STRETCHED
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Give the gift of yoga with this eight-class Power Yoga Beginner Series. Over four weeks, the class teaches basic alignment, breathing techniques and guided practice. Plus, it puts students in with other beginners. The series begins Jan. 19–Feb 11 and meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. through Feb. 11. The $115 cost also includes the book, Journey into Power, which explains the Baptiste Power Vinyasa yoga that students will practice.
Yoga Sport Dallas, 4140 Lemmon Ave, Suite 280.
214-520-YOGA (9642). YogaSportDallas.com.
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The holidays always make for a perfect opportunity to indulge yourself and your friends, and maybe take it to the next level with a new romantic interest. Nothing says, "I want to see you naked but don’t want to ask outright" more decisively than a pair of sexy briefs, like these from Baskit Wear. The ribbed jock brief (bikini in the front, open in the rear) makes a racy suggestion that only the densest twink wouldn’t pick up on, while the slick pastels of the Dip Dye collection tease you to see more. There is even swimwear if you wanna convince him to get away to the Caribbean for a long weekend. Why send flowers when partial nudity says so much more? (Starting at $13.)
Skivvies, 4001-C Cedar Springs Road. 214-559-4955.
Baskitwear.com.
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Anything edible is a gift worth giving, unless it’s one of those creepy fruitcakes that works better as a doorstop. You can go all Martha Stewart and make your own or save the time and stress and order a holiday pie from Original Market Diner. You already know their delicious home cooking so no doubt, their pies will taste just like mom’s. Unless you’re giving it to Mom in which it will taste fantastic. Pies range from fruit to pecan to chocolate. Priced from $14.95–$19.25.
Original Market Diner, 4434 Harry Hines Blvd. 214-521-0992. OriginalMarketDiner.com.
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Jewelry for the holidays is always a romantic notion. J. Pacetti wants to make sure men get in on that action, too, with their men’s only accessories. This sterling silver bracelet has a Gothic, masculine feel with its heavy chain links, Maltese cross closure and an oxidized finish. This is bling that can work in both casual and formal settings and versatile is always a nice thing. This bracelet is priced at $395.
J. Pacetti Precious Jewels, 214-521-0815. Call for viewing
information. JPacetti.com.
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Add some sexy to the season with leather and metal. Eggnog won’t be the only thing spiced up this holiday. Priced at $119.95, the Infinity Harness is the perfect starter piece for any budding aficionado or a killer addition to any fetish wardrobe. Leather Masters also offers a vast selection of leather clothing and gear for both sexes. Plus, it’s one-stop shopping with their kinky selection of Christmas cards.
Leather Masters, 3000 Main St.
214-528-3865. LeatherMasters.com.
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Back in the olden days, people used to write instead of typing or texting. Fortunately, it’s not a forgotten art yet. The Flagmaster by Retro 51 is a patriotic tribute to Old Glory, covered in U.S. postage stamps and then covered in a clear lacquer finish — perfect for the patriot in your circle of friends and family. The pen retails for $50.
Paradise Pen, 13350 Dallas Parkway, in the Galleria. 972-991-4110.
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For those who just can’t get off the phone while driving, this gadget is a must. The Parrot LS-Color Hands-Free Bluetooth Car Kit takes care of phones calls so drivers can keep both eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel. With this kit, drivers can call easily with its voice recognition feature and chat on the phone hands free. The large LCD color screen makes it easy to see phone numbers and caller photos as they pop up. The kit is priced at $398 installed. Plus, it makes the roads safer. Who doesn’t want that?
Alta Mere, 4302 Lemmon Ave. 214-521-7477. AltaMere.com.
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If you missed out on the merch table at the Dallas Summer Musicals this year, don’t fret. You can still find it available at the box office. For the musical lover, head here for t-shirts, hats and other goodies from the shows that have come through Dallas. With gifts starting at $9.99 and a wide selection, you could find the perfect gift — or even a couple of them.
Dallas Summer Musicals Box Office, 542 Preston Royal Shopping Center, 214-421-5678.
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This might be the gift for your non-Texan friends. Killer Pecans say two things — "Delicious!" and "Don’t mess with Texas." These nuts pack both a sweet and spicy punches followed by a swift kick in the taste buds. With genuine Lone Star pecans from San Saba, Texas, these treats are not only a welcome bite, but also a deliciously easy addiction. The tin runs $33 and the bag sells for $14.50. If your gift recipient opens upon receipt, the two of you might just finish them off in no time … unless that was your plan from the beginning. In which we’d have to say, well played.
NUVO, 3900 Cedar Springs Road. 214-522-6886. NuvoDallas.com.
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This fitted cotton stretch jacket from Assembly is made with simplistic design in slick fashion. It can function as both a jacket to keep the cold out and a dressy layer to add to most outfits. Who wouldn’t want something so versatile? The Comrade jacket is available in olive and black and priced at $175.
Assembly, 3699 McKinney Ave., Suite 405, in the West Village. 214-219-9991. WorldOfAssembly.com.
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It’s hard to believe our very own Turtle Creek Chorale has 36 CDs in their catalog. The hits keep on coming though, with their newest holiday release, Believe. With 16 tracks of traditional carols and new favorites, the Turtles deliver the right sounds for the season. Featuring guest stars like the Women’s Chorus of Dallas, Dallas PUMP and the Singing Girls of Texas, the live recording of their 2008 performances is a must have for getting into the spirit. Believe is available for $12.
Visit TurtleCreek.org to order this and other holiday CDs from the Chorale.
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Season tickets can entertain for days. Heck, months even. Give the gift of local stage and theater for those performing arts lovers.
Uptown Players offers discounted packages for their 2010 season with five shows as low as $105.
Subscriptions for the Dallas Theater Center season start as low as $99. However, their production of A Christmas Carol is a Dallas theater-going tradition. Specific show ticket prices vary. The Radio City Rockettes deliver every year in dazzling fashion with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Tickets are priced $22–$91.
TITAS offers an eclectic variety of music and dance performances in the Winspear Opera House. Tickets vary per event and start as low as $19.
Uptown Players. 214-219-2718. UptownPlayers.org. Visit the Dallas Theater Center online box office at DallasTheaterCenter.org. Visit AEGLive.com for tickets. Visit ATTPAC.org for TITAS tickets.
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Believe it or not, some people haven’t jumped on the mp3 player wagon. All those buttons and control wheels and lists can be a bit overwhelming to the technically stubborn. But this slotRadio player can change all that. SanDisk has taken the hard work out of it so the listener only needs to press play. It comes with 1,000 pre-loaded songs in a variety of genres. How simple is that? The slotRadio player is priced at $99. Additional music cards can be purchased by genres and decades for $40.
Available at multiple RadioShack locations and RadioShack.com.
GAME PLAYER
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Game nights can be spiced up with these naughty board games. Outburst, Scattergories and Pictionary might just be pushed to the side with these options starting at $14.99. These adult games might be best played between just two people, you know. Group play is probably fine if you’re into that sort of thing.
Condoms To Go and Sara’s Secret, various locations. CondomsToGoUSA.com. SarasSecret.com.
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The Phillips Sonicare FlexCare Rechargeable Toothbrush with UV Sanitizer might be the best tool for keeping those pearly whites. The toothbrush cleans enamel in superior fashion while the UV sanitizer gets rid of roaming bacteria. The deep clean feels like a visit to the dentist’s office. And without the scary drill sound. The toothbrush is priced at $125.
FLOSS Dental, 3131 Lemmon Ave. 214-978-0101. FlossDental.com.
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For the clotheshorse, get some couture without those designer prices. By going consignment, you can save major on high fashion. Find suits starting at $99, shoes from $39 and bags from $29.99. We didn’t even mention the shirts, scarves and other wardrobe accessories.
Couture Consignment, 2926 Oak Lawn Ave. 214-219-8588. CoutureConsignment.com.
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When a gift includes sweet and salty flavors, nothing can go wrong.
Add in fruit, cider and coffee even, and it’s holiday heaven. This holiday basket includes Grand Marnier chocolate pecans, chili-lime pretzels, mint malt balls and so much more. But the good thing about it, Austin Nuts c Austinuts, 6915 Hillcrest Ave. 214-739-8887. Austinuts.com.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition November 20, 2009.
ustomizes their baskets and gifts according to your needs and budget. This is clearly a win-win situation.