Gift Guide for Foodies and Cooks

I know you are probably done with your shopping and have been for about a month because you are on top of it! But maybe you forgot just one little thing for that foodie friend and instead of stressing about what to get them- I will help you out!

Grow your own mushrooms, under $20

Smoking Gun from Williams-Sonoma, $99

Cheesemaking Kit, $25

Culinary Torch from Crate and Barrel, $39

Mozza Cookbook, $22 on Amazon

Food Saver, kits start at $98

Sous Vide, starts around $300

Anything Le Creuset

Slate cheese platter, available at various retailers.
Try Crate and Barrel, starts at $10 and cheese knives. 

Food and Wine Subscription

Gastronomica Subscription

Microplane, $10

Any excellent knife, try Bob Kramer

Cooking Class gift certificate, try Hipcooks

Michael Wainwright Amalfi Collection

Serving pieces also make great gifts for anyone who likes to cook at home and entertain. Michael Aram makes gorgeous pieces, Crate and Barrel also has a great selection at an affordable price (I like the Classic Century Collection), but if you're feeling especially spendy, Michael Wainwright is phenomenal.

Olive Oil- available here and here

Image from Bonjour- Celine

Good olive oil and good balsamic vinegars are wonderful gifts and their flavors make such a difference than just ok oils/vinegars and are such versatile ingredients. Dried artisan pastas and sauces, fine teas, good hot chocolate mix (and just good chocolate) and marshmallows made with care are also a great way to go.





I've discussed some dislike of gift cards in the past, but this is another exception- a gift card to a restaurant the recipient has been wanting to go to. This does not mean picking up a gift card to The Cheesecake Factory or California Pizza Kitchen at Ralph's= bad gift giver and shame on you! A few great LA restaurants that would be wonderful gift certificates to receive are along the lines of Hatfield's, Jar, Mozza, Fig and Olive (my visit here), Scarpetta, Providence (we got a gift certificate here for our wedding and I can't wait to go!), Cut, Melisse, The Hungry Cat, Rustic Canyon, Church and State, Angelini Osteria, Rivera, Ink, anything Suzanne Goin- AOC, Luques, and Tavern - are a few that would make you the family favorite for sure! It's hard to cut that list short, so if you need more suggestions, shoot me an email and I'll be happy to help find a good option for you.

Gifts for the Ladies- Part 2

Last week I posted my first batch of gift ideas for gals, but if you're still in a pinch and looking for some last minute ideas, I have some inspiration for you!



Fancy soaps, pretty matches, lotions, room sprays, diffusers. Mor has a great line of lotions,perfumes, soaps, candles, etc. that are beautifully packaged and make wonderful gifts.
Teas, artisan coffee (intelligentsia), gourmet food products
Luxury Candles such as Diptyque, Voluspa, or DayNa Decker.Voluspa candles are my favorite and come in such great scents and beautiful tins and vases. They aren't too expensive and would make a wonderful gift. The French Cade and Lavendar is a highlight.

Books are inexpensive and always make good gifts - even if it sometimes sits untouched on a nightstand for months on end...
Suggestions:
-Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? By Mindy Kaling  (buy it on Amazon)
-Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me (also on Amazon)
-Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
(of course, you can get it on Amazon!)
- A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything
You Want Out of Life. By Bethenny Frankel
(surprise- it's on Amazon)
- The Mozza Cookbook by Nancy Silverton (Amazon!)

Clothes can be a tricky gift, but this sweater from J. Crew seems to be a crowd pleaser. Personalized stationary, ipod and iphone cases, and trays are creative and thoughtful. Erin Condren does this best!My favorite iphone cases are by Kate Spade and I have this one!

Everything from Jonathan Adler is FABULOUS! He has such a great selection of salt and pepper shakers and these are very affordable and would be a welcome addition to any dining room table! I also love his Richard Nixon throw. The Jonathan Adler ceramic canisters are also amazing and cheeky and anyone with a sense of humor (and I really hope that's everyone on your list!) should appreciate these!

I don't typically like to give gift cards, but if you know the recipient has a favorite store (Anthropologie, J Crew, hint hint!), it's never a bad thing to get these. Restaurant gift certificates or cooking class gift certificates. Certificates for Spa Days or a massage are never something to frown about. I would avoid giving an American Express card, because nothing says "I put thought into this" like a card you can use pretty much anywhere. Although, if that's the message you'd like to convey (office buddy, perhaps?), maybe that's not such a bad idea.

Hostess gifts are always nice when you are invited into someone's home. Wine, champagne, or any bottle of their preferred liquor is always appropriate. Orchids are also a lovely gesture and you can get them very reasonably from Whole Foods, Gelsons, or Trader Joes.

Do you have anything special on your wishlist? Do tell! 

Gold Digger

Prada Heels

Between searching for fabulous holiday gifts this season and killing time on Pinterest (god bless Pinterest!), I am seeing a lot of GOLD! It's everywhere- gold sequin dresses, gold jewelry, gilded decor, gold on shoes and finger nails. I am obsessed!!! I put together a gold lovers guide to all that is glitters and gilded and maybe it' not too late to sneak some glamorous gold onto your wishlist! VIVA LA GOLD!

Gold Painted Stripes Thank You Card, Rifle Paper

Pull Cici Cashmere

Sequin Skirt, Image from Riches for Rags

Gold Zag Tray, Etsy $98

Banana Bud Vase, Jonathan Adler $68

Golden Blue Ring, $200

Classic Pave Link, J. Crew $118

Shake Your Groove Thing, Deborah Lippman $18

Kate Spade Sparkler Missy, $155

Painted Bias Armchair, Anthropologie

 

Gifts for the Ladies- Part 1

Happy Wednesday! Today's Gift Guide features gifts for women. If you need some ideas for men, I have you covered- here, here, aaaaaand here!

Marc Jacobs, 2011 Collection- very generous gift!!!

Alexis Bittar Earrings

Kendra Scott Earrings

Giving to girls is such an easy task. There is so much that makes us happy. We like new things- new accessories, new perfume, new clothes, new products, and new experiences. Since that is pretty vague, below are a few options of something to wrap up and make a girl smile!I have so many things to share that I had to break this up into a 2 part-er. Check back next Wednesday for my gift ideas.


Jewelry and accessories are never a bad gift idea. Consider:

Yoanna Baraschi

- Alexis Bittar
-House of Harlow
-Kara Ross 
-Sonya Renee
- Kendra Scott 
-La Mer Watches
-Yoanna Baraschi cashmere scarves
-A new bag or wallet- Rebecca Minkoff, Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade
 are all safe and wonderful options.




 I don't need to remind you about how fun it is to get something other than bills or catalogs in the mail: BirchBox, Sole Society gift memberships. I also just stumbled onto this brilliant idea: Macaron of the Month Club. I love macarons and would be so excited to get this every month.






Skincare Products:
These can seem like a basic thing in any woman's artillery, but they can be expensive and it's nice to indulge in a product we've been coveting for a while, but don't really want to buy ourselves.

Out of control amazing mask- Glamglow.

Josie Moran's Argan Lip Treatment. Fresh's Sugar Lip Polish , Rose  Face Mask, or signature Brown Sugar Body Polish.

Philosophy's amazing moisturizer (my favorite moisturizer), Hope in a Jar. I have been really happy with all the Philosophy products I have tried, but I really love their bath/shower gels (also serves as shampoo+conditioner). They come in so many delicious scents and aren't something I would normally buy for myself. My maid of honor gave these to all the girls who came to my Bachelorette Party in fun cocktail scents and I'm still enjoying my "Mimosa"!









Don't forget about nail polish! Girls love nail polish, especially some nicer brands we may not rush to buy ourselves- Deborah Lippman, Butter, and even a bag full of Essie would be great choices!

I have more ideas for you coming next week. Do you have any suggestions for women or anything special on your wishlist? I'd love to hear about it!