Super Gifts from Superlists of Yore!

For the kids:
BOVINE RIGHTS. Taking a break from Saul Bellow, Henry James, and, uh, J.K. Rowling, the latest Lit Hit on the Team BG reading list is the hilarious barnyard freedom song, "Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type." In Doreen Cronin's adorable fable -- featuring Betsy Lewin's inspired watercolors -- the Cows on Farmer Brown's farm have come across an old typewriter... and suddenly nothing will ever be the same. For anyone who believes that the written word is a powerful thing, there is no better children's book out there. [ --Colin]

For the grown-ups:
IS IT CHILLY IN HERE, OR IS IT JUST ME? In relationships, sometimes the atmosphere can be frigid. But the cold shoulder doesn't keep romantics away from Ice Hotel Quebec-Canada, where the entire joint is fabricated from frozen water. Though the promise of a late-night trip to the WC adds old meaning to the phrase "cold feet," the hotel managers assure us that it's perfectly lovely and plenty warm. (Vegetarians beware: for warm and snuggly, you'll be bedding down on deer pelts; hey, whaddya want? It's Canada!) How do you suppose the housecleaning staff does their thing? Our guess: zamboni. [-- Colin]

For the GROWNgrown-ups:
LOVE IN THE 90s. Not the 90s. Your 90s. If you ever want proof that this whole romance thing actually works, you can get it in spades in Keri Pickett's memoir of her grandparents' life together. Josie and B.B. met in 1928, in a small town in Oklahoma. Before they were married they wrote each other hundreds of the sweetest, most touching letters you've ever read, many of which are reprinted here. Not just a sentimental coffee table book, "Love..." is a wonderful inspiration to pick yourself up after a tough relationship ends and keep hoping for the best. [-- Colin.]

For the cute couple:
DAISY, DAISY CRAZE. Cycle dealers are buzzing about the climbing popularity of the tandem bike. (It's the opposite of canoeing: the front person's in control; make of that dynamic what you will.) Anyway, meet someone here; then hit the road together. What heart-healthier way could there be to find "someone to share the driving?"

For the really cute couple:
ROCK AND ROLL. Your staid and stuffy old-school diamond-shopping days are done. Buyarock.com lays out the 4Cs and so much more in a groovy easy-to-navigate retro style. A deep and speedy database will get you to "Will you..." quicker than any cajoling from Mom and Dad. You can even script your own proposal (with clip art actors and funky soundtrack) and send it as a Flash movie. Once your paramour has passed the Porch Test, pass them this best friend's URL.

When it's cold:
YOSSEL'S TOESSELS. Your 2000 hat budget already in the red? No worries. You barter for these bitchen knit caps. Just don't become "the guy with the hat," okay?

When it's hot:
EAU DE YOU DON'T WANNA KNOW. If you can judge a perfume by its bottle, then S-Perfume is nothing but post-arousal aroma. That's right, Semen Smell. Nobu Shioya, who created the scent for Shaping Room, promises that the ingredients are synthetic, but here's a shoutout to college freshmen looking for some extra cash: why donate plasma when you can... Oh, not okay. [-- Friday]

And, a gift all can enjoy:
PINK MARTINI. So far, this CD is the only thing that's threatened to come between members of Team BG (we had to get extra so we wouldn't fight). Not just another bar car on the lounge train, these guys are the real euro-cocktail deal. A must for the classy bachelor/ette pad, and not just because of the toe-nudging rendition of "Bolero."

Happy Holidays!

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