UFEim^t Cbatlotte
Thursday, December 11, 2003
naverng treasures:
Taking a trip? Five wordly holiday gift ideas
A world map mural won’t make travel easier, but at least you’ll know where everything is.
ARTICLE RESOURC^E ASSOCIATION
The frequent traveler is
rarely in town to enjoy the
comforts of home. Keep this
in mind as the holidays
approach, and find the trav
eler you know a treasure
that will provide them with a
little bit of home as they
travel this holiday season
and in the coming year.
Determining the most
appropriate gift for your
traveler can be difficult with
all of the options available
this season. Here are a few
travel-worthy ideas for your
list this year:
• A Leather Travel
Attache. Choosing the right
travel companion is an
important decision, especial
ly when it comes to an appro
priate attache.
Organization is necessary
considering a traveler is only
able to bring a few things
along. When choosing an
attache, pick one with multi
ple pockets and dual main
compartments. This way, the
attache wfil be able to hold
everything from a laptop to
legal-sized file folders to
office supplies ...perhaps
even a change of clothes for
an overnight stay.
• Automatic card organiz
er. Travelers typically
depend on credit cards
instead of cash as a safety
precaution, so they must be
confident that their cards
will work. With heightened
airport seciuity, reassure the
traveler that their credit
cards will be protected fi*om
demagnetization by giving
them a unisex, feather
weight credit card wallet. At
the touch of a button, the
stored card needed will pop
out of the metallic looking
waUet, and the card will still
work. The wallet also
includes a removable money
clip so that currency and
receipts can be easily
accessed. For about $55, you
can provide the traveler with
ease of mind and a personal
ized credit card wallet with
their initials engraved on it.
• Digital camera. Give the
gift of memory as well as
story telling. A miniature
digital camera allows a trav
eler to record sights with
style and ease. Compact
enough to be available at
any moment’s notice, the
newest digital cameras can
slip into one of the pockets of
their. attache and can be
extremely convenient.
Regardless of the scene, a
high quality digital camera
will provide sharp, high-con-
trast images to keep for
years to come.
• Emergency cell phone
recharger. An uncharged cell
phone is a disaster for a trav
eler, since landlines are not
always available or conve
nient. With this treasure, a
dead cell phone battery is no
longer an issue. The charger
will immediately provide up
to 30 additional minutes of
convei*sation without inter
rupting a call. It comes in
styles to fit various types
These jewelry gifts won’t break bank
ARTICLE RESOURCE ASSOCIATION
Good things come in small packages. That old adage is never
more true than when talking about jewelry.
Whether the gift is earrings, a bracelet, or a necklace, jewel-
ry is always a timeless (and popular) choice. Best of all, with
today’s manufactured stones such as cubic zirconia at near
diamond likeness in quality or colored gemstones that rival
the real thing, you can give the gift of jewelry for much less
than you might expect. “When you’re buying holiday jewelry,
it’s all about giving a gift that stands out without breaking the
bank,” says Claire Kiecker, a trend buyer of fine jewelry at
ShopNBC, an upscale TV and Internet retailer known for its
excellence in fine jewelry.
“Color is big this year,” she says. “Our sterling silver multi
gemstone bracelet is a good example. It features gemstones
including amethyst, blue topaz, citrine, peridot and garnet,
making it the perfect complement to any outfit. And at $79.99,
it’s a great deal.”
If you’re looking for a necklace, ShopNBC offers a variety of
choices, including a sterling sliver-platinum 4-flower pendant
with cord that features blue topaz, citrine, rhodolite and peri
dot for $39.99. But perhaps the most breathtaking colored
stone deal is a set of 10 sterling silver gemstone studs, each
individually boxed, for just $99.99. The set includes peridot,
iolite, petahte, amethyst, heliodor, citrine, cultured pearl, sky
blue topaz, smoky quartz and garnet. You can give the whole
set as one gift, if your recipient has been very, very good, or
give them separately; for a mere $10 a piece, and you’ll make
10 people very happy. The holidays demand sparkle and d^-
Special Thanks to all of my loyal customers... It takes you to make me!
With the treasures avail
able this holiday season, you
are bound to find the perfect
one for your traveler.
Whether it’s the convenient
attache to assist them on
their travels or a wall map
for them to show their
friends and family the placqs
they have gone, the traveler
you know will appreciate
your thought and generosity,
SAVES SAVES SAVES SAVES SAVES
nn n
PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY SUPPLY
I U\J
TPCAndis
W Clipper
^ $11 95
' Freedom Mall #7
3205 Freedom Drive
Charlotte, NC 28208
704.393.2400
Gold-N-Hot
1200 Dryer
$17.95
Conair
Shaping/Outlining
WAHAL
Razor/Edger
$29.95 \ loVOFFPlirciTasM $29.95
COURTESY of ARA CONTENT
and models of cell phones
and is small enough to carry
aroimd from place to place.
• World map mural. What
better gift for a traveler to
use to track where they have
been than a colorful, wall
sized map? This detailed 3-
dimensional mural was cre
ated with the assistance of
the U.S. Department of
Defense and produced by
Environmental Graphics. It
includes land elevations,
ocean depths, sea-lanes,
time zones and much more.
‘You won’t find many
maps, in any size, as up-to
date as ours,” says Todd
Imholte, president of
Environmental Graphics.
The mui’al m*easures 8 feet,
8 inches tall by 13 feet wide
and is printed on heavy
paper that can be cut down
to fit 8-foot walls. The map
can be purchased at
Hammacher Schlemmer by
calling (800) 321-1484 or by
visiting
www.hammacher.com.
House Of Africa
African Art Gallery
If you can^t get to Africa, let Africa come to you
SHOPFORALLYOURHOLIDAY GIFTS
Exquisite African Art, Jewelry, Cloths, Drums,
Masks, Greeting Cards, Black Soap
Shea Butter, Herbal Medicines, Incense
Something for the Whole Family
10% Off during Holidays
] 215 Thomas Avenue • Charlotte, NC
(Just off Centra! Avenue between Pecan & the Plaza
704-376-6160
zle, and cubic zirconia delivers.
“Tbp quality cubic zirconia should be clear and look like very
high quality diamonds,” says Kiecker. She notes that the set
ting is very important in a piece of cubic zirconia jewelry.
GET RID OF THOSE PLUG-INS
& SCENTED CANDLES TODAY!
For instant aroma, get
SimpCy -Dee -Best
Home Fragrance Oils, Body
Oils, Aromatherapy Oils and
Incense for your Home, Office,
. Yoga, Meditation or even...
Romance.
Call 704-532-1872
Email: mobl8734(gbellsouth.net
Elizabeth Mobley, Owner
HYATT GUN
SHOP
3332 Wilkinson Blvd. • Charlotte, NC 28208
ffilisiViiin
A Champion safe offers protection for guns and other valuables such
as jewelry, electronic equipment and art works as well as items of
sentimental value such as photo albums. A Champion safe brings the
peace of mind that comes from knowing your prized possessions are
protected against theft and fire
Home & Business Safes
(704)394-0387
www.hyattguns.com
GIVE THE HOLIDAY GIFT THAT BITES!
Order a pair of Carolina Cobras Arena Football season tick- 2004 HOME
ets today and receive a FREE Cobras sweatshirt as a stock- Sai., Feh. 21
SCHEDULE
ing stuffer! The Cobras
kick off the 2004 AFL season in February
at the Charlotte Coliseum.
Cobras Football...It’s Off The Wall!
Strike now! Order your tickets today;
I-877-4-COBRAS • www.CobrasFootball.com
Sun.. Mar. 14
Sun.. Mar. 21
Sat.. May 22
Grand Rapids