What I am loving now Holiday Gift Edition!
I always love this time of year – the lights! The parties! The time with friends! The FOOD! and of course – the sparkle and joy that comes with finding the perfect gift for friends and family! What else do I love? Getting to share my “things I am loving now” holiday edition blog! Such fun. Read below for some great gift ideas for friends, family and yourself!
Byredo parfums has a scent that I am obsessed with! According to the website “GYPSY WATER IS A GLAMORIZATION OF THE ROMANY LIFESTYLE, BASED ON A FASCINATION WITH THE MYTH. THE SCENT OF FRESH SOIL, DEEP FORESTS AND CAMPFIRES EVOKES THE DREAM OF A FREE, COLORFUL LIFESTYLE CLOSE …” Gypsy water fragrance features bergamot, lemon, pepper, juniper berries, incense, pine needles, orris, amber, vanilla and sandalwood Click here for information on where to purchase those gorgeous scent!
Jimmy Choo is one of my all time favorite shoes to wear and be seen in! With a selection of heel heights and styles to choose from, brides, and women in general cannot go wrong investing in a pair of these sparkly stunners, and let’s not even start on the bags – GORGE! Read more here
The New York Times has compiled a truly AWESOME gift guide this year for everyone in your life from the “rustic minimalist” to the “trendy millennial” One of our faves on the list? The art of shaving “Noir Shaving set.” This “ode to grooming luxury is for the man who has moved well beyond plastic handles and electric blue shaving cream…” Click here to find out more about this gift that is perfect for the well groomed groom in your life!
Holiday parties are SUCH fun to attend and plan! Did you catch my segment on Fox news this week? I chatted with Fox Chicago’s Melody Mendez about recipes, decor tips and more! One of my favorite tips? At your local market, buy some chestnuts! Soak them in salt water for about an hour, and then on the flat side, made an x shaped incision. Once you’re done, you can either place them on a coockie sheet and bake them in the oven for about 30 – 45 minutes or put them in a pot on the stove for the same length of time. Before they cool completely, make sure to pop them out of their shell and enjoy! Not only are they delicious and healthy – they smell absolutely wonderful and really make your home feel like it is the holidays!
Click here to see the segment and get in the know on how to throw a fabulous party this December!
Another current obsession of mine? Toss the Gloss
Forget about makeup reclaiming youth,” says Andrea Q. Robinson. “Good makeup reclaims you.” Robinson, whose illustrious career has included positions such as the chief marketing officer of Estée Lauder, president of Tom Ford Beauty, beauty editor of Vogue, and president of Ralph Lauren Fragrances, is the ultimate industry insider. Now, she shares her decades of experience in this honest and straightforward guide for women fifty and over. This is a FABULOUS idea for the woman in your life who has timeless style, and is aging gracefully. Personally, I love having it because I feel like I am getting a jump start! In short – BUY. THIS. BOOK and make the most of your gorgeous features!!!!
I confess, I love pretty, sparkly things – and Flash Tattoo is basically the coolest thing I have seen in forever! The website states, “innovative jewelry inspired temporary tattoos for serious (and not so serious) fashionistas. Flash Tattoos are perfect for the beach, the pool, parties, festivals, concerts… anywhere you and your skin might be seen having fun. Just apply, glimmer and go!” LOVE THIS!
ok, so we have purchased lovely sparkly things, and swanky manly things and all kinds of other delightful things – but the holidays are not just about presents and sparkles. They are really about giving from your heart, reflecting on what you are grateful for, enjoying your loved ones, and if you can, giving back to those who are less fortunate. I am pretty public about the fact that I am adopted, and how blessed I feel to have such wonderful parents, and how lucky I am to have been adopted at birth. Not all children are as lucky as I am, and for me, it feels really great to share some of my blessings with some of those children who are praying for parents and a home for Christmas.
Hephzibah Children’s Association operates two group homes for children between the ages of 3 and 12: Their Diagnostic Treatment Center, where abused and neglected children undergo several months of stabilization and evaluation, and the Residence, a longer-term therapeutic program for severely traumatized children who need more time to heal. My favorite thing this holiday season is the opportunity to give of my time and resources to such a worthwhile cause.
I am also thrilled to report that the promotion we created during “National Adoption Awareness Month,” during which, 20% of any dessert ordered ar lunch or dinner at Gene & Georgetti during the month of November went towards a donation at the end of the month. Ultimately, our efforts produced $8,000.00 in proceeds going to Hepzhibah! Imagine that we did this with desserts – the sky is the limit on how you can find a way to give. Be creative, have fun with it! For information on how YOU can give to this great cause, click here
I could literally write VOLUMES of what I am loving now – I can’t help it. I live in an awesome city like Chicago, just step from the swoon worthy designers on Oak Street, and am always finding constant inspiration for my clients and my life in fashion, literature, food and all things sparkly! For now, this will have to do! And remember, the best gift of all is the one that comes from your heart! Happy Holidays! Enjoy! xoxo
