cheers to 2013

I've written about my love of champagne, but now it's time to write about champagne flutes.  I think they're the most fashionable glassware.  And yes, I think about these kinds of things.

Here are some of my favorite vessels for champagne consumption:

Robert Mondavi flutes by Waterford.  You can never go wrong with a classic crystal flute.  $50/pair.

Edge Flute from Crate and Barrel.  A modern twist on the classic flute.  $12.95/glass.

Larabee Dot Crystal Fete Mini Champagne Saucers from Lenox.  Oh, Kate Spade, I am so in love with you and these coupes.  These feel modern and vintage at the same time.  $80/glass.

Cheers!

favorite things swap

The worst part about Oprah being off the air is that we have to live without Oprah's Favorite Things.  ("You get a baby humpback whale!  And YOU get a baby humpback whale!")  So, in order to deal with this, we created the Favorite Things swap.  It's part Oprah and part White Elephant, so grab your Gayles and have fun!

Here's how it goes:

• Everyone buys and wraps one of their favorite things.  It should cost around $15-$25 (You can choose the price range).  
• Bring that gift to the exchange, and proceed with the White Elephant.
• Choose numbers, or pick names out of a bowl to determine the order.
• The first person unwraps a gift.  The second person can steal the first gift, or open a new gift.  The third person can steal one of the first two gifts, or open a new gift, etc.
• Items can be "stolen" twice during the game.  There are no take-backs, and once it's been stolen twice, it's locked and cannot be stolen again.
• At the end of the game, everyone can go around and say what they brought, and why it's one of their favorite things.

This year I brought a Kate Spade cosmetics case which was on super sale, and left with these adorable bowls from Anthropologie.  Or, as Oprah would say, "CUTE BOOOOOOWWWWWLSSS!"

tied with a bow

Wrapping gifts is one of my favorite things.  This year I had a little wrapping station with paper, ribbons, scissors, tape, tissue, gift tags, and a pen.  I would light my balsam candles, turn on the Christmas tree lights, light a fire, and go to town on some gifts.  Oh man, it was the best.

Here are a few gift wrapping tips:

Use real ribbon.  The holidays are not a time for curling ribbon or peel-and-stick bows!  I use grosgrain or satin ribbon and make sure each gift has a bow.  I tie my bows like this.

Use gift wrap tape.  This tape has a satin finish and disappears on most gift wrap.  I always use this when I wrap gifts in brown paper because regular tape makes it look too industrial.

Tuck a little gift into the bow.  I love when there are little trinkets attached to bows.  What's better than a gift?  More gifts!  I like attaching little ornaments, chocolates wrapped in cello, or mini bottles of booze.

fresh balsam candles

I'm not a huge scented candle fan, but around the holidays, I always pick up this candle from Bath and Body Works.

It's the 3-wick Fresh Balsam candle by Slatkin and Co. and it is a-mah-zing.  It smells exactly like a fresh Christmas tree, and nothing like a pine tree air freshener.  I light it as often as I can before Christmas, because after the 25th, I don't want anything to do with the holidays.  I'm so fickle/interesting like that.

Fresh balsam candle, Bath and Body Works, $20

living christmas trees

Living Christmas is a great company in Southern California that allows you to rent a living Christmas tree!  Instead of having your tree chopped down, hauled to a tree lot, and then getting it home, you can use Living Christmas to have a LIVE tree delivered to you!

They don't chop down the tree, instead they deliver a live tree in a pot.  You decorate it, water it, and enjoy it.  When the holiday is over, they pick up the tree and it goes back to the farm to grow another year.  You can even request the same tree year after year, so you can see it grow.  

The trees are kind of pricey (not including delivery) and you have to reserve super early.  I missed out this year, but I'm definitely getting one next year, and the year after that, and the year after that.

personalized stockings

I can't wait to deck my halls this year.  It's my first year in an apartment with a mantle and a fireplace, so it has to be special.

I ordered these velvet stockings with ivory cuffs from Pottery Barn and had them personalized in red thread, so Santa knows which one belongs to who.  I can't wait to hang them by our non-existent chimney with care.

Velvet stockings, Pottery Barn, $19 (+7 for monogram)

dîner en blanc

Diner en blanc is like a sorority I'm desperately dying to pledge.

"What is dîner in blanc?" you ask.  Only the best thing EVER.  From dinerenblanc.info:
At the last minute, the location is given to thousands of friends and acquaintances who have been patiently waiting to learn the “Dîner en Blanc's” secret place. Thousands of people, dressed all in white, and conducting themselves with the greatest decorum, elegance, and etiquette, all meet for a mass “chic picnic” in a public space. 

Ugh.  I'm jealous just reading that.

If you sign up for Dîner en Blanc, you receive information about the day and time of the event, but they don't tell you the place.  When the day comes, you and your friends dress in white, pack a fabulous meal, and wait for the location to be sent to you.  When it does, you and thousands of other diners descend on the location and all have a fancy picnic.  It sounds incredible.

The only problem is there's a waiting list to become a Dîner en Blanc member.  Your membership can be expedited, but you need an existing member to sponsor you.  There are other organizations like this,  I want to be a part of this one.

If you are a member and you are reading this, please sponsor me.  I want nothing more than to attend your chic picnic.  I'd prefer Los Angeles, but if you can only get me on the Paris list, I'll make it work.

apothecary jars

photo courtesy of Pottery Barn

I love apothecary jars.  Whenever I see a gorgeously-styled living room, mantle, or kitchen, there's always an apothecary jar in the background filled with lovely things.   

Apothecary jars come in handy, especially when you want to decorate your home with seasonal touches.  You can fill them with fall-colored silk leaves, mini pumpkins, candies, jingle bells...anything! I'm seriously getting so excited just thinking about putting things into apothecary jars.  I'm weird.

The jars can be kind of pricey.  At Pottery Barn they range from $39-$69, but I recently saw some for $9.99 at a discount store.  If that's still too pricey for you, you can make one for a few bucks using items for the Dollar Store. 

kate spade idiom bangles

These bracelets are my new favorite gift to give.  They're cute, affordable, and come in a rainbow of colors.  Each color has a different idiom inscribed on the inside.  For example, the mint green one says "mint condition."  

I picked one up for a friend at the Kate Spade store and it was beautifully gift wrapped, saving me a trip to another store for wrapping paper and a card.  If Kate Spade sold wine and Lean Cuisines, it would be a one-stop shop.

Idiom bracelet, $32, KateSpade.com

miso-sriracha glazed salmon

I hope you had a fabulous summer.  I spent some of my time being sometimes fancy at birthday parties, weddings, and baby showers -- but mostly, I worked late hours.  That's the thing about summer:  the longer the sun is up, the longer I spend at work.

Because of my schedule, my boyfriend is usually in charge of dinner.   Before we moved in together, he lived on Lean Cuisines and take out, but now he can follow a recipe and knows how to zest a lemon.  His signature dish is the miso-sriracha glazed salmon from The Sriracha Cookbook.  Here's the recipe:

Photo via ThePerfectPantry.com

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp sesame oil (After opening, store it in the refrigerator.  It spoils quickly.)
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (we use reduced-sodium)
• 1/4 cup white miso paste (we get ours from Whole Foods)
• 3 tbsp Sriracha
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• nonstick cooking spray
• 6 6-oz salmon fillets, about 1 inch thick
• Steamed rice, to serve
• Sliced green onions, for garnish (I love them, he hates them)

Directions

• Preheat the broiler
• In a small bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, miso paste, sriracha, and garlic
• Line the broiling pan with foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray
• Place the salmon on the broiling pan and baste twice.
• He likes to keep a bit of the sauce separate so he can drizzle it on the fish at the end, but if you do this, make sure you reserve the sauce before you start to baste.  Cross-contamination is not fancy.
• Broil until the fish flakes easily, about 9-10 minutes
• Keep an eye on the fish.  The sauce burns easily.
• Serve on steamed rice and garnish with green onions

And that's it!  We use the same sauce on shrimp, too, and it's just as tasty.

make headlines mugs

After a few days of scouring the internet for the perfect vessel for my morning cup of coffee, I stumbled across this mug from Kate Spade's Make Headlines series.  There are four mugs in the series:  Be Jeweled, Travel Bright, Rain or Shine, and Make Mischief (the one I have).  Each one is made from Lenox porcelain and is microwave and dishwasher safe.  Quel fab for you or a gift for your work bestie.

Make Headlines mugs, $20, Bloomingdales

cynthia rowley band-aids

Ever feel like your bandages just aren't fashion-forward enough for your fancy self?  Well, you're in luck!  Cynthia Rowley has designed Band-Aids to help heal the most fabulous of ouchies.  Pair this with your Jonathan Adler condom caddy, and you'll have the most stylish medicine cabinet on the block.

Band-Aids, CynthiaRowley.com,  $5

wine for a wedding

I've talked about my hesitation to shop off-registry, but some gifts just need to be given.  Take this Wine for a Wedding box, for instance.  You can purchase the boxes with wines, or you can just buy the boxes and fill them with your own wines.  The boxes start at $55 and the wine trios start at $55, too (so $110 for the whole thing).  If you don't think the couple can wait until their one year anniversary to open up one of your gifted bottles, they also have boxes that start with "open on your honeymoon."

a cup of coffee

I've gotten into the habit of having a cup of coffee every day at work.  Since I'm sure this is a bad habit, I might as well mask it with a cute cup.  (Denial is the first step.)  I wouldn't mind starting my day with any of these.

1.  Market Street Pink Mug, $19, Kate Spade
2.  Carnaby Scale Mug, $18, Jonathan Adler
3.  Unikko Mug, $22, Marimekko

cheese boards

I received a cheese board as a housewarming gift and I can't wait to use it.  Sometimes my friends just get me, you know?  (My boyfriend thought it was a tile.)

Here are some tips on how to assemble and serve a cheese platter:

1.  Arrange your cheeses clockwise, in order from mildest to strongest, leaving enough room between each for easy cutting.  For example, you could have a creamy brie at 12:00, a mild goat cheese at 3:00, a sharp cheddar at 6:00, and a stilton at 9:00.

2.  Try to have a cheese knife for each kind of cheese -- spreaders for the soft, shavers and sharp knives for the harder cheeses.  I like these from Sur La Table.

3.  Offer an assortment of crackers, fruits, and spreads to accompany your cheese board.  I like water crackers, grapes, honey, and fig preserves.

4.  Feel free to serve any kind of wine you'd like.  You can do wine pairings, but I find that people are particular about their wine and their cheese, and not the pairings between the two.

5.  Serve your cheeses at room temperature.  I know this sounds kind of weird, but it's how you get the best flavor.

off-registry bridal shower gifts

When it comes to bridal showers, I always play it safe buy something off the bridal registry...but sometimes I just want to be bad and shop *gasp* off registry.  If I ever dare to shop off registry, here are some things I like to buy.  These are also great for non-naughty (nice?) bachelorette party gifts.

A customized hanger for the special day.  Cute and practical. $18, etsy

Miss Now Mrs is an easy way to change your name after saying "I do.", $30, missnowmrs.com

Luggage tag.  I've always wanted this, so I'm hoping when my day comes, someone will buy this (and the matching passport holder) for me. $75, Tiffany & Co.

A ring holder.  If you're going to buy crystal, you can never go wrong with Waterford, but this Kate Spade one is especially lovely.  $40, Macys.

mini apple crumbles

A dear friend gifted a set of Le Creuset mini-cocottes to me for our housewarming.  I couldn't wait to use them, so I made personal apple crumbles.  Here's my recipe:

Ingredients
For each apple crumble, you will need:

• 1 medium apple, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 1 tsp of brown sugar for apples, plus 2 tablespoons for crumble
• 1 tablespoon of cold butter
• 2 tablespoons of quick cooking oats
• 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon for apples, plus 1/8 teaspoon for crumble
• vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the apples with 1 tsp of brown sugar and 1/8 tsp of cinnamon.  Stir to coat.
• Place the apples in your mini-cocottes or ramekins
• In another bowl, mix the flour, and brown sugar together
• Cut in the cold butter with two forks, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs
• Add the oats and cinnamon to the mixture and sprinkle it over the apples
• Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until the apples are tender  (The apples will shrink, so feel free to pile up the apples and crumble topping.)

Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

etiquette tip

Etiquette is a set of rules that can only be observed, not enforced.  Because of this, it's one of the easiest ways to be fancy.  I'll share some of the rules I try to observe, just to spread the fanciness.

If you're the closest to the bread basket, take a piece and put it on your bread plate.  Then offer a piece to the person on your left.  After that person has taken (or declined) the bread, pass it to the person on your right.  If there's a communal butter dish, take some from the dish and put it on your bread plate and use this as your own little butter stash.  Don't butter your entire roll.  Tear off and butter each piece of bread before you eat it.

a housewarming party

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I hosted a housewarming party.  We just wanted to get our old friends together to celebrate our new place.  Here's how we did it:


1.  Invitations
We sent a Paperless Post invitation to our guests.  This picture was taken on moving day, at the moment I realized our new apartment didn't have enough storage.

Paperless Post is my preferred e-invitation website because not only do the invitations look like actual stationery, but it doesn't allow a "maybe" response and guests can't see the guest list.  "Maybe" responses are the worst and guests should attend because they want to attend, not because someone else is attending.

2.  Decorations
I knew I wanted to craft something for the party, so I made this welcome banner using scrapbooking paper and ribbon and hung it on our mantle.  I also made food labels since a few of our guests had dietary restrictions.  French cheeses with their names on flags are so chic.

3.  Favors
I baked a few dozen cookies, put them in little bags, and tied them with yellow ribbon and a "thanks for visiting" note.  Favors aren't usually given at housewarming parties, but I liked the idea of sending our friends home with something homemade at the end of the night.


We hope everyone had a great time at the party.  My boyfriend and I feasted on party leftovers for days, and are looking forward to drinking all of the bottles of wine we received.  That's the thing about hosting.  It might be super stressful, but at least people bring you wine.


Fuzzy pictures courtesy of my iPhone 3Gs.

change of address cards

When my boyfriend and I moved in together, I knew two things:

1.  I was going to try really hard to hide my secret single behaviors
2.  I wanted to send change of address cards

I've always loved the idea of a change of address card, even though I've never actually received one.  It's just so classy and official, and it's also a nice way to announce your cohabitation and provide an address where friends and family can send birthday cards (possibly filled with cash or gift cards).

Here are some of the cards I loved:

Airmail Stripes, $30 for 20 cards, tinyprints

Moving Key, $31 for 20 cards, Wedding Paper Divas

Important note, $42 for 20 cards, tinyprints

Official Change of address, $60 for 20 cards, Papersheep Press.  

In the end, I couldn't decide on which one I wanted so I used these as inspiration, then designed and printed my own.  I hand-addressed and stamped a skeleton key on the envelopes to give them a homemade look.  The total cost for the printing, rubber stamps, envelopes, and postage was around $30 and I got exactly what I wanted.  Not too shabby.