Whether it be the holidays or a birthday, those important dates seem to sneak up on us every year. Suddenly, the time to shop for gifts is slim and the opportunities to stress are bountiful. If you’re currently panicking about presents, take a breath and take a look through our Last Minute Gift Guide, where all the items are available for fast shipping (whether it be overnight or three-day options). From books to vases, cookware to clothing, there’s plenty still available so you don’t unintentionally become the Grinch.
Cleo Le-Tan’s A Booklover’s Guide to New York is a thoughtfully selected collection of the city’s most charming book stores and libraries; as well as writers’ homes and favorite cafes, bars and restaurants; and well-known literary landmarks. With whimsical illustrations by beloved French artist Pierre Le-Tan (whose work graced countless New Yorker covers) and contributions from Tavi Gevinson, Marc Jacobs and Hamish Bowles, this guidebook can function as a real-life city guide or the entry-point to a daydream.
From NYC-based The Arrivals, the thick-ribbed Sanné Hat is crafted from 70% wool and 30% cashmere. Lobster orange, eraser pink, paper white and—our pick—highlighter green seasonal colors have just been released. In addition to warmth, it’s sure to bring a splash of color to dreary winter days.
Intended for readers from four to eight years old, Rebecca Green’s aptly named How to Make Friends with a Ghost details the best technique for becoming pals with a spook. From making them their favorite treats (mud tarts and earwax truffles) to charming them with bedtime stories and serenades, there are plenty of useful tips. Along with whimsical illustrations, the book is sweet, funny and conveys a message of kindness.
Part of an ongoing collaboration between Chinatown Market and Smiley, this tie-dye basketball adds extra flair to anybody’s game. Crafted from composite leather and inflated to official regulation size, this colorful ball affords equal opportunity for performance as it does expression. Best of all, it’ll be nearly impossible to mix this limited-edition ball up with others at pick-up games.
Playfully asymmetrical, these PLIE earrings are handmade in Seattle by Faris. Available in bronze (with lapis, jade and pearl) or sterling silver (with red glass, pineapple jasper and pearl), they will naturally oxidize over time, but can be polished up to their shiniest state easily. Designed by Faris Du Graf, they are sculptural and bold, while remaining sleek and elegant.
Wrapped in a blue and white grid cover, Poketo’s A5 Monthly Planner (which measures 5.8 by 8.3 inches) is printed on tree-free paper. Thanks to its open-date grid system, users can use it during any year. With enough pages to span a 16-month period, this planner is also available in A4 and A6 sizes.
Grand Union: Stories is prolific author Zadie Smith’s first collection of short stories. The respected and beloved author features her horror tales alongside historical fiction, reflective pieces on modernity, dystopian tales and more. While diverse in subject and genre, Smith’s writing is consistently rich, thoughtful and measured. There are 19 stories within, 11 of which are new and exclusive to this release.
With panels of subtle hues contrasted by candy colors, this knitted throw blanket is undeniably the work of Brooklyn-based Dusen Dusen. Made from 100% cotton, the Stripe Throw Blanket is super-soft and sizable, at 50 by 70 inches.
Written by Dave Eggers, Tomorrow Most Likely is unsurprisingly playful and simultaneously tender. The book, illustrated by Lane Smith, preaches the virtues of going to sleep and waking up ready for the new day—and all the exciting, odd and glorious things that could happen then. “Tomorrow most likely there will be a door that leads to the world, where people are found,” one part reads. Intended for children aged three to five, it’s an ideal read-aloud bedtime story for the family.
With 800 by 600 pixels and 318 dpi in each print, the new Fujilink printer creates real-life photos from your smartphone, all while being incredibly portable. With a print-from-video option, there are plenty of edits to be made, and it easily pairs with your smartphone via Bluetooth. Available in pink, white or navy, the printer uses Instax Mini film to turn your digital camera roll into crisp, real photographs.
Produced by Out Of Print, purveyors of all manner of book-related goods, this Where The Wild Things Are tote bag is emblazoned with the cover of Maurice Sendak’s beloved book. Measuring 15 by 17 inches, it’s made from 100% cotton canvas. All purchases from Out Of Print benefit literacy funds and book drives for communities in need.
Luke Burgess and Michael Ryan’s Only in Tokyo—part city guide, part storybook—is a celebration of food, travel, culture and photography. The Australian chefs (and Japanophiles) take readers on a wild ride through some of the city’s best restaurants, bars and cafes, and offer insight into the individuals that make these locales so special. With interviews, notes on favorite dishes and lovely photos by Burgess, the book blossoms into a personal and captivating tale.
Topo Designs and New Balance’s just-released collaboration collection is made up of sneakers, a backpack and a crossbody bag. The Rover Pack features a flap closure, two exterior zippered pockets (plus two on the sides), and contrasting shoulder and tightening straps—in desert brown and bright red, respectively. Inside there’s a large main compartment and a laptop sleeve. While Topo’s signature retro-styled tag remains, there’s also space for New Balance’s logo. Though it’s not a technical backpack, there’s no shortage of details at play—from the suede panels to clever use of space.
By skateboarder and artist Jerry Hsu, The Beautiful Flower Is The World is a photo book filled with chaotic and clever shots taken on lo-fi cellphone cameras. In his spare time, Hsu would snap everything from portraits of friends to bathroom graffiti, bedazzled cowboy boots and everything between. He uploaded these shots to a blog, and published his favorites in this 288-page book.
Through images photographed between 1949 and 1950, Leo Goldstein’s East Harlem: The Postwar Years tenderly depicts the lives of that era’s newest immigrants, Puerto Ricans. A Russian-Jewish immigrant himself, Goldstein used photography to subvert stereotypes and spotlight everyday heroism within the community. “We who lived through those years in East Harlem can assure you, his lens was truer than any of the news articles, movies, or books of the era, and we are all enriched by the work he left behind,” Juan González writes in the book’s preface.
An autobiography by punk icon Debbie Harry, Face It: A Memoir was crafted by Harry and music writer Sylvie Simmons. The fascinating tome is full of history, anecdotes and wild tales, but steers clear of being a full-on confessional—which perfectly suits Harry’s impeccably crafted Blondie persona. From her teenage years to moving to New York, meeting Chris Stein, her rise to fame and the creation of Blondie (the band and the character), nearly everything gets documented candidly alongside never-before-published photographs and artwork. Of course, there’s much more to Debbie Harry than Blondie, and plenty of that is explored within, too.
