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Holidays 2005: Luxury
By
Published: Jan 01, 2005
Category:
Beyond Classification
Expensive things make me nervous. It’s the legacy of my Depression Era parents, who never took good times for granted — in their cosmology, everything could be taken away at any time. So it takes massive prosperity for me to feel comfortable enough to spend significant money.
In my neighborhood, massive prosperity is in the air. You and I may not have done so well on Wall Street this year, but the traders and investment bankers who work there certainly did, and the newspapers are now full of stories about the bonuses soon to be bestowed on them. And here’s a no-brainer: Five minutes after they get their mitts on that end-of-the-year windfall, those Wall Streeters are going to be Big Spenders.
They’re not alone. Across the country, at the low-price end of the spectrum, stores are hurting; at the top, it’s Boom Town. So it occurs to me that maybe I spend too much time worrying about top-to-bottom financial disaster. Maybe I’d do better to stop looking for the biggest bang for the buck and start thinking about purchases that dazzle.
After all, this is the time of year when successful people who have worked hard — or were born lucky — open their wallets and shower good things on their loved ones (and, more often than not, themselves). In that spirit of plenty, then, here are some gifts that cost real money — and look it.
Uno Alora Ambience
In winter, New York society folk light candles. They favor a handful of brands, and if you go out much, you come to know them — and to be bored by them. But now there’s a new way to dispense scent: a vase-like container for the perfumed liquid, with sticks that act like wicks. This method is still novel. And it looks good. And it lasts for months.
House And Gardens
Robert A.M. Stern, dean of the Yale School of Architecture, is the architect of choice for rich clients who don’t want sleek post-modern houses. He builds great traditional homes — structures that McMansions wish they were. This 640-page book chronicles 45 houses Stern has designed over three decades. It’s a massive volume, and beautiful in the extreme.
FLY Pentop Computer
Friends say this is the gift to get for a kid between 9 and 13. It looks like a pen, but it’s got a computer and optical scanner inside — it even has the power of speech. Ask it to remind you of an appointment, and it will. It does math problems. It plays games. It records drumbeats and allows you to record songs. Sounds mad crazy, but at least it’s not a video game that does nothing for a kid (unless he plans to be a racecar driver or jet pilot).
Haydn: The Complete String Quarters
Haydn never bores. And the string quartet was where he was most interesting. Here are 67 string quartets on 21 discs — a lifetime of great music in a polished performance.
Canon Powershot SD500 7MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
We had a Sony digital. By the time it took a picture, our daughter was two rooms away. The flash went off a few days later. The lens was plastic. We couldn’t wait for a new generation of digital cameras. Now we have a Digital Elph. It’s light and sleek, and it couldn’t be faster: instant start-up time, 2 frames per second shooting, and fast uploads. It’s easy to use. The pictures are crisp. For the non-professional, it’s state-of-the-art.
La Pavoni Europiccola 8-Cup Espresso Machine
When you think of how much you spend at Starbucks in a year, you’ll rush to buy your own espresso machine — it will pay for itself in a matter of months. I like this one because it’s authentic: You don’t push a button, you pull a lever. That forces water through the coffee, which allegedly intensifies the flavor. And for the cappuccino set, there’s an automatic milk foamer.
Sex and the City: The Complete Series
I was never a fan. But maybe ‘Sex and the City’ just isn’t a guy thing. For women who care — and do they ever! — this set has all 6 seasons, on 19 CDs, boxed to cherish.
Curb Your Enthusiasm: The First Four Seasons
Larry David is obnoxious, and thus not for everyone. But if you like your humor nasty, this is a glutton’s portion of his comedy.
Polo Ralph Lauren Cashmere Sweater
Cable crewneck. Comes in 9 colors. Expensive? Well, if you buy all 9, you’re spending $3,600.
Apple 60 GB iPod with Video Playback
Everyone, it seems, has an iPod, but very few have this sleek black baby. Holds 15,000 songs, 20,000 photos, or 150 hours of video playback — massive memory. It’s the Rolls Royce of iPods. But make sure you spring for the Shure E3c headphones.
TiVo 140-Hour Digital Video Recorder
Don’t leave home without it. This TV recorder holds more programming than you will ever want to watch.
All-Clad 9-Piece Cookware Set
We swear by these. The set includes a 2-quart covered saucepan, 3-quart covered saute pan, 10-inch fry pan, 3-quart covered casserole pan and 6-quart covered stockpot — enough pots and pans for a small restaurant.
