Gift Ideas Archives - Page 7 of 9

Retooling Geek Chic

Well, I’m pretty late in terms of reviewing the new Star Trek movie, so I’ll leave that to others. As I understand it, the way that the movie cleverly elides issues of continuity so as not to be held to the storylines of previous films and television episodes is all about the fans. The sort of folks that like Star Trek and other science fiction and fantasy—myself included—are known for paying attention to detail and quickly notice if plot point contradicts something that occurred earlier in the larger plot, even if it was in a book/film that was authored by a different person, or was produced years earlier (see “Canon” in the Wookipedia).

However, this audience is not known for paying nearly as much attention to, ahem, fashion sense. Sure, there’s “geek chic,” but it operates, in part, on the premise that being an early adopter of high-end gadgets or a fan of “Lord of the Rings,” means adhering to a particular type of uniform. What if you’re a Star Trek fan who works in an office that has a dress code, or you simply don’t like pocket protectors? What to do? You can find classic elements of style that hint—not yell—your geekdom. To that effect, these Star Trek Cufflinks are perfect:

To someone uniformed, they’re just lovely cufflinks with an interesting, abstract design. To a fellow geek, they’re worth coveting.

Mise en Place

If you talk to people who cook a lot—professional chefs or a household’s main cook—they’ll tell you the value of a good, solid, sharp knife. Indeed, most people who cut themselves in the kitchen do it using a dull knife that requires a lot of force to manage its appointed task. Our store has a great set of Chef Knife Cufflinks:

Sharp knives are necessary for “mise en place,” or the idea of preparing all your ingredients and necessary equipment before you start cooking. A more literal translation of the French is something like “everything in its place.” I’ve often wished that accomplishing mise en place could be accomplished as easily outside the kitchen is it is inside, but I must admit that I have not quite put in the effort. What would your life look like if you practiced mise en place in all areas of it?

Going Green on the Daily

Today was Earth Day, but I didn’t plan a long and involved post. Why not? It certainly isn’t the case that I don’t care. I try to live in a way that minimizes my carbon footprint; indeed, I try to generally minimize anything I do that is harmful to the planet. Also, I have highlighted a number of our store’s offerings in the way of cufflinks made from recycled materials. To that end, I present yet another set today; these Recycled Bottle Top Cufflinks:

So, why not the long and lengthy post? I guess I have two reasons: First, I think that there are others on the web who do it better. Second, I look forward to the day when sustainable living is second nature to us all to the extent that we no longer need to reserve one day to remind everyone why we need to put more effort into taking care of our planet.

A Timely Gift for Cycling Commuters

I’ve started to ride my bike more. I’m not far from the big three-oh, and would like to get back into shape sooner rather than later. That, and there is going to be a fare hike in the coming months on the public transportation in my city, and I’d like to get used to riding often before that happens. We’re doing ok financially, but getting in shape and saving money just seemed too good to pass up.

Apparently, I’m not alone. While my own dear hubby doesn’t share my new pursuit, I definitely see more guys commuting than women. (Come on ladies—join me! It’s fun and cheaper than spin class!) I think if my husband did start to commute by bicycle, I’d purchase him a pair of these Bicycle Cufflinks:

They’d be a great form of encouragement for the new commuter. The detail on them is stunning, and the clean lines would compliment any business attire. They’re also priced very reasonably, to boot!

Enter The Dragon

Of mythical creatures, dragons are definitely the ones we turn to when seeking a symbol of strength and power. Certainly, the pan is a trickster figure (as aptly highlighted in Pan’s Labyrinth), and unicorns are pretty, but neither conjures the sense of defiance that dragons do. Can we imagine the effect of entitling Bruce Lee’s iconic film “Enter the Unicorn”? Such a title just doesn’t fit a film that showcased Lee’s charisma and skill.

That said, it is no wonder that dragons are a common subject for tattoos. However, tattoos are permanent, and expensive, and painful. For those who would like to wear dragons on their sleeves without getting dragon sleeves tattooed, our store offers a solution in the way of these Dragon Body Cufflinks:

These cufflinks provide a much simpler way to make the dragon your mascot, no?

Balanced

You told him not to worry about impressing anyone. As far as you were concerned, he didn’t have anything to prove. But he was still nervous about going to your grandmother’s 80th birthday party. After all, this grandmother was on the old money side of the family, the side that never quite approved of their Ivy-league educated, architect daughter marrying a contractor. (Nevermind that you found this pairing ideal, or at the very least, convenient when you both designed and built your dreamhouse on a small budget, and even better when you formed your own firm.) That, and the party was black-tie, and he always felt like he was impersonating someone else when he dressed up.

Despite his misgivings, he dutifully dressed for the occasion, and couldn’t have been more handsome. But then, looking down at his wrists, he realized he’d forgotten to get cufflinks for the fancy shirt he’d purchased for the occasion. No matter. Right after adjusting your hair, you gave him gave him these Blue Level Cufflinks:

They’d reminded you of him—precise, perfect, always balanced. In turn, he felt better wearing a visible reminder that you didn’t think he needed any changing.

Ensuring Your Rings Arrive

Your Best Man: He’s your best friend; he’s always been there for you; you love him like a brother, and he adopted your future wife as a sister. Who could ask for more in a best man? Well, there is that one, itty, bitty, teeny, tiny issue. Your bachelor party was Downtown, on the Westside, but somehow, he ended up Uptown, on the Eastside. The concept of the streets being in a grid system is entirely lost on him. The rehearsal dinner, at his parents’ house—so he wouldn’t get lost—was at 7pm, but he didn’t get there until 8 (and this, after telling him that it was at 6:30pm to pre-empt his lateness), claiming that he had, “just lost track of time.” You can’t imagine choosing anyone else to be your best man, but, given that the traditional, crucial task of the best man is to hold onto the wedding bands, you’re starting to freak out. The whole, “with this ring…” thing just doesn’t sound right without, well, wedding rings.

These Silver Finish Watch & Compass Cufflinks, available in our store, are just the thing:

Of course, if he happens to just lose the rings, you’re on your own.

Making Nice While Stealing Their Thunder

While couples sometimes opt to make a special trip to let their family members know that they’ve gotten engaged, it is more common to make the announcement the next family gathering. In other words, you could end up making the announcement at an event that is not supposed to be about you, such as a holiday, or a dinner party or barbeque celebrating something else. Your announcement will inevitably steal someone’s thunder, so how do you smooth things over in the process? In my estimation, reminding loved ones how important they are and will continue to be in your life always goes far. Adding a gift doesn’t hurt, either. These Father of the Bride Cufflinks do both:

What better way to smooth things over with Dad after you’ve stolen the show at what was supposed to the inaugural weekend of his new hi-tech barbeque grill? (Kebabs just aren’t as a big a deal when someone walks in with news like a fall wedding, are they?) As you can see, our store offers a number of variations on such cufflinks, so everyone can be happy.

Rome, If You Want To

You both agreed that a better use of your hard-earned cash would be a 2-month honeymoon in Europe, to all of the cities you dreamed about. You’d be getting matching bands, sure, but you didn’t need a huge rock. Then, at Thanksgiving, your vain cousin—the one nobody really likes but gets invited everywhere out of obligation—laughed at your tiny glittery engagement ring, and pressured your husband to buy you something more substantial before the wedding.

As you leave your reception to head to the airport, where your husband thinks you’ll be flying to the Jersey shore to stay with the same obnoxious cousin, who insisted a trip to her beach house for a week “wouldn’t be any different than Venice, or Marseille, really,” you let your new hubby know that you’ve actually been wearing a CZ for weeks, and used the money you got for returning the ring to book the trip to Europe, and you’ve packed the extra bags you’ll need for the longer trip. He looks down at his wrists, at the Sterling Suitcase Cufflinks:

And now he knows why you thought they’d be just right for your big day.

Vegas, Baby

Need a reminder of your fun Vegas wedding as planning the formal reception the in-laws insisted on gets increasingly laborious? These Roulette Wheel Cufflinks might do the trick:

They’ll remind you of the reason why you took a chance to get married in the first place, and be an amusement near your wrists when Uncle George makes things awkward by calling your new wife not by her name, but “Jessica,” the name of your old girlfriend.

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