Don’t just buy your special lady these gifts for the holidays. Take her on a date where she can enjoy them.
1. Give her: Smith Aura Sunglasses
Take her to: The roof deck at the West End These shades are versatile and verse-worthy. I’ve lamented the loss of my first pair of Smiths, which I wore everywhere—from writers’ workshops to the east wall at A-Basin. Enter the Auras, Smith’s latest marriage of classic design and technical attributes, including Techlite Polarized Glass TLT Lenses.
$179; smithoptics.com
2. Give her: K2 TalkBack skis
Take her to: Berthoud Pass Significant others and backcountry skiing go together like: A. Keanu Reeves and speeding buses, B. chocolate and pickles or C. the Buddha and the bodhi tree. Avoid blow-ups and enlighten her backcountry experience with these ultralight, carbon-fiber boards (124/88/108). The all-terrain rocker performs well in various conditions—as you do, no doubt.
$750; k2skis.com
3. Give her: Edie Bauer First Ascent Mountain Guide Pants and MicroTherm Down Shirt (shirt not pictured)
Take her to: Snowshoeing at Rocky Mountain National Park Is she (like me) consistently overdressed to avoid the cold? Give comfort with these light but cozy options, perfect for touring, snowshoeing or hiking. The Mountain Guide pants are durable, wind- and water-resistant, and built for range-of-motion. And the MicroTherm Down Shirt contains 800-fill down, while maintaining a trim fit, for the type of lightweight warmth you need on active jaunts. No sweat.
$199 pants, $169 shirt; eddiebauer.com
4. Give her: Lole Celeb Jacket
Take her to: Dinner at Six89 in Carbondale Lole jackets are instant classics: Subtly eye-catching and super stylish. The Celeb is no exception. With its water-repellent, two-layer bonded herringbone outer face and fleecy soft inside, this jacket is as worthy of everyday use as it is of evenings out. (Cocktails and dinner sold separately, of course.)
$200; lolewomen.com
5. Give her: Smartwool Rose Mint Tulip Hat and Cozy Mittens (mittens not pictured)
Take her to: Ice skating at Keystone I love Smartwool’s feminine, yet durable, on- or off-the-snow accessories. The 100-percent merino wool Rose Mint Tulip Hat includes an interior headband liner for comfort, and the aptly named Cozy Mittens are made with 95-percent merino wool that provides some extra protection and all-important warmth.
$45 hat, $30 mittens; smartwool.com
6. Give her: Icebreaker Flexi Chute
Take her to: The back bowls of Vail The perfect neck protection—sans irritating zippers or claustrophobic cuts—is hard to find. The new Icebreaker Flexi Chute is darn near faultless. The breathable and supersoft merino wool drapes lightly under or over other base, mid, or outer layers. For that dash of added visual appeal, opt for the Cerise Organic Stripe or Horizon Organic Stripe fabric options.
$30; icebreaker.com
7. Give her: Teva Vero Waterproof Boots
Take her to: Apres in Crested Butte Into comfort, but not into Uggs? Teva’s stylish Vero boots keep winter’s wet out while giving toes a toasty and spacious environment inside. They feature waterproof leather uppers, rubber soles for extra grip on icy surfaces and Thinsulate insulation for warmth.
$180; teva.com
8. Give her: Frey 2009 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon, Haystack Snowdrop Goat Cheese, 34 Degrees Crispbreads
Take her to: Home
Mendocino, California-based Frey is one of the best-established organic vintners in the U.S. Their reds are particularly outstanding, made with organic grapes and boasting round, cherry-rich mouthfuls with a slightly tannic finish. Pair with locally produced Haystack Snowdrop goat cheese and 34 Degrees crispbread and she’s yours.
$16; freywine.stores.yahoo.net. $5; haystackgoatcheese.com. $30 pack of six; 34-degrees.com
