The ultimate gift guide for Diwali
But they’re not the reason you’ll see frantic last-minute shoppers scrambling through the malls, the weekend before, desperately searching for an answer to their gift crisis. We at BT More have been those shoppers. We feel their pain. We’ve tried juggling the permutations of all the gift possibilities on offer, matched with all the people you know and how much money you have (side effects include dizziness and nausea).
And then there’s the fear of getting it wrong— giving too cheap a gift, or too common and unimaginative. So, we approached the minefield of gift-giving like scientists. We broke it down to manageable sizes. We talked to experts, retailers, professional gifters and gifted amateurs. And with their accrued wisdom, and the help of a stack of graphs and charts and complicated equations, we have compiled a gift guide that covers, we think, most people on the planet.
Well, most of the people we know, anyway. We’ve focussed on buying gifts for four distinct personality types— Materialists, Good Timers, Leisure Lovers and Sports Freaks. We sought out the most inventive and appropriate gifts for each type, and slung in some trusted old classics, too. So, fret not bewildered shopper, you’ll find a wealth of ideas here, gifts that’ll stand out in the crowd. Here’s to a very happy Diwali to you all!
Him:
It's not about price, he says, it's about quality and exclusivity. The kind of quality you find in Armani suits, TAG watches, the S-class Mercedes. The Materialist is a shameless lover of labels because he knows what they mean. He likes limited editions and being the first. He's the first one to book a suite at the Four Seasons in Mumbai. He has an account with Sotheby's and he's considering a 3rd car. He loves reading about yachts, even though he's afraid of the water. He glints from the wrist and knuckles. For the Materialist, all that glitters probably is gold.
Her:
She’ll stop listening to you mid-sentence because a woman walked past with a Hermes bag. She can’t help it. She loves Hermes. And Coach and Louis Vuitton. She can spend a whole day in a shoe shop, and spend the whole of the next day talking about the day before. She remembers her friends by the size of their wedding diamonds or the designers they were last wearing. She doesn’t believe in ageing. She only believes in beauty and money and power.
Vertu stripped down the plasticky mobile phone and rebuilt it by hand, using gems and precious metals—the display is sapphire, the frame is titanium and there are rubies under each button so they never wear out. It's so well made, you can throw it across the room. Press this button and you get an international concierge service. Press the other and all your data is backed up to a bunker in rural England.
Price: From Rs 3,57,000
See www.vertu.com
The most fashion forward Dior watch for women, with the solid gem dial in swimming malachite and 18 carats of gold all around. Price: Rs 20,00,000 exclusive to The Dior Boutique, The Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi
It’s not the chocolate and caramel Louis Vuitton bag, it’s the new masculine Damier graphite version. Luxury and strength, understated and elegant. And the thing about hold-alls is everyone needs one. There’s no gift more versatile. It holds all, just like it says on the label. This is a gift he will use, and use again until that pristine leather finish develops that wonderful ease and crease of age.
Price: Rs 63,000,
From stores at the Oberoi & DLF Emporio, New Delhi, The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai and UB City Mall, Bangalore
See www.louisvuitton.com
For fall/winter 2008-09, Gucci's Creative Director Frida Giannini has explored the world of Bohemian glamour. The new shoe collection is all about studded booties and thick-strapped sandals. "Kristen", the high-heeled sandal comes in black satin with crystal studs by—that magic word—Swarovski.
Price: On request.
Available at Gucci stores at The Galleria, Nariman Point, Mumbai and The Oberoi, New Delhi
See www.gucci.com
Celebrate Diwali in royal splendour with a stunning gold thali with a gold bell and a gold diya. The combined set features 30.75 carats of navaratna stones—the nine stones which are arranged in a circle around a central ruby. With pearl, coral, emerald, yellow sapphire, blue sapphire, diamond, hessonite and cat’s eye, it’ll up your insurance premiums.
Price: Over Rs 10,00,000,
At Amaris Regalia, Emporio Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi
The clutch that Aishwarya Rai took to the 61st Cannes Film Festival. Lined in duchess satin, with a silver enamelled border for the crystal mesh in the silver version, while gold and silver sequins outline the gold version. Ridiculous and fabulous—what she wants.
Price: On Request.
Tel: 011-41757395
See www.swarovski.com
The victorinox limited edition watch
There are only 333 pieces of the Air Boss Mach 6 Power Gauge available worldwide. And only two of them will be for the Indian market. Get in line.
Price: Rs 1,90,000
From Zahir Irani, Country Head, Watch Division; Tel: 093- 22229059; see www.victorinoxindia.com
Already a hit with the Hollywood brigade, Fendi B is inspired by the retro styles of the ‘60s, and is all about contrasting materials, big buckles and buttonholes. An iconic style in Fendi, the details of the bag are similar to the spy bag and it’s available in mirror or patent leather. Bag one.
Price: Rs 85,500, at the Fendi boutique at Apollo Bandar, Mumbai; Tel: 022-66103334
See www.fendi.com
No red carpet event is complete without celebrities sashaying down in Versace gowns. This fall, they’ll be digging in for the classic knee length, sheath dress. Feminine and sexy, the blue satin sheath dress is part of the Versace jeans couture collection, and is a mix of chiffon and satin, with a tabular silhouette.
Price: Rs 68,000,
At G-13, South Extension, Part 1, New Delhi; Tel: 011-24658561
It's perfectly all right to judge a man by his shoes. All real men know this, and the Materialist even more so. He has racks of shoes already, for every occasion, in every colour. He appreciates a shoe, the way an art buff appreciates a Matisse. And he'll love these couture shoes in brown leather with buckles.
Price: Rs 45,000
From Ermenegildo Zegna,Emporio Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi;
Made to measure suit from Canali
Make him an appointment at the Canali store in Delhi, where a top-flight tailor measures him up and helps him choose fabric swatches and designs. The instructions are despatched to the Canali factory in Italy where their cutters make your suit, which is sent to your door 30 days later. Look like Clooney (right).
Price: Rs 1,00,000
At Canali, Emporio Mall, New Delhi; Tel: 011-46040731
His
He’s suave, well-dressed and he loves the nightlife. That new restaurant which opened last week, he can take you through the menu (he’s never missed a restaurant launch, or God forbid, a bar). He shows up in his BMW, tinted windows, with a couple of pals. He doesn’t drive, he’s too busy texting ex-girlfriends along the way. He orders fine wines or aged whiskies, he’s a fan of Cuban cigars and he throws the wildest parties. For this guy, there’s only one way to live—king size.
Her
She loves a party this one. It’s the dressing up, the dancing, hanging out with her friends. Flick through her photo album and it’s all party pictures whether she’s in Sydney, Bali, Athens or Goa beach. Of course, she likes a spa—who doesn’t—but she’d prefer a party on the beach in Australia under the light of a full moon. Top chef at the barbecue, top DJ at the decks, great pictures for the album.
Record an album at Blue Frog
A dream come true for the musically inclined—your very own album, recorded and produced in a state-of-the-art recording studio. Blue Frog in Mumbai is about the best facility around—it’s a club and record label as well as a recording studio, and since it opened last December, it has garnered itself a great reputation. Designed by Andy Munro, the acoustic designer for Bono and Mark Knopfler, the facility has four studios—two larger, and two smaller. And you can either hire the studio’s in-house producers for an extra charge, or produce the album yourself.
Price: Rs 2,250–2,750 per hour plus taxes depending on size of studio; contact: Tina Kapur
Why not hire a top chef to cater your party? High-fliers do it all the time. Lakshmi Mittal has hired Heston Blumenthal in London. When Vijay Mallya hosted a party on his yacht in Monaco for the Formula One bosses, he hired Alain Ducasse a man with 2 triple Michelin stars. Now, Alain Ducasse is extremely difficult to book. You’re better off trying Bill Marcetti, the man Mukesh Ambani called for his 50th birthday party. The Aussie Chef, and owner of Spaghetti Kitchen, may not have any Michelin stars—yet—but he’s a name that the biggest industrialists keep on file.
Price: On request, see www.blue-foods.com
If you’re going to go out, do it in style. Book a mini suite at Mumbai’s plushest nightclub, Prive. You get a private butler all to yourself. Order the Dom Perignon and dance the night away.
Price: Rs 25,000 onwards;
Tel: 98- 20167690/022-22028700, Meenu Desai Road, Next To The Radio Club, Colaba, Mumbai
Champagne bucket by Ravissant
Using the traditional Japanese metalworking technique called Mokume Gane, this bucket is made from seven layers of silver, copper and copper alloys joined together by diffusion bonding to produce a sandwich. A rare piece.
Price: Rs. 3,80,000
From Ravissant, New Friends Colony, New Delhi; Tel: 011-26837278 Or, Kemps Corner, Mumbai; Tel: 022-23637003
See ravissant@ravissant.
In 1668, a Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon set out to create the "best wine in the world," in Hautevillers in France. He discovered Champagne. The Vintage 2000—the best Dom has at present—was born of grapes picked at the end of the last century and matured in the greatest secrecy. While the classic Dom Pérignon style dominates Dom Pérignon 2000, its own individual characteristics— tactile, carnal and complex— shine through.
Price: From Rs 7,500 upwards
See www.domperignon.com
You can’t entertain properly without a decent bar. This foldable bar-trunk from Shanghai Tang, a leading luxury lifestyle brand from China, is both unique and stylish. It will house all your bar needs—from liquor bottles, decanters and glasses to coasters and bottleopeners. But you can’t just pick this stuff up—Shanghai Tang does not have any boutiques in India—your only opportunity to buy their products is by going to one of its annual trunk shows in Delhi and Mumbai.
Price: Rs 2,40,000
Available from the Shanghai Tang trunk show in New Delhi from October 19-21 at The Oberoi Hotel and in Mumbai from November 20-22 at Yantra Gallery. Tel: 9810231263 or send e-mail to ksingal@modi.com
See www.shanghaitang.com/shanghaitang
No self-respecting party hound can go too far without learning at least the rudiments of salsa. And those who’ve tried it, tend to do it again and again. So, watch their faces light up when you offer them a course of lessons with Sandip Soparrkar, one of the most noted teachers in Mumbai.
Price: Rs 3,500 (12 classes), at Andheri (west), Santacruz (west), Bandra, Marine Drive, Chowpatty and Kemps Corner, Mumbai. Tel: 9819361074; sandipsoparrkar@rediffmail.com / http://www.ballroomindia.com
Don’t listen to the people who say chocolates are too obvious an idea— these people aren’t women. Last month, scientists discovered the “chocolate” gene in women, it makes them drool and forgive and perform favours. That’s not strictly true, of course, but if you read it in the papers one day, would you really be surprised? Invest in Patchi, handmade chocolates.
Price: Rs 2,500 for ½ kg, from boutiques in Atria Mall, Mumbai; Tel: 022–24813430 and Select City Walk, Saket, New Delhi; Tel: 011-40575038
You can have a good time and still give back this Diwali. If you donate to the charity, Dreamz Home, you stand a chance of having the gorgeous actress Sameera Reddy add her celebrity sizzle to your party or function. Reddy has long been a supporter of Dreamz Home, an NGO, which works for the welfare of homeless children. “I love children," she says, "and God has been kind and given me everything I ever wanted, so I want to make this the reality of every child in this home. ” At present, Dreamz Home houses about 25 kids and it requires support for basics like education, nutrition and health. Donate and you might have Sameera come over one day and take pictures with your guests.
Contact: 9892954019 or e-mail socialdevelopmentcentre@yahoo.com, dreamzhomeless@yahoo.co.in for more information.
Imagine an aircraft complete with a pilot and crew, available at your beck and call. If a Rs 180-crore price tag of a new Gulfstream V is too much, fear not—buy a timeshare! Fractional ownership or timeshare allows a shareholder to use an aircraft for a predetermined number of hours per year. NetJets India has a fleet of five aircraft of varying sizes for this.
Price: Membership from Rs 83 lakh a year to use a six-seater to Rs 10 crore for 200 hours on a Hawker or a Gulfstream
See www.netjets.com
A velvety-textured single malt whisky that has been extra matured in ruby port pipes from Portugal. It appeals to confident, dynamic spirit drinkers who like to take the lead. It’s not on sale in India as yet, but it is available at fining dining restaurants, leading hotels, bars and clubs, in Mumbai and New Delhi.
Price: Rs 15,000-20,500 for a 750 ml bottle
See www.glenmorangie.com
The sports freak
Him:
He could talk all day about Sachin or Federer or Tiger or Ronaldinho. He goes straight for the sports pages in the morning even though he already knows the results. He has cried at sporting events, and got hammered afterwards with the lads. But the next morning, he’s out jogging and eating salads— there’s always a match to prepare for, or a climb or a dive. His SUV’s a mess, but there’s always the power bike.
She looks great—trim, fit and full of life. The girl in the tracksuit and the sunblock who can kick your ass at tennis. She can quote Bend It Like Beckham line by line. She screamed so loud when she saw Dhoni on the plane, she caused a security scare. She cares more about Reebok than Hermes. Watch her face light up when you buy her an all-expenses paid trek to the Everest Base Camp.
“Amatrra,” says the bumph, “is the silence that occurs between recurrent chants of Om.” It’s also possibly the most upscale gym you’re likely to find in a major metro. Welcome to 2,500 square feet of tip top gym equipment with a clientele that includes Peter Punj and Sanjay Kapoor to the young Gandhis—Rahul and Priyanka. The membership is so high-end that the management takes a stringent look at all applications. But if you’re in, there’s no better place to work out, and it’s bang in the heart of Delhi. Price: Rs 1.25 lakh + taxes
Amattra Spa at Ashok hotel, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi. Tel: 011-24122921/22
See www.amattraspa.com
For anyone who plays the straight drive in his dreams, there are few better gifts than a Sachin Tendulkar-autographed commemorative cricket bat. This is a limited edition replica of the bat Sachin used to crack his record-breaking 35th Test century, personally autographed by the little master.
Price: Rs 47,408, see www.memorabiliaonline.com.au
Give the gift of adrenaline this Diwali—adrenaline and the ability to screech around chicanes like Ayrton Senna. At the Irungattukottai race track—India's only international race track—you can gear up, jump in the drivers seat and learn race car driving from the experts. Ask nicely and maybe one of the pros will take the wheel and take you on a lap at speeds that will have you wondering how you kept your lunch down. We recommend the Pay 'n Practice Day, which gets you 30 laps of screaming engines and burning rubber.
Price: Rs 8,500
From Madras Motor Sports Club, Chennai, Tel: 044-24990998
See http://mmsc.in
A velvety-textured single malt whisky that has been extra matured in ruby port pipes from Portugal. It appeals to confident, dynamic spirit drinkers who like to take the lead. It’s not on sale in India as yet, but it is available at fining dining restaurants, leading hotels, bars and clubs, in Mumbai and New Delhi.
Price: Rs 15,000-20,500 for a 750 ml bottle
See www.glenmorangie.com
A signed and framed limited edition photograph of Anil Kumble’s “Perfect 10” moment in Delhi—the Test match against Pakistan when Kumble snapped up all 10 wickets in the Pak second innings, becoming only the second player in the history of the game to do so.
Price: Rs 22,870
See www.memorabiliaonline.com.au
The ultimate cricket fan’s holiday. For the upcoming Test series between Australia and India, pick your venue—Delhi, Bangalore or Chandigarh—and buy the Test match package from India Tour Packages. For each city you enjoy two days of sightseeing, six nights at a top class hotel, a chauffeur-driven car and box seats for all five days of cricket. Considering the weather, Bangalore might be the best option.
Price: Rs 74,950 per person on a twin-sharing basis
See www.india-tour-packages.com
A classic piece of eyewear, combining the best of fashion and sports. Wayfarers from Ray-Ban come in neon shades and striking colour contrasts. The new models also use the Ray-Ban G-15 lenses that were created in the 1950s for military use, with an impressive ability to block radiation and glare.
Price: Rs 5,490-Rs 6,990
From leading optical outlets
See www.rayban.com
Anyone who loves the outdoors is going to want to grapple with the Himalayas one day. And India has some of the best mountaineering courses in the world. Of some four premier mountaineering institutes in the country, the best is the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering at Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand. Situated in a dense forest at 1158 m, it has been producing world class mountaineers since 1965. The Institute offers state of the art equipment, from boots and gloves to pick-axes. It’s run by the Indian Army, and the rigorous training ensures that trainees benefit immensely in terms of training and fitness. All of the trainers have at least 10 peak ascents under their belt, as well as three Everesters.
Price: Rs 5,000 for the basic course that includes training in rock climbing and negotiating various terrains. A 28-day course. Tel: 01374-222123/224663;
Planet Scuba India in Bangalore is offering personalised scuba training holidays in Lakshadweep, Goa and the Andamans, among other places. It’s the ultimate adventure at sea. Enter the womb of the oceans, a mesmerising and colourful world quivering with life. And don’t worry if you’ve never tried it— Planet Scuba India is the country’s first inland training centre. You’ll get swimming pool lessons and a certificate at the end.
Price: Rs 20,000 for the certification
See www.planetscubaindia.com{mospagebreak}
The leisure lover
He always has at least five great holiday ideas at any given time (a list he refreshes constantly). He can’t wait for the day he retires. He has a library of books, most of which he has read, a collection of cigars and a stream of quotes about the virtues of idleness. He loves to be entertained and pampered, he loves a lounge or a cruise—he loves being horizontal. Life’s too short to get stressed out.
Her:
She loves a spa, a massage, a foot-rub, a mud bath and scrub. I’m a princess, she says, treat me as such—give me Egyptian cotton sheets and perfectly chilled wines, a deck chair by the pool, nothing on my schedule but nail appointments and shopping and snoozing with a good book.
One of the Neemrana hotels, up in Rishikesh, ensconced in lychee and mango orchards and boasting a private sand beach of its own—the Glasshouse is more than a mere hotel. Here you find log fires, barbecues by the river bank, private cottages and several nearby ashrams. Rejuvenate here. The Beatles did.
Price: Rs 3,000 for double rooms; Tel: 01378-269224/269218
If you can’t find a talented Thai (see Thai Foot Spa), then the Osim foot massager is the way to go. It beats the spa by the simple virtue of being in your bedroom every day, just asking to knead the tension and stress out of your feet and calves. OK, it’s not winning any prizes for looks, but don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. The integrated vibration board. The multiangle squeeze. Owners become addicts. If you take your leisure seriously, it’s practically compulsory.
Price: Rs 23,000, at Osim stores, Okhla phase 2, New Delhi; at the Leela Galleria, Airport Road, Bangalore; Atria Mall, Worli, Mumbai
See www.osimindia.com
Kaya Kalp, the Royal Spa, at ITC Mughal, Agra is a staggering 99,000 square feet of pristine Moghul grandeur. Designed by Delhi architect Pradeep Sachdeva, every inch screams opulence—the fountains, the interiors, the stone latticework, mother-of-pearl, and inlay work. The chakra balancing gem stone massage is one of the signature treatments of the spa, as is the Royal Mughal Hamam— the Mughal style kese body scrub, a mung bean soap massage and a rejuvenating scalp massage are all part of the 180-minute ritual.
Price: Rs 40,000 for 3 days and 2 nights in a deluxe suite, inclusive of visit to the Taj, meals and some body treatments. Tel: 0562-4021700;
See www.itcwelcomgroup.in/kayakalp{mospagebreak}
A weekend at the palace
Udaipur, is one of the finest jewels in the Oberoi crown—and that’s saying something. In 2007, it was voted the best hotel in the world by Travel & Leisurein 2007, and the best hotel in Asia by Conde Nast Traveller. From the boat ride across Lake Pichola to the ceremonial welcome at the hotel, the luxury is unspeakable. Private pools and gardens and frescoes, it’s a taste of splendour at its very pinnacle. And what’s more—the Oberoi is offering a deal. Book now to avoid disappointment. Price: Rs. 65,000 (plus taxes) for two-nights and two people, inclusive of breakfast and dinner and complimentary return transfers from the nearest airport or railway station. Available only between October 1–31 and November 16–December 19; Tel: 91-11-23890606
See www.oberoihotels.com
They’re good with feet in Thailand. They know about herbal compresses and reflexology and the ancient art of foot massage called Arokaya which students study at an institute called-no kidding-the Thai Spa Academy. Well, you can benefit from all this knowledge. Aroma Thai has established three authentic Thai foot spas in Mumbai. Pali Hill , next to Juice Salon, Bandra,
Tel: 26056871/72 Mahalaxmi, next to Nature's Basket, Tel: 23536601/02 Malad, 1st floor, InOrbit Mall, Mumbai, Tel: 2871 2047
One for the reader, a terrific double whammy. You get a holiday in the Amandari Resort in Bali, which could scarcely be more gorgeous. A bamboo and teak heaven with library, tennis courts, white water rafting and, well, Bali in all its glory. But if you travel between 14th and 19th of October, there’s the Ubud Literature Festival right there on your doorstep. Lunches, dinners, poetry, theatre, film music. You’ll be neighbours with the likes of Vikram Seth, who’ll be talking about his travels and chatting in the bar afterwards. Luxury and literature in paradise.
Price: $750 for a suite, and $60 for the Vikram Seth evening. Tel: (62) 361 975333
See amandar@amanresorts.com
{mosimage} Makeover by a bollywood stylist
he’s styled the likes of aamir khan, akshay kumar, sushmita sen and saif ali khan—and he’s more than willing to do it for you. shaahid amir is one of the hottest stylists in bollywood. he treats a makeover as a head-to-toe transformation which should include everything from a wardrobe change to a haircut to a facial, and even makeup. call shahid and his team of designers and they’ll transform your look, whether you’re a ‘him’ or a ‘her’. an unforgettable gift.
Price: on request,
See shaahidamir@gmail.com
