Posts tagged gifts
Light My Candle
It comes as no surprise that one of the most romantic lyrics in music history is the late Teddy Pendergrass’
Turn off the lights…and light a candle.
Tonight I’m in a romantic mood, yeah.
Perhaps I’m just biased towards ol’ Teddy, since my parents met at one of his concerts. Talk about a 70’s love connection!
Well, this Valentine’s season, make like Mr. P and get that candle-lit glow with a few of my favorite luxurious brands. Your sweetie won’t know whether to kiss ya or sniff ya!
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I burn candles non-stop in every room of my house- literally, it’s the live version of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire. And the brand that I rely on to keep going and going and going is Voluspa. Deliciously fragrant and with crazy burn power, these Kings of Kandles are worth every (s)cent. I am OBSESSED with the Makassar Ebony & Peach Candle. I don’t usually do the fruity scents, but this mixture is so intoxicating and sophisticated. No Fruit Roll-Up smellin’ candles here. Other Voluspa scents that I love are Crisp Champagne,
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The extraordinarily extravagant Jonathan Adleris the leader of my new style religion. And his beyond glorious candle line makes me want to praise the Fashion Gods! I swear I had a “moment” when I took a whiff of the Big Sur candle which mixes bergamot, vetiver, cedar and nutmeg. Other scents in this destination-themed collection are Capri, Palm Beach and Acapulco.
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For the girly-girl who wants her home to smell just as luscious as she, Tyler Candles are it! This hip brand has scents titled “High-Maintenance,” “Diva,” and “Hollywood” that could give even the most fragrant of eau de toilette a run for its money.
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The most intriguing aspect of Dayna Decker’s couture candle collection is the EcoWood Wick, made from organic wood and designed to burn cleaner than a traditional cotton wick. The gorgeous glass candleholders will add a touch of style to any room in the house, and even the wax is made as eco-friendly as possible. Talk about chic gone green. Some of my favorite scents include Rose and Violetta.
All right Tartelettes, Mimi has given you the tools for a little V-day romance. So get to shoppin’ then smoochin 
Xo,
Amelia
Feb 9th
Gift Etiquette 101—How to Accept Graciously.
When accepting a gift it’s always important to remain thankful. In this awkward moment try your best to uphold your manners—no glimpse of shock or horror. Stay classy. After asking around for some tips from some true masters of animated appreciation I have narrowed it down to 3 easy steps:
Step 1: Know your audience. Show your appreciation and make it look real, even if you feel your taste is way better.
Step 2: The wrong expression can hurt the feelings of the giver. Although you can’t seem to come to any conclusion as to why they bought this for you, give them the benefit of the doubt (they bought this picturing your excitement). So be just that, surprised and excited.
Step 3: Always smile & always say thank you. Even ask where they got such a “unique & thoughtful” gift (in your head you can picture yourself at the return counter).
Now, I know these may be easier said than done. Just remember, it’s the season of generosity—it can always be worse.
Xo,
Kristin
Dec 21st
Gift Guide–Gifts that Give Back!
This holiday season make a change—gift beyond your family & friends. Look for products that donate a portion (or all) of proceeds to a worthy cause. I’m trying to make a conscious effort to choose items that help make it merry for everyone! What’s that saying again? Oh yes, “Tis better to give than receive.” Here are some ideas to get you started!
- The FEED 3 Bear is made from 100% plush organic cotton and natural burlap. This snuggle buddy is perfect for your little one and like all FEED products—it’s their goal to sell as many FEED 3 bears as possible to FEED and educate the world’s 400 million hungry children. “Nut,” the FEED 3 bear, will provide Plumpy’Nut® for 3 children through Industrial Revelation.
- tarte’s t5™ super fruit complex is found in many products including our cult fave, natural cheek stain. With the purchase of any tarte product containing t5™, tarte will donate proceeds to the Sustainable Amazon Partnership (SAP)—helping to preserve the Amazon Rainforest through forest stewardship, improved living conditions and educational opportunities for communities in Brazil.
- The Retro Green Scooter is a sleek ride for any 3-to-5 year old & proceeds from every purchase are donated to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
- For the stylista, the ‘Nana’ ring from H.E.L.P’s Panthera Collection is a generous gift that benefits nutritional education in Malawi.
- My personal favorite is from Heart U Back. Their cord adjustable bracelet (think very Links of London) comes in a ton of colors (I picked up red) and mixes in perfect with the rest of your stackables. The best part, Heart U Back promises $125,000 in proceeds to the ASPCA.
xo,
Kristin
Dec 10th
Gift Guide–For Him!
Whether it’s your father, brother, son, husband or boyfriend, it’s always tough to get that special guy in your life the perfect gift. Most men just don’t light-up in surprise over another new tie, set of cufflinks or sweater the same way us ladies go ga-ga over jewelry, bags & makeup. That being said I’ve tried my very best to bring you a few great gifts for all those guys in your life. I guarantee that he’ll love you even more for them!
1. This is not another button-down. It’s a tailored ‘washed-favorites’ from J-crew. I say if he has to wear one everyday it might as well feel like his favorite tee.
2. From skate shops and Barney’s New York to the pages of Nylon Men, Men’s Journal & GQ, Nixon men’s watches are a must-have! Pick up the Chrono 51-30 (see above) or the rotolog (he’ll thank you for it).
3. John Varvatos Vintage cologne—simply put, he’ll smell amazing!
4. You can’t go wrong with tickets to see his favorite team or band!
5. Nothing beats the sound of his ipod on a BOSE dock. If you’re feeling extra nice, then snag him a pair of high-def headphones, too.
xo,
Kristin
Dec 8th
Holiday Gift Guide–For Her!
All that glitters…I’m in love with it all! I have touched on the sequin trend in the past, but this holiday season sparkle seems to appear everywhere. From leggings and tuxedo jackets to tarte lipglosses, what better way to be completely festive than with some extra shimmer to turn heads. I spent some quality time ravaging through the options and picked out my faves. Whomever you are buying for this year (even if it’s treating yourself) reach for one of these totally gorgeous, totally dazzling finds!
Tarte crown jewels lipgloss set (dazzling divas) $39
Express sequin leggings $98
Trina Turk ‘Kathleen’ sequin cardigan $223
Kate Spade “El Morocco LauraLee’ sequin bag $375
DKNY ‘Sweetheart’ dress $375
Erica Anenberg Twosome™ ring $144
xo,
Kristin
Dec 7th
Cuff Love
At any given time you can find me wearing an eclectic mix of stackable bracelets on my wrists. Each one is different from the next, but they’re all dear keepsakes to me: A gift from graduation, a fashionable iconic present to myself and a flea-market find during my travels in Spain. However, there are two GK Designs’ stamped gold cuffs that truly remind me of the important things in life. The first, a little something from my mom, is engraved with “La Dolce Vita” (the sweet life) and the other from two close friends (yes, it says “friend”). I absolutely cherish these bracelets and think they’re really the perfect present to give or receive. It’s all about simplicity (oh, and they’re available in silver, rose and yellow gold.) Choose from one of their 30 sayings or customize your own. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, this is the just the right little token of love.
Feb 3rd
Tarte Holiday Party!
Last night was the tarte holiday party! We did something a little different—we actually made our own delicious dinner at Rustico Cooking! We enjoyed some wine and then got down to business. We were split up and some of us made the appetizers and dessert, while others cooked the main course and side dishes. If I don’t say so myself, I helped create by far the best sausage, broccoli rabe & cheese (I’m definitely forgetting some of the ingredients) crepe ever! Additionally, we dined on chicken, squash, gnocchi and a mini cheesecake. Everything was so yummy! We also did our holiday gift exchange—Alison got me the best gift: Voluspa candles. They smell so divine and last forever!! Thanks again Alison!! -Candace
Dec 20th
march 2007
03/30/07
~I’m very excited that it’s almost Easter because that means this weekend is time for one of my favorite activities…egg dying! Usually we just go the more traditional route (this pic is of the eggs Phil and I did last year) but my sister just sent me this link that explains how to do these super fancy eggs…they almost look wooden, don’t they? I’m a little spastic, but that’s a perk of marrying a graphic designer…I know he would be totally into trying this! If we do and it comes out good, I’ll post the outcome. Stay tuned… -alexis
03/28/07
~So I went to the movies on Saturday and saw (let me be more specific- drooled over) 300. This is by far the absolute best movie I have seen in a long time. I don’t know what it is, but I loved it! Maybe it was the action packed fighting scenes, the great one-liners adding just the right amount of comedic relief, or maybe (and lets be honest- most likely) it was Gerard Butler’s (King Leonidis) amazing body- yes I think that’s it! If you don’t like action, adventure, gore, or mythology, go see it for the ridiculously cut Spartan bodies. Plus, Spartan men apparently always walked around in Speedos- I promise you will not be disappointed. -julia
03/27/07
~I just came back from the most amazing bachelorette weekend in Miami. If you can imagine it – there were 10 of us soaking up the sun and having a few drinks together. Ok, maybe we had more than a few drinks but who’s counting?! It was one of the best weekends I’ve ever had and I can’t thank the girls enough for making it such a great experience!! -heather
03/19/07
~Happy belated St. Patrick’s Day! I was planning to head to home to South Boston for the parade, but the crazy, stormy weather left me here in NYC. My roommate and I decided to throw a little St. Patty’s celebration in our apartment. She made her mom’s homemade Irish soda bread, which was delish! Not to mention we had every other green food you could want: spinach dip, green frosted cupcakes and lime jello! We also made some delicious green bloody mary (food coloring makes all the difference!). To top it all off we had a fun dance party! There was even an Irish jig dance-off. You can’t beat that on a Saturday afternoon! -candace
03/12/07
~I had such a nice (albeit action-packed) weekend…we went to Phil’s brother’s engagement party on Friday night, which was awesome—two Italian families merging always makes for a good party (and the penne alla vodka was pretty good too). Sunday was our nephew’s christening, and we were the godparents! Antonio was the best baby in the church, he didn’t cry once (not even when the water was poured over his head). Of course, seeing us with the baby got everyone asking us when we’re planning on having kids……..but the answer is “not anytime soon,” since our new apartment is about the only “baby” we can handle at the moment! -alexis
03/05/07
~This weekend I went to the Syracuse v. Villanova basketball game in Philly. Despite all of my cheering and name-calling (yes, I tend to be pretty competitive when people get mean), we lost the game 78-75. After the game a bunch of us headed to Atlantic City to try our luck there! To start the night we did a little dancing at Mur Mur and then some gambling at the Borgata. I played the slots (specifically Wheel of Fortune) but ended up empty-handed. Greg, on the other hand, played Roulette and we ended up leaving with some winnings! All in all, it was great weekend, but I’m soooo tired!!! -candace
Mar 1st
