For the Devoted Fan
Kind of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition is much more than a boxed set; it’s a biographical and historical presentation as well as an inspiring tribute to renowned jazz artist Miles Davis–and his most celebrated recording. The package includes a DVD, Celebrating A Masterpiece: Kind of Blue; a 60-page, full color book; 12-inch LP; a foldout poster of Davis; and two CDs of live and studio recordings, including false starts and alternative takes. ($109.98)
An Optimist’s Beverage
The economy may be rough, but there’s always a reason to celebrate. And this year the Krug Grande Cuvée festive bubbly toasts its fourth and fin
al product of a 10-year-old vintage. Krug also offers a choice of toting accessories including a hatbox textured in white pony hair containing three 750ml bottles for $450, or two bottles in individual gift boxes for $300.Savvy Tech Gadgets
Tech style goes up a notch. With 250 gigabytes of storage and a sleek leather-clad design, the eGo Leather Portable Hard Drive from Iomega combines form and function for the mobile professional. Quickly store thousands ofMP3s, spreadsheets, images, videos, and presentations via its easy-to-use USB 2.0 interface–and look good doing it. ($104.49; http://store.iomega.com)
For those who conduct a range of business and personal functions on their phones, Motorola’s Motozine ZN5 is the first of its kind to use Kodak imaging and ModeShift technologies, which allow for high quality sharing of content and phone use.
A Connoisseur’s Order
This 25-year-old single malt whiskey is made from a hand-selected vintage that produces a more nut-spiced flavor. Aged for two years in sherry casks, The Glenlivet XXV special selection is presented in the U.S. for the first time this year, marked by a batch number on each bottle and signed off on by four expert whiskey craftsmen. ($350)
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a superior brand in the world of Scotch whiskies. Each individually numbered bottle contains rare whiskies–some from distilleries that no longer exist. For a distinctive touch, engrave the bottle free of charge by calling 1-877-JW-BLUELABEL or checking www.johnniewalker.com/engraving for regional engraving locations. Prices vary depending on retailers.
Stylishly in Time
Destiny, a clean, classically styled Versace timepiece for women features a numberless dial accented with 68 diamonds and an alligator-textured leather band. It offers precise Swiss movement inside a Greco-inspired rose gold plated case and is available at fine stores for $3,250.
A fashionably sleek staple for the global citizen the TechnoLuxury (TX) timepiece in the 730 series displays time and hemispherical season for 24 cities around the world, including Moscow, Athens, Dubai, and Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It’s a smart look, too, featuring a rose gold case and complementary leather band. (Txwwatches.com; $425)
For Those on the Go
This tiny, portable microwave with built-in handle suits a variety of small heating needs such as warming the afternoon coffee, and it fits in anywhere–at work or the home office. The iWave Cube, by African American Phil Davis, measures 10 inches by 10.5 inches by 12 inches and weighs only 12 pounds. It’s a nice, neat price too: $149.95. Visit www.iwavecube.com.
For the fast-paced road warrior, consider the Navigon 2120 max portable GPS or personal navigation device. Its sleek design features easy touch screen menus and clear, accurate maps. Add-on services include real-time traffic updates (an additional $99 for the lifetime of the product), 12 quarterly map updates over three years and Zagat ratings for 70 U.S. cities. ($249.99; http://navigonusa.com)