Holiday Gifts- For the hostess

My mother has always taught me to never go to a party without a little something. The hostess with the "mostess" deserves some special treats. Enjoy!

Brookstone Electric Wine Opener

Sur la Table Cheese Platter

 Nunes Farms Roasted Pistachios

William Sonoma Balsamic Vinegar

Anthropologie Measuring Cups

Red Envelope Aromatherapy Booties

Skinny Skinny soap set

Kate's Paperie Dragonfly Notecards

Holiday Gifts- Cooks and Bakers

For the kitchen guru: handy tools, wonderful electrics and recipe filled books. Oh, and one fantastic trip! Enjoy!

OXO rolling herb mincer

2 in 1 oil and vinegar dispenser

Magnetic measuring spoons

Silpat, silicon baking mat

Parker bowls

Cuisinart 3-cup mini food processor

KitchenAid standing mixer

Family Baking Book

Le Creuset 11-piece cookware set
Joy of Cooking

For an extra special treat...

Sur la Table

Holiday gifts- Healthy living

For the lover of all things active, healthy and fashionable. Enjoy!

 Stella McCartney for Adidas

Marc By Marc Jacobs tote

Gaiam yoga mat

Sigg water bottle

 Elisa Zied's award winning nutrition guide

Holiday Season - Gifts for Dad

"Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope."
--Bill Cosby

This year, like so many years before, my Dad proclaimed "I don't want anything for Christmas. I have enough shirts, underwear and socks. No sweaters, I don't even know where to put the ones that I have."

So, when you are stuck with this scenario, it's time to get creative and branch out. Here are some ideas for Dads... Enjoy!

History Buff:


A Country of Vast Design
$30 at Barnes &Nobel

Stocks and Bonds:

Wall Street Journal
$349 for a 1 year subscription
If he doesn't already subscribe, this is a great gift


Grill Master:


Monogrammed Steak Brand and Carving Board
$69.95 at William Sonoma
Nothing like branding your own steak after grilling it to perfection.


Handyman:


Allied 39015 178 Piece Cordless Tool Set
$110.76 at Amazon.com
This had the best reviews from seven websites
(including Sears, BestBuy and Amazon)


Style Setter:

Harriman Argyle
$79.50 at J. Crew
Tod's Gommini Buckle Loafer
$425 at Neiman Marcus

Lingerie, Brulee and You

When beautifully cut, on-the-bias preferably for the best draping, certain lingerie pieces can make an outfit light, airy and very sexy. A corset under a blazer, a camisole under a cardigan, there are lots of options.

In the late 70's, Josie Natori created the Natori Campany, famous for their beautiful lingerie that can be worn to bed or out to dinner. This was the first real foray into undergarments as outerwear. We saw this trend emerge as slip dresses again in the late 90's. Today, it reinvents itself with visible boning, corseting and adjustable straps.

Marie Claire September 09 issue

This trend re-emerged in the Fall 09 collection by Christian Dior and it didn't stop there.

Pieces were found in Resort 2010

Chanel Resort 2010

Spring 2010 lingerie trend covered the runways from Ferretti to Jacobs.


Alberta Ferretti


Jean Paul Gaultier


Halston


Marc Jacobs

There is a wonderful new lingerie designer launching her new line, Brulee, in the late fall. The colors are rich and the fabrics are delicate silk, cotton and jersey with hand cast gold and crystal hardware.

Pieces will be available online as well as at the following brick and mortar locations:
Journelle, Petticoat Lane and Brooklyn Fox in New York, Underwear in Austin and Oh Baby Lingerie and Lille Boutique in Portland. Price points range from $36-$178

So go ahead and indulge in this luscious trend.

www.brulee.net