Like Santa, I’ve listened closely all year to friends and acquaintances as they spoke passionately about objects and experiences they really loved. What struck me most about their stories was that many of them never expected to derive such enjoyment, personal enrichment, and/or utility from the items/experiences they spoke about, such as a beautiful platter, a…
I’m a sucker for beautiful patterns, and this new Troika collection from Frida Plumm is just gorgeous. The tins of stationery would be perfect holiday gifts (or really nice stocking stuffers), and the platters are great for housewarming presents. Click here to view the full collection and shop online (note cards are $30 and platters…
I adore the holiday season. From candlelit nights and spiked eggnog to evergreen boughs on the mantel and solstice soirees, the stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve is one of my most-beloved times of the year. I can’t get enough of sitting beside the wood stove in my flannel PJs, mug of hot cocoa…
Today is my final budget-friendly gift guide (there are still more guides to come), and I’m wrapping things up with gifts on the higher end of the price spectrum: $100 and under. For those with a little extra to spend this year, I’ve rounded up some great options, from jewelry and accessories to tabletop goods,…
DIY lovers are some of my favorite people to shop for, and it’s not just because they sometimes give me the things they make :) It’s because most of the avid DIYers I know are always looking to learn a new skill, try a new craft or experiment with a new tool, and this makes them…
I’ve finally started to make my Christmas list and begin shopping for friends and family. I far prefer figuring out gifts for other people, so sometimes making these gift guides is fun because I like to imagine who I’d buy what for out of each one. This guide was one of my favorites because there…
This year instead of trimming the tree and hanging stockings, my husband and I have been labeling moving boxes and lovingly wrapping our knickknacks. We are in the process of buying our first home, and all I want for this holiday season is to feel settled in a place where I can plant my roots….
After hours of internet window shopping this weekend I ended up with a desktop folder overflowing with over 400 gift ideas. On Sunday night I cozied into the couch, turned on my favorite weekend shows and started creating this year’s budget-friendly gift guides. I arranged the gifts according to price, with tons of options $25…
Music fans are a tricky bunch to buy gifts for. I’ve learned this firsthand, mostly by shopping for a few in my own life every December, but also by being one myself. You’ve probably run into trouble with this, too. It likely won’t do to buy the music fans on your list any old record…
Our family loves a gift theme. We have given knitting, crafts, cooking, sewing and even butcher shop-inspired gifts in years past. This year we are excited by the multitude of handcrafted, naturally sourced and locally focused gifts available (many of which come from our hometown of Portland, OR!). “Natural” is a rather broad, all-encompassing term…
I’m cuckoo for animals (and pet products)! Having rescued my first puppy this year, I have had a blast finding out and learning about new dog products. From beds and collars to toys and home decor, I have come across some incredible animal swag. I wanted to share a few of my fave finds with…
I have always thought that photography is the gift that keeps on giving. After the party is over or the moment has passed, it’s great to have a photograph to remember it by, and photo gadgets are pretty fun, too! So give the photophiles in your life a gift that keeps their passion alive. Here…
After yesterday’s post on no-buy gift ideas, I thought it would be nice to ease into the season with a little decoration. I love holiday decorations more than gifts sometimes, so I decided to focus today’s roundup on ornaments and trimming (I’m looking for some modern Judaica today, so stay tuned for that). I got…
I spent all weekend dreading today because this morning I was supposed to finish up my first gift guide for this week. Every year I write gift guides based on price (they’re still coming tomorrow) but I started to feel less and less excited about them today because they didn’t feel like they really fit…
All photos by Jay Paul Today’s Richmond City Guide Update comes from the original guide author, Leslie Kingery of Glappy World, a consulting firm for technology implementation, social media strategy and application and interactive design. Her niche is in the travel and food industry, and she admits to being a foodie. Today Leslie takes us…
It’s getting rather chilly in my apartment, and that means two things: 1. My cat is about to plop himself inches away from the space heater and remain there for the better part of four months, and 2. I need to start preparing for the impending holiday season! I must admit that gift shopping has…
Today’s London City Guide update comes from the original guide author, Lynne Robinson of the blog Tea for Joy and the store Paper Mash, and Nick Wyke, a writer and editor for The Times and founder of the Looking to Cook cooking school directory. Like any huge city, it’s hard to catch every shop, restaurant and favorite spot,…
I’ve blogged about photographer Kari Herer before, and I said that what I loved most about her prints were their dark, velvety textures. I now have to amend that thought and say that Kari is equally adept at bringing out the lushness in light surfaces. Her compositions are always unusual enough to avoid being overly…
Today’s Hague, Netherlands City Guide comes from Carla Baechtle, daycare center teacher and blogger at The Baechtles Abroad. She and her husband made the move from Washington, DC to The Hague in 2009, and she has been discovering the region ever since. Today she shares some of the many historic and exotic sites of this beachside town….
Today’s city guide comes from Julia Schromm, a community manager at the tourism app development company, Zooners. Julia is also a blogger on the Zooners City Blog, writing about the various wonders of Vienna. Today she shares some of those wonders with us, including the spectacular shops, coffee houses and restaurants the city has to…
