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Do not lick your computer screen

July 20, 2010

It’s about this time every summer, when I feel like I’m no longer living on Earth but on the surface of the sun, that I switch over to a diet consisting mainly of ice cream, iced tea, sherbet, sorbet, watermelon, berries and the occasional piece of icebox pie.  All of these are usually consumed while sitting in front of a fan/air conditioner: a true triumph of heat-induced laziness.

And so, in honor of sugar comas and ice cream headaches, this week is all about sweet summer treats! Below are some of my favorite ways to serve summer drinks and desserts.  And for the rest of the week, we will be posting yummy dessert and drink recipes, including raspberry lime pie, sunshine cupcakes and the perfect mojito. What are your favorite summer desserts and drinks? Share with us below!

Sweet Treats for Summer

From top left: Tweet Tweet Cupcake Set, $12.  Ice Cream Bowls, $36. Old-fashioned lemonade crock, $135. V’reens dessert and appetizer tray, $50. Cupcake corer and decorating set, $20. Pittoon Platter, $45. Glass Ice Cream Bowls, $30.

Gift Guides

Three Little Monkeys

July 6, 2010

Sock Monkey Slippers

Oh. My. Cuteness.

I realize that now might not be the most relevant time to be posting about slippers…considering that it is 1000 degrees outside, but I couldn’t resist sharing this adorable photo of my cousin’s new babies (yes, triplets!) wearing the baby sock monkey slippers I gave them:)

And not to be outdone, here is the family dog, Larry, modeling the slippers as well. So cute!

Sock Monkey Slippers

Gift Guides

Gift Analysis: The Couple-To-Be

July 2, 2010

I am 27 years-old, which means pretty much everyone I know  is getting married! While I usually don’t stray off a couple’s registry – I have recently been making an exception and buying a little pre-wedding gift for couples-to-be.

Since the moment it came into the office, I have been absolutely head over heels in love with the ring bearer bowl, a really cool alternative to the traditional ring bearer pillow.

Ring Bearer Bowl

I really love being able to give the people in my life a gift that is truly meaningful and special (no offense crock pots!), but I usually struggle with finding keepsake items that are modern and tasteful. This handmade ceramic dish is simple and subtle, but packs so much emotion because it not only holds your rings, but it also holds all those memories of your special day. And the engraving “to have and to hold” is a sweet and powerful reminder of the promise two people make to each other.

So far, I have bought one ring bearer bowl for my friend Keely, who uses it everyday as a ring dish, and one for my friend Katie, who wants to use it in her wedding and then pass it around our group of friends, so that we each can use it in our own weddings. I also plan to get one for my older sister,  and it will be up to her whether she keeps it as a ring dish, puts it on display (maybe next to her wedding photos) or passes it on to my other sister and I, making it a family heirloom.

And there’s one more great, great thing about the ring bearer bowl – it’s only $38! An affordable piece of art and a potential heirloom? That’s a commitment I am more than happy to make:)

Gift Guides

Gift Analysis: The Urban Foodie

June 29, 2010

If you’re brainstorming a birthday gift for a foodie, I strongly recommend squashing the urge to take them out to dinner. But they live for foie gras! I hear you. If they’re anything like my brother–a seasoned eater who fist-bumps up-and-coming chefs on a weekly basis (I’m looking at you, Marc Forgione)–chances are they’ve been there, tasted that. They’re the original picky eaters. How many times have they shooed away an entree, waving it back to a restaurant’s kitchen as you nervously twitch towards the water boy? If you’re quietly counting, they pass the taste test.

A foodie, not unlike a bargain hunter, lives for the thrill of discovery. Hand them what they didn’t hunt on a silver platter, and half the flavor’s gone–figuratively speaking. Unless you’re treating them to a five course tasting menu, here’s an idea for an unexpected gift: the Mobile Foodie Survival Kit. Your wallet–and five-star friend–will thank you.

Mobile Foodie Kit

This little pack gets so many things right: It’s portable, chic and chock full of organic spices. A case of bland chicken? Shake a leg with garlic powder! Wimpy hot wings? Tabasco to the rescue! Sandwich falls flat? Salt, pepper and basil–stat! How do they love you? Let them count the herbs, spices and ways you’ll make their day.

I gifted this at a pub gathering two weeks ago. Sitting at a sticky table of friends glued to the screen of a World Cup game, pints and painted faces cresting with anticipation, I tapped Chris on the shoulder and handed over the tin. His eyes scanned: Mobile. Foodie. Survival. And before he read another line his fingers broke into the tin like a third grade birthday boy. “Powdered ginger! Wasabi! Onion powder, ooh.” The tinkering continued, and I left, satisfied that my gift was cool enough to tear him from a high-stakes soccer game. Mission accomplished.

Gift Guides

The Gnome-Be-Gone Family

June 21, 2010

Four years ago I was at my boyfriend Tyler’s graduation party and saw two freaky creatures peeking out from behind the pool and carrying away a gnome.  They were attention grabbers to say the least.

gnome

The clan continued to grow over the years (thanks to Tyler’s brother Josh who bought them every year for his mother). And in time I learned where those gnome-carriers came from, found them endearing and was dying to work for UncommonGoods.

While at UG, I got to know more about the Utah-based artist Fred Conlon and saw tons of his new and quirky products come to life.  Fred’s latest addtion, Mow-Bot, is now gracing the cover of the current catalog. While I love the cute  metal robot, my heart belongs to those initial little goblins that got so many people to become repeat customers and lifelong fans of the company that is anything but ordinary.

gnome3
gnome2
Gift Guides

Wedding Picks for Young Chicks

June 18, 2010

Three months ago, my college roomate called with the news that she was engaged. Tears! Two months ago, my little sister got engaged while visiting me in NYC. Heart attack!

While I’m thrilled for the both of them, all this matrimonial bliss made me realize the terrifying truth about myself — I’m grown up! Well, on paper at least. I don’t feel old enough to get married, let alone be a maid-of-honor or arrange a bridal shower. But I think that’s because of what I associate these events with — crystal and stemware and table settings, oh my! While my friends and family members may be settling down, traditional weddings and conventional wedding gifts are a thing of the past (unless we’re talking cash — cash is timeless).

Wedding these days are in warehouses and fields, not chapels and temples. My 22-year-old sister doesn’t want a butter dish. And my best friend certainly has no use for candle sticks. They want items to jazz up their apartments (yep — no picket fences for us twenty-something city dwellers) or just to make life easier. And let’s get real, I can’t afford crystal candle sticks anyway! Therefore, I present to you : Joanna’s wedding gift picks for young chicks:

For the organizer: dusty chalkboards

chalkboard

For the pizza partners: scizza scissors

scissors

For the multi-tasker: ooma bowls

bowl

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Gift Guides

Happy National Ice Tea Day!

June 10, 2010
Happy Hour Carafe

Apparently, June 10 is National Ice Tea Day! Fine by me, I luuuuuuuv me some ice tea.

My personal favorites are just plain ol’ sun tea (which is a 1,000 times better than any other kind of ice tea), sweet tea made with tons of sugar (as my Kentucky boyfriend tells me, you must,  absolutely must pour the sugar into the water while it is hot, don’t just dump it in at the end – it is not the same!). Iced peppermint tea is super refreshing and reminds me of being at a fancy  spa or salon. And I also love Arnold Palmers, which are half ice tea/half lemonade, and very, very tasty.

And let us not forget, presentation is everything!  For a simple and elegant (not to mention practical), go with the Happy Hour Carafe (pictured above). It’s double-walled insulation will keep tasty teas nice and cold – and you won’t get a sweaty bottle! The cap also doubles as a cup. I can imagine myself lounging poolside in Miami sipping iced tea out of my elegant carafe, being fanned by servants, ordering sorbet from my personal waiter…did I also mention I’m a millionaire in this fantasy?

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