Nation

For anyone whose grandparents made them think New York was nothing but long lines and one sluttily indiscriminate statue, there's no need to explain the value of an interest-appropriate guide. For a book that knows how you roll, travel with Luxe.

LCGs are slickly designed, pocket-sized intel on the greatest dining, drinking, and money-blowing options available to the discerning man-about-planet. The accordion-style cardstock pamphlets break down 16 Asian locales, 3 Euro cities, and...New York (since apparently some people don't find Minneapolis "luxe"). Picks come from an elite cadre of chain-eschewing locals -- types who'd describe Zagat as "pedestrian" and "eats dick". Prefaced with a to-the-point overview, the gleaned info's presented in pithy restaurant recommendations, clearly described gear hunting itineraries, and city-specific loves/loathes, i.e.: "restaurant reservations: become famous or extremely organized, or starve."

New LCGs come out every six months, at which point the online version's also updated -- because as any grandpa-compliant itinerary'll show you, last year's hotness is today's shoeless metal woman standing on a rock.