Gift Guide for the Whimsical Green Yuppie

A couple of years ago, the reality of my true identity hit me hard: I am a straight-up yuppie lawyer. This was hard to reconcile with the side of me that is really into unicorns and rainbows. Then, there’s the hardcore tree-hugging green girl. In other words, I’m an absolute nightmare to buy gifts for. Typically, if I want something, I go out and buy it for myself and no one knows anything about it. If you are like me or you are friends with someone like me, you know what a pain in the butt the Whimsical Green Yuppie is to shop for during the holidays. This gift guide is here to assist you in buying for the person who has strict environmental guidelines, tends to buy herself everything she wants anyway and likes things that are a little bit quirky. Let’s begin.

This Whimsical Green Yuppie’s favorite website is Delight. I could make this post really short and say, buy something from Delight and be done with it.  But then this wouldn’t be a guide, would it?

Green Gift Ideas

These are the Artist Series Twist and Shut Bowls. Like any good yuppie, I spend most of my lunches working at my desk. Like any good green yuppie, I bring most of my food and I want it to be kept in a BPA-free container that is microwave safe. And, since I am whimsical, I want it to be cuter than a boring pyrex dish. Voila. (I have the Catalina Estrada design.)

This little yuppie gets stuck with all sorts of dry cleaning.  Don’t worry, I take it to the eco-cleaner. But what to do about those awful plastic bags. The Green Garmento reusable dry cleaning bag saves the day. It can serve as a laundry bag and duffel too! It is perfect and you can feel super smug when you leave the eco-cleaner with your clothes in this bag and everyone else is still using plastic. This is the perfect gift for the green yuppie who has everything.

Gorgeously Green is the book that made me realize I could go green and not have to be completely insane about it. Sure, I drive a hybrid, but I haven’t given up air conditioning. (I live in Las Vegas.) This book shows is a perfect guide for going green.

Additional gifts that are fantastic ideas are vintage handkerchiefs, china and aprons. Not to mention purses and accessories. I’m a big fan of fine stationery, so any type of beautiful stationery made from recycled paper (preferably with soy ink) is a great gift. I also love cards made from wildflower seeds that you can plant when you receive them. A whimsical green yuppie can never have enough fine stationery

Last but not least, there is one thing that I have not purchased for myself yet: the Chevy Volt.

Like I said, I currently drive a hybrid. I don’t have an electric car yet. So if someone wants to buy that for me, I’m open to it.

Featured photo by NJ/Flickr

Novica: Artisan Jewelry And More

I love artisan jewelry. Last Christmas, my mother gave me a nicely fortified American Express gift card, so I decided to treat myself to a necklace that I’d seen in the Sundance Catalog, my usual place to get my earring and necklace fix. Unfortunately that necklace was sold out and there wasn’t anything else that I loved and could afford. I started poking around the Internet and eventually found Novica.

I got my jewelry fix. And a new, handmade leather purse that has the cutest little zip pocket in the back that my iPhone fits into perfectly. Plus I have a new place to roam around to hunt for glass vases, area rugs, sculptures, paintings and other handmade items. You could wipe out your whole holiday list in one shot. How cool would that be?

The best part about Novica is that all the merchandise is made by individual artisans from all over the world. Your purchase helps support artists in India, Chile,

Mexico, Thailand, Bali, the Andes and many other countries. If you have any reservations at all about dealing with Novica, it may help you to know that this site is presented in association with National Geographic. That’s why I eventually bought a gorgeous peridot (my birthstone) necklace made by a lovely woman in India who actually included a nice postcard with my order. My leather purse came up from Mexico in under two weeks. The necklace took a bit longer, but not much.

Since those first purchases, I have received more Novica jewelry as gifts. Still love it. And when I’m in

the market for home decor, I’ll absolutely make a stop here. The prices are reasonable, you can, at times, get free shipping (but shipping’s not outrageous either) and they have a rewards program that gets you discounts on future purchases.

All that and you can help someone in a developing country make a decent living. Not bad for a few mouse clicks.

5 Holiday Gifts For iPhone Junkies

Chances are, you have at least one person on your holiday list who is an iPhone junky.

You can tell they’re an iPhone junky because you know what kind of freaking cell phone they have. They don’t call you.  They “call you on their iPhone.”  They don’t lose their phone or their cell.  They lose their iPhone – except they don’t, of course, because iPhone users are rarely far enough away from their iPhones to lose it.

Shopping for an iPhone junky can be difficult, because they already have the whole world in the palm of their hand.  Just ask them.  But, there is something that iPhone users love even more than their iPhones: stuff to go with their iPhone.

5 Holiday Gift Ideas For People With iPhones

1. iHome Docking Station and Clock Radio

I did a review of the iHome Docking Station and Clock Radio back in September.  I still love it.  I’ve since run into several readers of this site who have added it to their own wish lists because a good speaker system and iPhone compatible alarm clock is hard to come by.

The problem with most “iPhone docking stations” like this is that they are  made for iPods, not iPhones, and so you have to put your phone in airplane mode to use it, or endure the annoying buzz of interference.  This system is compatible with every single iPhone, way back to the first generation (what I had until about 24 hours ag).

The iHome docking station lets you play music over the speakers with impressive sound quality.  It also lets you wake to and fall asleep to specific playlists.  On top of that, it’s a great alarm clock that allows you to set two separate alarms and designated an alarm for a 1, 5 or 7 day schedule (no more accidentally waking up early on Saturday or forgetting to reset the alarm for Monday morning!).

The iHome iP9BR Clock Radio for iPod is $81.88 right now on Amazon. ($79 if you get it in silver.)  Buy it here.

2.  Mophie Juice Pack Case – Rechargeable iPhone battery

This is something I don’t have and want desperately.

The biggest downfall of the iPhone is that the battery isn’t removeable, so heavy users can’t buy extra batteries to keep charged.  The Juice Pack addresses that problem by giving you a fully rechargeable battery that doubles as an iPhone case.

Like I said, I don’t have this and have never used it.  But reviews online as well as reviews from people I know who have this product say that it doubles the battery life of your iPhone.

You can charge the case and the iPhone simultaneously and switch the case’s power source on and off to decide if you want to save your extra battery life for later.

The juice pack will add a little bulk to the iPhone – more than a simple silicone case – but the extra power you get is worth it for someone who uses their phone constantly.

Amazon offers a variety of colors for the juice pack that will fit the iPhone first generation, 3G and 3Gs.  Click here to see the full range.

3.  Bluetooth Stereo Headset

Another “don’t have, want badly” product for me. I’ve been looking forever for a headset that works for music and phone conversations, and isn’t plagued with reviews about a short product lifespan.

This looks to be the answer I’ve been looking for.

The Sony DRBT160AS Bluetooth Stereo Headset is perfect for iPhone users who like to run or workout regularly.  This headset gives you the ability to listen to music and take a call (although obviously not at the same time).  Headsets that do both can be difficult to find for the iPhone.

The “behind the head” design is ideal runners and the wireless aspect makes it perfect for just about anyone.  It’s also going to provide much higher sound quality than the stock ear buds that come standard with iPhones.

The Sony DRBT160AS Bluetooth Stereo Headset is $81.95 on Amazon. That’s more than $40 off what they’re charging at the Apple store for the same product. Buy it here.

4. iPhone Armband

Speaking of people who run – an armband case is pretty much a necessity if you’re the type of person who works out while listening to music on your iPhone.  Otherwise you end up trying to shove your iPhone down the back of your pants.

Trust me on this – not. comfortable.  Also not comfortable?  Having to dig down the back of your pants to retrieve your slipping iPhone while you’re in the middle of a packed gym.

Ahem.

ANYway, the Tuneband from Grantwood Technology uses a silicone case to secure the iPhone in place.  The case has a screen protector, but still allows you to access all of the ports and camera.  The band itself is stretchy velcro to fit most arm sizes.

Another fun fact: it comes in lots of pretty colors!  (Oh, and navy or clear if, for some odd reason, you’re not into pretty.)

The Tuneband is designed for the 3G and 3GS iPhone models.

(Hint – it’s cheap and a great stocking stuffer idea.  Jared.)

The Tuneband Armband with Silicone Skin and Screen Protector is just $16.99 at Amazon. Buy it here. (in pink, if you’re my husband.)

5.  Go Groove FlexPod: iPhone FM Transmitter and Car Mount System

This?  Is a freaking awesome device.

You plug the device into your car’s cigarette lighter (or power source if you have a newer, snobbier car) and put your iPhone into the cradle.  Your phone is now charging.  Yay.

BUT, more than that, the FM transmitter lets you play your music from your iPod through your car stereo’s speakers.  For those of you unfamiliar with the idea of an FM transmitter – it works good.  You should have it.

For those of you who know what I’m talking about – this is one of the more advanced models of FM transmitters and seems to have a strong locking system that makes it easier to find (and keep) stations available to play your music.

Added bonus: it turns your car into a bluetooth device for phone calls.  When a phone call comes in while you’re listening to music, the music fades and the call options come up on the screen.  Accept the call and you’ll hear the voice via your car’s speakers.  End the call and you go back to the music you were listening to.

The Flexpod (that’s the official name of this thingie) also has a USB port so you can charge other USB powered devices through it.

The entire iPhone cradle is held up on a flexible gooseneck device so you can hold your iPhone steady at multiple angles.

You can watch a video on how the entire thing works here.

The Go Groove FlexPod Car Mount System is $34.99 on Amazon. Buy it here.

10 Gift Ideas for a Housewarming Party

Over on my personal blog today, I’m hosting an online housewarming party for a friend of mine who just moved to Florida.  Like any internet savvy woman, she’s made an Amazon Wish List for herself so that we all have loads of ideas of things to buy for her new house.

If only ever party invitation we got came with a link to an Amazon Wish List!

Alas, no.  More often than not we have to use our own noggins and try to guess what would make the perfect gift for someone else’s new home.

10 Housewarming Gift Ideas:

Alora Ambience Reed Diffuser

The rental company that manages my friend’s new home used these amazing reed diffusers.  It was the very first thing we noticed when we walked into the house.

The verde scent smells like fresh cut grass and makes you feel like you’re standing in a clean home on a crisp spring day.

It’s to die for.

It’s also expensive as hell and not the kind of thing most people would buy for themselves.  Even in my own home I stick with Bath & Bodyworks Wallflower units.  I’m ashamed to say this – but these smell much better than anything I’ve ever used before.

Available online from Alora Ambiance.

Read more

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas – Personalized Gifts With Your Name On It

Yesterday I kicked off the Mother’s Day Gift Guide series with a look at top holiday gift ideas for women to eat.

Today we’re going sappy and sentimental.  And what is more sappy and sentimental than a Mother’s Day Gift that you can put your name on?  It’s like homemade but better because the materials won’t attract bugs.

Heart Bookmark by Things Remembered
$12.00

Yeah, $12.  My mom is one of those people who still reads real live actual books made of paper.  This is something thoughtful and pretty and useful that most readers don’t think to actually buy for themselves.

Read more