A New Flame

My "gusband" calls me today (that's my gay husband. Every girl should have one) and asks me to suggest a great scented candle to buy for his new boyfriend (are you getting the drift?)

He wants something fresh that does not smell sweet or overpowering. A scent that will remind him of Christmas but not in that icky cinnamon stick kind of way. 

The Balsam Fir candle from Thymes is really swell. 

And nicely packaged. The candle, that is.

A Little Nosh

I am missing New York. Los Angeles around the holidays is strange at best. The weather throws me off and lights around palm trees doesn't quite work for me.

For a year of my younger life (1986 to be exact) I shared an apartment with my friend Mia on the Upper West Side. Zabar's was a food staple for the natives but we really couldn't afford such extravagances at the time.

Sweet Nosh Box (Kosher)

Now as transplanted New Yorker, the arrival of the Zabar's catalog is bringing back some serious memories. I might just have to order the Sweet Nosh Box (Kosher) $69.00 and a "regular" coffee (that's with cream & sugar in case you don't know.)

Note: please avoid the tab marked Gift Baskets & Boxes
(SHEShops is allergic to  prefab Gift Baskets)

It's raining, it's pouring

It's a rainy day here in Los Angeles.
At our house, that's a cause for celebration.

kids rainboots from Target

It means wearing our fashionable Target rain boots and Cordelia can splash in the puddles to her hearts' content.

I need a little more protection and think this
pink gerber daisy umbrella might complete my look.

Here's to singing in the rain...




want one too?
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She Flashback:  Puddle Jumping

Holiday Gifting - part 2

The recipient is fancy. They have everything they need and certainly everything they want.
So what can you give?

Here's what I've learned:
If you can't keep up with the Joneses, give something simple and tasteful and have it beautifully wrapped (Paper Source or Soolip in LA)

Dean & Deluca's Truffle Salt is seriously delicious...And just a tad bit sinful. For under $30 it's a perfect little indulgence.

Food+Lab

My friend Deb introduces me to all the great places to eat in Silver Lake.  We had lunch at Food+Lab and it did not disappoint. Crazy good fig, proscutto and ricotta panini on whole grain bread. Delicious tart fresh lemonade.

I think Jan liked her chicken arugula salad. To be honest, I was too interested in trying the dark chocolate fudge we bought for dessert.

Great presentation and sweet wait staff topped off our great lunch.

Food+Lab was started by the mother and son duo Esther and Nino Linsmayer. They started by catering photo shoots, events, and private parties for celebrity clients such as Naomi Campbell, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, and Annie Liebovitz.

Box lunches for picnics at the Hollywood Bowl too. They use organic, nitrate, and hormone free ingredients, as well as environmentally friendly materials.

Thank you Deb. I'm going to miss ladies lunch.

Food+Lab
Hours: Open daily from 9 am – 8 pm
3206 West Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 661-2666

Holiday Gifting - part 1

It's November, soon to be December, and we all know what that means. For those of us with few on our list, it can be as daunting as those of us who have many.

I love receiving a gift that reminds me of the giver every time I see it. If it's useful - even better.
(SHE Flashback see: Please pass the bread.)

Paperweights may be somewhat old fashioned. Perhaps that's why I am drawn to them.

oval: french crystal $68           dome: glass $42

I have always liked everything from the site iomoi.com.
The hardest part is choosing your favorite pattern...

Something good in the 'hood

It's always exciting when a place you love moves closer to home - especially in Los Angeles - the land of the sprawl.

Just in time for the holidays, Paper Source has opened in Studio City.

This is a very exciting event for a girl obsessed with all things paper, ribbons, and gift giving.

I bought three Gratitude Journals on my first trip.

My first entry:

I am grateful for my friends & family.

And for the color orange.

Gratitude Journal: Item 9780811867207 Price $14.95

Pillow Party

There are several things the husband thinks we have enough of: scented candles, cloth napkins, and pillows. There are probably more. But this is a mantra I have been hearing over the years. So one of the nice things (and there are many) about shopping for other people is that I can live vicariously through my clients. I have an assignment to cozy up a house. What better way to do so than with pillows?

That said, she wants to keep her minimal use of color.

These tarp pillows are perfect. And now on sale for $33.99-39.99 at Restoration Hardware. Even better.

Now how to justify "one for you, one for me..."

SHE Flashback: Armchair Decorator

Got wine. Will travel.

I am envisioning it on both coasts from The Hollywood Bowl to Tanglewood:

skybar™ Wine Traveler

A travel carrier for champagne or wine. Spotted for sale for $19.99 at Williams-Sonoma.
Keeps the bottle chilled for up to 2 hours.

The perfect gift that comes in orange
 (also blue, dark grey and green.)



Both a wine carrier and elegant gift packaging, the skybar™Wine Traveler keeps pre-chilled wine cool for hours. A convenient carrying handle makes it perfect for toting wine to dinner parties, restaurants or evenings out on the town. The Wine Traveler is re-useable and available in four colors, and includes a gift tag to personalize your wine gift.

Cheers everyone!

East Coast: Tanglewood

West Coast: Hollywood Bowl

What's your Stance?

My husband is not a flashy man. 501 Levis are his daily uniform along with a Brooks Brothers button down shirt.

About a decade ago, I started buying my honey groovy socks. Something fun to peek from under his suit (and size 13 shoe) in a budget meeting.

Thus began a really fun collection of man hosiery.
Paul Smith has been a major contributor. Now there's Stance.
And they come in lumber jack sizes.
Gotta love it.

My faves are Blockhead

 

and Thermostat....

Germain

I spent some time in the Berkshires this summer shuttling my daughter to her horse camp in Lenox, MA.

I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining.

On my daily drive from Great Barrington, I would pass by an orange sign that said:

Finally, I drove in. Tucked down a the pebble driveway stands a beautiful converted barn with vintage Bertoia chairs flanking the sliding doors. I knew this was going to be good.

  

Three women share the space which sells furniture, housewares, clothes, and custom letterpress cards.

What more could a SHEShopper want? I particularly love the vintage linen pillows and the giant glass flower vessels. Clearly the owners share Ralph Lauren's ability set dress an appealing modern country house lifestyle. I'm ready to move in.

Germain

635 Main Street, Great Barrington; 413.644.8688

Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Or by appointment

Mabel, Mabel set the table.

It has a name: Tablescaping. My Mother does it all the time - creating vignettes in her decorating.

But Tablescaping is serious business at the Los Angeles County Fair where my dear friends P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes entered their creation for judging. P. David told me, "Because of the theme 'Freedom of Choice' (which, honestly, we thought was a little disappointing because part of the fun is seeing what people do with the themes the fair makes you do), we decided to do an all orange table and call it Freedom FROM Choice. We knew we wanted to use our orange horse head for drama and then came up with the Horse of a Different Color concept so that it would make sense."

As you know, I am all about orange.

In tablescaping, you can do almost anything you want, but you have to make the judges understand the context, or they mark you down for it. "Love the horse head, but what's it doing on the table? Minus 5." You get the idea.

 

The fictional menu dictates what is on the table i.e. the placement of your cutlery and settings, etc, are driven by the etiquette your menu demands.

The supercool hand made placemats and coasters are made by Todd's brother-in law who makes fabulous wood furniture at

SHIELDS MODERN.

This is their third year: The first year, they did the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" category and did "A Breakfast Proposal in Honor of Gay Marriage in California." Very controversial. They scored a 92, and did not ribbon. The second year the category was "Motion Picture Perfect" They did "A Ladies Luncheon for Four Femme Fatales of Film Noir." Scored a 95 and won 2nd place. This year, the theme is "Freedom of Choice."

And the results are in: They scored 100% for the Blue Ribbon!

I say it's an Orange Ribbon from SHEShops. Well done.

Armchair Decorator

A friend of mine is giving me her old armchair. I love the shape, but the slipcover fabric - not so much.

Toying with the idea of doing something bright and out of my comfort zone of white and wheat.

Love the fabrics from Henry Road in Studio City. Wondering if I can be so bold. We shall see.

Henry Road's colorful and quirky collection of textiles are designed by Paula Smail.

School Supplies

When I was a kid, every fall before the new school year started I was given free reign to buy my own school supplies. My Mother had a house account at the office supply store on West 22nd Street across from her design studio.

I had the idea that if I had the new Trapper Keeper, the cool highlighter pens, and my Danish Style School Bag that somehow my grades would improve. Sadly, this was not the case.

I did however, end up in a career that included being charge of ordering office supplies. I loved that part of my job. It taught me something: Being organized is a good thing and cheap ball point pens are terrible.

And yes, I do still have my Snoopy mini colored pencil set as well as my report cards starting from 2nd grade.

 Mead Trapper Keeper Binder, Orange:

 Composition Books:

  

Personalized Pencils:

Highlighter pens:

 

Danish Style School Bag:

Document Boxes I adore:

 

The Ottoman Empire

I took a little venture to Williamsburg Brooklyn last week. Armed with lists from Daily Candy, New York Magazine and my new favorite site, Remodelista. I landed on Bedford Avenue excited to find some great stores.

By far my favorite was The Future Perfect.
And perfect it was.

I immediately feasted my eyes on these two ottomans. The orange one being the most fantastic. Made from vintage saris, I decided my sofa should have this footstool for a new friend.

At $800, I will have to empty my (Jonathan Adler) piggy bank...