia’s world – her childhood, her college years, her romance with her husband, Paul – for those who don’t know as much about her as they might like.  For those who respected her both as chef and colleague, it is a tribute.  And it is a farewell and final Bon appétit for those who knew her best.

Quarterly print subscriptions and back issues of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture are available for purchase online. Individual articles in electronic format are also available. Please visit  http://www.gastronomica.org/ for more information.

How to be Prepared for any Holiday Emergency

Someone sent me some Sabra dips and they are better than gold. This individual servings are great to take to the airport or when traveling for a quick but healthy snack.

I now keep them in my refrigerator so when someone comes over I have an instant Mediterranean snack. (but they are so good, I find myself enjoying them even when no one comes over)

Best of all, a few of them wrapped up in glittery paper or a holiday gift bag make a quick gift for anyone you may have forgotten.

Sabra "To Go" comes in 9 mouth-watering flavors:

• Sautéed Eggplant with Crackers

• Classic Hummus with Crackers

• Red Pepper Hummus with Crackers

• Roasted Garlic Hummus with Crackers

• Luscious Lemon Hummus with Crackers

• Greek Olive Hummus with Crackers

• Supremely Spicy Hummus with Crackers

• Tuna Salad with Crackers

• Southwestern Hummus with Crackers

Sabra "To Go" products contain no transfatty acids, no cholesterol and are a great source of protein.  They are available in supermarkets, grocery, deli and convenience stores.

For more information or to order products, please call 718-GO-SABRA.

Something Better for Butter

When I indulge in butter, I want it smooth and creamy and right away. That’s why I love my ButterBell.

Beautiful hand painted stone butter crocks from ButterBell create soft, spreadable butter because no refrigeration is needed!

Add a touch of France to your home.  Modeled after the traditional French "baurrier", butter bell crocks make a statement.  Butter crocks have been used throughout history to keep butter fresh and spreadable without refrigeration.

Soft butter is great for baking and cooking.  Top gourmet chefs know that butter crocks enhance the use and delicate flavor of butter. Adds a sweet decorative touch to any kitchen or tabletop.

Help Your Loved Ones Change Their Life

James Green is a commercial airline pilot, small business owner, motivational speaker and author.  It was during his travels as an airline pilot that Green was inspired to pose a simple question—“If you could go back and change anything in your life, what would you do differently?”—to various people he met on the road.  The result was If there's one thing I've learned in which Green reveals the answers from the people interviewed and how one decision can forever impact a person’s life.

A Gift for All the Little Stars in Your Life

Little Showoffs offers simple, expressive fashions for babies and their relatives. Already popular with celebrities like  Courtney Cox and Coco, Gwenyth Paltow and Apple, Britiney Spears and Sean Preston, and Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck and baby Violet, does you little darling deserve anything less than a t-shirt that says LA BABY?www.littleshowoffs.com

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