Mighty Goods: Congrats

GM Vertical Card Case

QUICK PICK Designed by Gene Mayer.

$30 at Airline International | Buy

| Posted 15 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Cobblestone Bud Vase

These petite bud vases make instant arrangements. They’re handmade of glazed ceramic and come in white or blue.

$35 at Re-Modern | Buy

(4" tall)

| Posted 15 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

BY READER REQUEST Just got an email with the following specs: “I need a business-card case that doesn’t suck and isn’t trying too hard. I got my very first business cards recently-much rejoicing-and am sort of at a loss for what to put them in. I want something functional, but not flashy. I don’t want something that screams “Can you believe I have business cards?! Woohoo!” because my personality does that very, very well. I also don’t want something that looks like a hand-me-down from my father. I’m the youngest person in my office, so I want to avoid anything too youthful; otherwise, I would so be using a Hello Kitty case already.” Congrats on the milestone, wage earner! These colorful leather card cases are energetic, but not immature. Technically, they’re set up like mini-wallets, but they’ll work just as well to stow your business cards. They come in seven different color combinations, so take your pick.

$25 at Wishing Fish | Buy

(4" x 3")

| Posted 15 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Stainless Steel Card Holder

QUICK PICK

$17 at Wedding Depot | Buy

(3.6" x2.5")

| Posted 15 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Toasted Head Chardonnay

I know it’s not particularly sophisticated, but I’m a sucker for a good wine label. Toasted Head wines have an adorable fire-breathing bear that’s smashing at a party. And, best of all, they’re relatively cheap and yummy. This chardonnay smells like apricots. It’s sweet, fruity, and bright. The name Toasted Head derives from the process of burning the barrel heads to give the wine a caramelized flavor. I don’t taste any caramel, but I can taste a bit of the oak. A great match for the chicken wings at your backyard BBQ.

$10 at BevMo | Buy

| Posted 10 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Lorraine Lunch Bag

This durable floral sack with ribbon trim will keep your conscience as clear as the landfill. It’s double-lined with a sturdy, reinforced bottom. It’s made of crumple-proof oil cloth, and you can wash it with soap and water if it starts to smell like tuna fish.

$40 at Buy Olympia | Buy

(6.5" x 13.5")

| Posted 08 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Credit Card Bottle Opener

That bottle opener on your key chain is so ’90s. Secret this sleek bottle opener in your wallet and put all the fraternity brothers to shame. Designed by Tommy Larsen, the opener is designed to fit in a credit card slot. Made of stainless steel.

$28 at Fitsu | Buy

| Posted 07 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Wiffle Ball T-Shirt

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE Every man has his passion, but your man is a legend in his time. With a giant plastic bat in hand, he feels like anything is possible. Let him know how proud you are with this slim-fit wiffle ball tee.

$20 at Karmaloop | Buy

| Posted 01 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Four-Leaf Clover Kit

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE Everyone could use a little more luck, and this clover kit is like giving your Valentine a little bit of happy. It comes with a small book on luck, four-leaf clover seeds, and a pot for planting. Nothing promotes a happy relationship like a crop of good fortune.

$7 at Buy.com | Buy

| Posted 01 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Passion Superhero Necklace

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE Forget the chocolates, Superhero necklaces are good enough to eat. They’ve gained a cult following in the Bay Area where girls at parties strike up conversations when they see a fellow superhero. Each candy-colored piece is unique, and they’re all handmade by San Francisco jewelry designer Andrea Scher, who is a friend of mine. A while ago, Andrea noticed that she was hoarding her favorite, most rare, vintage pink and red beads. She decided it was time to let set the beads free, and this Passion necklace was the result. All the Superhero jewelry comes beautifully wrapped with a card that grants your sweetie superhero powers. Free shipping for Valentine’s Day.

$64 at Superhero Jewelry | Buy

| Posted 01 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

New ID Bracelets

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE I love the idea of ID bracelets, but they always look like you got them at some crappy kiosk in the mall. This handmade DottyspecK bracelet is a fresh update. It’s substantial, customizable up to 12 characters, and made of sterling silver. Time to immortalize that embarrassing nickname.

$42 at Buy Olympia | Buy

| Posted 01 Feb, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Refillable Record Book

A blank-page, journal with recycled record albums as the cover. It has two inside pockets and takes regular binder pages

$35 at Buy Olympia | Buy

| Posted 31 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Esquire Magazine

If Maxim makes you uneasy and The Economist makes you sleepy, Esquire is just the thing. It’s like a magazine for young women except, you know, the editors assume their readership is smart. Also, more cars.

$8 at Amazon | Buy

| Posted 27 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Hand Tied Romance Bouquet

Remember last year when you grabbed a sad little bunch of Valentine’s flowers from the convenience store? Turns out that baby’s breath is a highly potent form of birth control. This year, give yourself a fighting chance. Order this gorgeous hand-tied bouquet of pink alstromeria, lemon-scented wax flowers, lavender asters, allium and purple lisianthus, asters, and cremones. From now until Valentine’s Day, code V5AFF gets you 15 percent off everything at Kabloom. The baroque bouquet is awfully nice too.

$58 at Kabloom | Buy

| Posted 24 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Winter Cheer Organic Bouquet

Red roses on Valentine’s Day are for amateurs. If you’d prefer to be a little unpredictable, choose this modern arrangement in white. This cheerful bunch of oriental lilies, white roses, and white asters looks as though you just gathered it in the backyard. Also, they’re organic, which means that your gift of love isn’t sending insecticide into the drinking water. So that’s a plus.

$40 at OrganicBouquet.com | Buy

| Posted 24 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Botanical Branch with Figs

Forget the flowers, Michael Aram’s fig branch sculpture makes for a gorgeous–and hardy–centerpiece. Put it on the table with a few tea lights, or set it on the mantle. Brings a sense of plenty to any room.

$130 at Room and Company | Buy

(No longer available.)

| Posted 21 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

iTunes Music Store Card

THOUGHTFUL GIFTS FOR EMPLOYEES

Prepaid iTunes cards let recipients load their Macs and iPods with whatever they’re into that week. Because songs are only 99 cents each, a $15 card goes the distance.

$15 at Amazon | Buy

| Posted 13 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Tomales Bay Deluxe Collection

PERFECT PICNIC GUIDE

Cowgirl Creamery makes some dreamy cheeses. I feel nothing but tenderness for their Mt. Tam Triple-Cream Brie. It’s rich, indulgent, and ever so friendly. Cowgirl Creamery offers all kinds of cheese clubs, but my favorite product is their sampler pack of three tasty cheeses, all made in the Tomales Bay region. You’ll get the Mt. Tam, a bum-fortifying triple-cream brie, Point Reyes Original Blue, and Matos St. George cheddar. With this in your picnic basket, don’t bother with sandwiches.

$50 at Cowgirl Creamery | Buy

| Posted 10 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Molecule Jewelry

My friend Judith has stunning taste, especially in jewelry. The other day, I commented on her amazing ring. “It’s a caffeine molecule,” she said. Every so often I see a product line that floors me, and this one has me laid flat. You’ll want every bright, smooth piece Muscovie Designs has on offer, but the molecule jewelry is the wittiest. There are six different options, all representing substances that affect mood. I’ve pictured the Adrenoline Pendant here, but they also offer rings. Science becomes you.

$175 at Muscovie Designs | Buy

| Posted 07 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Stars Tee

This fun red T-shirt has you decorated like a military general. Wear it out and enjoy the respect that your rank demands. Cotton-poly blend. Salutes all around.

$26 at Delias | Buy

| Posted 06 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Nelson Relief Aorta Teapot

If you like your serving pieces modeled on internal organs–and who doesn’t!–you’ll love this cozy aorta teapot by Jonathan Adler. I like it because it’s modern, but it still looks like a teapot. As opposed to the endlessly irritating novelty teapots that have become the norm: It’s the Chrysler Building! It’s an elephant! It’s Kermit the Frog! Just pour me a damn cup of tea. Comes in white and white.

$90 at Velocity Art and Design | Buy

(No longer available.)

| Posted 05 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

COVET: Egg Vase

Don’t worry about the flowers, this vase is just fine on its own. I find it very soothing. It’s a Ted Muehling design, created in 2000, and is manufactured in Germany. It is expensive, and therefore an excellent apology gift for when you really screw something up.

$240 at Moss | Buy

(About 6" high.)

| Posted 05 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Cook’s Illustrated Magazine

If I’m going to spend three hours cooking something, it damn well better taste good when I’m done. Cook’s Illustrated is my favorite cooking magazine, because it eliminates much of the risk involved in trying new dishes. I also love it because it contains no ads. Every recipe is tested multiple times and compared against other alternatives. It’s the magazine version of “America’s Test Kitchen,” which is a television show that tests several versions of a particular recipe, and gives you the easiest, tastiest one. The magazine also compares different food products and gadgets and gives you recommendations. Once you subscribe, you get access to the online archives, which offer ten years of recipes and product reviews. Subscribe, you will like it. And while you’re at it, you might want to renew your gym membership. (Many thanks to Freddy for the reminder.)

$27 at Amazon | Buy

| Posted 04 Jan, 2005 by Margaret Mason

Otherwise Engaged

I expected this novel by Suzanne Finnamore to be a light and fluffy brain break. Instead, it was a bright, funny look at the more brow-raising side of engagement. Some excerpts that had me laughing aloud on the subway: “Talking to him was deeply satisfying. Being with him held a natural pleasure. Perhaps he is gay, I thought.” “I need to feel the air on my face,” says Chad. He seems almost unbearably handsome as he says this. This may be the moment in time when he peaks, like a bosc pear.” “Sure, there are other fish in the sea, but I like these, floating here on top. They’re easier to catch.”

$9 at Amazon | Buy

| Posted 15 Dec, 2004 by Margaret Mason

Joystick Junkie T-Shirt

Know someone who’s nostalgic for that eerie arcade glow? Here’s a hip shirt for your favorite geek. Give it to him with a roll of quarters.

$16 at Amazon | Buy

| Posted 14 Dec, 2004 by Margaret Mason