Pining for Rome

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Link Love and Travel Gift Ideas

Chances are you or someone you love is headed out shopping today.  But what to buy?  Where to go?  Well, 'tis the season for holiday gift guides, and I've rounded up a few that might help you out.  

For the Rome lover... check out Eternallycool.net's guide "Text & the City:  Gift Guide for the Rome-antic Book Lover."  The list includes the Oxford Companion to Italian Food by Gillian Riley, This is Rome by Mirslav Sasek, and 14 other books about Rome including several for children.  I've already passed the list along because there are several titles that I haven't read yet.

For the Intrepid Traveler...   I love   "The Nerd's Eye View's Gift Guide for the Traveler in Your Life."  Pam (the resident Nerd) has gathered suggestions for road warriors and vacationers alike including Merino wool long underwear, slipper socks, and camera accessories.  I'd like pretty much anything on her list!

For the Child on the Go...  Deliciousbaby.com always has great recommendations for families on the go.  And, frankly, Debbie's "7 Gifts to Inspire Your Little Traveler" has a few items on it that would be good for some adults in my life, too.

For the Romantic Reader... writer and historian, Julianne Douglas, has a list of book recommendations for the romantic in your life.   "Literary Stocking Stuffers" includes largely historical books, both fiction and non-fiction.

For the Travel Reader... I'm in the midst of my own book list, "The 12 Travel Books for Christmas."  Each book was recommended by one of my friends on Twitter.  So far the list includes:

  1. Blue Latitudes by Tony Horwitz
  2. Naughty Paris by Heather Stimmler-Hall
  3. Honeymoon with My Brother by Franz Wisner
  4. A Journey into Michelangelo's Rome by Angela Nickerson



Another book will be added to the list each week day through December 24.  Subscribe or become a follower to get the updates right away.

For anyone... need ideas for the office Secret Santa exchange?  A last-minute Hanukkah gift?  Perhaps a stocking-stuffer?  Well, I have a great suggestion:  a Passports with Purpose raffle ticket.  The cost:  $10 each.  Each ticket is also an entry to win one of the fabulous prizes collected for Passports with Purpose .  And the raffle proceeds all benefit Heifer International -- so you are giving a great gift and helping people at the same time.  Very cool!

The prizes include...

  • 3 Nights at the Wyland Waikiki in Hawaii ($400+) 
  • Two night stay for a family of four at The Wildflower Inn in Lyndonville, VT ($400) 
  • Cooking class and dinner for 4 in NYC ($600) 
  • PhotoWalks walking tour of Boston for 4 ($120) 
  • Horseback riding on the beach in Bradenton, FL ($120) 
  • Fairmont Hotel Package, One night in a suite, parking, dinner ($299) 
  • Flip Video Camera ($150) 
  • $150 Gift Card to B&H Photo (valid online and in store) ($150) 
  • Eye-Fi Wireless Camera Memory Card ($130) 
  • Solio Charger - portable solar charger ($170) 
  • Medela Swing Single Electric Breastpump ($149) 
  • Britax Boulevard Car Seat ($330) 
  • CARES Flight Safety Harness (sponsored by Kids Fly Safe), signed copy of Travels With Baby ($97) 
  • $100 Gift Certificate with Babies Travel Lite (sponsored by Babies Travel Lite), signed copy of Travels With Baby($122) 
  • Sit-n-Stroll convertible car seat and stroller (sponsored by Lilly Gold), signed copy of Travels With Baby ($272) 
  • Ergo Hands Free Baby Carrier and iPod Shuffle ($213) 
  • Peg Perego Primo Viaggio Infant Car Seat ($290) 
  • Gift basket from SkinStore ($200) 
  • Makeup and Beauty Package from Erwin Gomez Salon and Spa ($300) 
  • Carry-on luggage from LuggageGuru.com 
  • Gift pack of Barefoot Books ($100+) 
  • $100 Gift Certificate for Amazon.com ($100) 
  • Lonely Planet Guide of YOUR choice and copies of The Travel Book ($100) 
  • $100 worth of Creative Memories Scrapbooking Supplies ($100)
And those are just a few of the amazing prizes available.  You can read all about how to purchase tickets here and more about the prizes themselves here .  
Happy shopping!