The Playboy Holiday Gift Guide
December, 2011
1
THIS YEAR, SHOP FOR THE ONE YOU LOVE MOST: YOURSELF
Who needs GPS? Garrett Wade's Fishing Dory Rescue compass ($83, garrettwade.com) recalls a time when men were able to find their way in the world without having their exact coordinates beamed into their hands via satellite. So try to get lost—we dare you.
Drown out your in-laws > after the holiday dinner with some red-blooded reading. A few of our recent favorites: Conversations With Scorsese ($30, random house.com), Icons of Men's Style ($30, laurenceking .com), At the Fights ($35, loa.org) and The Butcher's Guide to Well-Raised Meat ($28, fleishers.com).
Proof that the world revolves around you: Dunhill Spinning Earth cuff links ($368, dunhill.com). The natural green markings of these azurite beauties make them look like little globes. In fact, each has a unique pattern.
Go back in time with the Seagull 1963 Air Force watch ($389, seagulll963.com), an official re-creation of the timepiece worn by the MiG-17 pilots of the Vietnam war-era People's Liberation Army. The hand-wound multifunction chronograph is distinguished by a fabric strap and a set of Chinese characters that mean "China—Tianjin Watch Factory."
Inspired by the classic sheen of early Leica handheld cameras, Fujifilm takes digital photography to new levels of chic with its XI00 Finepix ($1,200, finepix-xl00.com). With a chassis cast from magnesium alloy and enveloped in a leather-like laminate, the XI00 will bring you closer to taking photographs like the pros.
It's in the bag. In this case, the leather weekender ($1,360, basilracuk.com) from northern California bagman extraordinaire Basil Racuk.
Let there be light. The Classified Moto vintage motorcycle lamp ($200, classifiedmoto.bigcartel.com) illuminates a room with the help of repurposed motorcycle parts.
Worldknives.com specializes in blades made by artisans worldwide. Pictured: pocket-knives from France's Coutellerie Chambriard ($100) and Germany's Hartkopf ($90).
How about a nice rack for the holidays? The Stags Leap Appellation Collection ($1,450, stagsleapdistrict.com) features one bottle of the 2007 vintage from all 18 wineries in Napa Valley's vaunted Stags Leap district—every one of them a gem. As for the rack itself, it's called Flow ($48, black-blunt .com), and it mounts to whichever wall is most handy.
You say, "I can't believe it! You got me a Porsche!" She says, "If s the all-new seventh-generation 911 [$82,100, porsche.com]—faster, sleeker, more efficient than ever." You say, "Shall we go for a ride?" She answers with a smile, "You bet. And after that, let's take out the Porsche."
Cuban cigars are hard to come by. However, Joyas de Panama has found a way around government sanctions: Its cigars are made with organic Cuban seed tobacco (prices vary, joyasdepanamacigars.com). Spark yours with an Xikar EXIl Havana Collection lighter ($100, xikar.com).
What do you get for your coffee-enthusiast better half? The Espressione Cafe Retro ($400, electra-craft.com), replete with a coated metal housing, chrome accents, a temperature gauge, a lever-style steam valve and toggle switches. Pep up.
Just in time for the NFL playoffs comes Sharp's 70-inch LCD Aquos Quattron ($4,800, sharpusa.com). It's the largest 3-D TV on the market, and it's thinner than Kate Moss. Now that turns us on.
Midcentury modern is in again. And so, behold the Oviedo chaise from Restoration Hardware ($2,525, restorationhardware.com). Its leather-cushioned curves atop a sleek chrome base and woven leather suspension system comfort the body, making this lounge chair a gem in any era.
The Germans are known for their frothy brews, fast cars and engineering feats. You can add straight-razor cutlery to the list as well. The Dovo Solingen ($145, nashvilleknifeshop.com) is a high-carbon, hollow-ground 6/8 blade with decorative etchings and a black handle with a hidden center pin.
Celebrating its 50th birthday this year, the Mclntosh 275 vacuum-tube amplifier ($4,500, mci ntosh labs .com) came out the same year as John Coltrane's My Favorite Things. Some true audio-philes claim the rich and silky son-ics of this 75-pound beast have yet to be topped. One of our favorite things indeed.
You're not being the ball, Danny. That's because you are not using Sweet Wood Golf's hickory-shafted iron set ($3,000, sweetwoodgolf.com). The heads are made of soft carbon steel for serious power. Got wood? Now you do.
Drinks by the Dram offers 30-milliliter samples of expensive rare single malts on the cheap (prices vary, masterofmalt.com). Pair yours with a Glencairn crystal glass ($13, scotchwhiskyglass.com).
This Tiirms redwood shoe-care case ($700) is from Montegranaro, a tiny town in Italy known for its shoemakers. The boot is Tricker's C-Shade Oorse Elastic ($505). Both are at thebureaubelfast.com.
The Swann Sports-Cam ($100, swann .com) is waterproof, can mount on just about anything and captures great video— no matter how fast you're moving.
What once seemed a far-fetched futuristic idea from an H.O. Wells novel is now reality: Recon Instruments has produced the world's first GPS device for ski and snowboard goggles ($400, reconinstruments.com).
As the saying goes, water is wet. Stay above it in a gorgeous Guillemot handmade canoe or kayak. Boat builder Nick Schade offers custom boats and DIY plans so you can craft your own ark. Pictured here: the Nymph (price varies, guillemot-kayaks.com).
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