So, you're ready to do buy restaurant gift certificates for friends and family this holiday season, but where? One of my current favorite places to give gift certificates to is The Peninsula Hotel. Well, not the hotel, itself, but to one of their dining destinations. Avenues has recently changed chefs, but the quality of the mostly seafood entrees is still mighty impressive, and the setting is comfortable and relaxed, although the prices are in the upper brackets. So, if budget demands a different option, Shanghai Terrace offers a different kind of understatement, with subtle Asian flavors in a pleasant and comfortable small space. For a more celebratory atmosphere, by all means splurge on the almost $60.00 Sunday brunch, served in the handsome lobby restaurant. No, you probably won't eat $60.00 worth of food, but you will get a $60.00 experience from the buffet, which includes just about everything and anything you could imagine. The Lobby restaurant is also where the Chocolate Buffet is served Friday and Saturday nights. For $25.00, guests enjoy everything from cakes and cookies to hot chocolate. I know, I know. Two bites and you're full. Pace yourself, and you'll be fun. Coffee, champagne, or just a big glass of cold water helps cut through it all, as well. Really, you won't get too full too fast, anyway, because most of the items are mini sized, which is a good thing. You can still have as many as you want, but this way, you get to try almost everything. When friends open the gift certificate, the puzzlement on their face reads, "Chocolate Buffet? Huh?" But once I explain - Well, they're there the next weekend, and talking about it all week long. If you're lucky, they'll invite you to join them. One of the nicest things about buying a gift certificate at one of The Peninsula establishments is that when you buy the gift certificate at the concierge desk, it is individually printed out with your personalized message, placed in a box, and wrapped with a ribbon, before being put into tissue in a small Peninsula bag. Lovely, and it requires no gift wrapping on your end. Do keep in mind that the whole process takes several minutes, so don't double-park out front. If you're there, look for me. I'll probably be down the hall drooling over all the fancy hand made chocolates in the Vosges shop, another terrific gift. In fact, aren't you still in need of something for me?