CONGRATULATIONS TO TIM AND BRANDI

On July 19 {my birthday}, Brandi and Tim are going to have a baby! Yippee! This baby will be 1) tall, 2) athletic, and 3) a lover of alternative rock music. Congratulations!

CHRISTMAS TREE

A few weeks ago Nate and I decided not to decorate for Christmas. Afterall, we are planning to pack up our house and move at the end of December. But now that it has snowed, and now that Christmas is on the near horizon, I'm feeling a little nostalgic and want to have a Christmas tree. I think Nate and I will be getting something in the 3.5 - 4' range.
If you haven't yet purchased a tree, and you plan to get a real one, consider Christmas Trees 101 on marthastewart.com. Everything you ever wanted to know. {photo from marthastewart.com}

HARD TO SHOP FOR

They are just hard to shop for. Your grandma, his sister, your mentor. For $134, you can offer them a membership to a "stationery-of-the-month club". Twelve times a year, your lucky someone will receive two limited-edition hand letter press cards. Hopefully they'll use one to send you a quick note and the other to save for themselves. Isn't it fabulous that in April, they'll be reminded, again, that you love them? Subscription at port2portpress.com.

HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS

I've just recently become interested in snow globes. Especially the really pretty and expensive ones that I'll probably never buy because they are, afterall, snow globes. I looked for one in France but didn't see anything that passed the test.
Anyway, I stumbled on to this project at Marthastewart.com. Imagine...a homemade snow globe. I would like to create one for Nate that has something we'll both appreciate. A reminder of our trip to France or our first year together. This could also be a cute gift for a grandma that has everything or a school teacher. So cute. Read directions here.

GIRLFRIEND GIFT #4

Every girl I know loves flowers. Most of us have received a pretty bunch of tulips or roses on a special occasion, but they die in a week or two. Give the gift of longterm enjoyment with a flower bulb they can force in the winter months and enjoy throughout the frightful weather.
Consider the amaryllis kit now on sale at Restoration Hardware for $12.

NEIGHBOR GIFT #4

Who doesn't love balloon art? Whenever anyone starts twisting a long skinny balloon into a poodle or a sword I have to stop and watch. Give this kit to your neighbors and perhaps your kids will benefit! This is only $8 at Restoration Hardware.

TAKE A SEAT: COOL CHAIR

This contemporary chair has such great design and character. I'd love to have one for my new house. I picture it in the great room as additional seating or possibly as the "guest" chair in Nate's office. Get the Basculant Style Armchair by Le Corbusier here.

GIRLFRIEND GIFT #3

This is just a pretty gift. If you have a girlfriend that works all day at a desk or who is a slave to her calendar, what better way to validate her then by giving her this pretty letterpress calendar from Restoration Hardware for $49.

NEIGHBOR GIFT #3

Classic old tin toys. They are so charming to play with and look great on a side table or mantle as a fun accent. They are reasonably prices from $4.99 to $20.00. Some are much more expensive because of all the details. Here are a few of my favorites. {just do a google search on tin wind-up toys}.

DEAR DIANE REHM, WILL YOU BE MY FRIEND?

KUER's Radio West is hosting an evening with Diane Rehm. I went a few years ago when she was doing a book tour with her husband and she was really great.
If you are a Diane Rehm fan (which I am), this is a great opportunity. Tickets are $25-45 depending on whether or not you want to attend the champaign and chocolate reception following a live taping of Radio West. Here are the specifics off the KUER site.

An Evening with Diane Rehm KUER invites you to spend an intimate evening with Diane Rehm hosted by Doug Fabrizio at the Rose Wagner Theatre, Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 7 p.m.

Ticket information:
● On sale at (801) 355-ARTS on Monday, November 27, 2006
● $25 per ticket
● $45 includes a show ticket and a post-show champagne and chocolate reception with Diane Rehm

ICHE LIEBE DICH

Gutten Tag! If you are lucky enough to live in NYC, and you also have $200 to burn, consider going to Deutschland (Germany). Continental, through Travelzoo, is offering $99 each way from NYC here.

NEIGHBOR GIFT #2

The Little Book of Snowflakes by Kenneth G. Libbrecht can be purchased on Amazon for just under $8. I think this is the perfect gift to wrap up and give to anyone with curiousity.

One review says this about The Little Book of Snowflakes, "This miniature companion book features new, highly detailed photographs of snowflakes, with captions that discuss the science behind their beauty and literary quotes relating to snow and nature.”

GIRLFRIEND GIFT #2

Every girl I know gets cold feet. Not metaphorically; they really get cold feet. So I like to think that a cute pair of slippers is a great gift from one girl to another. There are so many slipper styles out there you are guaranteed to find a pair that suites every kind of girl from casual to sexy. I found an impressive selection at Zappos.com that can't be beat.
Just think--after a hard day at work your friend will slip her worn out feet into your fabulous slippers and remember how much you adore her.

BAGGIN' THE ZZZZZZ

Nate and I bought a bed. I never go to Down East Home (Pottery Barn Outlet in Utah) but went in Logan during Thanksgiving. While I was shopping around, a bed caught my eye. I tried to picture it in our new bedroom and then I tried to picture Nate liking it in our new bedroom. In my mind it passed both tests.
We've been in discussion for a while now about upholstered headboards. I really want one but Nate thinks they are too feminine. He likes the big, dark wood sleigh beds. My personal opinion is that you need a very large room if you are going that direction and we just don't have a fortress in our new house. Plus, they just aren't the look I'm going for.
After Nate went with me to look at it we both compromised and decided to buy it. It's not a dark wood sleigh bed for Nate, nor is it a pretty upholstered bed for me. But it's a good compromise that we got for 50% off. It's a cKing which means we'll need to get a new mattress since we now sleep on a Queen. Yippee! Our first new piece of furniture!

GIRLFRIEND GIFT #1

In case you are stumped with ideas for your girlfriends, consider the make-a-wish charm necklace from dogeared.com.
You get to pick your charm from a large selection and place it on a pretty piece of silk ribbon. Whomever receives this pretty gift will make a wish. Once the silk ribbon wears out, their wish should come true. I'm not superstitious, but I like the idea of a gift promising something great once it's worn out.

NEIGHBOR GIFTS #1

It's hard to know what to give your neighbors for the holidays. But I'm a neighbor and my favorite gifts are homemade items that say, "I'm thinking about you". This is the first of ten gift ideas for your neighbors.
Consider giving your favorite homemade jams and jellies as gifts. Preserves are a perfect gift because they are beautiful, yummy and inexpensive. Martha Stewart suggests decorating the jar tops with cupcake wrappers which I think is just fabulous.
The best jars are the little odd shaped jars you find in your grandma's pantry. It's best to check the antique stores or your actual grandma's pantry and give the old cast-aways a new purpose. Don't forget to add your own personalized label on the bottle.

ANNICK GOUTAL PERFUME

Nate and I walked by this charming little perfumerie near Musee D'Orsay and I fell in love. Annick Goutal perfume can be purchased so many places but I'm the only one I know who got to experience that beautiful boutique on a little street in Paris. I bought "Songs" which is heavy with Ylang Ylang, Vanilla, and Jasmine.
All the little bottles were lined up on the shelves and the space was just small and cozy. After I sprayed the perfume on my wrist I left the boutique and went to Musee D'Orsay with Nate. I kept smelling the perfume and knew about an hour later that I really wanted to have it for myself. So we went back and it now mine. You can get it here.

FOUR SWEATERS I WANT

Anthropologie has great stuff all the time. I particularly like these four sweaters and would love to be wearing them on cold afternoons.

BLUE JAR CANDLE

Anthropologie has these delicious blue jar candles. I'm partial to no. 6 which smells like gardenia and maybe a little citrus. The candles come in these distinctive bright blue jars which are handmade glass.

















Now you can get the same delicious scents in different jars. The colors are sweet but the smell will continue to rock your world.

PANINI PLEASE

My new favorite sandwich is the ham and cheese panini. The trick is to use savory meat and cheese and press the sandwich very thin. It's best to use a ridged panini press - and you have to make it very crispy! So easy; so tasty.
Nate and I agreed to get a panini press for our new home. I'd like to own this one by Hammacher Schlemmer.

BONJOUR - I'M BACK

I hope you missed me! I had the most spectacular time with my husband in France and Monaco and now I'm ready to tell you all about it. I don't want to tire you of hearing about my holiday so I'm dedicating just one post a day to something we did or saw. I miss being there and I hope we get a chance to go back.
Nate and I spent our first three days in the Latin Quarter in Paris. We were just a few minute's walk from the eiffel tower. After an overnight train ride to Nice, we stayed the next four days there with a day trip to Monaco. Another overnight train ride back to Paris and a stay on the Champs Elysees and we were home for Thanksgiving.
I met Nate the first day we were in Paris together, at Hotel Aviatic in the Latin Quarter. It was a great location just a few minute's walk from the Eiffel Tower. After we had lunch in an outdoor cafe (of course) we headed to Musee Rodin to see some beautiful sculpture. I discovered, that day, how much I love sculpture - especially that done by Rodin. I'm so inspired by the movement and emotion of the smooth stones; it was all I could do not to reach out and touch everything I saw.
The first time I was in Paris I saw Rodin's "The Gates of Hell" at Musee D'Orsay and it quickly became my favorite piece. At Musee Rodin I was able to see a very large bronze of The Gates out in the garden. I took a photo of my favorite little corner of "The Gates of Hell" so you can see how sensual it is.
























After Musee Rodin we walked to the Eiffel tower and shared a great kiss. I was thrilled to be with Nate and walk around such a beautiful city. This kiss goes out in special dedication to Hans and his wife Cami. Nate and I were gone and missed the wedding celebration but I told Hans I'd kiss my cute husband at the tower in honor them!