The holidays are here. It’s time to give thanks and reunite with family — and put on your shopping shoes. Once again, the staff at AsianWeek has compiled a wish list that includes dream gifts and presents we’re more likely to receive. Whatever your taste is, there is sure to be something here that you can add to your own list, too.
Tony
Dream gift: Red. That’s the color I would choose for this automobile with the soul of a race car in the body of a sedan. The Audi RS6 ($29,560) is a 450-horsepower beast that will carry a family of five. This special production vehicle is built by quattro GmbH — the equivalent of Mercedes’ AMG and BMW’s Motorsport divisions — an arm of Audi specializing in performance and customization work.
Reality: A new shirt from Café Coton ($80). I really love how sturdy and luxurious its shirts look and feel. They have great color and pattern selections beyond average white and stripes.
Carlson
Dream gift: A trip to Dollywood ($38 admission). At Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Theme Park, there’s a cool ride called Mountain Slidewinder — voted the No. 1 non-roller coaster thrill ride in America. This water toboggan zips down the side of a mountain with high-banked curves at breathtaking speed. You’ll get wet on this ride!
Reality: An Image 10.4QL Treadmill ($899) with Precision Response Cushioning and maybe a water bottle to go with it. I was told that Iím out of shape.
Peter
Dream gift: A long vacation (estimated $31,500). I would like to travel all over Asia for a year and one month to explore our culture and history. I’d go to Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Myanmar, India, Philippines and Singapore.
Reality: An hour-and-a-half body massage ($75) with a steam room and sauna. That would be just the thing to soothe a stressed-out ad man like myself.
Kathleen
Dream gift: Woo-hoo, the good one! A 2004 Beneteau 57CC sailboat designed by Bruce Farr ($55,000). A 57-foot palace on water, perfect for those late-night trips to the Bahamas. I’m ready at any time to sell everything but my guitar and some clothes and move into this beauty. Ship ahoy!
Reality: Led Zeppelin’s How the West Was Won ($25.99). A new three-CD set of live re-mastered and previously unheard classics from one of the best rock bands ever to grace the stage! If I’m really good, maybe I’ll get some Zepplin sheet music for guitar, too.
Sandra
Dream gift: A pair of high-calf, lace-up shearling boots from Coach ($320). Size 8-1/2, in case anyone’s interested.
Reality: Sweatshirts and sweaters ($50 — It’s the thought that counts).
Steph
Dream gift: A seashell brooch by Verdura. In the ’50s, a jeweler by the name of Duke Fulco di Verdura had a shop in New York City, which still exists, where he made unusual items for Hollywood movies, socialites and the like. One of the things he was known for was taking seashells and encrusting them with diamonds, rubies and other precious and semi-precious stones. It is said that Verdura’s fine jewelry often featured seashells and sea life because of his love of the sea. Not all of his jewelry is shell-inspired. In fact, most of it is not.
When Verdura died, his business was taken over by Ward Landrigan. There are now two Verdura stores, one in New York and one in Florida. He still sells the seashells and other beautiful jewelry. The vintage seashell brooches and other jewelry have become highly collectible and somewhat hard to find. A vintage seashell brooch starts around $30,000. A new seashell brooch begins at $20,000.
I first saw a seashell brooch on the cover of a magazine about five years ago. I had never heard of Verdura and had certainly never seen anything like the pin — a beautiful pink scallop shell, edged in diamonds and citrine. I liked it because it was so unusual, but also it reminds me of spending days at the beach. I come from a family full of surfers. Summer vacations, winter vacations, spring breaks and weekends were always spent at the beach — regardless of the weather. (Rain or shine, it was always about the waves.) I have come to prefer city life, but still hold precious the memories of beach living. The shell pin is a nice combination of both worlds.
Reality: Plumeria scented bubble bath. ($19.99) I enjoy a long soak in a hot tub — especially during the cold nights of winter. Bubble baths are one of my favorite pastimes. Plumerias, my favorite flower, remind me of living in Hawaiíi where they grow in abundance. They smell sweet and delicious. Some plumeria bubble bath would be nice.
May
Dream gift: KitchenAid five-quart capacity Custom Metallic Tilt-Head Mixer ($529.99). Since I love to bake, this baby boasts a whopping 325-watt motor and has a five-quart stainless steel bowl that allows me to make enough pâte brisée for three pies and then some. The mixer comes with 10 speeds, a clear two-piece pouring shield and a mixing attachment for every baking occasion: flat beater, dough hook and wire whip. And with an ergonomic handle, I won’t have any cramped hands from all the baking. I’ve always wanted a KitchenAid mixer, since all the chefs on PBS have one — from Joanne Weir to Jacques Pepin. They always look like they have fun mixing.
Reality: Trader Joe’s gift card (in $5-$100 denominations). I can use the certificate to buy the ingredients I need to make cookies, pies and cakes — but I just have to get some elbow grease and mix it with my own two hands. Trader Joe’s carries fresh Irish creamery butter, organic cane sugar and King Arthur’s Flour. I love Trader Joe’s because of its affordable prices and happy service. It buys directly from independent producers to keep the prices low and support and work with local farmers to ensure that the fruit and produce are fresh. (Though I wish I didnít have to buy vacuum-packed red bell peppers.)
Vivian
Dream gift: Say cheese.Since I haven’t asked for a gift in 25 years, I think it’s finally time. I want the best digital camera there is, one that’s lightweight, easy to handle and has a long battery life (pictured, Olympus C-5060, $699). Also, one week at a health spa, preferably one in Arizona, would be heaven. ($1,200)
Reality: Anything will do. Anyone who wants to get me a gift, please go ahead. Iím not picky.
Joyce
Dream gift: A year pass to Tru Spa ($3,360). It’s close to work, so whenever I feel my shoulders tensing up, I could strut right over.
Reality: A toy for my guru, Buster ($20).
Samson
Dream gift: Money, money, money. I’m building an investment portfolio for retirement in 20-25 years. I’m doing what most investors should do — diversifing investments to avoid putting all of my nest eggs in one basket. With the stock market recently recovering, I’m cautiously looking to plunk some of that cash into mutual funds. To help me select the funds, I’m relying on the analyses published by Morningstar. My dream gift is Morningstar Mutual Fund Resource Service, an information guide for investors. It’s $549 for 24 mailed issues per year, detailing 1,600 funds with indepth reports and additional online updates
Reality: And more money. More realistic is an annual Premium Membership through Morningstar.com ($109), which provides online information on mutual funds and investment tips.
Steve
Dream gift: A plasma, flat-panel television set ($6,499) with high-density capability, no less than, say, 40 or 50 inches. Ideally, it would be split-screen, so I could be playing video games on one side and be watching my favorite sporting event or show on the other. But I don’t know if such a TV exists. Oh, well. Of course, there’s always the old board game of Operation that my parents would never buy for me (I guess they didn’t want me to become a doctor).
Reality: What else do men get? Shirts, sweaters, something sports-related ($50).
Jennie
Dream gift: K2 Mix Snowboard, size 147 ($439). What better way to hit the parks and slopes than with a new snowboard? I want to feel the icicles forming on my face while gliding at impossible speeds down the mountain, hitting those jumps with a solid 360 degree perfect landing and finally getting the nerves to take a crack at those mailbox rails. The K2 Mix Snowboard is the perfect gift to help me dream about actually being able to do all that!
Reality: I want to be able to play my video games, process words and organize my life on one practical and very cool hand-held device. The Zodiac Tapwave ($299) would give me all that and more!