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Wish List
Gifts that will fulfill their dreams
By
Kandace Power Graves Photos by David Richmond
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The finer things -- Top off her Christmas with a vintage chocolate brown mink hat bay Mr. R, $150; complimented with a braided gold chain choker with a trio of colored stones outlined in rhinestones, $149; both from On the Other Hand (8204 Oak St., 861-0159). |
 Ahead of the pack -- Get great results, no matter what your hair type and beauty needs, with a variety of products, including Liss Extreme shampoo, $19, and Intense Repair conditioner, both by L'Oreal Professional of Paris, $13, available exclusively at the new Darryl Michelle Salon; or the fun-loving Girl Toy from the Bed Head line by Tigi, $15.95; microdermabrasion power beads by A Cute Derm, $25; Bed Head Treat Me Right hair mask, $19.95; pharmaceutical-grade Pro-C antioxidant serum by A Cute Derm, $49; Bed Head's silver canister of "hair slick for cool people, $15.95; Control Freak shampoo, $7.95, and Ego Boost split-end mender, $13.95; all from Darryl Michelle's Salon (3260 Severn Ave., Metairie, 888-1024). |
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A girl's best friend -- A beautiful filigree antique-style round brooch has a total weight of about 1.25 carats in diamonds and a 14-karat gold setting, $1,950; from Hans Luetkemeier & Son Inc. (3246 Severn Ave., Metairie, 454-1170; www.HLAS.com). |
 Star power -- Give your favorite person products from Hollywood's favorite skin-care guru, Ole Henricksen: start with Clarifying Body Wash, a textured herbal cleanser with orange fruit, cedar wood, aloe vera, chamomile, vitamin E and apricot kernel oil, $24; Rub n' Buff Spa Salt Scrub, an energizing sea salt exfoliater with lavender and lemongrass essential oils, $38; or choose face and body travel essentials in a convenient bag, including aloe vera deep cleanser, grease relief face toner, vitamin-plus balancing moisturizer, a night gel, apricot complexion scrub and a pore refining mask, $70; all from Dr. Marilyn E. Pelias' Medispa (324 Chartres Street, second floor, 566-1706; www.drpelias.com). |
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Indoor garden -- A finely hand-woven wool rug made in China has an old Bessarabian floral needlepoint design on it and measures 2 feet by 3 feet, $400, from New Orleans Fine Rugs (6117 Magazine St., 899-1595). |
Laps of luxury -- Wrap up a gift of health and luxury in one with a membership to the New Orleans Athletic Club, a full-service health club set in an enchanting historic building with amenities that include an elegant indoor pool, aerobics workouts in a regal grand ballroom, basketball and volleyball courts, a billiards room, weights, boxing, cardio-vascular equipment, an indoor track, spa and more. Call for membership packages, available at New Orleans Athletic Club (222 N. Rampart St., 525-2375; www.neworleansathleticclub.com).
Carry it well -- She'll always look fashionable with a regal hard-frame handbag of orange and fuchsia fabric that's hand beaded on the body with a handle that's braided with fabric, seed-beads and wooden beads by Mary Frances, $145, from Gentry (6047 Magazine St., 899-4223). |
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To each her own -- Give your best girl a custom-made jewelry creation such as this one, which has a natural emerald presented in a hand-engraved platinum setting but can be reproduced with other stones and materials. Price depends on precious metals and stones used; from Symmetry Jewelers (8138 Hampson St., 861-9925). |
| Inspiring view -- A large stained-glass panel in the mission style with geometric shapes of brown, amber, yellow and green has hangers on top for easy installation, $250, from Saint Joseph Abbey Gift Shop (75376 River Road, Saint Benedict, 985-867-2227). |
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 Easy on the eyes -- Sharpen your vision -- and your visage -- with high-quality fashion frames in the latest styles: a purple frame has a silver rim and purple earpieces by the French company Eye'DC, $360; red plastic frames by Eye'DC, $350; red-and-black frames by Alain Mikli, $420; (right column): chartreuse-and-brown frames by Lafont Paris, $375; brown understated cat-eye frames by Lafont Paris, $375; crystal and black plastic frames have rectangular lenses by Alain Mikli, $438; all from St. Charles Vision (624 S. Carrollton Ave., 861-8064; 3200 Severn Ave., Metairie, 887-2020; 138 Carondelet St., 522-0826). |
A big, bright smile -- What better gift can you give (or receive) than a big, beautiful smile made all the more perfect by an expert in the field. Dentist Deborah E. Lesem (100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., 282-7700) is offering $100 off teeth whitening during the holidays, and she also can make anyone's pearly whites more perfect through bonding, veneering and other general dentistry.
A world tour -- For that very special someone on your list, plan a culinary trip around the world with gift certificates to a variety of local restaurants that each specialize in different cuisines:
Start off close to home with contemporary Louisiana cuisine mixed with a touch of Mediterranean at the new Bank Cafe (2001 Burgundy St., 371-2661).
Proceed to the Orient with the modern Chinese culinary creations (and a choice of about 200 wines from around the world) at Cafe East (4628 Rye St., Metairie, 888-0078).
Include a stop at one of the pioneers of sushi in New Orleans, open since 1995, with a meal of innovative sushi, sashimi or tempura choices at Kyoto (4920 Prytania St., 891-3644).
Spice things up with a trip to India for some chicken cooked in a tandoor oven, a bit of Bhindi Masala or one of a dozen other choices at Nirvana Indian Cuisine (4308 Magazine St., 894-9797). For tastes that come from south of the border but with an upscale twist in a comfortable atmosphere, include a gift certificate to Casa Garcia Mexican Restaurant (8814 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 464-0354; 800 N. Causeway Blvd., Mandeville, 985-951-8226).
Other Stories This Week in Features:
Cover Story
"A Bright Light"
Feature
Beer City
The Partying Pregosaur
Blake Pontchartrain™
New Orleans Know-It-All
Shoptalk
The Perfect Cover-Up
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