The Girlfriend Gift

Tiffany's was great when we were in high school; David Yurman is great if your boyfriend is an investment banker; but, where is the in-between when you want a classy piece of every day jewelry where you don't have to worry about a green tattoo (if you know what I mean). I came across a fantastic line of jewelry by Cecille et Jean. The style is very classic, but has that certain 'je ne sais quoi'. I love to linger over the storefront in San Francisco. Unfortunately their online site is rather sparse but worthwhile checking out to get a hint of the beauty of their pieces. So when the bf asks what kind of jewelry you like, steer him away from Tiffany and over to Cecille.

Disappearing Hotel Shampoo / Conditioner

When my dad comes to town, I get to live it up in fancy hotels. Since my own travels invariably have me staying in hostels / the Best Western, I always appreciate the experience. One of the best parts of inhabiting a 5 star hotel for a night is invariably the bedding, the bathroom and the shampoo / conditioner. I am always quick to hoard any bottles that come my way, and my dad and I are in a constant battle. The best by far in my book are the products offered by L'Occitane. Your hair truly smells divine and feels fantastic after each use. It is really worth fighting tooth and nail / sneakily taking a couple extra bottles from the maids' cart. One day I may get to use L'Occitane every day, but until then, I shall treasure every day I get to live in L'Occitane bliss thanks to the Dad.

Save the Magazine Industry!

I seem to have a deep collection of friends who 'have it all.' While it makes for a lovely time when you need to borrow from their extensive wardrobe, it makes the Christmas / birthday present a real challenge. One of my favorite gifts to give is a magazine subscription so they can have a present every 30 days! For the travel-minded, there is Budget Travel or Travel & Leisure. For the homemaker, there is Matha Stewart's Living or Real Simple. For the cooks, there is Cooking Light. It really is hard to go wrong, and it provides months of enjoyment for a small price. 5 Gold Stars!

Christmas In July

Sometimes you deserve a special treat for all the hours you have been putting in at the job, all the bachelorette parties you have been hosting or just a 'Christmas in July' present. A great place to find the pick-me-up is in the raw. They have some fantastic soy candles, scrubs leaving your skin silk smooth and some lovely lotions. I love their refreshing scents such as pink grapefruit and lemon sugar. Granted, they aren't giving their product, but they make for a terrific present for a loved one... or yourself, whichever seems most deserving.

When in Need of a Gold Star

Sometimes you want to impress a new beau's parents when you have been invited to Thanksgiving dinner, or your girlfriend has really come to the rescue and deserves a special 'thank you.' Whatever the occasion, you can say 'thanks' or demonstrate your class with a gift basket from Harry & David. You can select gift baskets filled with a variety of items. My personal favorites are the boxes which include H&D's signature Royal Riviera pears, the delicious Moose Munch (a combo of carmel coverved and chocolate covered popcorn) and some cookies to keep it healthy. When you are scrambling for that last minute thoughtful gift, and flowers just don't seem to cut it, the Harry & David basket is definitely the way to go to earn yourself the gold star approval rating.

Gift Giving

I love giving gifts. I enjoy the process of coming up with a couple ideas, envisioning how much the person will enjoy the gift and executing on the plan (i.e. buying). That being said, I am always on the lookout for new interesting gifts. Today, I stumbled upon Foodzie, which is an online marketplace where you can discover and buy food from small artisan producers and growers. They offer a variety of products from loose leaf tea to Royal Hawaiian honey to Mixed Nut Butter Crunch. I know its now too late for Mother's Day, but you can definitely get a jump start for Dad's gift!

Recessionista Time

With the recession proclaimed official, it is time to go bargain shopping. I know that we are supposed to give up shopping altogether and save, but let's be honest: the only way America is going to leave the recession in the the dust is through a little spending. Luckily, one can search for boutique-quality finds at Etsy. Etsy is an online platform to find lovely bracelets, earrings or artwork. All of the items are homemade and unique pieces. It is a legitimate treasure trove of goodies. If you are the crafty type, you can sell your items through their ecommerce site or if you are the non-crafty type (big neon arrow pointing my direction) you can find all sorts of lovely items. My personal favorites include: Ruby Rose, ovgilliesdesigns's and Galit Barak, but that is a just a small sample of a multitude of beautiful items. So give the old economy a kick start and help some entrepreneurs in the making launch their products. Promised to help cure the economy blues.

Preppy +

Cue song lyrics: "Summer time when the living's easy..." The glorious days of summer are always top of mind in the memory bank especially when it's raining, hailing, sleeting, snowing, slushing and winding (made that word up). While you can't wear your Rainbow / JCrew flip-flops when the weather gods are pouring down upon you, you can channel a little summer time energy through some hair accessorizing. Tucker Blair specializes in all accessories needlepoint from belts to flipflops to my favorite: headbands. While it may seem a little bold to rock a hot pink headband, it will definitely put a little pep in your step as you brave the wintery wonderland for the next 6 months.

Bag Tag Updo

My main essay for college applications described my suitcase, "Big Red," and how much I loved it because it stood out in a crowd. I juxtaposed Big Red to the "Boring Blacks," suitcases carried by boring business people going on boring trips while I was going on fun, adventure-filled trips. Well, on the eve of my first business trip, I realized I would have to go out and buy a "Boring Black" as "Big Red" or any red for that matter would stand out, and my occupation is all about fitting in. Talk about a Debbie Downer moment. As someone who is the antithesis of a wallflower, I was clearly on the market for a way to distinguish my newly acquired Boring Black. Enter the personalized bag tag from Fine Stationery. Now they aren't giving this bag tags away; however, it definitely adds a little pizazz to your boring black suitcase. You can have it monogrammed, hot pink, turquoise blue or any number of choices. It comes plasticized so its ready for the wear and tear of business travel. The silver lining: you can always claim the cost as a 'travel expense' ... because obviously you don't want to lose your bag!

When You Are Ready to Graduate from BB

While Brooks Brothers carries a lovely assortment of ties, they do tend to scream boring / accountant / this came from my Dad's closet. While there are certain occasions which call for this attire, most of time you want to show a little more personality than the navy and red stripe. Enter Southern Proper. The downside is that they don't have an eCommerce site YET, but I am holding out hope that the founders, Emilie Claire Henderson and Reagan Elizabeth Hardy, will make it happen eventually. They have a wide variety of fun prints and patterns that will let your personality shine in a silk fabric format. Additionally, for the obsessively matched couple, your headband can match his tie. It's definitely taking it to the next level, but when you are sporting neckware in bright pinks, oranges and blues, it leaves you with one option available: Go big or go home.

True Bliss

What makes you feel fresh, clean and sparkling from the inside out? A quick beauty moment with any of Bliss' lemon+sage product line will do the trick. The lotion is thick and wonderful as we are gearing up for another dry winter season, while the scrub will leave your skin feeling soft and refershed. Plus as airlines begin charging you an arm and a leg to check bags, practically everyone is on the market for a travel set. So in these financial times, as your investments dwindle and your 401K tanks, get a little pick-me-up without the hangover via the Bliss product line.

PS You can get this fancy travel set for FREE, if you choose to stay at a W hotel as Bliss and the W have currently partnered to provide all your spa needs while traveling for work or play.

You Will be More Fashionable than Chuck Bass

The only way you would ever find out about this company is if you hobnobbed at a real Ivy League school, or you can trace your ancestors back to the House of JP Morgan (Yes, they are still standing). So I will let you in on the $165 secret, you too can have your very own needlepoint belt care of Smathers & Branson. If you really want to outdo Chuck, it will cost you an extra $35 to have your initials monogrammed on the belt, just in case you forget your name while you are out crushing beers. The moral of the story: If you really want to rub it in that you belong in the Upper East Sider / Ivy set, the belt says it all.

Virgin Olive Oil Is for Amateurs

Don't you just hate food snobs? Those people whom you find at the grocery store or out to eat who say things like, "Don't you just love a good Butterhead, I really just can't stand a Summer Crisp... well I guess I could eat it if it came early in the season." And all along they were just talking about lettuce? Well you finally have a some ammunition to sound cultured and in-the-know with regards to olive oil / vinegar (a little obscure, but that makes it all the more impressive). Old Town Oil is the mecca for all things olive oil and vinegar related. You can find flavors of vinegars that you didn't even knew existed from Pomegranate (my favorite) to pear to red apple. Pair that with Meyer Lemon 100% Extra Virgin olive oil, and you will be in heaven. Any salad or bread dip seems to take on a new form when you get to spice it up with these unbelievable flavors. This makes for a great gift... or a great hobnobbing moment when you comment (in your best nasal voice) "I really do prefer a 18 year balsamic over that very young 12 year. What about you?"

Spice It Up

So let's be clear -- I don't cook; I eat breakfast foods for dinner because cereal doesn't need an oven. Now that being said, certain stores can definitely inspire the inner cook even in me. One of those shops is The Spice House. I went to their store in Chicago which was just such a treat as you can sample various rubs, seasonings and spices. They have a fantastic selection of seasonings to make your own salad dressing which would definitely encourage me to eat more vegetables. You felt like you are experiencing what cooking should REALLY be like, using authentic spices... not some powder that you bought under florescent lighting wondering how grocery stores can charge SEVEN dollars for a 3 oz. bottle. The Spice House even sells gift packages -- a perfect present for someone who you are hoping will cook you MORE meals in the near future... Sounds like a win-win to me!

Oh You Shouldn't Have Fred

What to do for that person who has it all? Get them something absolutely ridiculous (borderline useless) on Fred & Friends. It comes in handy when you have exercised every possible gift idea, and maybe you fancy yourself to have a sense of humor. So for the person who loves to clean in your life: The Dust Bunny , that not-so-mysterious guest who stuck gum under your coffee table: Stuck Up, the hostess with the mostest: Fingerfood. All of life's gift giving mysteries solved in one website. If only the mystery of what I should be doing with my life were so easily solved.

For the Neat Freaks

Some may label us neat freaks or OCD, but at least we have nice-smelling, stain-free clothes. If you are ready to branch away from the laundry basics comprising of Tide and All and have an upscale cleaning session, check out The Laundress. The two founders of The Laundress, Lindsey Wieber and Gwen Whiting, sought to infuse "delicacy, fragrance and sophistication" to the laundry process... obviously they have never visited me in my bimonthly laundry fights. Smelly socks aside, The Laundress' products are lovely for your clothes and easy on your nose (Read: No artificial pine / sea breeze scent). Some of their items may seem a little extravagant for personal consumption; however it would make a lovely gift for that cherished neat freak in your life.