3 days and counting
There are those who finished their Christmas shopping in November or even July. Let’s call them ... annoying. They throw off the curve for the rest of us, the professional procrastinators who wait and wait and wait some more, until the process becomes a breathless exercise that begins with finding a parking spot and ends, in the best-case scenario, in a long line of fellow procrastinators, waiting for shiny red gift wrap.
While we have no medicine for the laggard, no magic salve, we do have ideas to make the final sprint a little more pleasant. Turn the page for 15 fabulous gifts, priced from $9.99 to $385 and divided into five handy categories.
Some require actually getting into a car; others require just a telephone or PC -- and a few extra dollars for express shipping. All can be under your tree in time for the big day.
Whether faux wood grain wallet from Plastica, Los Angeles’ grooviest boutique de plastique, or Venus Fly Trap Kit from the Smith & Hawken catalog, know that each item can be yours by Christmas, which is just about upon us (time to freak out). That said, it doesn’t hurt to make a call before you drive across the city.
Of course the easy way out is gift certificates, the gift few like to give but nearly everyone loves to get. If all else fails, we have found solace this time of year in Starbucks’ eggnog latte. May the elves be with you.
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Kids
Venus Flytrap Kit: $10, Smith & Hawken, 519 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena, (626) 584-0644, and South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, (714) 437-9526; mail order (800) 981-9888 or www.smithandhawken.com. Sure it’s gory. But gore is cool if you’re a pre-teen. Besides, this present is educational. Children grow their own dionaea muscipula plant from seeds, then wait for an unsuspecting fly to land. Snap crackle pop. An added bonus: Retire your swatter.
Wildkin Curious George Backpack: $34.95, Barnes & Noble stores, most locations. (Visit www.barnesandnoble.com for addresses and phone numbers.) Really two backpacks in one -- George sports his own miniature (and usable) red backpack -- this plush monkey looks adorable on both girls and boys. The only downside is that mom might try to co-opt it for herself.
Geomag 184: $99.99, Zany Brainy stores (multiple locations). This will no doubt strike some as heretical, but compared to Geomag, Legos are so yesterday. Geomag, like so many of life’s best things, is made in Italy and features magnetic balls that allow young architects to build any which way they can imagine. Create cool constructions as well that spin endlessly. Even adults will be intrigued.
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Hipsters
Atomic Bonzai Kit: $14, Giant Robot, 2015 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 478-1819, and L.A. Eyeworks (multiple locations). This low-maintenance cardboard puzzle designed by Los Angeles artist Joji Okazaki is perfect for those who want a little greenery but are too cool for such mundane tasks as watering.
Faux wood grain and polka-dot plastic wallets: $28 to $40, Plastica, 8405 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (323) 655-1051. Cooler than Coach and cheaper than Prada, these plastic wallets come in a variety of sizes and styles. The polka-dot designs are fashioned from 1960s op-art pillows. So you’re kind of recycling.
Paul Frank bicycles: $319 to $329, Paul Frank stores, 8101 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (323) 653-6471, and 960 W. 16th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 515-7950, Ext. 567. These new retro-style unisex cruisers, from the same man who brought us Julius the Monkey, promise to put a smile on the face of even the most jaded style-monger. Who needs unleaded when you have one of these? Just remember your helmet.
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Foodies
White Truffle Oil Dressing: $21, La Cachette, 10506 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 470-4992. Here’s a compelling reason to eat your vegetables: a topping that gives bottled salad dressing a good name. Just drizzle a little over simple greens or cold seafood and you’ll be thanking the Frenchman responsible: chef Jean Francois Meteigner of La Cachette. Pawn it off as your recipe at dinner parties. We won’t tell.
Bamboo cutting boards: $32 to $74, Soolip Bungalow, 548 Norwich Drive, West Hollywood, (310) 360-1512. These cutting boards, crafted by Los Angeles artisans Tom and Joanne Sullivan of Totally Bamboo, are handsome enough to be displayed sans cheese and crackers. But they look mighty nice sporting a hunk of brie as well. Give one on its own. Or accompany it with a gift certificate from one of the city’s top cheese purveyors, such as Say Cheese in Silver Lake or the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills.
Mini Hat Box: $95, Vosges Haut-Chocolat, (888) 301-YUMM (9866) or www.vosges chocolate.com. Not to be blasphemous, but Godiva, Teuscher and the rest can’t touch these confections from Chicago-based Vosges. We’re especially enamored of the exotic truffles made with unlikely spices such as paprika and Indian curry. (Take our word, it works.) The colorful hat box also features caramel toffee, Aztec Elixir cocoa made with cinnamon and chilies and other treats.
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Gadget gurus
Bit Char-g Remote Control Cars and Trucks: $34.95 to $46.95, Robotoys, 12023 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 769-5563. These itty-bitty remote-control vehicles are just like the real thing: The car is zippy; the truck, with working scoop, rumbles along. Keep one in your top desk drawer for slow work days. But be sure the boss doesn’t catch you. Or give him his very own. With two trucks, you can wage battles.
Accu-Gage Digital Talking Tire Gauge: $9.99, Sears stores (multiple locations) or www.sears.com. Checking your tire pressure has never been this much fun. Perhaps it’s the novelty of hearing a woman’s voice announcing just how inflated or deflated your tires are. Best of all, if you need to check your wheels after dark, there’s no worrying about making out a tiny arrow pointing to some microscopic print.
Digi Pen 2: $99.95, the Sharper Image stores (multiple locations) or (800) 344-4444 or www.sharperimage.com. Despite the name, this sleek item is not a writing instrument but a pen-size digital camera. Very James Bond. It stores up to 400 color pictures, features flash memory and can even record video clips of up to 120 seconds. Takes up minimal purse space and, at just under 2 ounces, won’t weigh you down.
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Homebodies
F.R. Industry pillows: $25, Fiesta Specialties, 12401 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 752-7200. Inspired by vintage neon signs, matchbook covers and the like, these rhinestone-embellished pillows, available in dozens of designs, add a sense of fun and lightness to any room.
Black and red lacquer vases: $30, Sabi, 8606 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (310) 659-9838. These elegant, understated vases are equally at home in the dining room and the powder room. Each one holds a single stem, perhaps an orchid.
Cashmere throw: $385, Red Envelope, (877) 733-3683 or www.redenvelope.com. We always thought cashmere socks were the ultimate indulgence, until we saw this 5-by-6-foot throw, available in lavender, taupe or wine. This is the perfect something for wannabe princesses and princes alike, as well as shameless hedonists. Monogramming is available but then it won’t arrive before Christmas.
