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The High Life Gift Guide

Charlie Owen & Caramie SchnellVail CO, Colorado
Special to the Daily
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Were aware that a few people in the valley have already bought their Christmas gifts; theyve even wrapped them in festive paper, slapped on a bow and laid them to rest under the Christmas tree until Dec. 25. Good for them. To the rest of the harried, overworked and underpaid members of this county this gift guide is for you. If youre still wrestling with what to buy save-the-forest Aunt Pat or your annoying-as-all-get-out 9-year-old nephew Jack, here are a few ideas. Consider it our gift to you. Happy Holidays!

Giving feels good, but it can feel so much better when the gift helps others. Under $40The gift: Root of the Earth Bowl, $35 for the small bowl, available at http://www.vivaterra.com.Perfect for: The design-savvy do-gooder. The details: Artisans hand-carve the discarded root balls of Chinese fir trees into magnificent bowls whose sides undulate like petrified flower petals, according to the Web site. Each bowl is unique and untreated, so cracks and variations will occur. Under $60The gift: TOMS shoes for tomorrow, $54, three styles are available at Roxy in Beaver Creek and Vail, call 845-7774 or 476-7774 for more information. Visit http://www.tomsshoes.com for more styles.Perfect for: People who have a soft spot in their heart for indigent children.The details: The formula is simple for each pair of TOMS shoes you buy, designer-founder Blake Mycoskie will donate a pair to a needy child on your behalf. To date nearly 60,000 pairs of shoes have been donated in South Africa and Argentina; plans are in the works to donate shoes in Ethiopia and here in the U.S. next. Its one of the nicest gift you can give. This is the only company Ive seen in all my years in retail that gives something of equal value back, which is huge for a manufacturer to do, said Patti Weinstein, owner of Roxy. Under $75The gift: A goat, $75, available at http://www.worldvisiongifts.org.Perfect for: Someone who wants to make a difference in the world.The details: In a country like Haiti a goat can make a big difference in a families life. The goat not only nourishes the family with fresh milk, cheese and yogurt, it offers the family a much-needed income boost by providing offspring and extra dairy products for sale at the market, according to the Web site.

Be it bamboo bowls or a funky picnic basket, here are a few gifts for the chefs in your life.Under $20The gift: Cooking with Testosterone: For Men Who Arent Afraid to Fry, $15, available at Kitchen Collage in Edwards, 926-0400.Perfect for: The guy in your life that wants to cook, but isnt sure where to start. This tongue-in-cheek cookbook for me features recipes for two, or as the author Stephen Murray calls them date meals. Murray, who lives in New Orleans, derived many of the recipes from the New Orleans Creole cooking tradition.The details: Unlike most cookbooks, which assume that the reader has a basic knowledge of the rudiments of cooking, this cookbook makes no such assumptions, Murray said. It contains a glossary of terms and an explanation of cooking basics, so that even the most inexperienced of cooks can prepare any of the dishes in the cookbook with passable, if not impressive, results. Between the recipes are various humorous observations regarding the trials and tribulations bachelors face when trying to cook to impress a woman.Under $40The gift: Low Bowls, $34, available at http://www.branchhome.com.Perfect for: The cook who likes to think locally, act globally.The details: These bowls, available in nine colors (including Green Apple, Cornflower and Red Pepper), are made from 100 percent organically-grown bamboo, non-toxic water-based adhesive, natural lacquer and food-safe polyurethane. Coiled by hand, the serving dishes are ideal for serving hot or cold foods or for displaying fruit. Visit the Web site for more sustainable design for living products.Under $120The gift: Optima Company Carnival Dotty Spot Picnic Basket, $110, http://www.picnicfun.com.Perfect for: The family who likes to picnic at the park.The details: This sturdy basket is packed with all the necessary dishes and utensils that a family of four needs to enjoy a proper picnic. Even better the contents are brightly colored and contemporary.



From make-up to spa treatments, the door is wide-open for gifts for those who take (really) good care of themselves.Under $50The gift: Scent Sampler Gift Certificate for Him or Her from Sephora, $50, available at http://www.sephora.com.Perfect for: The person who is craving a new fragrance, but hasnt had time to go sniff 20 bottles of smelly stuff. Also great if you want to give your significant other some perfume or cologne but youre not sure what to choose.The details: The Sephora Gift Certificate for Him or Her includes samples (eight for men, 10 for women) of top-selling fragrances, plus a gift voucher of equal value that can be redeemed at any Sephora store for a full-size bottle of any of the samples. Mens samples include Lacoste Essential, Givenchy Very Irresistible and Kenneth Cole R.S.V.P.; womens samples include Guerlain My Insolence, Juicy Couture and Vera Wang Princess. Under $60The gift: bareMinerals makeup starter kit, $59.98, available at http://www.bareminerals.com.Perfect for: The girl who prefers the natural look.The details: Marketed as makeup so pure you can sleep in it, this kit includes SPF 15 foundation, face color, finishing powder and applicator brushes. And if youre not satisfied, theres a money-back guarantee.Under $275The gift: The Sweet Indulgence spa package at Allegria Spa in the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek, $260, visit http://www.allegriaspa.com or call 748-7500. Perfect for: The prince or princess in your life.The details: Allow two hours for this decadent treatment package, which includes a 25-minute Wildflower body scrub, a 50-minute Swedish massage and a 30-minute holistic facial.

Kids are generally finicky, changing their opinions of whats cool or fun to play with nearly daily. Here are a few ideas for gifts that that the little ones might enjoy for longer than a few hours.Under $30The gift: Rubiks Revolution, $24.95, available at http://www.DiscoveryChannelStore.com.Perfect for: Boys and girls age 8 to 12.The details: Remember that classic unsolvable puzzle from the 80s? Well its back and modernized for a new century. Want to see if your kid is a genius? Get them the electronic Rubiks Revolution. There are multiple levels of play and six different games such as Light Speed, Pattern Panic and Code Cracker to choose from, ensuring that boredom wont be an issue. Under $40The gift: Zoobie Pets, $30 to $35, available at Wishes Toy Store in Avon.Perfect for: Infants, toddlers, preschoolers or maybe even grandma.The details: According to their Web site, Zoobie Pets are a cuddly plush animal, a soft comfy pillow and a cozy warm blankey … The perfect childhood companion. fThese unique and highly functional soft goods come in shapes that all kids can recognize and enjoy; animals like monkeys, giraffes and elephants can also fold out into a pillow or even a blanket, making it ideal companion for long road trips or cross-country flights.Under $100The gift: Guitar Hero 3, $89.99 to $99.99, available at http://www.ciruitcity.com.Perfect for: Kids who care more about music than shooting things.The details: We know its a video game, but at least it gives your kid something to shoot for other than running over old women with pixelated cars. This game is so fun that youll probably want to play it more than your kids, anyway. The Guitar Hero kit comes with the game, the guitar control unit (wireless optional) and a shoulder strap. The only drawback is that you have to have a video game system compatible with the game. Chances are, the kiddies already have one.

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Electronics can be mans best friend or worst enemy, it all depends on how quickly you can wrap your mind around the ever-changing world of gizmos and gadgets rolling off of the assembly line every day.Under $25The gift: Mile High Charger, $20, available at http://www.flight001.com.Perfect for: The on-the-go person.The details: Everyone knows somebody who just cant put down their cell phone. These are the people that bite their nails all through the flight in anticipation of touch down so that they can finally turn it back on and start yapping again. The Mile High Charger kit includes four jacks and batteries, is easy to use and will help the cell-phone addict to make sure their life-support never dies. Its compatible with Blackberry, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung phones.Under $200The gift: iPod Nano, $149 to $199, available at http://www.store.apple.com.Perfect for: Music lovers.The details: If you dont know what an iPod is by now than you probably need to buy a color TV first. The iPod had pretty much revolutionized the music industry and the way we listen to music. They are super easy to work and no matter who you get one for, they are sure to like your smart choice. The Nano comes in 4GB (hold up to 1,000 songs) and 8GB (holds up to 2,000 songs) models and a plethora of colors, so whether youre shopping for a guy or gal, you cant go wrong. The skys the limitThe gift: 71-inch LG flat-panel plasma HD TV, $14,999.98, available at http://www.bestbuy.com.Perfect for: Movie lovers and show-offs.The details: It may be a little overboard, but this impressive, extra-large TV brings the slightest visual details to life in High Definition, making $10 movie tickets a thing of the past. You can also hook your computer up to this TV and use it as your monitor. Holy giant e-mail, Batman.High Life editor Caramie Schnell can be reached at 748-2984 or cschnell@vaildaily.com. High Life writer Charlie Owen can be reached at 748-2939 or cowen@vaildaily.com.


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