Help your man get spiffy at Spiff a new NYC grooming salon for men

If you are looking for the perfect summer birthday gift for a guy in your life who needs some spiffing up, look no further. Today, the New York Times' Critical Shopper highlighted a cool new grooming salon for men in NYC called Spiff. Spiff offers a long list of services for men, including haircuts, hair color, shaves, shoe shine, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. You can purchase a gift certificate in any denomination or get a gift certificate for a specific service. Spiff also offers a 6 month membership plan for $425 and a 12 month membership plan for $750. The membership includes unlimited haircut/style, unlimited manicures, unlimited shoeshine, 10% off any additional services and any retail product. Spiff is located at 750 Third Avenue at 46th Street.

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Gift cards as Teacher appreciation gifts

A few days ago I came across a post in Real Simple's Simply Stated Blog where the author discusses trying to find appropriate Teacher appreciation gifts. She didn't have the time make a personal handmade gift but wondered if giving a gift certificate/gift card is too impersonal. A number of teachers responded to the post and said they love to receive gift cards and did not find them impersonal. Generally, I don't think gift cards are impersonal. In fact, they are great gifts for people who you don't know very well. But, I also think that there are little things you can do to add a more personal touch to gift cards. You can include a handwritten note to the recipient. You can also include some inexpensive related gifts with the gift card. For example, say you are planning to give someone a gift card to a bookstore. In addition to the gift card you could also include a bookmark, a book by the recipient's favorite author, and maybe some tea bags or a bag of coffee beans. Another way to make a gift card more personal is to purchase a gift card that encourages the recipient's hobby. You can read a post I wrote on this subject here. If you are still struggling with giving a gift certificate/gift card as a gift to your child's teacher, I think a great alternative is to give a subscription to a monthly book club. There are also other great monthly club options, including a bouquet of the month and tea of the month clubs. What are some of the gifts you've given to your child's teacher?

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Birthday gift for Top Chef fan, food lover, or burgeoning chef

I'm a huge fan of the TV show Top Chef and I wish I could cook like the contestants who appear on the show. So, you can imagine my excitement when I learned through a post in Apartment Therapy's the Kitchn that the Culinary Institute of America is offering cooking classes with former Top Chef contestants. How cool is that? The CIA is offering 3hr classes with a number of former Top Chef contestants including Sam Talbot, Dale Talde, Tre Wilcox, Stephanie Izard, Marcel Vigeron, Casey Thompson, Dale Levitski, and Jennifer Biesty. Your Top Chef instructor will prepare a signature dish, two other recipes, and a cocktail. This great opportunity costs $195. It's the perfect summer birthday gift for a burgeoning chef, food lover, or Top Chef fan.

Eco Friendly Ergonomic Chair

(image via Steelcase)

When I saw this post on the Daily Dose today about the eco-friendly Amia chair, my immediate reaction was how can an office chair be eco-friendly? I checked out Steelcase's website and was pleased to learn that the Amia chair is 97% recyclable. According to the Daily Dose, the chair has earned the gold cradle to cradle certification by MBDC, which rates how environmentally safe a design is. I love this chair because it is not only environmentally friendly but it is also ergonomic. The chair has technology that allows it to flex with your back movement, it also has pneumatic seat height and adjustable arms. The Amia comes in either a black or platinum frame and has twelve upholstery finishes. This really is a great gift for someone with back problems, or someone who has an eco-friendly office. The chair can be purchased for $599.

Smartphones and Women

I read an interesting article in the NY Times today about women and smartphones. According to the article the number of women using smartphones in the last year more than doubled. (NY Times). This wasn't suprising to me. Nowadays, women are just as tech savvy as men. They are regularly visiting websites, like CNET, Gizmodo, and Engagdet, that focus on gadgets and technology. And now, there are even gadget and technology sites, such as Popgadget, that are geared towards women. My female friends and I research tech products to death before purchasing. We get just as excited as men about groundbreaking technologies and new products on the market. And, as the article said we care about design. The women I know detest bulky gadgets. We don't need any extra load to haul around in our handbags. Thus, the all in one features of smartphones are particularly appealing to women. But, it's very important to us that all the features work equally well. I don't want a smartphone that has great reception, but, slow loading web pages, or weak pda functionality. Smartphones make great gifts for women. Giving a woman a smartphone as a gift is not in the same league as giving a household appliance. So, you don't have to hesitate anymore before purchasing a smartphone for a woman. But, before you do there are a few questions you should ask.


1. First, what is more important to her - design, features, or both? Some women appreciate colorful, glammed up phones, some want a sleek cool design, some want cutting edge features, while others want a combination of design and features.

2. What types of phones has she previously used? Are they simpler to use or do they have every feature in book? You don't want to get an entry level phone for an advanced user or vice- versa. There are phones on the market for every level.

3. How will she use it? Will she use it primarily to make calls, to text, to access the web and email, or for planning and scheduling? Obviously some phones are better suited for certain purposes.


Once you've answered these questions you'll have no problem finding the right smartphone.

Botkier new line for Target

Today the Cut, NY Mag's fashion blog, has a preview of the new Botkier handbag line for Target. According to the post, Monica Botkier will introduce her Botkier handbag line to Target on July 2oth. I love Botkier handbags and bought my first piece at Lucky Shops in 2006. It's one of my favorite handbags and it's really exciting that the designer is creating a more accessible line for Target. Let me know what you think of Botkier's Target line.

Here are my summer birthday picks from Botkier.

The Gladiator Tote is a great everyday bag. Purchase it for $695.


Brighten up your summer wardrobe with the fuchsia Isis Tote for $695.

(images via Botkier)

The Marysia Clutch in white snake is perfect for a summer party. Purchase it for $395.

Insect Inspired Jewelry

Each season there is an influx of new jewelry designs on the market and it's often difficult to find jewelry with a unique point of view. I'm always excited to learn of new designs that stand out from the pack. Recently, a New York Times' article highlighted new insect inspired jewelry designs. Nature has long been an inspiration for many jewelry designers, but, the article noted that unlike past designs the new insect inspired jewelry are more whimsical. The author also noted that insects provide a never ending source of inspiration because there are so many different types of insects. Like most people, I'm not a fan of insects, but, I really love how insects are being creatively incorporated into jewelry pieces. The designers really work hard to make these pieces accessible and beautiful by using bright vibrant hues and jewels. Their efforts and designs prove that you can find beauty in anything. Below, I've found a few beautiful insect inspired pieces that make great gifts for jewelry lovers or nature lovers.

(images via ShopBop)

Kenneth Jay Lane's Pink Ladybug Watch Necklace, is pretty and functional. The enamel inlaid ladybug pendant opens to reveal a watch. Purchase it at Shop Bop for $95.

(image via eluxury)

Roberto Cavalli's Snake Bracelet is made out of gold metal and multicolored enamel. Purchase it at eluxury for $350.

(image via Amazon)

This Gold Diamond Honey Bee Ring from Gems is Me is made from 14k yellow gold with pave set diamonds. Purchase it from Amazon for $687.

If you like these gift ideas and need help finding additional gift ideas, go to Gift Consulting and submit your Gift Consulting request today. It takes less than 15 minutes! We'll search the web, visit stores, and research products to find unique and creative gift ideas customized specifically for your gift recipient. We do the work so you don't have to!