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Wednesday
Dec102008

Williams-Sonoma Holiday

Starting today through Friday 12/12, Williams-Sonoma has more than 400 gifts on sale with FREE shipping. Get the popular Original Peppermint Bark for stocking stuffers, or try these super cute Snowman Browniepops (chocolate brownies, enrobed with white chocolate, on a stick!). williams_sonoma_brownie_snowman.jpg For bakers, the Peppermint Flexible Spatula is too cute! It's heat resistant nylon so it's friendly for non-stick pans. peppermint_spatula.jpg www.williams-sonoma.com

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Wednesday
Dec102008

Spencer Day in SF

I was at the Spencer Day show last night, and had a total blast. The talented singer-songwriter is amazing live and has such a big baritone voice to match his heartfelt lyrics. Why this young performer hasn't gotten mega-famous in the mainstream music arena, I have no idea. He's the next big thing in American contemporary music. spencer_day.jpg He started out with his peppy "A Better Way" and charmed his way through the act with funny numbers like "Poor Marie" (inspired by Sofia Coppola’s "Marie Antoinette"). The audience loved the lively "Ophelia Underwater." I can't think of a better way to spend a chilly SF evening. spencer_day_vagabond.jpg Day will be playing through Sunday 12/14 at Hotel Nikko's Rrazz Room. He's planning a third CD release Vagabond in Spring 2009, but in the meantime, check out his site www.spencerday.com or his MySpace page. He also has a lovely video of his hit "Movie of Your Life" on YouTube.

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Tuesday
Dec092008

101 Cookbooks

I love reading Heidi's 101 Cookbooks for healthy recipe inspiration, and a couple of recent ones really caught my eye. The Mushroom Casserole looks sooo yummy. The pictures had me drooling...I can't wait to try this on a wintry night. mushroom_casserole_101cookbooks.jpg The Caramelized Onion Dip looks just as delish. It's all natural, without the icky powder stuff. For more protein, you can even substitute silken organic tofu in place of the dairy ingredients. onion_dip_101cookbooks.jpg Check these out and more at www.101cookbooks.com.

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Monday
Dec082008

Artisanal Cocktails

Scott Beattie's Artisanal Cocktails has many beautiful cocktail recipes for holiday entertaining. Inspired by the famous drinks from the Bar at Cyrus, Beattie takes mixology to the ultimate gourmet level. Using local and organic ingredients, he created exotic libations with international accents. Try your hand at making the Hot Indian Date, Gin Kimchi, or the Grapes of Roth. Artisanal_Cocktails_cover.jpg Meyer Beautiful (My, You’re Beautiful) Makes 1 cocktail This is a tart cocktail that explores the complex flavors of Meyer lemons and elderflowers. Elderflowers have a lovely lychee aroma and flavor that marries well with the citrus-floral tones of Meyer lemons. Before you taste your first sip, the sugar, black salt, and lemon zest rim wake up your mouth. Late season Meyers can be rather sweet, so when they lack acid I substitute juice from regular Eureka lemons for half of the lemon juice. artisanal_cocktails.jpg Dried zest of 1 large or 2 small Meyer lemons, for rim 5 tablespoons sugar, for rim 1 tablespoon black sea salt, for rim (optional) 1/2 Meyer lemon, for rim 1 egg white 1 ounce Charbay Meyer lemon vodka 1 ounce vodka 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice 1/2 ounce D’arbo elderflower syrup Baked Candied Meyer Lemon Peels, for garnish Edible flowers, for garnish (optional) Place a V-shaped glass in the freezer to chill. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Follow the recipe on page 19 to make Candied Meyer Lemon Peels. Shake off any excess syrup and slice the peels into thin strips. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat and arrange the strips so they don’t touch. Bake for 5 minutes, remove from the oven, and let cool to room temperature. If they aren’t hard and devoid of moisture when cool, bake for 2 minutes more. Combine the zest, sugar, and salt on a small plate. Rub the Meyer lemon half around the rim of the chilled glass and shake off any excess juice. Dip the glass into the sugar-zest mixture to coat the rim (see page 38). Place the egg white in a mixing glass (see page 30), seal it up tight with a firm tap, and shake vigorously for 10 seconds, until white and frothy. Add the vodkas, juice, syrup, and enough ice to fill the glass. Cover and shake vigorously for another 10 seconds. Strain into the sugar-rimmed glass. After about 20 seconds, a nice head will form on top of the drink. Garnish with the candied zest, edible flowers, or both to serve. Recipe and images used with permission from Artisanal Cocktails by Scott Beattie, 2008, Ten Speed Press. www.tenspeed.com

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Monday
Dec082008

Guerlain Holiday Beauty 2008

Inspired by the delicate shades of a rare butterfly's wing, the Guerlain holiday 2008 colors has the signature feminine sparkle found in the entire brand. guerlain_holiday_08.jpeg The Ombre Éclat 4 Shades Mysterious Butterfly eyeshadow compact contains four vibrant shades of white, mauve, soft pink and violet. It's a light and pretty look, amidst the dramatic dark colors that are usually popular in this season. holiday08_guerlain_eyeshadow.jpg There are two lip gloss shades for the collection. The KissKiss Gloss in 802 Charming Butterfly is a candy pink that is flirty and fun. I like the 803 Intriguing Butterfly, a sexy shimmery violet. guerlain_noel_08_lip.jpeg www.guerlain.com

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Monday
Dec082008

Holiday Treats from Recchiuti Confections

Recchiuti Confections has all the chocolate goodies you will need for holiday gifts and entertaining. The Burnt Caramel Almonds are pretty lethal - you can inhale in minutes if you're not careful. Great as a stocking stuffer for the foodie in your life, these organic almonds are first drenched in dark chocolate (with a slight hint of burnt caramel), then dusted in a thick layer of cocoa. Sugary heaven on my happy taste buds... recchiuti_Almonds.jpg I normally don't like peanut butter flavored chocolates, but the Peanut Butter Pucks are so good I nearly keeled over in bliss. I couldn't just eat one piece. Organic peanut butter, chocolate, and fleur de sel come together to create a sumptuous indulgence. It's a smart idea to get a box for your loved ones and a separate one for yourself. Yes, they're that good. recchiuti_peanut_pucks.jpg For the ultimate chocolate pleasure, the Platinum Collection (88 pieces!) will wow everyone. It's best to savor each one slowly, but it's quite possible to devour the entire box at a group soiree. It features some of Recchiuti's most popular flavors (Burnt Caramel, Fleur de Sel Caramel, Cardamom Nougat, Cassis Strata, Ecuador Varietal, Lavender Vanilla, Lemon Verbena, Bergamot Tea, etc.). A big labor of love from one of America's finest choclate artisan. recchiuti_platinum_box.jpg www.recchiuti.com

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Friday
Dec052008

Givenchy Holiday Beauty 2008

Givenchy's Very Couture Palette is a steal for holiday color. A $90 value now at only $45, the rocker-inspired black clutch with silver metal grommets (can double as an evening accessory) contains an eyeshadow quad, lip gloss, face powder quad, blush, and a mini mascara. givenchy_08holiday_palette.jpg Two new shades are introduced to the Pop Gloss Crystal lip glosses - extremely pearly bright pink and mauve with a frosty finish. The 443 Rose by Night is a soft shimmery pink, with pink, gold and white glints. givenchy_08holiday_pop_gloss.jpg The Rouge Interdit Shine in 07 Rose Shine is my new fave shiny lipstick. It's the best of both lipstick and lip gloss worlds. The clever purple case is so pretty too. Givenchy_holiday08_rougeinterdit.jpg www.parfumsgivenchy.com

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Friday
Dec052008

Holiday Gift Guide 2008 (Part 2)

Here are more holiday shopping ideas! Windmill has many affordable wines for holiday parties and celebrations. Straight from the Michael~David Winery, they are all priced at $12.00. The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon will go well with spiced foods; the rustic and strong 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel is filled with raspberry, cocoa, and coffee. Yum. www.lodivineyards.com/index.htm windmill_zinfandel.jpg Vert, an eco-beauty shopping site, offeres complimentary personal shopping services, makeup lessons, and of course, organic beauty gift ideas. Owner Renata Helfman will customize green gifts for all budgets. www.vertlosangeles.com vert_gift_bag.jpg Biotherm Homme has a men's High Recharge skin care gift set for the cutie pie in your life. It contains a cleansing gel, facial exfoliator (yes, men need to exfoliate too!), and a moisturizing concentrate. www.biotherm-usa.com biotherm_men_HIGH_RECHARGE.jpg MiGi holiday cards from Tiny Prints have customizable photo designs to show off your holiday cheer. migi_tinyprints.jpg Sundari has a Commitment to Heal Gift Set. It includes a Neem and Manuka Body Cleanser, Neem and Blood Orange Body Lotion, and a votive candle. Healing bliss can be attainable at: sundari.com sundari.jpeg Whole Foods has a nifty FEED 100 Bag that's made of organic cotton and natural burlap. Great for grocery shopping and other errands, each sale of the bag will feed 100 school children in Rwanda (in partnership with United Nations World Food Program’s School Feeding Program). Do your part and feed 100 kids at: www.feedprojects.org/shopping_product_list.asp whole_foods_feed_bag.jpg

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Friday
Dec052008

Khaya Cookies for Holiday

The Khaya Cookie Company just launched a couple new flavors for the holiday season. I had a hard time keeping my hands away from the Grapeseed Shortbread. They are quite addictive with its mini square size. I found myself going through halfway down the package...yikes. Time to hit the gym. I keep telling myself...ok, these things are trans fat free, all natural...so I feel better now. khaya_GRAPESEED.jpg The citrusy Orange & Chocolate Krunchi granola bites are lightly sweetened with honey, brown sugar, and pure dark Belgium chocolate. Packed with Omega-3 fatty acids (from flaxseed) and essential fiber (oats), this is a mini health treat. shortbread_khaya_GRAPESEED.jpg For every 1,500 boxes of Khaya cookies sold, a job is created in certain townships of South Africa (where over 70% of all women who are heads of households are jobless). So do your good deed this season and buy these delicious cookies! www.khayacookies.com

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Thursday
Dec042008

Holiday Gift Guide 2008 (Part 1)

The holiday shopping madness has started! Luckily for my meticulous advance planning, I've got most of it done. If you're still stuck on gift ideas, here's some gift suggestions: on10 has cool retro-lookin' SPF 15 lip balms as stocking stuffers. They also have travel kits (with candles, lotion, lip balm). Sold exclusively at Sephora: www.sephora.com. on10_lip_balm.jpg For crafting lovers (or sensitive soul-baring writers like me - j/k), Rag & Bone has some lovely handmade journals, baby albums, and accordion scrapbooks. I like the Flourish design, a cotton paisley print. The deckle edges are fun to touch, and the paper texture is just right for ink, pencil, and pen. www.ragandbonebindery.com ragandbone_flourish.jpg For luxe-lovin' beauty addicts, the Sothys Oxyliance‚Ñ¢ collection helps skin regain vitality and protect it from enviromental stressors. www.sothys-usa.com sothys_oxyliance.jpeg It's tough to stay on your diet during the holidays, but The Protein Bakery has you covered. Each healthy cookie is packed with 4 grams of protein, has no trans-fat, and is wheat-free! They help keep my stomach happy. I like the Oatmeal White Chocolate Blueberry Cranberry and the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Walnut. www.proteinbakery.com protein_bakery_cookies.jpg Sarah Drake has cute letterpress correspondence cards, calling cards, and gift tags. I like the Spring design. All are customizable with different font and ink options. www.sarahdrakedesign.com spring_sarah_drake.jpg American chocolate company Choclatique has some hand-crafted holiday treats: Egg Nog, Cinnamon Bun Bun, or Peppermint Heart. Get their holiday assortment, or order a custom one. www.choclatique.com choclatique.jpg The Kiehl's Deluxe Lavender Set would be ideal for just about anyone. The relaxing set contains a Deluxe Hand & Body Lotion, Foaming-Relaxing Bath Gel, Gently Exfoliating Body Scrub, and a regular scented Creme de Corps Nurturing Body Washing Cream. www.kiehls.com kiehls_lavender_set.jpg

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