 What do you get for the executive who has everything? Matching a gift to a person can be a creative and satisfying process. Bear in mind that a gift can say as much about the giver as it does the receiver. If your family’s holiday history is punctuated by fruitcakes that defy radiocarbon dating, then you understand. Here are a few gift ideas for your consideration.
• A magazine subscription – Much like the narrowing market niches of the past 20 years, the interests and hobbies of Americans have become increasingly esoteric. Barnes and Noble’s 129-page list of periodicals guarantees a publication devoted to the most arcane avocation. Online sources include www.thepaperboy.com/magazines and www.magazine-rack.com.
• A day at the spa – What better way for a harried exec to relieve the effects of a stressful week? The Pzazz Salon in Silverdale offers a menu of facial, body, and aesthetic treatments and packages. Their Ultimate Day is a 7.5-hour regimen that includes a body wrap in therapeutic seaweed, body massage, facial, pedicure/manicure, spa, haircut and style, and lunch. The cost is $305. Less expensive variations include the 6.5-hour Day of Beauty ($240), the 5.5-hour Escape ($210), and the 4.5-hour For Gentlemen Only ($165). Contact Candace Payne, (360) 692-8487, for more information.
• An 18-year-old single-malt scotch whiskey – An acquired taste for many first-timers, single-malts are generally sharper and more demanding of the palate than the blended varieties. But they are also more interesting. Scotland has four regions of single-malt production – Lowlands, Highlands, Campbeltown and Islay. The natural features of each region impart distinctive characteristics to the drink, qualities that are lost among the less expensive cereal grain and blended whiskies.
Lowland whiskies include those from the Littlemill and Auchentoshan distilleries. These lack the peat smoke and sherry influence of other regions. They are described as light, delicate and fruity. Highland varieties are somewhat more peaty and peppery and include Glenlivet and Tamnavulin. Other Highland single-malts are full-bodied, rich in sherry and smoke. Campbeltown whiskies (from a peninsula on the west side of Scotland) usually express a fresh, briny, sea-mist character. Only two Campbeltown region distilleries survive, Springbank and Glen Scotia. Just across from Campbeltown in the Hebrides lies the Isle of Islay. Islay operates six distilleries, and the majority of their whiskies contain the influence of large quantities of peat, smoke, seaweed and brine. Some Islay varieties like Laphroaig and Ardbeg can be overpowering initially. Ten-year-old Laphroaig sells locally for $40.
Expect to pay $50 for a fine 15-year-old single-malt Reserve, and upwards of $70 for an 18-year-old.
• A box of premium cigars — For the aficionado, there’s nothing like a good cigar. Cubans are reputed to be the best, but due to the long-standing trade embargo, they are not permitted to be imported into the United States. They are readily available in Canada however, including at the airport duty-free shops. The problem is getting them through Customs. But you can always treat yourself to one outside before getting on the plane.
For those not willing to try and break international law, the next best cigars according to Brian Webb, owner of Thomas D’s in Kitsap Mall, come from the Dominican Republic. The finest is a Arturo Fuente — if you can get them — which can be difficult. More readily available are Macanudo and Don Rene. Expect to pay anywhere from $3 to $12 apeice, with no price break for buying them by the box, which contains 25 cigars.
• Tickets to the 2001 All Star Baseball game – Seattle’s Safeco Field will host the 2001 All Star Baseball game. Even marginal baseball fans will enjoy the spirit and caliber of play at the July rite. Tickets are expected to go fast, and full-season ticket holders will have first opportunity. Call (206) 346-4001 or visit the Mariners website at www.mariners.org for more information.
• An automobile detailing service – Everyone enjoys driving a clean car, but apart from an annual waxing few of us have the time or patience to shampoo upholstery and carpets. Port Orchard’s Cruise-N Car Wash and Detail Center opened this past February and offers excellent service at decent prices. In addition to a car wash, the center offers a variety of detailing services. Interior detailing packages start at $79.95, and exterior detailing starts at $119.95. The complete detailing service — interior, exterior and engine bay — is $169.95. Owners Bill and Teri Goodwin are glad to answer questions (360) 874-2787. Gift certificates are available.
• Venders online — You may prefer to search for a gift online. Executivegallery.com offers gift selections ranging from the practical to the inspirational. Another good site is the online auction eBay. Its categories include Antiques and Art; Books, Movies and Music; Coins and Stamps; Collectibles; and Pottery, Glass and Porcelain, among others. Here are some of the better online resources for just the right gift.
• Clothing — landsend.com, jcrew.com, eddiebauer.com, llbean.com
• Food and gift baskets — omahasteaks.com, wisconsincheeseman.com, harryanddavid.com
• Gadgets — jandr.com, hammacherschlemmer.com, brookstone.com
• Housewares — crateandbarrel.com, thecompanystore.com, domestications.com |
