Wednesday, 5 December 2012

Gift Guide #4: Your Husband Who Makes Tacos Every Sunday Night and Sings Beatles Songs to Your Toddler.


Military-style duffle bag, $440. A heavy-duty waxed canvas backpack that's beautiful, functional and durable. Made in Portland, Oregon. Not cheap, but he'll love and use this trusty bag for every trip and adventure for the rest of his life (and pass it down to your kids).

iPhone holder/tripod for displaying recipes while cooking, taking self-portraits, shooting family videos, all those dad things. (No more vacation portraits taken with an awkwardly extended arm!) $30.

Felt mistletoe to tuck into his shirt pocket on a date night, $16.

Demetri Martin's Standup Comedian, the funniest stand-up comedy CD in ages. Makes us laugh out loud until we're red-faced and crying. Seriously. $9.99.

Leather bike pouch. Perfect size to fit his wallet, keys and a sandwich (and let him ride comfortably with empty pockets). $138.
Leather luggage tag, so he never has to fill out those annoying paper ones again (and can just glide through the airport like Clooney). $45.

YES. The Amplifiear projects your iPad's sound toward you, so you can actually hear a movie or song. (Why does Apple make such weak speakers?!) $24.99.

Board shorts for all his boyish adventures year round, $70.
Homemade gin kit to make martinis from scratch within 36 hours. Awesome. $39.95.

Mixtape, like the one you made him when you were first dating. $15. (The genius design plugs right into a computer's USB port!)

A bouncy ball that bounces up to 75 FEET, to delight his inner kid (and blow your toddler's mind). $8.50.
His favorite stinky cheese (prices vary) plus this tee, $15.

A portable back-up iPhone battery he can carry with him, since his phone is always running out of batteries. Genius for traveling/planes! $39.50. (And here's the women's version.)

P.S. More gifts for husbands (including 10 gifts Alex revealed himself), and the 2012 gift guide so far...

(Amplifiear and iPhone holder via Swissmiss)

The Best Ice-Cream Sundae You'll Ever Have (With Bourbon Caramel Sauce)

A scoop of creamy ice-cream is the loveliest way to end a long day, don't you think? So when Dana of Minimalist Baker sent over her recipe for a killer ice-cream sundae you can make in less than 15 minutes, I nearly fell off my chair. Here’s how to whip one up...
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Tuesday, 4 December 2012

Gift Guide Part #3: Your Best Friend Who Always Knows the Best Gossip and Never Forgets Your Birthday.


The complete first season of Girls, since it's hilarious even the twentieth time you watch it together, $26.

This cheeky notebook isn't new, but it will make her smile, 10 Euro.
Homemade avocado dressing for her to enjoy all winter. Just the cost of ingredients.
Anchor scarf for cold winter days, $68.60.
A Cat's Life, a funny illustrated book about cats and the women who love them, by Gemma Correll. $11.51.
Neon boy shorts, $29. Because she'd love them but never buy them for herself.
DryBar gift certificate, so she can get a gorgeous blowout, $35 to $40. (Here's my before and after.)

Heart-of-gold bangle, because it's true. $32.
Eyeglasses tote, $50.
Design-your-own gelato (with ingredients like homemade marshmallows, goat milk caramel and candied ginger) from Zingerman's, $110 for ten 12-ounce containers.
Learn-to-knit kit with everything she'll need to knit her first 100% Merino wool scarf, $62.
A long and leisurely dinner out just the two of you. (No husbands, no babies.)

P.S. More gifts for best friends, and the 2012 gift guide so far...

Gold nails

Have you ever worn gold nail polish? It's such a pretty color for the holidays (and New Year's Eve!), and I love that even if you're wearing pajamas, this nail polish makes you feel celebratory. I'm a big fan of West End Wonderland (and if you take a bottle home, you could do family manicures on Christmas morning:) Thoughts? Would you wear it?

P.S. Navy nails and galaxy nails.

(Photos by Alpha Smoot for A Cup of Jo. Styling by Kendra Smoot. Gold necklace from Madewell)

Monday, 3 December 2012

Gift Guide Part #2: Your Chatty Toddler Who Cooks You Pretend Sausages and Eggs Every Morning.


(Symbolically) adopt an animal, $50 to $250, to support the WWF's global efforts to protect these lovely wild animals and their habitats.

PB&J candy bar, $4.25.

Along a Long Road, $11.55. Toby and I are both in love with this beautiful book.

Taxi leg warmers, $12 each.

Toy plane, $20, along with a luggage cart! A.k.a. his new favorite toy. (This airplane box set is rad, too.)

Adorable clothes, made in Brooklyn, $32 and up. (Here's their holiday sale.)

Mini Book of Names & Faces, a bedtime story about his peeps. $29.99.

Spaghetti twirling fork for funny dinners, $9.54.

His first assignment, $1.

Leaning Tower of Pisa blocks, $40.49. (Or the entire Coliseum)


Musical sounds puzzle, $11. (There's an animal sounds puzzle, too.)

Kazoobie Wazoo Kazoo! Extra loud! $7.98. (This trumpet kazoo is cool, too.)

P.S. More gifts for kids, and the 2012 gift guide so far...

(Pisa blocks via Abbey)

Motherhood Mondays: What are your favorite baby names?


Want to hear the top 100 baby names of 2012?
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