Holiday Gift Guide and Wish List

(click the image to see it larger!)

1. Origins Incredible Spreadable Scrub. Their scents are heavanly and it's always nice to have something a little luxurious in the bath. $26.
2. APC Blue Wedges: perfect blue, simple and comfortable. Good for under tights in the winter and with a cute dress in the summer.
3. The New Terrarium because I love terrariums.
4. BUrt's Bees Super Shiny Conditioner: Smells. So. Good.
5. Wooly Pockets: 2010 will be the year of incredible indoor living walls for the masses. I'm on board.
6. Homemade Life from the blogger behind Orangette. Home, food, family, a perfect book to read over the holidays.
7. New Bedding. Haven't found the right set yet, but our bedroom needs a revamping starting with some non threadbare bedding.
8. Kusmi Tea from Paris. It's luxurious and a little fancy since it's exotic and foreign. But it's affordable to buy and comes in a gorgeous tin you can reuse. It's also perfectly delicious.
9. Cafe Du Monde Coffee is from New Orleans and about the tastiest coffee I've ever brewed at home. I wouldn't mind going to the big easy for the real thing...
10. Kitty Kitty Print for $20. Because it is so awesome.
11. Flower Arranging Lessons. This is on my list and I want Dandelion Ranch to teach a class so I can take it, Dammit.
12. A really Good Pair of Tights: these are from Seven Alan and only cost $33. Perfect, chic and simple.
13. Hitacho Nest Beer from Japan has the best label and is so tasty. I get it at Whole Foods and it makes a great hostess gift or little splurge.
14. The National Parks: America's Best Idea: I missed this when it aired but I'm a huge fan of camping, road trips and national parks so I'd love to sink my teeth into a couple hours of the history of US National Parks.
15. Faux Bois Toolbox from Alice. Just a nice, interesting tool box for getting the job done.
16. Customized Address Stamp from Paperwink for $22.
17. A.P.C. Wallet perfectly worn and adult without being flashy or over the top.

Moments in the sun

She's been doing a lot of sleeping in the sun. I pet her, she does her best to purr. These are the moments I will remember. I love seeing her giant ears backlit by the sun. I love the fawny color of her fur. I love that she lets me cradle her head in my hand and then shows me where she wants me to pet her. I will miss her enormously.

Update: I let her go today. Thanks for all the kind words. It does actually help.

Oh Man

I know what I should have asked for/bought for my cousin Louis:


A classic petanque set. I mean what could be more awesome? Have you ever played petanque?

Jonathan Adler Sale!

Wow did I get some amazing gifts for christmas. And somehow I still want more. It's a disease. So on with it: Jonathan Adler is having a sale!

Etsy for your hostess!

Phew. Sorry for my absence! I took myself on a little trip up the 395 and saw SNOW! and got COLD! And felt GREAT! Thanks for leaving your best gifts ever for the giveaway, there's still a day left until I announce a winner, so comment away!

Also, I wanted to tell you that I wrote a guide for hostess gifts for etsy. Really they're things that go nicely in your home but aren't too much. My idea was that they could be used to spruce up your holidays, your hostess' holidays, or be given as a gift to your guests. Check it out.

Giveaway!

Yay!

It's time to give stuff away!

So.

I love Taschen for their incredible selection, uber cool subject matter and love of kitsch. So I'm giving away 3 volumes of their All-American Ads Series: the '30's, '40's and '50's. Just in time for the holidays!

Each coffee-table book is packed with ads from each era. You can preview the '30's here.


Now, I'm sorry to have to say right off the bat that this giveaway is only open to you folks in LA, so leave a comment telling me your favorite christmas or hannukah present ever and I'll pick a winner on friday!

Coe and Waito

I went to first fridays on Abbott Kinney and in one of the beauty related stores I noticed these sweet porcelain pinecones and acorns. They're exquisite and made by Coe and Waito. I love their bowls too.

Anthropologie

I stopped by anthropologie last weekend and was amazed by the wonderland they had created.


I love their sweet knit cupcakes.


And their presents wrapped in fabric


and tied with yarn.

Handmade Help

Hey, are you guys buying handmade? I'm doing my best to keep it simple, handmade or otherwise. I normally keep the buying to a minimum until right before christmas and then I succumb to the immediate gratification of buy buy buy!

So to keep my head screwed on tight, I've been scouring etsy.

I'm loving something's hiding in here. A lot of their stuff is sold out, but hopefully they'll restock for the holidays:





All these items are made of vintage vinyl wallpaper. when in doubt, draw flowers:






And from buttonpom really cute clutches for when you don't want to lug your purse around, but you also don't want to just carry your keys and wallet in your hand:






And just because sometimes I'm really into things that are kind of...bad...but good bad...and I'm always into kitties:

1983 Linen Kitty Calendar:



and this kitten print:

Sunset Handmade Ideas

Sunset has a whole mess of how-to's for the holidays. My favorites are the paper ornaments, diy wrapping paper, cocoa in a jar, and some otherpretty gifts.

Christmas Wish List

I have been accused recently of being hard to buy for. Apparently I am 'picky' and 'hard to please'. I had no idea because I always get such perfect gifts from my friends. I guess they've been stressing out all these years. So I'm starting a wish list (because that's what this blog is most of the time anyway and I think you guys like the same things I do).

To start:

Amy Sedaris "I like you"


Lorena Barrezueta Ceramics:




Meg Werner Photos. I actually couldn't wait and just bought these for myself. She has so many wonderful photos in her etsy shop. These are my favorites (oh also VERY affordable)



Tiny Beakers to use as bud vases or maybe a little flask

This is nuts

I'm thinking about christmas.

I have this crazy obsession (?) with the idea that I could have fabulous presents picked out for every single one of my nearest and dearest, all wrapped, all tagged, all beautiful by thanksgiving. This would free me up to do all those things you're supposed to do during the holidays: see people, bake stuff, decorate, hang. You get it. So, here's what I'm considering AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER. Geez.


Felt Mistletoe




gift tags from every jot and tittle


Turns out I/m not the only one with this dream. Phew.

So on we go:


Winter cards from Redbean



New Ornaments from Jonathan Adler

oh wait, I'm really not alone (also, apparently I could learn a thing or two)

For Girls

Gift tags, or labels, or art. However you want to use them. Had to point them out.

Thé Mariage Frères (since 1854!)

This is definitely the tea that Indiana Jones would be drinking (if Indian Jones was a real person and not a character in an awesome series of movies). This, of course, is based entirely on the fact that the Mariage Frères boutique is what I imagine walking into the East India Trading Compnay to be like.


Dr. Jones aside, the tea is incredible, and as I mentioned the boutique is even more incredible: dark mahogany shelves line the walls, filled with canisters of tea, rattan fans whirl overhead and all the salespeople are dressed in white linen suits. There are so many flavors of tea that I almost left empty handed because I just couldn't decide. I did pick something out, but it comforts me to know that the tea can also be bought online here and here.


(Photo: Dominick Brodbeck)

Claire Fontaine Notebooks

The best notebooks to write in. Ever.

Buy them online here, or here, or here.

If you're in LA, go here.

La Vie en Rose

Chassuer is making a limited edition set of their cast iron casserole dishes in pink! Buy them here.