Lovely Guest Post: Meg and Catie

This week we set out to find a kitchen implement at Sur La Table that we just couldn't figure out what to do with. Now we both know our way around the kitchen, so we were looking for the perfect Christmas implement. We browsed through the stores looking at pots and picking up some Bar Keepers Friend, and in the back corner of the store we found it. A 6 pronged heavy fork that resembled small a shiny rake with a wooden handle-- a Chocolate Fork. So we bought our wares and wen home to scratch our heads about what this beautiful implement is for. Here's what we came up with.

The chocolate fork could be used for:

• Picking out 6 chocolates from any given box of chocolates.
• One half of a mismatched set of turkey lifters
• A pitchfork prop for a Godiva ad which reenacts American Gothic
• A very challenging way to eat chocolate ice cream
• A rake to separate your cocoa beans from your navy beans
• Could serve as a miniature hot dog roasting stick. You could bam out 6 mini roasted hot dogs at a time.
  
• For roasting 6 small ears of corn? All on the chocolate fork. Life has never been easier.
• As an aid in polishing your toes while you get a manicure for those with tiny feet
  

Additionally the chocolate fork could be the newer & improved Feng Shui Sand Garden Rake. The rakes that usually accompany the sand gardens are definitely up to some competition with the chocolate fork. The chocolate fork is fierce and could knock any pebble out of its way. The Feng Shui gardens are generally more delicately organized, but with the chocolate fork, a person could forgo sand & plunk in some heavy clay as its base.

OR

The Chocolate fork could be used to break chocolate apart easily for tempering, melting or eating. Merry Christmas and Happy Chocolating!

Catie Olson is a Chicago based artist and a pie and wine connoisseur As well as practicing her own art she also runs the Spiderbug Film Festival, and the FLAT space along with Erik Brown.

Meg Duguid is a Chicago based artist and a comedy and pie connoisseur. As well as practicing her own art she also runs the Clutch Gallery which is located in her purse.

Together Meg and Catie have been collaborating for the last 4 years creating artwork about pie and food.

Lovely Packing List, And a Call for Advice.

Hey, did I mention to you guys I'm going to Paris for New Years? Oh, I did? Weird, I don't remember bringing it up. I packed. I love, love packing and my Christmas gift to myself was packing. I thought I'd share with you lovelies, for my records and your own, what I packed.

Dresses/Skirts

• Leopard print button down style dress with belt
  
• Black button down style dress, with sash
• Strapless fringe dress (New Year's? Probably.)
• Forever21 black simple day dress
• My go-to Little Black Dress
• Black pencil skirt
• Missoni trumpet skirt (I bought it for $50, down from $450! Got to love outlet shopping!)
  

Pants

• Leggings, black and denim
• Black skinny jeans
• Denim skinny jeans

Blazers/Coats

• Chanel style blazer
• Forever21 Nautical-esque blazer
• Black coat with faux fur collar and cuffs
• Ruffle sleeved white blazer with belt
  

Scarves

• too many-- Hermes, warm cashmere, infinity scarf from baby sister, leopard scarf, pretty printed warm scarves stolen from momma, faux fur stole/scarf situation.

Sweaters

• Leopard print cardigan
• Cashmere turtleneck
• Purple cashmere wrap sweater
• Cotton wrap sweater
• Grey cashmere v-neck
• Black Cashmere cardigan with faux fur collar (see a trend?)
• Blue cashmere crew neck.

Tops

• Black see through oversized button down situation (think Cher from Clueless during the road test scene, but in black)
• Blue silk empire waist top, swapped from Taylor
• Green silk short sleeved top ($7 at Marshall's!)
• Sleeveless wrap sweaters (x2)
• Black long sleeved t's (x2)
• Tank tops, lots.

Shoes&Belts&More

• My soul boots, (wearing them on the plane)
• Black high heeled ankle booties
• Nude pumps
• Silver T-Straps
• Moccasins
• Snake skin flats
• 4 belts, 2 thick, 2 thin
• LOTS of patterned and plain tights.

Anything you lovelies think I'm missing? I'm sure I'm forgetting things, so I'd love to hear your advice!

Lovely Dress of the Day

I really wanted to post this dress, the Postal Service Dress, when I posted for Laura's work event, but it was well out of her price point. I just love, love this little number-- the color, the neckline, the interesting asymmetry of it. The dress looks so thoughtfully made, considered and planned. Plus the neckline is sweet, yet sexy, but not too revealing. I love dresses like this which do it all--accessories are unnecessary, the dress is interesting enough to carry the whole outfit! What a great New Years dress, sure it's not sparkly and flashy, but I have no doubt any of my beautiful readers would get all the best kind of attention in this dress. I only wish I had found it sooner...I'm still on the prowl for the perfect Parisian New Years Dress...any advice, Lovelies?

For more information, pictures and to buy the Postal Service Dress, click here!

Lovely Guest Writer: Taylor

One of the benefits of working in my profession is the wonderful artistic people I get to come in to contact with all the time. Whether they are visual artists, film makers, managers, designers, directors, or actors – there is always talent around me. Whenever I’m tempted to say that this is the function solely of working in the non profit arts world, I am quickly reminded that I have always had a really dynamic group of artists around me. There are few better example of this than my friend Katherine.

Kat (ahem, Katherine Spencer Carey) and I met when I was ten years old (really, I started 6^th grade when I was ten. Late birthday) and we have been friends ever since. It wasn’t until we were older that it occurred to us that we would probably be friends even if we didn’t have substantial history behind us. We went to separate colleges, where I studied Theatre and she began to pursue a career in Photography. And friends: this girl is going places.

Giving art for the holidays is always tricky, but when it’s given correctly it is a grand slam. Katherine’s photography is alternating haunting and hopeful, but always beautiful. She is a really dynamic talent that is just getting her start in this world, and what a wonderful way to add a bit of class to your house or office – or your friends and family’s homes. I can personally attest to the appeal of her photography, as my apartment is currently adorned with four of her beautiful prints.

Check out the pictures below and then feel free to e-mail her for more information at katherinescarey@gmail.com.

Happy Holidays, all you lovelies out there – and thanks to Liv and Jenny for the guest blogging invite!

Taylor is a non profit arts administrator living in New York City. You can read more of her writing at her blog.

Lovely Dress of the Day

There is nothing I love more than when you lovelies come to us for assistance, especially for dress assistance. Contributor and reader, Laura, contacted Lovely late the other night, requesting dress help for a "Tinseltown themed event for New Year's" in which she's working and attending. The dress needed to coincide with the guests of the night, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Frank Sinatra. And the dress needed to be $50, but preferably less. I quickly hit the internet for dresses and sent Laura a massive missive with a ton of dresses. I tried to pick dresses in the Hollywood glam style, which were comfortable, wearable through the whole night of working a party, flashy and fun for New Years, but not over the top since Laura will be at work. I present you lovelies with what I think are the highlights.

$25-$50 (below)

Bow-T Neck Dress, Belted Halter Dress, Glam Tube Dress, Pamela Pleated Sheen Dress.

$0-$24.99 (below)

Tiered Leopard Dress, High Sheen Dress, Fab Belted Flap Dress, Bubble with Bow Prom Party Dress.

Cookies: A Success!

As you may remember, as a holiday tradition, we always bake sugar cookies to give to our friends and families. This year, Jenny was out holiday shopping, so I decided to sit Eric down and teach him how to make the perfect sugar cookie. I have to say, he was a quick learner, and ended up nearly breaking his back after the hours-long intense cookie-making session creating Christmas trees, candy canes, angels, and doves. The cookies came out beautifully! I just wanted to share a few tips with you, that I have found, helps create the perfect sugar cookie.

1. If you freeze the dough (I make all my dough in advance and freeze it, as to save time close the holidays), make sure to put it in the fridge at least two days before you plan to bake them, in order to thaw.
   
2. Make sure to have a ton of flour on hand! You'll need flour on the board you are rolling the dough out on, as well as on the rolling pin.
3. Don't roll the dough too thick (the dough puffs up and the shapes become discernible) or too thin (the dough will burn!)
4. If the dough gets too soft to roll, stick it back in the fridge for a few moments.
   
5. Make sure your pan is either non-stick, or buttered up...you don't want to be scraping the cookies off.
6. While they bake, watch them! I burned a few (okay, a lot) this weekend, simply because I let them go for two minutes too long.

Overall, we were very proud of our success; and I wanted to say a huge thank you to Eric for putting up with me and my cookie neuroses (and for eating all the broken ones!)! Happy baking, lovelies!

Lovely Weekend, Lovelies!

Lovely weekend, beauties! While Olivia and I celebrate Hannukah a day late (whoops!) and try to avoid the impending snow storm, enjoy this article from the New York Times the wonderful Natalie shared with me! "That Hobby Looks Like a Lot of Work" is a great article about hobbyist trading 9-5s for a career on Etsy, successfully! My dream job!

Lovely Website!

Have any of you lovelies noticed the growing obsession with cook books? I can't pretend I'm immune, I am the owner of signed and unsigned copies of many cookbooks. Of Julia Child's cookbooks, Jamie Oliver's, Mario Batali's. The Settlement house from seven or eight different years. Cookbooks just about Christmas Cookies. Cookbooks just about conversos. Cookbooks based on Roald Dahl books. Cookbooks just about cakes, about cupcakes, about making cakes from cake mix. What I'm trying to say is I have too, too many cookbooks. And so, I find myself hiding my credit card when directed, by my Lovely Momma, to OldCookBooks.com.

OldCookBooks.com boasts a collection of"15,000+ out-of-print, used, vintage, antique cookbooks & recipe booklets, including Better Homes and Gardens, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Culinary Arts, Time-Life and Joy of Cooking[,] rare cookbooks from the 1800's and more recent used cookbooks or complete sets." They have categories ranging from the normal (american classic, baking, wartime) to the more particular (appliances, illustrated, celebrity, and "funny and odd"). Moreover, they have volumes from sets to replace any missing pieces from your collection.

What a great gift for the cookbook collector, new apartment dweller or chef in your life-- a beautiful vintage cookbook for whatever their specialty is, or whatever you want their specialty to be!

Lovely Guest Writer: Ali Plante

What Old Is New Again: This Christmas marks my third as a graduate student and the second since our nations economy took a jump off a cliff. As a poor student with limited funds I, like many others have mentioned, needed to take a more creative approach to gift giving this year. What I found was that by frequenting antique shops and flea markets I was able to save a lot of money but find very unique and one-of-a-kind gifts for my loved ones. Here are a few ideas that I had for you to mull over during this last weekend before Christmas:

Used Books: If you in the North New Jersey Area, I highly recommend the Montclair Book Center. They specialize in first editions and out of print books, but I was able to find several inexpensive and darling treasures for my grandfather and my boyfriend’s mother. Books make great gifts—as we already know—but older books can often double as pieces of art of to accent a room. I tried to choose books with illustrations or decorated bindings. A history buff like myself, I got a two-volume set on English history for my grandfather. It was difficult not keeping them for myself! For my boyfriend’s mother, a Latin teacher, I found a cute and illustrated third year lesson book for her vast collection.

Flea Markets: At a weekly flea market near my house, I was delighted to find two very pretty pieces for my mother and aunt. An artist who works with silver and other metals had framed some vintage stamps and set them in a silver setting. Adorable! For my mother, I picked out an image of the Virgin Mary from Haiti and for my aunt, a native of Spain, a stamp from the era of Franco. My favorite find at the market was a book of North American folk songs printed in 1960. I bought it for my musical boyfriend. He’ll love it. New Jersey has a particular love of flea and antique markets, but to find one near you in your state, try this helpful website which lists markets state and town.

Vinyl Records: This last gift idea is very near and dear to my heart. I have worked for the last six years in one of the last independent record stores where I have very lovingly cared for our extensive stock of used vinyl records. I love framing interesting covers and giving them as gifts. If you’re not sure what to get a person I suggest finding an album by one his or her favorite artist. If that doesn’t work, I would try to jazz or international music sections in a shop for fun vibrant covers. I find that these artists love playing with type faces and color. You don’t know where to find records?! Good Lord! Good thing there is a nifty website for the Record Store Day collective. Here you can search for local record shops in your area. As for frames, many stores sell them alongside of the records but if you can’t find them, check out Urban Outfitters for some very nice ones.

Good luck and Happy Hunting!

Alexandra went to Drew University with Olivia. She currently lives in Mendham, NJ while finishing her M.A. in Medieval Studies from Fordham University. She recently bought a puppy, Otis, with her boyfriend and he currently takes up much of her time and attention. But when not on puppy duty she loves adding to her record collection and reading. Once her M.A. thesis is completed she hopes to go to Library School and specialize in archival work and preservation studies. Whew!

Lovely Dress of the Day

T minus ten days until I leave for Paris. I have not started packing yet (I am told this is normal, and that my habit of packing 15-10 days before a trip is abnormal. Me? Abnormal? What? Never!) and am open to any and all ideas on that front. Meanwhile, I still don't know the plans, if I'll be needing multiple, or any, lovely going out outfits. I have been alerted that Paris is generally less casual than most US cities, but I figure if I revert to the Manhattan-me I'll be alright. I've mentioned before that I tend to be overdressed, I'm hoping this serves me well in Paris.

More importantly I don't know what I'll be wearing for New Years. I guess I have something in my wardrobe, but isn't the Sugar Plum Fairy Dress like, almost perfect for New Years in Paris? Black, gauzy and fluffy. Beyond that the dress looks well made, the tailoring on the bodice looks very particular, well fitted and flattering. It's sparkly and also has an exposed back zipper, which I just love, love, love.

What do you Lovelies think? What direction should I go in for New Years? What should I pack for Paris?! I'm open to any and all advice!

For more information, pictures and to buy the Sugar Plum Fairy Dress, click here!

Lovely Etsy Find: Cookies!

Today, while browsing The New York Times style section (the only reason I love Wednesdays!), I came across the article "The Wedding? I’m Here for the Cookies." The article discusses an old tradition in Pittsburgh, PA in which "as long as anyone here can remember, wedding receptions in Pittsburgh have featured cookie tables, laden with dozens of homemade old-fashioned offerings like lady locks, pizzelles and buckeyes. For weeks ahead — sometimes months — mothers and aunts and grandmas and in-laws hunker down in the kitchen baking and freezing. Then, on the big day, hungry guests ravage the buffet, piling plates high and packing more in takeout containers so they can have them for breakfast the next day." Um, hello! I love, love, love this tradition! This got me thinking about cookies; this year I have baked, and will be baking a ton (yes, a ton...I accidentally put in 8x the amount of water in the gingerbread cookie dough...) of cookies. Along with the gingerbread cookies, I will be making sugar cookies. However, I put that extra little twist of love in the cookies with a colorful spark. See, I make three batches of sugar cookies; I twist red food coloring into one, blue into the second, and green into the third. I don't mix the coloring in, however. I poke some holes in the dough, pour the drops in and twist the dough, forming a tie-dyed, ethereal look. The red dough becomes candy canes, the blue becomes doves, and the green become little holiday trees. When they are baked, the colors are vivid and lovely.

Want some good sugar cookie recipes? Check out the "Ideal Sugar Cookie" and the "Basic Sugar Cookie" recipe from Martha Stewart. Also, take a peek at the recipe from the Joy of Baking or the "Vanilla Sugar Cookie" recipe from Ms. Paula Deen. Too busy to bake cookies this year? Check out these awesome Etsy stores which will bake fresh cookies and send them to you and your loved ones this year! The "Classic Vanilla Sugar Cookies" from The Home Baker look delicious, sweet, and like a perfect accompaniment to a cup of hot cocoa. The sugar cookies from Edith and Ethel look classic, traditional, and completely scrumptious.

What's your favorite cookie to bake for the holidays?! Do share!

A Lovely Ad

This season I've been obsessed with Target's commercials. Their ads are really hitting it out of the park, and on a foray to Target's YouTube Site I discovered a video I sort of love. Nina Garcia, fashion director of Marie Claire, heads into Target and sidetracks a graduate student, Hayley, styling her for Holiday parties on a budget. Hayley is adorable. Nina Garcia is really sweet (she doesn't seem it on Project Runway!) and the outfits are cute and wallet friendly.

Lovely Guest: Melanie Tannenbaum

Hello lovely lovelies!

Amidst all of the holiday gift-giving madness, I’m here to talk about one of MY personal favorite things about the holidays – FOOD! Everyone loves food. Specifically, everyone loves sweet, delicious, dessert-type food. As a baked-goods lover AND a graduate student who is too broke/cheap to pay more than $20 a week for groceries, I’m always on the lookout for tasty treats that a) are not too time-consuming, b) are easy to make, and c) use cheap, easily-available ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. With that, I present to you…Apple Pie Bars!

Now, as a warning, when you tell people you are making Apple Pie Bars you will be greeted with many a confused look. “Apple pie…bars?” They will be skeptical. Just smile and nod, and wait for the bars to speak for themselves. I have now made them twice – once for a friend’s Halloween party and once for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner – and each time they’ve been met with CRAZY rave reviews and people begging me for the recipe. I also must give credit where credit is due – this clearly was not out of my own imagination; it came from www.allrecipes.com. So, without further ado – here it is!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, chilled
• 1 egg yolk
• 2/3 cup milk

• 1 cup crushed cornflakes cereal
• 8 cups thinly sliced apples
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Cut in the 1 cup butter until mixture is mealy. With a fork, stir in the 2/3 cup milk and egg yolk. Divide dough into 2 equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece of dough into a large rectangle. Place on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan.

3. Sprinkle cereal over the crust, then layer the apples over the cereal. Stir together the 1 cup of white sugar, and the 1and 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and nutmeg; sprinkle over the apple layer. Roll out the other half of the dough and cover everything in the pan. Brush top crust with the reserved egg white and sprinkle with a mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

4. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour in the preheated oven. Top crust should be lightly browned. Mix together the 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of milk, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth; drizzle over bars while they are still warm.

Lovely Sidenotes:

• I love cinnamon, so I usually use a bit more than they suggest, but just add however much feels right to you
• I typically use 2 red apples and 2 green; I peeled them the first time, but the second I didn’t, and I actually liked it better.

Happy baking!

After graduating from Duke in May, Melanie moved out to the cornfields to start working on her Ph.D. in Social Psychology at the University of Illinois. When she's not studying persuasion, behavior change, and HIV prevention, she's obsessing over her two precious kittens, doing yoga, trying to teach herself how to cook, attempting to train for a half-marathon, or (of course!) reading posts by her favorite two Lovelies.

Lovely Etsy Find: Custom Puzzles

Hi all! Sorry for my recent absence...apartment hunting=not so much fun. Let's get back on track with the gift pick of today: a fantastic lovely present pick for grandparents. My grandmother and grandfather love, love, love to do jigsaw puzzles. In fact, they love their puzzles so much that they get super competitive about them and hide pieces from each other so that they can be the last one to finish and get credit for the puzzle. We get them 1000 piece puzzles for every holiday imaginable, and within two days, the puzzle will be done, sitting proudly upon their little card table and waiting for everyone to admire it. So, when I searched for "jigsaw puzzle" on Etsy and came across the Custom Wooden Puzzles from Custom Dog Bandanas, I knew they would make a perfect present pick for grandparents.

I love the puzzles from Custom Dog Bandanas because they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and prices! This means you aren't glued down to one price or puzzle size, thus making these totally unique and one-of-a-kind presents for anyone special in your life. These are truly unique gifts in that the puzzle image is any one you choose (grandparents love pictures of their grandchildren!)...okay, so you're thinking, I can have this done at any CVS or Rite Aid, right? Wrong. These custom puzzles are original all the way from the image on the puzzle to the way that the pieces are shaped, "Advantages to a hand cut puzzle rather than machine/laser cut: I can cut around specific areas like faces, patterns, etc. I can add special puzzle pieces in different shapes, names, years, and more (additional charge). Laser cut puzzles are usually cardboard, while these are wood and will last a lifetime for many generations to enjoy." I love the idea of having grandchildren's names cut out of the pieces, or pieces which just contain faces...what a fun way to send some love to your grandparents this holiday season!

Lovely Dress of the Day

Some dresses are just made for a woman's body, you can just tell by looking at them that they flatter and fit in all the right ways. Some dresses are not made for a woman's body, we call these Calvin Kleins, I kid, I kid. Some dresses are born so that you can look your best. The Opera Box Dress from Modcloth will perfectly complement your lovely hips, resulting in many lovely compliments on your perfect hips. It will fit just snug enough around your adorable waist, so none of your hard work will be wasted. Yes, I do think I'm very funny. But II am serious about how beautifully this dress looks like it would fit. This is the sort of dress that is so effortlessly wonderful that you could run into the house from work, with only twenty minutes to prepare for a holiday party, tired and harried. With the finishing zipper teeth of this dress, you transform from you to glamorous you, sleek and chic, lovely and luxurious.
For more information, pictures and to buy the Opera Box Dress, click here!

A Lovely Request

Hey Lovelies! As I may have mentioned 10-20 times today already I am going to Paris for New Years. If I seem a little excited it's because I am, you try being named Genevieve, loving Madeline, croissants, brie and all things urbane, chic and involving silk scarves*. Anyway-- I am excited and have been loving the snippets of advise that have been coming in.

The Lovely Natalie offered: "Lovely spot for you to visit: Laduree on rue Bonaparte, in the sixth. (There's two other branches, but this is the best.) Try all the MACARONS."

My dear Aunt Julie sent me this link to the New York Times' search for the best Steak Frites, from Mark Bittman's blog.

I am looking for any and all advice! My only request is to comment in this post, so I can have all of the advice in one place. If the comment section doesn't work, is being wonky and makes you want to punch your screen (I've been there, it's really obnoxious to not be able to comment on your own website) email me at LovelyAtYourSide@gmail.com.

Tell me where to eat, shop, drink, shop, buy gifties, buy shoes, buy scarves, eat, snack, relax, read, eat. Mostly eat. I am eagerly anticipating your words my globe trotting beauties!


* I may have a misguided view of Paris which involves Hermes scarves and Les parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrella's of Cherbourg). I'll be proven wrong soon enough, don't worry.

Lovely Dress of the Day

Since all that is on my mind right now/ the only thing I really want to think about is Paris (sorry, GMATs, you're just not as interesting; and if I flip back and forth one more time about business school I think I'll scream-- so I'll do what I do oh-so-well: not think about it until after the New Year!) I'll be posting on my packing and pre-packing shopping.My apologies, lovelies. I believe packing should be light, pack light in a big bag and you have plenty of room for new purchases (wool, shoes, dresses, hats, headbands, and of course gifties for everyone on the nice list). I am one of those people who tries on all my outfits before I pack them and tries to reuse pieces as much as possible. Which gets me to the dress of the day, I want to pack pieces I can wear more than once, a lot more than once. Pieces I can wear to coffee and croissant with my notebook, shopping and a snack with my baby sister or white wine and white truffle risotto with my father. The dress needs to be versatile and rewearable.


The Pleated Ponte Dress from Forever21 is one of the dresses I feel fits the credentials-- it's plain enough to dress up over and over again, but not so plain that it has no life of its own. The dress has a personality, but one that will change with accessories, with heels, with belts. I recognize that it is pretty similar to my previous Dress of the Day find, but there are some major and important differences here. This dress, the Pleated Ponte Dress is made from a rayon-polyester blend, it will not crease in your bag during travel. I could pull it out after I've arrived at our apartment, shower the plane away and jump into the dress for dinner without another thought. This dress has pockets, which you know I love, love, love. This dress has no embellishment, where there Pleated Twill Dress had the adorable faux belt, the Pleated Ponte Dress has none, which allows you to back six different belts, which you will wear over and over of course, and change the tone of the dress repeatedly-- thick, chunky belts with boots, or shiny skinny belts with stilettos--the combinations are endless!


For more information, pictures and to buy the Pleated Ponte Dress, click here!

Lovely Guest: Laura Romanella

For the computer nerd and/or the reader: For those of you who just can’t afford to buy a Kindle for everyone you know (let alone yourself!), there’s a different way to please the tech-savvy bookworms in your life. Daily Lit provides free and low-cost books straight to your inbox or through an RSS feed; the books are divided by chapter or section and arrive on whatever schedule you choose! Pick out some books for yourself, and then use the website’s handy “Gift this book” tool to cover everyone on your list!

For people who have everything: Every year, there are certain people that I find it harder and harder to buy gifts for. Not anymore! Knock Knock has the wackiest, funniest, and most useful office, organization, and just-for-fun supplies. Highlights include but are definitely not limited to the Professional Correspondence Kit (on sale!), the Paper Email, and the To Don’t notepad.

For the Lovely in your life: ModCloth “Social Club” coasters would be perfect for any girl on your list – including your fiancé’s sister (hmm, can’t imagine who’s left on my list!) The coasters are perfect for entertaining or every day – they’re definitely decoration-worthy!

Something that manages to be both whimsical and elegant is the Little Birch Jewelry Stand from Urban Outfitters. It’s simple and functional, but will look good with clean lines or a funky assortment of other room decor.

Finally, a unique gift that will be treasured for years to come is china. I got my first teacup and saucer when I was 16, and I’ve started collecting them. I don’t have any pattern in more than one teacup and saucer (yet), but that’s part of the fun – they’re so beautiful to display and I just keep finding more and more patterns to fall in love with! If you’re just searching for someone who doesn’t have her own pattern, go to Etsy first. I found this beautiful saucer-tasse set among literally hundreds of pages! If you know a girl who already has a collection, sneakily find out the name and head over to Replacements, Ltd. They have a list of almost every china pattern that exists in the world, and they have extra pieces and special pieces that your lovely friend or family member may not be able to find anywhere else.

Laura is a recent Duke graduate who’s saving money by living in Maine with her mother – but it’s definitely not as bad as it sounds! She enjoy shoes, sales, and annoying flash games. Oddly enough, She's never met either of the Lovely sisters, but her college roommate is friends with them from high school, and we connected through the wonders of the internet. Check her out over at her personal style blog, Mainely Fashion.

Lovely Dress of the Day

I was recently asked to feature more posts on work and interview attire. I find this slightly humorous as I don't work in a traditional office, and I only work in a "non traditional" office if you consider my kitchen an office at all. To my credit I do get dressed every day, as they say you that when you work from home you should always get our of your pajamas and into real clothes, I get into real clothes every day. If you consider real clothes leggings, cashmere sweaters and Minnetonka Moccasins, which I do-so there. To more of my credit I have this really strange habit of over dressing. Lunch with friends calls for a fitted pinstriped dress from Express with a silk scarf and flats. Getting dressed to go to my old high school, or middle school lands me in clothes far fancier than I ever wore in my dress code days (and oh, oh, how I swore off dress code type clothes). What I am trying to say, tangentially, is that you can trust me. You can, I swear. Stop looking like that.
The Tweed Shift Dress from Charlotte Russe seems to me to be a perfect interview or work dress. I love tweed, it's a great traditional working lady material. The cut is conservative and classic, boat neck is very appropriate, but still has a nice shape to it. The waist nips in with two little buttons, I almost dont have words, the attached belt is so effortlessly adorable. The cut is short and young, but not too short and young. Wear it with dark tights to extend the conceptual length a bit. On cold days you can even wear a leotard underneath the dress, keep those arms warm. Accessories at your own discretion, funky this dress up with chunky bracelets, or keep it classic with diamond studs. It's adaptable, adorable and affordable-- a perfect wardrobe staple!

For more information, pictures and to buy the Tweed Shift Dress, click here.

Great Find: Fishs Eddy!

I love, love, love when we get suggestions for things to post on the site. Today's amazing suggestion comes from often-mentioned Bride-To-Be, Kate. Not only is her suggestion a lovely way to decorate your house/apartment/dorm, but it's a fantastic present pick! Kate told me all about the store, Fishs Eddy, when she passed it in Manhattan, and hooked me up with the website. Since that moment, let's just say I've been mildly to extremely obsessed with the items that they are selling. Fishs Eddy is a home decor/dinnerware/t-shirt/accessories store which features unique, gorgeous, and slightly quirky gifts for you, your home, and your loved ones.

After browsing around the website for what seemed like hours, I came up with a list of my favorite gift items that I would love to give (and might actually give!) this season. First of all, let me just say that the normal prices of the items are great--nothing too outlandish and scary. However, Fishs Eddy also offers their Discontinued Patterns at a much lower price, and has a fantastic sale section. The Central Park Small Oval Tray (6 inches) is adorable, and very original. This would make a great accompaniment to a present for your favorite New Yorker (and it's only $5.95!). Or, pair the tray with the Central Park Mug ($9.95) for a complete gift set highlighting New York's most famous park. I simply adore all their Alphabet dishware; I would love to get everyone in my life a mug with their initial neatly drawn on it. And, at $5.48 for the mugs, I could get all my loved ones a lovely little mug as a stocking stuffer, or present.

If getting someone dishware isn't really your thing, than check out their very cool t-shirts, or tote bags (totes range from $5-$18)--I especially love the Memo Tote Bag (which is on sale for...$2.98!). Some of my personal favorites from Fishs Eddy include the Floorplan Dinnerware items, The Polka Dot Dinnerware, and as a teacher, I fell in love with the Memo Pad items...how original! Check out Fishs Eddy's website, because it just may have that one gift you couldn't find anywhere else!

Lovely Dress of the Day

Remember I mentioned Paris for New Years? Right, well I am now in packing-mode-lock-down, which is a lot like crisis-mode-lock-down but more suitcases involved. I've heard that the rage right now in Paris is tight, high heeled boots, in black, not New York's over the knee Robin Hood style boots, a la my soul boots. I'm trying not to panic over this, I am me, and if Paris doesn't want me than Paris can buy me new boots, because I can't afford any. (Yes, I would change for Paris).

I must run to Joyce Leslie for comfortable tank tops, leggings and a nice tunic top to wear on the flight. I've got to make a trip to Forever21 for some cute mini skirts, patterned tights and oh-so-cheap belts. And you better believe dresses, this Adorned Flutter Sleeved Tunic in particular. I love all things embellished. I love well executed minis (I unknowingly wore a top as a dress to my birthday this summer). And I love funky numbers I can play with. So this dress comes as no surprise. Can I wear this dress in Paris with black tights, my black suede high heeled boots (yes, I do have a pair) and a heavy cashmere belted coat (no, I do not have a cashmere coat)? Yes, absolutely. Can I wear this dress with a creative belt? With gold lion heads on it, cinched at the waist? Definitely.
The versatility of this dress makes it a good travel item, it can be re-purposed--for the space of one outfit I can stretch three or so outfits out of this one adorable tunic. And saving room in the suitcase is key, all the more space and reason for new Parisian purchases.
For more information, pictures and to buy the Adorned Flutter Sleeved Tunic, click here!

Help: Banana Bread Style!

Photo courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

Hello Lovelies! Now that the holidays are closing in, I need to get serious about presents, and buckle down to start wrapping, taping, boxing, and shipping my presents out to those people who aren't within my dropping-presents-off-vicinity. And, this year, due to lack of funds and the nearness of my moving, I decided not only to get real about making sure my gifts are out early, but making sure I don't spend more than necessary on them. I took this on as a delightful challenge and made a giant list of great gifts for my loved ones, all at a price I could handle.

E's family lives out in Illinois, so we decided to send our gifts out there long before the holidays, to ensure that they were sitting under the tree when we arrive on Christmas day. This doesn't pose a problem for most of the presents, except for one: The Banana Bread. E's father loves my banana-coconut-cream pie; I am thrilled that he loves something I can bake (uh, because I'm way more of a cook than baker) and I would love to send him a banana cream pie in the mail...but, that's obviously not happening. Therefore, I decided to hit up Ikea for pretty and simple baking pans, and fill them with banana bread, which is easy to send in the mail.

Here's where the problem lies! I don't have a fantastic recipe for Banana Bread! I love the one from Smitten Kitchen, it looks really savory and rich. However, I was wondering what YOU all had to say?! Who out there has some interesting, delicious, and present-worthy recipes for Banana Bread? Do share!

Lovely Guest: Jeanne-Marie

When Olivia mentioned that “Lovely at Your Side” was looking for guest contributors to share holiday gift ideas, I intuitively tried to pin down the singular perfect item. And I guess I’m a grown-up now, because I’ve been gravitating towards quality over quantity for years. When it comes to getting gifts, Christmas is my one annual chance to request a couple of big-ticket things that I wouldn’t buy for myself. Yet, since I must sheepishly admit to not quite being in a position to give as easily as I get, I need to be a bit more creative in my own ideas than a video game system or fancy pea coat.

In keeping with this thrifty-chic motif, what I’ll emphasize today is less an item than a method. I’m big on lovely little tokens that converge around a broader theme, and in the best of all possible worlds, that’s how I’d design all of my gifts. Rather than bemoan my inability to buy big luxury stuff that is decidedly outside my grad student price point, I treat myself to little things that have serious lifestyle bang for the buck. I think that the same rule of scale should apply to what I give others, so consider this little trio of brunch-focused gifts:

First, a brunch & breakfast cookbook by the Culinary Institute of America, full of user-friendly but decadent recipes. Since many French brunch recipes require soufflé dishes, I’d spring for a couple of high-end ones, like these adorable, multi-colored little stackable ramekins from Le Creuset. To top things off, you might consider a few brunchy edibles that people aren’t likely to make themselves, like this lemon curd or maple syrup from Spoon New York.

The particular mix-and-match possibilities are endless, and if you wanted to spend considerably more, you might also add a cooking lesson or gift certificate to a local brunch joint. The French Culinary Institute in New York City, for example, has recreational courses in breakfast breads, croissants, fritters and tarts. Of course, this idea also applies readily to some of my other favorite “themes,” and there is plenty of cupcake, cocktail and tea paraphernalia to go around.

Jeanne-Marie went to Drew University with Olivia, and she sometimes still misses that beautiful, sprawling campus full of deer. These days, she's a PhD student in Comparative Literature at Yale University. When she's not occupied by reading/teaching/panicking, she blogs about brunch spots around New Haven and plans her upcoming brunch wedding. Do you see a theme?

Lovely Gift Idea

Last night was my wonderful cousin Katie's small engagement celebration dinner, our growing family took over the private room at Gabriel's for a delicious cocktail hour followed by a decadent, intimate sit down dinner. I was lucky enough to sit with Katie's Uncle R and Aunt J, who are just as much my Uncle and Aunt and had lots of words of advise and wisdom on various aspects of my life (graduate school, jobs, etc). I mentioned my new series of presents for moms and sisters from sons and brothers, and Aunt J had a great, great idea--something I had forgotten, this is why I love talking to people, and telling them what's going on here, it connects this site to the world, and gives me great ideas.

Anyway, Aunt J said that no gift from her kids meant more to her than the ones they made. I pointed out that J's three kids Jamie, Brett, and Kyle are particularly creatively minded and artistic. But she insisted that anything a child makes for their mother will warm her heart, make her happy and very, very proud.

If you consider yourself creative and artistic and have confidence in your work go for it. For the past few years Olivia, Collin, Tess and I have written a poem round robin style for my father and presented it to him in a beautiful frame. He enjoys this much more than ties, I assure you. Olivia has gifted quilts to so many deserving families and kids, and I recently presented a sweet little girl dealing with some health issues with a stuffed bird I made. Find something you can do and do it for your momma. Buy a canvas for cheap at Michael's or AC Moore, draw, paint or sharpie a creation for your mom. Knit? Crochet? Make a hat, it's fast and thoughtful. Go simple and write out a quote or a poem, that you wrote or that you love, and frame it. What I'm trying to say is gift your mom something to place on the mantel.

If you don't consider yourself artsy (or even if you do) go to Color Me Mine, Our Name is Mud, or locally, for you Huntingtonites, Claytime and paint a piece of pottery. It's hard to truly mess up a plaster plate, mug or "I love Mom" plaque, the shiny over glaze seems to make even the worst messes (and if you go with Olivia, you get to see the worst messes) look Avant Garde and fantastically creative.

I'll keep thinking, you keep asking-- and if any of you lovelies have any great idea, please, please email us at LovelyAtYourSide@gmail.com!

Lovely Etsy Find: Directors Coasters

When I saw these Build Your Own Favorite Directors (Set of 4 Coasters) from Retrowhale, I knew I had to share them with you all! If you come from a (nerdy) family like ours, it seems as though every member knows not only the title and starring actor of every popular movie since 1960, but also who directed each movie under the sun. Not a dinner goes by when there isn't a discussion surrounding Scorsese, Woody Allen, the Coen Brothers, or Wes Anderson. I love this coaster set as a gift for many reasons. One, is that it's customizable! Get your dad Scorsese, Kubrick, Soderbergh, and Allen, and get your brother or boyfriend, Baumbach, Anderson, Spike Lee, and Tim Burton. These coasters would make a great addition to any living room or dining room, and are definitely a conversation starter! I love that they are also pieces of art. And, if you don't have the money to spend on this set, check out the Build Your Own Directors Set of Prints* for much cheaper and you can still use and frame these unique and one-of-a-kind pieces of art!

You can chose from any of these four directors:
Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen, Quentin Tarantino, Spike Jonze, Paul Thomas Anderson, Steven Soderbergh, Noah Baumbach, Wes Anderson, Coen Brothers, Spike Lee, Jim Jarmusch, Tim Burton, Francis Ford Coppola, Roman Polanski, and Sophia Coppola. These coasters are made with "printed with high quality pigment inks and then hand painted with India ink and liquid acrylic and sealer."

*Images are hand drawn and then digitally colored. Prints measure 4.5"x 4.5” each with a small white border for framing. Send me a message if you need a bigger size and I'll be happy to make them for you. Printed on Epson archival matte fine art paper with high quality pigment inks. Prints are signed and dated and shipped in a bend proof mailer.

PS. Love these Royal Tenenbaums coasters!

A Lovely Request

Friday afternoon I received a request from a reader, a male reader (!), to post about gift ideas for mothers and sisters from sons. Being a sister, and having figured out years ago that all it takes to make my baby brother happy are beautiful old books, I turned to my male friends for advice. My ever helpful friend Luis said he he absolutely no idea what to get his mother, shrugged his shoulders, ending the conversation and alerting me to the very, very necessary series of posts which will follow.

On a recent visit to Barnes and Noble a friend of mine tossed me a book he thought I'd enjoy, Fables: Legends in Exile, suggested I read the first few pages, and if I liked it he'd loan me his copies. Who wouldn't enjoy a graphic novel where Snow White is the mayor and Beauty and the Beast are experiencing marriage problems? The next time I saw my friend I was presented with a stack of books, the first four volumes of the series. It wasn't a present, it was a loan, and it still made me feel excited and special.

A present which comes with a recommendation is twice the thought--it's not only, "I wanted to get you something special," it's also, "I thought of you when I read this" and "I want to share this with you." The most meaningful presents from my own baby brother are ones that reference something we've discussed or done together, a movie we watched over and over on TV together, for example. If you don't have a book to recommend, think of something relevant to your mother or sister's life, are they traveling soon? Do they love old instruments? Research it a little, find the only book worth carrying with you through Cairo, or the guide to antique banjos. Let them know when they open the gift that you looked into it and that this is the only book worth reading on Einstein's food habits, the only one!

Your mother or sister will appreciate your thoughtfulness, your care and the opportunity to call you up to discuss the book, it's really the gift that keeps on giving.

Lovely Guest: Natalie Anne

I once told myself, flush with being nineteen and living in Manhattan on my parents’ dime, that I was always, always, always going to live in New York – if, you know, I even deigned to stay in America at all. Three years later, I’m living in Iowa City with my law student boyfriend, and my weeks consists largely of: planting the seeds of Francophilia in a rowdy pack of preschoolers, writing about totalitarian art for my sole academic undertaking, making homemade pizza in a defiant attempt to bring thin crust to the Midwest, and blogging. And, of course, missing the city. (The city. A city. Any place with tall buildings, really.)

I know I’m not the only one. About half my friends stayed in New York after graduation, presumably to offer me couch space when I visit – but only half. Everyone else has followed job opportunities, graduate school, astronomically cheaper rent, or wanderlust around the country.

And I can’t think of a better present for us big apple expats than MoMA’s “New York in a Bag” set of wooden city structures. It includes the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the Statue of Liberty and, of course, a fleet of taxi cabs. I’d perch mine atop the mantle (maybe next to the Christmas crèche?) – the place of honor that New York deserves, and which I’d never have if I actually lived there. It looks like there some pluses to leaving, after all!

An east coast native, Natalie graduated from New York University in 2009. She has been living in Iowa City, Iowa for the past four months, blogging all the while at Iowas Thinking .

Lovely Weekend, Lovelies!

Happy Friday, beauties! This weekend has become unexpectedly clear for me, no plans as far as the eye can see. I'm kicking it off with coffee and a run, yes...yes. A run. The rest of the weekend will be solidly focused on enjoying the unseasonably warm weather! Enjoy the weekend, lovelies!

Lovely Deal!

Hey, lovelies! Tammy from MBT Gifts Galore, our Lovely Etsy Find of today, has generously offered all Lovely At Your Side readers 15% off the featured market totes (before shipping) today! Just enter the code LSL15 and shop away! A big thanks to Tammy for this fantastic Holiday shopping assistance! Enjoy my wonderful readers, you deserve it!

Etsy Find of the Day: Monogrammed Baskets!

Is it me or does it seem like these last few weeks have been out-of-control-busy?! Actually, these next few weeks are full of school events, traveling, and holiday time; it seems as though the busy time has just begun! Therefore, it's necessary, during this insanely busy time to keep you (and your loved ones!) organized and tidy, for as my grandmother says, "You can only be creative when you have a clean place to act out that creativity!" As you all know, I love, love, love monogrammed things. So, when I came across the Personalized Embroidered Collapsible Market Totes from MBT Gifts Galore, I knew that it was something not only I would love, but would make a great, and well priced gift, for anyone in my life!

These totes are totally, 100%, customizable! You can get these in a variety of colors and prints, with any monogram, and for any age person! These are great for shopping, traveling, school stuff, diapers, toys, picnics, moving, or just to have in the back of your car while you do all your holiday shopping. These collapse down into 1 inch thick, so they are great for those road-trips when you need that extra basket for snacks! Better yet, is that the low price includes the monogram, making this a perfect holiday gift for anyone (family, friend, teacher, neighbor) in your life!

Lovely Guest: Lauren Matera

Hello, Lovelies! I know you have been searching for the perfect gifts for this year, so I thought I’d share a few secrets. I have a few ideas for not only obtaining great gifts but also some great gifts to give. My first secret is Layaway plans. Stores like Sears, K-Mart, Marshalls, TJMaxx and Burlington Coat factory all still honor the wallet friendly option to shop now and pay later. In the weeks leading up to Christmas when the weather is cold but the sales are hot, I shop all the designer labels of these stores. Once I am satisfied with my payload, I am off to the Layaway counter where a deposit is all that is needed to hold all your treasures. Some stores want $10 for the 1^st, $100 like K-Mart. Marshalls and Burlington require a percentage down either 10% or 20%. I spent nearly $ 80 at Burlington, checking off almost my entire shopping list, the compare to total was over $200 and all I took from my wallet to hold my finds was $20 down. The benefit is I don’t need to spend everything in my purse at once in one store and there is no need to find a hiding place at home. When I know the house is empty and have some time to wrap the gifts I will venture back out to the Layaway registers to make my final payments and collect my gifts.

Now if stores, shopping and holiday madness isn’t exactly your cup of tea there are a few sites that offer something for everyone. Restaurant.com offers gift cards to restaurants in your area for sometimes ½ the price, a $25 card for $10 or a $50 card for $20. You can get more card for less cash and can give the gift of a nice night out on you. My other favorite gift ideas are the “of the month” clubs. Sign a friend or family member to get a gift of the month. MonthClubStore.com offers such clubs as cookie of the month, popcorn of the month, cigar of the month, wine of the month and the list goes on and on. Pick the length you wish for them to receive gifts and what you want them to get, pay the amount and every month a new one will show up at their door to try out.

Hopefully my holiday secrets will give you some idea of what to get for the “I never know what to get you” on your list. Good luck with your gift giving and have a lovely little holiday.

Lauren Matera is a wife, mommy to the adorable Jocelyn (who shares my birthday!), writer, cook, fundraiser (remember Zita's Hunnies? That's her!) and shopper extraordinaire living and working in Annapolis, Maryland. Check her out at her cooking blog, PantryPerfect.blogspot.com, and her writing blog, RennisRoom.blogspot.com.

Lovely Dress of the Day

Plans are shaping up, and it looks as though I'll be spending New Years in Paris. Yes! Paris! My first visit! Being named Genevieve I always felt like a little French girl in an American family in America. From the ages of 6-16 I focused solely on Paris, so much like every other girl from Long Island I'm sure. Anyway, in anticipation of being in Paris for New Years Eve, I am looking for the perfect dress and the Steel My Kisses Dress from Modcloth seems to be a good contender. Not only does it riff off of a song I love, Steal My Kisses by Ben Harper, but it's a pun! I love puns! Additionally, the steel color of the dress mixed with the softness of the lace neckline and deep v back is so beautiful I'm hiding my credit card.
For more information, pictures and to buy the Steel My Kisses Dress, click here!

Lovely Guest: Maya Klauber

Hi Lovelies! My name is Maya Klauber and I'm beyond happy to be guest-posting today. I went to high school with these lovely sisters and this blog has quickly become a real favorite of mine. I check in multiple times a day. With the holidays upon us, I’d love to bring your attention to a unique gift idea I’ve recently found for some lovelies in my own life. Surely some of you are Scrabble lovers or at least know someone who is, am I right? Growing up, Scrabble was a major staple in “Daddy-daughter” time (following pancakes) so naturally I have fond memories associated with this game. My brother and I would also play with my grandmother and would just laugh as we let her notoriously "made up" words slide. These are still some of the best memories I have of her. I went on to become a die-hard English major and have spent full day playing Scrabble with friends, family, my boyfriend and anyone else who will indulge me. That being said, check out these fantastic "Upcycled Scrabble" pendants that come in necklace, ring, earring, magnet or pin form and can even be customized with an image of your choosing for no extra cost! Each pendant is unique and handcrafted using an upcycled Scrabble tile and packaged in a lined, colored gift box that is ready to go!

Also, for any man in your life with whom you can share a good game of Scrabble, consider getting these adorable Scrabble cufflinks! They're a great way for a guy to be professional and still show his funny and charmingly nerdy side!

Maya graduated from Colby College in the wilds of Maine and then came back to her homeland for graduate school to be closer to her awesome family. She's pursuing her masters degree in social work at Columbia University in preparation for working with both kids living with chronic illness and their families. She's a lover of animals, poetry, music, autumn and Lovely at your Side.

New Term: Glovely

While watching an episode of Fringe* called "Safe," I became entirely distracted from the plot line due to the evil Nina Sharps fabulous leather opera length studded gloves. My Christmas list at this point is very short, a few weeks ago it was: perfume (I've decided on Lancome Magnifique for 2010), a leopard print iPhone case (Merry Early Christmas to Myself!) and gloves (leather, cashmere lined, faux fur trimmed, if possible). The list has been knocked down to two items now, and I'm bringing you all on my journey for gloves, my Glovely Journey.





1. Portolano 3/4 Button Nappa Leather Gloves with Studs; 2. Lord and Taylor Fur Lined Leather Gloves; 3. Banana Republic Leather Driving Gloves; 4. Michael Kors Astor Cuff Leather Glove; 5. Kate Spade New York "Broome Street" Metallic Bow Gloves


Gloves are a great gift for yourself, or someone else-- those Lord and Taylor Fur trimmed beauties are on sale for $45, that's a reasonable price for a gift, and what a luscious box to open up! Leather and fur gloves, what a Holiday treat!




*No, but seriously 10 episodes in 24 hours can't be healthy, or can it?

Lovely Magazine Deal! $5 a Year!

In between my online shopping for everyone in my life, I came across this amazing deal and had to share it with you all! For the remainder of today you can get a full year subscription to a bunch of popular and fantastic magazines for merely $5 a year! That's one magazine a month, almost 90% off the list price! I went a little magazine crazy...when I told E that there would be around six magazines coming to the house, I have to admit, he did laugh at me. However, for $5, how could I not get subscriptions to magazines chock full of fashion, recipes, home decor, and great style ideas?! I ended up ordering Food&Wine, Southern Living, Country Living, and Real Simple (I also got E one, and bought myself Good Housekeeping at a little higher a price for a whopping $7 a year!). I cannot wait to cuddle up on the couch and read my stack of magazines (which, did I mention, would end up being less than 50 cents an issue?) while sipping hot cocoa and listening to holiday music! What magazines would you get?! What a great present idea!

Click here for the great deal from Amazon!