Gifts

Those readers who can remember technology 10, 15 or 20 years ago might be relieved to see this list. We finally made it, people: Technology is finally living up to the promise of making things easier and more fun. No more are video cameras expensive, awkward, shaky ...

It’s all about the plants! The Center for Integrative Botanical Studies offers hands-on educational programs on a diversity of programs, including herbalism, nutrition, plant and mushroom ID, wild food and foraging, traditional skills, permaculture and much more. ...

We give gifts to make people happy. There are some gifts, however, that can make more than the recipient happy...

The holidays roll around and most of my friends and family get some lovely homemade cookies wrapped up in red and green cellophane on a mighty decorative plastic plate. That’s about all that I can afford for my four big brothers and their growing families. Everything...

It's difficult to avoid the holiday hype with carols, gifts, greeting cards, Christmas tree and menorah lighting ceremonies and the other hullabaloo that fills our calendars. Black Friday arrives, kicking off your shopping spree for friends and family. But what about...

This year didn´t bring much in the way of groundbreaking technology. Yet judging by the way folks are lining up to grab the latest updates and models of items they may already have, the biggest winner so far in this holiday shopping season may be planned obsolescence...

The holiday season is also a season of gaming. Every fall, the biggest and brightest video games hit store shelves with hopes of filling the stockings of hard-core gamers and casual gamers alike. Luckily, we’re here to tell you what’s hot, and what’s not...

Most people have stuff, and many have far too much of it. What a lot of people don’t have, though, and may not buy for themselves in a down economy are things like a meal at a downtown restaurant, a massage at an independently owned spa, or that much needed tune-up ...

The Essential New York Times Book of Cocktails ($29.95...

When the Nintendo Wii hit store shelves back in 2006, it revolutionized the way we play video games. Its motion-sensing controllers allowed for a player to physically involve himself in a game, with the player’s movements captured by the game. The Wii succeeded with ...

For whatever reason, 2009 is not going to go down as one of the better years for holiday albums. The main reason is that there weren’t as many releases as usual. In any event, here is this writer’s takes on the best and worst of this year’s seasonal releases. Note: ...

For the tech-minded family member or friend, there are numerous gadgets to choose from for holiday gifts. The tough part is singling out the cool, innovative and interesting products from the cheap, lame and boring ones. Here we’ve selected our five favorite ...