December 3, 2008

Bros Before Mistletoe

2008 Holiday Gift Guide for Guys

Lengthy list of fellas to shop for? We’ve got each neighborhood covered.

Capitol Hill Prep
Button him up with Tanya Trahtemberg’s handmade cuff links (Lost Boys; 1033 31st Street NW; 202-333-0093), made from Peruvian silver or gold. Then help him unwind with a massage or facial package from Vivabox, redeemable at any SpaFinder location. At the end of the day, he can relax with a flight of top bourbons served with fresh charcuterie at the Park Hyatt Washington Lounge.

Logan Circle Design Junky
He’ll host masterful parties with the help of José Andrés’s Made in Spain, a glossy new cookbook detailing the country’s regional foods. Be sure he can serve those tapas in style with crown-embossed gold plates (Le Village Marché, 4150 Campbell Avenue; 703-379-4444). Give him a touch of Zen with a festive, unscented silver Buddha head candle.

Mt. Pleasant Eco Warrior
Ease his commute with biking parts and accessories from Annapolis-based Velo Orange. Make sure the inclement weather doesn’t frostbite his digits with Dots gloves, designed to let users type on iPhones and BlackBerries. He can further reduce his footprint with a Gusanito composting factory from Greater Goods, which houses thousands of worms that consume about eight pounds of food per day.

SW Beer Lover
He moved to be near the new Nats ballpark, but there’s still room for him at the Wizards with a three-game package for January and February. After a big win, take him to the bar at CityZen for pairings of unique beers with fine cheese or let him stuff his face at home with a custom ready-to-bake pie from the new HomeMade Pizza Co. When the game’s not on, let him craft musical stylings with the Merkury Innovations iPod mixer.

Geographically challenged? Find gifts for guys around the country in other editions.