Holiday Shopping: Gifts for Someone Who Has Everything

There is always someone on your list who seems to have everything, or really "need" nothing.  (Maybe that someone is you!)  In which case, the perfect gift might need to tell a story, share a memory, be personalized, or add a little extra sparkle to an otherwise everyday item.

The gifts for the gal who has everything can be the most challenging and also the most delightful.  Let the gift giving begin:

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Let the gift giving begin!

• Start the holiday season with some sparkle.  For those with trees give them a gift that marks the season with a little sparkle like this Swarovski snowflake ornament.
• I have never had these but I just know that I would love them.  Levain Bakery's chocolate walnut cookies are famous for being supersized and super delicious.  They are large enough to encourage sharing and that's what the season is all about, after all.
• Cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake, these I have had, and yes, they are delicious.  They are beautiful, super moist, and here is a tip order in advance so you can skip the lines!
• Have a memorable moment!  Find a treat from a favorite treat, for us it would be Coconut Candy from Julia in Maui.
• Make them gift unable to be regifted with a monogrammed and personalized item.  I love the fit of this RL Jacket.
• Give the gift of glamour with a staple (belt) with extra jazz (feathers), a year of flowers, or a satin clutch from the new collection from Tiffany & Co.

All of these gifts are a delight and happily are available in a variety of price points.  The perfect gift doesn't have to be expensive and out of reach, it just needs to be made special with thought.

Happy Gift Giving for Someone as Special as You.

Thankful on Friday

As we go into the weekend, and also the first full week after Thanksgiving I am taking a moment to count my blessings.

This week, among many other things, I am thankful for:

• My dad celebrating his 57th birthday - every birthday, I think, should be treated like a big birthday!

• Having a favorite flower and a store that nearly always stocks them, and being able to treat myself to them nearly whenever I want.  **Extra points for recycling!

• My little neighborhood has little restaurants, and very happily my husband is picking up take-out, also, very thankful for a quiet Friday night with nothing to do.

•   Thankful to be celebrating birthdays and Hanukkah with family this coming Sunday, and doubly thankful that when I call my mom and cousin for a recipe they can recite it from memory in a moment's notice - I'll let you know how this one turns out!

• Youtube.  I am thankful that today after seeing a piece of art with a song lyric on it, and then having it stuck in my head all day, I was able to find the song and get it out of my system.

• My very old boots that have survived many snow storms, moves, faux Florida winters, and all the wear and tear of everyday abuse, and yet I cannot wear them without getting a compliment.  They have no label, they were purchased at Nordstrom Off the Rack and they are my favorite for Fall, and now that DC's weather has officially snapped, winter too!

Kick your feet up this weekend, until next week - Carly

Holiday Shopping: Gifts for Your Best Friend

Shopping for your best girlfriends is often a reflection of yourself, just like your friends are.  They might be the best, but also the hardest people to shop for, because for them the gift really does have to be perfect.  All of the gifts I picked for a girlfriend are gifts that I would proudly own, and shh! some of these gifts actually match a friend in my life.

Let the gift giving begin:

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When picking these gifts I thought of the ways my friends inspire me.  

• For the friend who loves to find her inner artist I love the idea of these colored pencils on display that are as much of a work of art as her creations.  If having these on display don't spur creativity, I don't know what will.
• Kate Spade handbags are always super cheeky, but how delightful is this little clutch inspired by classic American books?  Reading, after all, is always chic.
• For the friend who loves fashion?  There are few designers more consistent in their aesthetic and iconic than Anna Sui and this new book is like a fashion show on your bookshelf.
• For the friend on the brink of tech trends, the youtube video maker, the blogger, the Facebook Stalker, show your appreciation for her savvy ways with a fun frame for when she's away from the computer.  
• Only one kind of girl where NARS, the one that knows that there is none better.  And really, only one kind of girl wear's gold eye shadow - the girl that loves the finer things, and having a fine time.  Celebrate your friend that loves to celebrate life with something sparkly.
• Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but a trip to the spa has to come in a close second, right?
• To bring relaxation home, and suggest a little "me-time" for a friend that is always on the go a beautifully scented candle is just right.

Other great options for your best friend that don't fit on a gift guide?  Her favorite magazine, a trip for coffee, a long phone chat, a train ticket to visit each other.

Happy Gift Giving to the friends who brighten your days!

She's a Daddy's Girl

That's me.  To be fair, I am also a mama's girl - but that is sort of the beauty of having two really amazing parents.   Today's is my dad's birthday - and I generally like to think of myself as his best birthday present 26 years ago.

Along the way my dad has given me more than a few gifts.  

My dad is the reason I make faces, test out accents and enjoy the spotlight.  My dad is the middle child, and he adores his big brother and little brother - giving my sister and I a model for real sibling love.  He admires his parents, so, and I think gets many of his dance moves from them.  He loves my mom, her dog, and their kids and never hesitates to tell them so (maybe not the dog as much).  He is the best boss, and truly the benchmark to which I have held every employer to.  He lives his life with integrity, honesty and compassion - those are priceless values.  He is the reason I can make a jump shot, know how to properly make an "awesome bite" and quote movie lines.  He has a drink, and it's always with a twist of lemon.  My dad has good taste, when I was growing up he was often called upon to give a second opinion on an outfit as I walked out for the day.  My dad can tell a story, give a speech, and dance with the best of them.  He is sensitive, he cries (it's not just my mom that I get that from).  He loved our wedding.  He is "old fashioned" because he believes in hard work, getting the job done and doing the right thing.   He is a strummer, a singer, a golden-rule player.  He is also my friend.

He is the reason that my sister and I can stand on our own, believe in ourselves, live our lives with integrity.   

Dad, happy birthday, I love you.