" Material things aren't about money, but lifestyle."
An A-Z guide to living large.
Published October 2003
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COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLEA [Altruism]
Set up a registry of your favorite charities at WhatGoesAround.org, the first online database of every recognized nonprofit organization in the U.S. At idofoundation.org, couples-to-be can create a donation registry or gift registry from which partner stores donate up to 10% of money spent on goods.
B [Books]
Courtroom novel master and criminal defense lawyer Scott Turow presents a potent examination of the death penalty in Ultimate Punishment ($17; Farrar, Straus & Giroux). In The Flyers ($22; Crown), longtime NPR correspondent Noah Adams tells the soaring story of Wilbur and Orville, who had an absurd idea and canvas wings--just in time for the 100th anniversary of the first flight at Kitty Hawk.
C [Classics]
The 1925 Hudson's Bay Point blanket's short indigo stitch lines, or "points," indicate how many beaver pelts it once traded for. This heavy, 100% virgin wool, practically waterproof icon could warm even the coldest trapper for a lifetime. (From $299; 800-441-5713; www.llbean.com)
D [Domesticity]
Laze without the La-Z-Boy stigma in Charles and Ray Eames's supple leather midcentury modern lounge chair and ottoman. ($2,919; 800-944-2233; www.dwr.com)
E [Environment]
Go straight to the source with a contribution to WaterPartners International (water.org), which works with local organizations to clean up and build safe water supplies around the world.
F [Family]
Travel outfitter Backroads builds adult-alone time into its family adventure trips, such as biking/sea kayaking/rafting vacations in Hawaii or New Zealand. (800-462-2848; www.backroads.com)
G [Gadgets]
Slide open the illuminated keypad on the sexy, petite (2.8 ounces) Siemens SL56 to make a call or send pictures, sounds, and animated icons. ($250 with two-year contract at Cingular; www.my-siemens.com/us)
H [Health]
If the pure life exists anywhere, it's on a lush mountaintop above coffee plantations and orchids. The Pura Vida spa in Costa Rica's Alajuela province emphasizes yoga, meditation, and massage, but offers rowdier activities like salsa dancing, whitewater rafting, and hiking through the cloud forest to the Poas Volcano. (Doubles all-inclusive from $1,100 per week; 888-767-7375; www.puravidaspa.com)
I [Indulgence]
A garnish of edible 24-karat-gold powder or leaf adds just enough '80s excess to a cocktail. ($6 for 2 ounces or $50 for 25 sheets; 800-942-2539; www.nycake.com)
J [Joyrides]
Cadillac's XLR hardtop convertible with 4.6L Northstar V8 engine marries high fashion (Bulgari-designed gauges, eucalyptus wood accents) with high-tech function: information projected onto the windshield; XM satellite radio; and DVD entertainment and navigation systems--the automaker even boasts the world's fastest reacting suspension system. ($76,200 and up; www.cadillac.com). The Lamborghini Gallardo two-door, two-seater coupe, with a 500 hp V10 engine and a top speed of 192 mph, vrooms onto American shores this month. ($160,000 and up; www.lamborghini.com)
K [Kicks]
Helmet- or head-mounted cameras are much improved since they were strapped onto NFL refs' domes in the '90s. Slightly larger than a Chapstick, they're waterproof and deliver quality action during skiing, biking, or anything else involving speed. ($189 and up; 651-702-5402; www.bulletcam.com)
L [Looks]
Step into the new airbrushing self-tanning booths at Mystic Tan (877-668-8826; www.mystictan.com) or Hollywood Tans (877-826-7123; www.hollywoodtan.com), where a skin-bronzing mist treatment (about $30) gives you a temporary golden glow without UV damage.
M [Media]
Consider a different center of the universe with a digital TV news outlet with a perspective that travels beyond America's borders. WorldLink TV (www.worldlinktv.org) considers itself the anti-network, but that didn't stop the likes of ABC's Peter Jennings from admiring its global viewpoint as "television without borders." One World TV (www.tv.oneworld.net) is a membership-based community--with extensive video footage online--comprising 57 countries.
