Plus: gift-giving season is upon us. Here's 85
[View in browser](
[Bloomberg](
Greetings, Pursuits newsletter subscribers, itâs [Jim Gaddy]( here. Youâre getting your moneyâs worth this week because, like an angel visiting the shepherds, I bring you good tidings of great joy: Holiday season is upon us. [We published our annual gift guide this week](, and, taking our cues from the natural world, we found 85 ways to spoil anyone and everyone on your list. After the year weâve had, indulgence is the only thing weâre craving. The end result really is a feat of production. Photographer [Sarah Anne Ward](, prop stylist [Paola Andrea](, writer [Kristen Shirley](, and our heroic photo editors [Leonor Mamanna]( and [Evan Ortiz]( oversaw the delivery (and return) of more than $1 million worth of gifts over the course of two days last month. Iâm biased but I think [the results speak for themselves](.Â
Stay golden with your gifting this year. Photographer: Sarah Anne Ward for Bloomberg Businessweek, Prop Styling by Paola Andrea But truth be told, Iâve always been more of a Thanksgiving man. Is it because we start getting thirsty holiday pitches starting in July and so, by November, Iâm just so over it? :eyeroll: Is it because the sound of jingle bells makes me want to blast â[Hells Bells](â? Is it because supermarkets are already playing â[Wonderful Christmastime](,â easily the most annoying song Sir Paul ever wrote? Maybe itâs as simple as my own willful oppositionality, which manifests itself in resisting that schmaltzy, happy-happy-joy-joy mentality. Iâm not alone: Studies find that stress, financial pressure and other mental health struggles [skyrocket during the holidays](. (What else is National Lampoonâsâââââ Christmas Vacation but one fatherâs [slow descent into madness](, played for laughs?) And for those with estranged family or dealing with addiction or in recovery, the season can be a very triggering time indeed.
Trying to get away this year? Hereâs our Holiday Travel Survival Guide, with tips, hacks and how to avoid disaster, Photographer: Maremagnum/Corbis Documentary RF American Thanksgiving, though, is the perfect holiday. Thereâs[no one correct way]( to celebrate. No pressure. No gifts to buy. You can be with family but you donât have toâyou can have a meaningful (and possibly more enjoyable) Friendsgiving meal. You donât need to be a certain religion or ethnicity. [You donât even have to like turkey](.Â
Chai pumpkin pie and wild mushroom truffle kofta sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving feast to me. Photographer: Arturo Olmos/Bloomberg I kind of like that by comparison with Big December, itâs under-the-radar, and I hope it stays that way. The only criteria is that you take a moment, doesnât matter how small, and acknowledge the good things in your life. Oh, and eat a lot of good food with good people. Sounds great to me. Connect with Jim on [Instagram]( or [Twitter]( T-Day Tips Classic and New [Here Are the Top Places to Have Thanksgiving Dinner in London]( Let the turkey feasting begin. [Why Thanksgiving Is the Best Time to Travel Internationally](
Go big, donât go home. [If You Can Roast a Turkey, You Can Roast a Pig](
The Palizzi Social Club cookbook reveals the secret of show-stopping succulent pork. Thank us later. [The Late, Great Anthony Bourdain Says Youâre Doing Thanksgiving Wrong](
Get to know the term âstunt turkey,â and donât be too generous with your guests. [Bacon, Beer, and Dry Brine: 17Â Chef Tips to Fast-Hack the Big Meal](
Do you dare to use an electric knife?
Also in Pursuits this week. - Have you ever considered going on a date when traveling? We talked with comedian Michelle Collins, former co-host of The View and a regular on Today, and she said itâs a great way to learn a new city. [See what shocked her about men in Amsterdam](. She also knows where to find tall guys.
Les Poseuses, Ensemble (Petite version) (1888) by Georges Seurat was the most expensive lot of the evening, at $149 million. Source: Christieâs
- [More than $1.5 billion worth of art]( sold in about two hours on Wednesday night, when 60 works from the collection of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen (not the guy with the great business card in American Psycho) went up for auction. It was the largest single-owner sale in history. - Wakanda Forever opened this week, the sequel to the massively popular Black Panther superhero movie that grossed over $1.3 billion. This time, sadly, there is no Chadwick Boseman so thereâs a WWTD quality throughout, [writes reviewer Ella Ceron](. âWhat,â characters in the new film keep asking, âwould TâChalla do?â
Grab a glass boot of (German) beer at Bierhausâand presumably root for Germanyâs national soccer team, too. Source: Bierhaus
- A week from now, [the World Cup begins](. While the bars in Qatar have their[emergency plans for beer](, our resident indulgence experts Kate Krader and Sarah Rappaport [investigated the best New York City watering holes]( from which to watch your favorite team. Yes, thereâs an eight-hour time difference between Doha and New York. And yes, some of the group stage games will start at 5 a.m. EST. So what? Real fans show up. What else Iâm reading. - If you want the definitive account of the so-called âFirst Thanksgiving,â as well as a blow-by-blow account about why the friendship between the Pilgrims and the Wampagnoags didnât last, check out Nathaniel Philbrickâs [Mayflower: Community, Courage, War](.Â
The Patek Philippe Ref. 5935A-001, released in October. Source: Hodinkee
- Our expert in holiday gifting, Kristen Shirley, has also written an entire encyclopedia about luxury brands. Itâs called [La Patiala]( and if youâve ever wondered about the best way to charter a superyacht, or whatâs a guilloché dial, or how to do a caviar bump, itâs all right there. - Did you hear that Bloomberg Businessweek devoted an entire issue to one long 40,000-word article? [The Crypto Story]( is the definitive account of the (over)hyped currency, by Matt Levine. And given the [swift fall for the likes of FTX](, thereâs never been a better time to get the facts. (And, hey, I finally understand what a blockchain is.) If you can find a copy of the issue, grab it, but honestly the best way to read it is in bite-sized chunks on your phone. So, you had some questions... Whatever the topic, keep them coming for next week via our [Bloomberg Pursuits Instagram]( and [e-mail](mailto:askpursuits@bloomberg.net?I%20have%20a%20question). How can you give an extravagant gift to a poor friend without it seeming awkward? I have to confess Iâm not qualified to answer thisâIâve always been more of a itâs-the-thought-that-counts gift giver. For some clarity, we reached out to manners expert Daniel Post Senning, the great-great-grandson of Emily Post and co-writer of the new [20th edition of the famous etiquette guide]( published 100 years ago. The key, Post says, is that you never want to give something that will make people feel uncomfortable or indebted. Even though the purpose of gift giving isnât reciprocity in terms of dollar value, people still feel that pressure, so keep that in mind. Whatâs the etiquette with saving wrapping paper at a gift exchange? Is it gauche? Not at all. Senning, again: Save your wrapping paper! Everyone needs it this time of year.Â
If the advice below doesnât work, try distracting yourself with a large-format bottle. The VCanter will help you pour up to 100-pound bottles of wine. Source: Sokolin What wine should I drink to stop being annoyed by my family? This question is early, actually: Next week weâll be publishing our guide to holiday entertaining that covers some of the best new spirits (and wine) for the season. But Iâll tease two here: If the annoyances stem from political differences, try the [2014 Iron Horse Stargazing Cuvée Brut](. The vineyardâs bubbly has been served at the White House under seven consecutive presidential administrations, so itâs inarguably bipartisan. And have you considered not drinking at all? When thereâs negative energy, alcohol can fuel it. [Aplós]( is one of the best functional, non-alcohol spirits Iâve tried, and itâs no surprise that James Beard Award winner Lynette Marrero worked on its blend of yuzu, rosemary, basil, cucumber and dandelion.Â
If youâre going to put pen to paper, youâll need some classy stationary. Hereâs seven ideas. Photographer: Ryan Jenq for Bloomberg Businessweek Whatâs a good gift option for my referral sources at work? Start with a [handwritten thank you note](âand no, [donât have a robot do it for you](. After that, might I suggest getting some inspiration from our amazing [gift guide, featuring 85 different ways to spoil whoeverâs on your list](? There are several thoughtful perishable items that wonât break the bank, like Thomas Keller chocolate, a Phillip Ashley advent calendar, and Glenmorangie whisky. Any of them would, Iâm certain, be a much-appreciated gesture. Follow Us Like getting this newsletter? [Subscribe to Bloomberg.com]( for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and subscriber-only insights. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Pursuits newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, [sign up here]( to get it in your inbox.
[Unsubscribe](
[Bloomberg.com](
[Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P.
731 Lexington Avenue,
New York, NY 10022 [Ads Powered By Liveintent]( [Ad Choices](