Gift Guide:
The One Who Has Everything
Bin 8
03
$30
“We love the Bin 8, a great example of clever and attractive Japanese design. It looks like a artistic wine bottle, but it is actually 8 essential kitchen tools in one! Going from the top to bottom, the Bin 8 consists of: a funnel with attachment for pouring sauces and liquids into containers (The attachment makes it possible to fill bottles with a narrow neck, and also forms the cap of the 'bottle' when stacked together.); a lemon juicer; a spice grater for making things such as fresh ginger or garlic; an egg masher for making egg salad & other dishes in a jiffy; a cheese grater (add a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan on your pasta); a lid grip/opener for those stubborn jar lids; an egg yolk separator; a measuring cup that measures up to 420ml.” – Bento & Co
DIY mood-boosting aromatherapy room spray
04
$cost of supplies
When packaged in sleek, ultra-simple spray bottles, these essential oil-based sprays look totally elevated. Opt for lavender, bergamot, or chamomile depending on what kind of vibes you’d like to give your gift-ee—or give them a batch of all three!
The Tri-fecta wrap set by Bee’s Wrap
08
$18-19
If you haven’t heard the news by now, SINGLE USE PLASTICS SUCK. Our planet is slowly coming together to switch to reusable water bottles & eco-friendly straws, as we damn well should be. The next step at home is switching to these reusable & biodegradable wraps for food storage. They also happen to make a great gift for pretty much anyone, and they come in fun prints that make giving someone what is essentially plastic-wrap replacement actually cool. These wraps are made with ethically sourced ingredients in Vermont, stick to themselves, are naturally antibacterial, & work for literally any food you need to wrap up. Gift them to someone to use for packing lunches & picnics, storing food, and wrapping leftovers – both you & the recipient get to feel good about doing your part for the planet.
“The Pub Nub” cyclist bottle opener
10
$20
OH NO! On a long ride and left your bottle opener in your other tight shorts? Fret not! Get a Pub-Nub — a bottle opener that attaches easily to your handlebar. All of the other cyclists will be jealous. And thirsty. The Pub-Nub is a bike mounted bottle opener machined from T6061 aluminum available in matte gray and matte black.
Get it from Modern Bike, Bike World Iowa, or the Nub Nub site (currently not working at time of posting).
Nostalgia countertop snow cone maker
11
$40
Whoever you’re shopping for probably doesn’t already have their own snow cone maker, because honestly, who even knew that was a thing? This is a particularly fun gift if you’re going to get to attend a summer party with the recipient. Just note it doesn’t come with the syrups for $40 – if you want to stock them ready to go, you’ll need to add those too.
The Loser Game by The School of Life
12
$15
“Learn How to Fail Well. Normally, those who win at games do so because they know how to triumph, succeed and outwit others. This is a game with a difference: those who win it are great at losing; they know all about frustration and difficulty and how, optimally, to respond to it. This game invites us to answer questions about the challenges we’ve faced (in love, work, etc.) – and rewards players for speaking with particular frankness and good humour about their lives. In a world often obsessed with success, The Loser Game gently suggests that losing isn’t some freakish anomaly, it’s an inevitable part of being human.” – The School of Life
A unique Demeter fragrance
13
$5-36 for a single scent based on size, $22-32 for sampler sets
Demeter has a fragrance for...well, we’re pretty sure literally everything. There’s the all the A-Z classics – Blueberry, Cinnamon Bun, Coconut, Sandalwood, etc. Then there’s the more unique – Cannabis Flower, Devil’s Food Cake, Gin & Tonic, Hot Toddy, Pizza, Sawdust, Spicy Pineapple Salsa, Thunderstorm, Waffles, etc. And then there’s the truly wacky ones – Condensed Milk, Crayon, Dust, Funeral Home, Kitten Fur, Mildew, Riding Crop, Stable, Tarnish, etc. Okay, so maybe someone doesn’t actually want to smell like stringbeans (yes, that is one), but how great of an off-the-wall gift is it to get someone a scent that perfectly describes them, an inside joke, or an adventure you had together? There’s even a “Destination Collection” with Thailand, Morocco, Ireland, Cuba, New Zealand, & Great Barrier Reef inspired scents. Scents come in a range of sizes from 1/2oz mini splash for $5.40 or 1/2oz purse spray for $10.80 up to 3.4oz cologne spray for $36. There’s even roll on oil, body lotion, and shower gel options.
Here’s how Demeter describes their library: “The Demeter Fragrance Library consists consists of over 300 different fragrances inspired by everyday objects and experiences. In short, we are the olfactory version of ‘stopping to smell the roses’. We isolate & highlight the beautiful scents that surround us every day, in wearable formats. Why so many different scents? Because our sense of smell triggers our strongest emotional response, choosing & wearing a Demeter fragrance is a personal expression of that emotional response.” Can’t decide on one? Get them a sampler pack – for example, the “2019 Sampler Pack” contains Fuzzy Sweater, Thailand, Turmeric, Mountain Laurel, Spacewalk, Kelp, Churros, Monk Fruit, & Gold. Sampler packs vary in size & price from 8 5ml sprays for $22 to 14 5ml sprays for $32.
Happylight therapy lamp by Verilux
14
$40-100
A what? Let’s have them explain it: “Sunlight is an essential ingredient for a healthy lifestyle, but many of us don't get the amount of daylight we need to experience its benefits. HappyLight® therapy lamps mimic sunlight to enhance mood, energy, sleep & focus - but without the UV rays. We make the best products to help with common problems such as winter blues, sleep disorders, light deprivation, jet lag, shift work & other symptoms alleviated by exposure to healthy light. Our HappyLight® therapy lamps are full spectrum, 10,000 lux, & come with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.” This lamp (there are 6 different models, ranging in price) makes for a unique gift that can actually be beneficial for someone’s health, especially for anyone you know who gets stuck inside a lot.
Nose hair trimmer
16
$30
Only adding this because it’s hilarious and I will die laughing if anyone buys this for someone as a present (especially if you’re not married or related to him/her). That being said, you probably know someone who needs it, and most people probably don’t have one of these lying around.
Books
What We Keep: 150 People Share The One Object That Brings Them Joy, Magic, and Meaning by Bill Shapiro
17
$23
“With contributions from Cheryl Strayed, Mark Cuban, Ta-Nahesi Coates, Melinda Gates, Joss Whedon, James Patterson, and many more--this fascinating collection gives us a peek into 150 personal treasures and the secret histories behind them. All of us have that one object that holds deep meaning--something that speaks to our past, that carries a remarkable story. Bestselling author Bill Shapiro collected this sweeping range of stories--he talked to everyone from renowned writers to Shark Tank hosts, from blackjack dealers to teachers, truckers, and nuns, even a reformed counterfeiter--to reveal the often hidden, always surprising lives of objects.” – Goodreads
Phaidon Where to Eat & Drink Collection
18
$81
You can also get each of these books separately, but Phaidon offers a collection of 4 guides to the best places to eat & drink worldwide, as recommended by chefs, pizza experts, bartenders, & baristas. This collection includes:
“1) Where Chefs Eat: Eat around the world with 650 of the world's best chefs. Wherever you are, youll never miss the best local diner for breakfast, the best restaurant for a business dinner, or the best place for a late night snack - and everything in between. This all-new, completely revised, third edition of the global restaurant guidebook that has sold more than 250,000 copies features more than 7,000 recommendations for more than 4,500 restaurants in more than 70 countries. Wherever you are, you'll never miss the best local diner for breakfast, the best restaurant for a business dinner, or the best place for a late night snack – and everything in-between. With city maps, key information, reviews and recommendations from the chefs themselves, this is the guide for savvy restaurant-goers and arm chair foodies in major cities and towns worldwide.
2) Where to Drink Beer is the ultimate guide by the real experts - 500 of the world's most revered brewers reveal the little-known, eclectic, and surprising destinations they visit for their ultimate beer. With 1,600 listings in more than 70 countries - and detailed maps, reviews, key information, honest comments, and suggestions - there is nothing like it.
3) Where Bartenders Drink: The best 300 expert drink-makers share their secrets - 750 spots spread across 60 countries - revealing where they go for a drink throughout the world when they're off-duty. Venues range from late-night establishments and legendary hotel bars to cosy neighbourhood 'locals' - and in some surprising locales. The 750 expert recommendations come with insightful reviews, key information, specially commissioned maps, and an easy-to-navigate geographical organization. It's the only guide you need to ensure that you get the best drinks in the most memorable global locations.
& 4) Where to Eat Pizza: Over 1,000 food experts and aficionados from around the world reveal their insider tips on finding the perfect slice of pizza. The world over, people want the inside scoop on where to get that ultimate slice of pizza. With quotes from chefs, critics, and industry experts, readers will learn about secret ingredients, special sauces, and the quest for the perfect crust. The guide includes detailed city maps, reviews, key information and honest comments from the people you’d expect to know. The world over, people want the inside scoop on where to get that ultimate slice of pizza. With quotes from chefs, critics, and industry experts, readers will learn about secret ingredients, special sauces, and the quest for the perfect crust. The guide includes detailed city maps, reviews, key information and honest comments from the people you’d expect to know. Featuring more than 1,700 world-wide pizzerias, parlours, and pizza joints listed. All you need to know - where to go, when to go, and what to order.” – Phaidon Press
No Such Thing As A Fish’s The Book of the Year 2017, 2018, or 2019
19
$12+
The Book of the Year is a hilarious guide to each of the year’s most extraordinary events from the creators of the podcast No Such Thing As A Fish (which if you haven’t listened to it, you really should - it’s fantastic). These books are random and really unbelievable, and yet they’re all 100% true. For someone who likes trivia, comedy, or current events, one of these books makes a great gift.
The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks by Amy Stewart or Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail by Dave Arnold
20
$14-19 or $22-29
Get the Drunken Botanist from Alibris or Better World Books or Liquid Intelligence from Alibris or Better World Books.
The History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor
21
$48
“Neil MacGregor's A History of the World in 100 Objects takes a bold, original approach to human history, exploring past civilizations through the objects that defined them. Encompassing a grand sweep of human history, A History of the World in 100 Objects begins with one of the earliest surviving objects made by human hands, a chopping tool from the Olduvai gorge in Africa, and ends with objects which characterise the world we live in today. Seen through MacGregor's eyes, history is a kaleidoscope - shifting, interconnected, constantly surprising, and shaping our world today in ways that most of us have never imagined. A stone pillar tells us about a great Indian emperor preaching tolerance to his people; Spanish pieces of eight tell us about the beginning of a global currency; and an early Victorian tea-set speaks to us about the impact of empire. An intellectual and visual feast, this is one of the most engrossing and unusual history books published in years.” – Goodreads
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe
22
$17-27
“Randall Munroe left NASA in 2005 to start up his hugely popular site XKCD 'a web comic of romance, sarcasm, math and language' which offers a witty take on the world of science and geeks. It now has 600,000 to a million page hits daily. Every now and then, Munroe would get emails asking him to arbitrate a science debate. 'My friend and I were arguing about what would happen if a bullet got struck by lightning, and we agreed that you should resolve it . . . ' He liked these questions so much that he started up What If. If your cells suddenly lost the power to divide, how long would you survive? How dangerous is it, really, to be in a swimming pool in a thunderstorm? If we hooked turbines to people exercising in gyms, how much power could we produce? What if everyone only had one soulmate? When (if ever) did the sun go down on the British empire? How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live? What would happen if the moon went away?
In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations, and consults with nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity, studded with memorable cartoons and infographics. They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind, or at least a really big explosion. Far more than a book for geeks, WHAT IF: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions explains the laws of science in operation in a way that every intelligent reader will enjoy and feel much the smarter for having read.” – Goodreads
This Book Is a Planetarium: And Other Extraordinary Pop-Up Contraptions by Kelli Anderson
23
$24-32
“This is a stunningly detailed pop-up book that can morph into a planetarium, an infinite calendar, a message encoder, and more. Super cool.” – Blake Olmstead, Head of Design, Atlas Obscura
Get it from Alibris or Better World Books.