Au revoir to sorting through dozens of uninspiring catalogs on home décor and fashion; bonjour Vivre! A luxurious one-stop shop dripping with glamour. Gorgeous goods range from silver snakeskin slippers to a luxe red leather hammock. The site features in-the-know articles on the latest styles and a fab gift-giving section, with listings organized by occasion, recipient, and price. And if you’re pressed for time, they also offer a personal shopper service. Don’t worry, they won’t tell anyone if you’re shopping for yourself!
www.vivre.com

This handy site makes gift-giving regular, without making it common. Subscribe, and your recipient gets an exciting gift every month for 4, 6, or 12 months. The founders, Peggy and Avrom Tobias, who left New York to pursue a more creative life with their baby daughter, suggest choosing items that "have longevity, and a theme that matches the recipient’s interests." Encourage a budding Da Vinci with the Flying Objects, or get the whole family involved with an Activity Kit. Gifts are, after all, about creating a connection—and that shouldn’t be a one-time thing.
www.thingofthemonth.com

At last an elegant online store for stylish men. Removes the hassle of trawling through the high street; pick up this season’s coolest designer collections with a couple of clicks. Get kitted out in everything from sharp suits to must-have accessories; look for last season’s leftovers elsewhere. Girls: find the perfect gift for the hard-to-please man in your life or give your guy a style boost- he’ll thank you! Orders take just 24-72 hours to arrive worldwide and Londoners benefit from same-day service.
www.menalamode.com

Want to keep up to date with today’s great thinkers? Well normally you’d have to track them down one by one, reading their books and following them around the world. Or you could go to TED.com and watch 18-minute talks on "ideas worth spreading" by prominent figures across fields from politics (such as Al Gore) to science to entertainment. The talks are filmed at an annual conference in Monterey, but you can pick up the distilled best-ofs on-demand, on the site, for free. There’s an idea worth spreading.
www.ted.com

Exclusive, one-of-a-kind guide to hand-crafted art you can use. Their unique designers find inspiration all around the world, like their Mongolian lamb’s wool pillows—and from every corner of the cultural scene, such as rock-inspired sterling-silver belt buckles . Many of their items are special order-only. They appreciate that luxury is about enjoying the small moments as much as the big ones—and the thrilling moments as much as the quieter ones…
www.afashionablelife.com

A select distributor that saves you the headache of tracking down hand-made premium wines by offering a subscription service. Every year, Oriel asks its favorite winemakers to produce a few hundred cases for distribution under their label. If a region has a bad year, Oriel leaves the wine out of its collection, so you can sample the best of local, hand-made wines without worrying about the vintage. Simple, and true to the terroir. Their best kept secret is the personalised wine concierge service—make the most of it on your next wine trip!
www.orielwines.com

This time-saving auction site lets you place non-binding fixed bids and informs you of the outcome. Don’t worry about accidentally raising your bid by sneezing or caving in to a pushy auctioneer. Bid just once at the price you wanted to pay in the first place. Check out the promotional Low Bid Auctions, which have seen Cartier watches go for as little as £31! And with around 40 lots in the more traditional High Bid Auctions, you can choose from the latest gadgets, fab luxury holidays and stylish coveted trinkets.
www.auctionair.co.uk

A must visit for foodies everywhere; an über-portal that puts the world’s best food information at your fingertips. Find quality sites on everything from special-needs diets to cutting-edge kitchen gadgets. Plus resident chef, Silvia Bianca is always on hand to answer reader questions. For those who want tasty food without the fuss of cooking, check out the best home-delivery services and spot-on restaurant reviews. Bon appetit!
www.food411.com