Listmania! Luxury Items to Consider for the Holidays
By Eric Benderoff
Twitter.com/ericbendy
If you’re looking to discover a special jar of caviar or a pair of loudspeakers for six figures, there is a list to interest you. Lists, of course, provide a treasure trove of gift ideas and that’s why we love them. Let this list of lists provide some guidance.
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The New York Times has seemingly turned into a gift catalog in recent weeks and is teeming with lists.
For cooks who like technology, David Pogue, one of my favorite tech writers, and Mark Bittman, my wife’s favorite cookbook author, offer this fun video about kitchen gadgets. A top pick: An induction burner from Viking for $500.
Love antiques? This list offers six books for the antique hunter, including one tome on the techniques behind creating fake Egyptian antiquities.
Music fans will enjoy this broad collection of jazz and pop boxed sets. Artists include AC/DC, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Erasure, Hall & Oates, the Pixies and Frank Sinatra’s “New York” performances. Meanwhile, the best box set of the year comes from Ella Fitzgerald, according to this Stereophile’s Fred Kaplan.
Audiophiles should check Stereophile’s ear-popping list of Editors’ Choice picks for 2009. If you’re thinking of spending $100,000 for loudspeakers, check this out.
Perhaps the biggest list comes from Wired magazine and its comprehensive Wish List 2009. Highlights include nerd apparel and the always interesting staff picks. A coffee grinder for $225? Why not?
If you have finicky tastes and are on the prowl for caviar or black truffles, the Robb Report offers season’s eatings. You’ll need to buy December’s print version to read Robb’s 21 ultimate gifts. It includes a Lou Gehrig game-used bat.
Looking for the right wine to bring to a season filled with holiday parties? Wine Spectator offers the 2009 Top 100 wines. This list is based on the magazine’s taste tests throughout the year. It’s a good education if you want to learn more about wine.
For exotic travel mixed with local art, National Geographic Traveler offers an authentic shopping guide for crafts. Ideas include visits to Bali, the Galapagos Islands and southern Mexico.
Our choices. For stocking stuffer ideas, this list offers a baker’s dozen for gadget lovers. For pricier ideas, here are my favorite things.
