Gifts For Them & You

For some, shopping is an addictive high of which they cannot get enough. For others, shopping is typically a nightmarish experience, especially during the holidays, that is to be avoided at all costs. Regardless of what camp you fall into, the following sampling of gifts will hopefully make holiday shopping easier as you get gifts for friends, family members, co-workers, and also, yourself.

Books --
A couple of fun fiction novels are out for your light-reading literary needs. Every Frat Boy Wants It, written by Todd Gregory, is a sexy coming of age, coming out, and just plain cumming story about a blond hair, blue-eyed 18-year-old college student who joins a fraternity, "services" several of his fraternity brothers, stars in a porn video, and falls in love with his "new best friend." Meanwhile Frederick Smith's Right Side Of The Wrong Bed explores the sexy and sensational big city dynamics of a gay professional African-American's relationship with his 21-year-old Latino boyfriend. Both books come from Kensington Books and retail for $15 each.

Do you have a friend who is a connoisseur of porn? Or maybe it's you. Well, then More Starz (Star Books Presss, $27) by Chicago-based journalist Owen Keehnen is the perfect get. A follow-up to his successful Starz in 2005, this new volume contains feature interviews with today's hottest all male video porn stars, including Blake Harper, Jason Branch, Blue Blake, Nick Capra, Sam Crockett, Fillippo Romano, Colton Ford, and Johnny Hazard. At close to 400 pages in length and filled with tons of photos, this is a XXX fan's dream gift.

Go check for these titles and other books at Unabridged Bookstore (3251 N. Broadway | 773.883.9119 | www.UnabridgedBookstore.com ). In this world where chain stores and internet sites have driven so many independents out of business, it's nice to have this Boystown institution serving the community and still going strong.

Internet Shopping -
There are several interesting internet sites out there to help make your holiday shopping more enjoyable. www.HomosAreAHoot.com basically sells attractive pink t-shirts that say "Homos Are A Hoot" for $17 each. And when you buy a shirt, a donation is made to a LGBT equality non-profit organization by the company. At www.EddieBauer.com they have this terrifically functional Down Ice Scraper Mitt. This polyester mitt, which only costs $15, is goose down-filled so your hands will stay extra warm and toasty while you're scraping ice from your car's window.

When you are looking for stylish clothes with hip, fashion-forward sensibilities, be sure to check out www.UrbanBody.com. They have a great selection of jeans, shirts and outerwear to keep you warm during the coming cold weather months. They have many of the labels and brands - Ben Sherman, Pistol Pete, 7 Diamonds, and 2(X)ist - you want to have in your closet.

Neighborhood Finds -
Do you have a friend who needs to update their hair style, or maybe needs to de-stress and relax? If so, then a gift card from Flashes Salon (3740 N. Broadway | 773.472.3355 | www.FlashesSalon.com ), is highly recommended. The folks at Flashes are known for having magical hands: that either do wonders on a head of hair or work out the kinks and knots in muscles via deep tissue, Thai, Swedish, or sports massages. You choose the denomination of the gift card, which never expires, and then let the recipient choose which transformation they need or want most.

A great place to load up on affordable gifts and stocking stuffers is Rubin's Chicago Room Gallery (3318 N. Halsted | 773.404.2233 | www.ChicagoRoomGifts.com ). They have oogles of items priced at $35 or less, including journals, ceramic mugs and beer steins, handmade ornaments, calendars, and fun colorful clothing items for adults, kids, and dogs.

Universal Gear (3153 N. Broadway | 773.296.1090 | www.UniversalGear.com ) has been a popular mainstay in Lakeview and is always a great place to shop. Popular items this season include Dolce & Gabbana watches ($150 - $300) and denim jeans by Justin Timberlake's designer buddy and best friend William Rast ($220 - $240).