ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Everyone needs the occasional over night bag (wink!), and there’s no better way to say “sleepover” than giving one packed with essentials.
Ben Sherman over night bag $109
“America’s Next Top Bottom” shirt $25
True Religion shoes $69
2(x)ist Essential long-sleeve t-shirt $25
2(x)ist Sliq brief $16
Tribe short boxer briefs $41 – $64
Exclusive locally to Poster Hut, these decorative undies are designed and made in Australia.
Boy Next Door
1447 Piedmont Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-873-2664
www.boynextdoor.biz
Poster Hut
2175 Cheshire Bridge Road
Atlanta, GA 30324-4275
404-633-7491
SEASON’S BLINGING
Black onyx and Tiger’s eye will perk up your jewelry box this season. These unisex designs are a flashy alternative to the run-of-the-mill.
Trellis rings $149 and $195
Trellis dog tags $198
Worthmore Jewelers
500 Amsterdam Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30306
404-892-8294
www.worthmorejewelers.com
CUFF HIM
What better way to celebrate the engagement of Prince William than with these simple cuff links?
Ben Sherman cuff links $50
Boy Next Door
1447 Piedmont Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-873-2664
www.boynextdoor.biz
MAKE IT YOUR OWN
It’s easy to find cute stuff, but why not take it to the next level by personalizing it? Melrose on Ponce is your go-to spot for specialty monograms no matter who you’re shopping for.
Melrose on Ponce
345 West Ponce De Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
404-378-1013
www.melroseonponce.com
WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK
Trader’s
Knock Knock OMFG journal $8
Knock Knock WTF stamp $9.95
Outwrite
Quotables mug $14.95
Trader’s
485 Flat Shoals Ave., Atlanta, GA 30316
404-522-3006, www.tradersatlanta.com
Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse
991 Piedmont Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30309 | 404-607-0082
www.outwritebooks.com
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Anne Taintor’s vicious take on kitschy mid-century life is right up our alley.
Luggage tag $7
Magnet $5
Mug $7
Napkins $5
Shot Glass $5.50
Brushstrokes
1510 Piedmont Ave NE #J
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-876-6567
www.brushstrokes.us
FEMINISTS HAVE FUN TOO!
Need a girlfriend? Just grow one! Although she’ll be very quiet and make no mess, she won’t help change the cat box or build a bird house. Is it patriarchal? Hetero-sexist? Express your feminist knowledge with these handy sticky notes.
Charis Books & More
1189 Euclid Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30307-1509
404-524-0304
www.charisbooksandmore.com
HOSTING THE FAMILY THIS YEAR?
… Then keep calm and carry on. It was a war-time slogan created by the British government in 1939 regarding the German invasion and now it’s on coffee mugs and water bottles.
Water bottle $18.95
Enamel coffee cup $11.95
Ceramic coffee cup $12.95
Bandages $6
First Aid Tin $18.95
Heliotrope
248 West Ponce De Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
404-371-0100
www.heliotropehome.com
SCENTS OF THE SEASON
If you’re going to give the gift of scent this year, make it special with Voluspa and Kobo candles.
Voluspa candles (left):
Two-wick $18.95
Three-wick $21.95
Atlanta Water Gardens
2165 Cheshire Bridge Road
Atlanta, GA 30324-4232
404-235-0739
www.atlantawatergardens.com
Kobo candles (top) $35
Heliotrope
248 West Ponce De Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
404-371-0100
www.heliotropehome.com
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS
Giant green Buddha $49
Archipelago candles $8.50
Wine bottle candle holder $14
Wine bottle decorative chain $6
Leaf tea light holder $10
Modern hour glass $26
Trader’s
485 Flat Shoals Ave., Atlanta, GA 30316
404-522-3006, www.tradersatlanta.com
WHAT’S YOUR POISON?
If mad scientists mixed drinks, this is what they’d mix them in. Bar accessories can say a lot about a person, this bio-hazard set included.
Chemistry bar set $45
Heliotrope
248 West Ponce De Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
404-371-0100
www.heliotropehome.com
WHISKEY ON THE ROCKS
Pour a glass of whiskey (or whatever) and drop the chilled rocks in the glass. A hip alternative to ice.
Six whiskey stones and two glasses $55
Nandina Home & Design
6170 Roswell Road
Sandy Springs, GA 30328
404-521-9303
www.nandinahome.com
HANDMADE HOLIDAY
Sure, the guys over at Domestic Comfort specialize in custom upholstry (and if you can give the gift of amazing furniture, please gift us with some), but they also exclusively feature 100 percent handmade Zeber+Martell Pottery.
Zeber+Martell Pottery $39 – $429
Domestic Comfort
1579 Monroe Drive Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-872-2500
www.domesticcomfort.net
Handcrafted here in Atlanta, Houston Llew Spiritiles are a beautiful and unique home accessory. Made with molten glass on copper, the tiles are a perfect blend of craftmanship and modernity.
Houston Llew Spiritile $95
Trader’s
485 Flat Shoals Ave., Atlanta, GA 30316
404-522-3006, www.tradersatlanta.com
DON WE NOW OUR (REALLY) GAY APPAREL
Does the saying “gayer than Christmas” ring a bell? Let December Diamonds (available at all three retailers listed), Katherine’s Collection fish and rainbow mirror balls (Brushstrokes) make your tree the spectacle all your straight friends expect it to be.
Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse
991 Piedmont Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA 30309 | 404-607-0082
www.outwritebooks.com
Brushstrokes
1510 Piedmont Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-876-6567
www.brushstrokes.us
Poster Hut
2175 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30324-4275
404-633-7491
FOR THE KIDS
Whether you are a gayby-boom parent, aunt or uncle, or family friend, more and more LGBT people are shopping for children’s gifts than ever before.
SMARTY PANTS
Winner of multiple toy awards, this simple word game is akin to Scrabble, but with no board and no need to keep score. Fun for kids and adults, the parallel play allows those with different vocabulary and spelling abilities to compete equally. The pouch design makes it a breeze to take along to restaurants or other places kids (and adults) may need to be entertained.
Bananagrams: Game $16 | Book $8.95
Melrose on Ponce
345 West Ponce De Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
404-378-1013
www.melroseonponce.com
THIS AIN’T YOUR MAMA’S BEAN BAG
These microsuede covered bags are perfect for small kids to cuddle up, big kids to play video games and watch TV, and even adults to enjoy (check out the cool outdoor furniture). They also come in adorable kids’ shapes like a sun, whale and flower table and chairs.
Cool Beanz Beanless Bags
Bags $69 and up
Kid shapes $100
Cool Beanz
500 L-4 Amsterdam Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30306
www.coolbeanzstore.com
BABY GENIUS
“A is for Atom. B is for Binary Code…” From flash cards to posters, prints and t-shirts, artist Tiffany Ard makes beautiful nursery décor and other items for the science geek in all of us.
Nerdy Baby
Flash cards $17 – $20
Posters and prints $11 – $19
PRECIOUS MEMORIES
Same-sex parents often struggle to find baby books that aren’t fraught with references to “mother” and “father.” Not so with the “Story of Me,” beautiful memory books, complete with a 4×6” photo frame on cover. The three-ring binder books can be customized with special page packets for two moms or two dads, single parents, adopted families, Jewish families and more.
“Story of Me” Baby Books
$59.95 and up | $12.95 additional page packs
www.baby-memory-books.com
PARENTING YOUR WAY
Written by Leslea Newman and illustrated by Carol Thompson, these gentle, rhyming board books explore the simple pleasures of a small child’s world — for a small child who just happens to have gay parents.
“Mommy, Mama, and Me” and “Daddy, Papa, and Me” books $7.99
Charis Books & More
1189 Euclid Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA 30307,
404-524-0304
www.charisbooksandmore.com
FOR THE -OTHER- KIDS
Struggling to find the perfect give for your Jewish pet? Look no further than Chewish Treats by Copa Judaica. With Macher the ape, Kosher the cow, Schmaltz the rooster and Zaftig the hippo, you’re sure to find the perfect Hanukkah gift for your four-legged friend.
Chewish Treats $7.99
Before the stress of the dreaded New Year’s diet hits the food bowl, treat your fur baby to one last hoorah with these couture treats.
Kung Fu Fido $7.99
Freeze Dried Chicken $17.99
The Pet Set
2480 Briarcliff Road #3
Atlanta, GA 30329
404-633-8755
976 Piedmont Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-249-6668
BIG THINGS IN LITTLE PACKAGES
We can’t let a gift guide go by without mentioning an exciting new Apple product… and this one is only $99. The palm-sized black box works on Wi-Fi, streaming content from iTunes, including HD movies and TV shows. It also allows you to stream content from your iPhone or iPod to your television. Even cooler, it can sync with your Netflix account (sold separately) to stream a vast library of filmic content. Access your YouTube and Flickr accounts as well. It’s totally the future of television.
Apple TV $99
BOOKS-A-MILLION
There’s a crowded market of e-readers out there, but the Nook (the original one, not the new color one) caught our attention. Why not go for the flashy new one? Two reasons: First, if you want a color tablet, buy an iPad. Period. It’s worth the higher price tag. Second, better battery life on the e-ink screen serves the dedicated reader better than a battery-hogging color LCD. Why the Nook? It reads EPUB formats as well, expanding your library beyond what Barnes & Noble already offers.
Nook E-Book $149 and $199 (for 3G)
Barnes & Noble Atlanta
Many locations in the Atlanta area.
www.barnesandnoble.com
ON THE SHELF
“Just Kids” by Patti Smith $27
The godmother of punk is also now a National Book Award winner with her memoir, “Just Kids.” The book recounts the 1960s and her love affair and then deep friendship with renowned gay photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.
“In My Father’s House” by E. Lynn Harris $24.99
Before his death last year, gay author E. Lynn Harris wrote the first of a planned series of novels about Bentley L. Dean III, the bisexual owner of Picture Perfect modeling agency in Miami. Drama ensues, of course, in typical Harris style as the author who is a hero to many black readers conjures up another tale of finding love and respect.
“Me” by Ricky Martin $26.95
When international pop star Ricky Martin finally told the world he was gay, it was no real surprise. But coming to grips with his sexuality was a weight lifted off his shoulders and a gift to allow him to raise his children honestly. “Me” is a memoir about a man, his music and his journey to himself.
“Unbearable Lightness” by Portia de Rossi $25.99
Portia De Rossi’s frank discussion of how she starved herself while hiding her sexuality in order to make it in Hollywood is a story being praised by many for its singular tale of struggle and eventual acceptance. Known for her roles on “Ally McBeal” and “Arrested Development,” the actress kept her secret hidden for years. Now she is comfortable in her own skin and married to Ellen DeGeneres.
“Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation” by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman $16.95
It’s been 15 years since Kate Bornstein wrote the revolutionary “Gender Outlaw” that challenged the gender binary and gave much needed attention to transgender people. In this book she teams up with Bergman, a writer and performance artist, to include the gender outlaw voices of today.
“Mary Ann in Autumn: A Tales of the City Novel” by Armistead Maupin $25.99
This follow-up to “Michael Tolliver Lives” has central character Mary Ann Singleton, now approaching 60 and possibly with cancer, leaving her husband in Connecticut after finding out he’s been cheating. She returns to San Francisco, where “Tales” began in 1989, after 20 years away to find her longtime friend Michael “Mouse” Tolliver and herself.
“BearCity” DVD $19.99
The most attended movie ever in the history of Atlanta’s LGBT Out on Film fest, “BearCity” is described as the first feature-length film that explores the lives of husky, masculine and hirsute men who love men.
“The Kids Are All Right” DVD $29.98
Despite the backlash from some lesbians upset with one major plot twist in this film starring Julianne Moore, Annete Bening and Mark Ruffalo, this movie broke ground with major stars playing lesbians in a long-term relationship and the family dynamic they have with their two teen children.
“Glee, The Music: The Christmas Album” $11.98
What gay person doesn’t love Glee? Listen to your favorite Glee club serenade classic Christmas tunes to you all season, such as “Jingle Bells,” “O Christmas Tree,” and “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”
These books are available on the shelves and by order from all of these local gay retailers:
Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse
991 Piedmont Ave. NE
404-607-0082, www.outwritebooks.com
Brushstrokes
1510 Piedmont Ave. NE
404-876-6567, www.brushstrokes.us
Charis Books & More
1189 Euclid Ave. NE
404-524-0304, www.charisbooksandmore.com