GIFTS: for your BFF...

Happy Friday, my dear internet cosmos.  Please tell me you all have festive weekend plans.  'Tis the season for partying!  Get after it.

'Tis also the season for gifting, as we established yesterday.  If you missed it, here's my round up of go-to gifts for the foodie in your life.

Today, I give you gift ideas for your trendy, silly, oldest best friend.  I mean the kind of friend who you wouldn't mind giving things to that you really want for yourself.  After all, she's the friend you often find yourself living your life vicariously through.  Here we go:

1- Heirloom seed kit:  She's always wanted to have a green thumb, but just can't seem to get it going on her own.

2- Homemade room spritz:  To make her home smell yummy all year long.

3- Octopus mugs:  She doesn't drink coffee, but who cares?!  These things are genius, and someone has to have them.

4- Taxonomy of rap names:  Because she's design savvy, and appreciates a good flow chart.  Plus, she'll stare at it for hours discovering new totally useful bits of knowledge.

5- Antique kilim coasters:  This is one of those things that you will get to use, too.  And every time you go to her house, you'll wonder why you didn't buy them for yourself.

6- Handwritten stationery set:  So she can write you notes to remind you of what an awesome friend you are.

7- Anthropologie's "Wish it, Win it" giveaway:  Enter every day to win all of Anthropologie's ultimate gifts from their holiday catalog.  That's over $16,000 worth of goodies from the store you and your BFF can't normally afford!  Gift one of your pretty winnings to her, and keep the rest for yourself.  Check out all the prizes here. 

Have a holly jolly weekend--

MEL

At D's Suggestion GIFTS!

Well, my internet cosmos, it's been a doozie of a few weeks.  Thanksgiving brought with it explosions at work, the flu (or it's first cousin...not quite sure which), and sadly enough, family tragedies.  Not exactly the season of thanks we were looking forward to.  Lesson learned:  don't put all your "thanks" eggs in one basket--spread 'em out around the year.  You never know when it may be your last chance to show your gratefulness.

All that being said, I'm so very grateful that I'm on the edge of normalcy again.  There is a light at the end of this tunnel and I can definitely see it.  And now, it's time to spread love and joy around in a new season of gifts!  Which I'm actually pretty stoked about. 

If you're ever in a bad mood, try giving something to someone.  A dollar, a TV, a bite of your sandwich.  Seriously, it makes everything better.

Speaking of sandwiches, here's my first collection of gifts to be given to the foodies in your life!  Here we go:

1.  Memorable spirits:  a delicious bottle of wine, that won't break your bank.

2.  Recipe cards:  Make sure they don't forget that super special ingredient that will make or break the whole dish.   

3 & 7.  Homemade bread:  Nothing says "I love you" like a warm, fresh loaf of whole grain basil bread or rosemary and orange-infused zucchini bread.  

4.  Honey jar:  A way more stylish alternative to the plastic honey bear.

5.  Chef iPad sleeves:  Because we all know how dirty you are in the kitchen.

6.  Cold-brew coffee:  No one has time to brew a hot pot of anything during the holidays.  Pull it out of the fridge and enjoy.

8.  Homemade cookbook:  gather your friends, compile your favorite recipes, call a photographer, pour yourself a hard drink, and strip down and throw on an apron.  Put all your hard work into a hard-bound keepsake for your loved ones.

Stay tuned for more gift ideas!

--MEL

The French Hostess

So, as anyone who follows me on Pinterest knows, I've become completely slightly obsessed with the unbelievably gorgeous foodie blogger, Mimi Thorisson.  I have been drooling over her dreamy blog, Manger, for months now.  She chronicles her life in the French country with her dreamy photographer husband, precious children, and billions of adorable dogs that always seem to be roaming freely through the magical woods, hunting for mushrooms and fairies.

Oh, and did I mention that this woman is a total boss in the kitchen?  (These chocolate meringues look particularly dangerous.)  How she manages to cook like a bonafide Frenchmen, and still look like an exotic goddess is beyond me.

I figured I'd be able to keep my obsession a secret until I ran across this interview with Mimi at Sous Style and it sent me over the edge.  She talks about her love for, "Duck fat, butter, cream, crème fraîche, garlic, eggs, and orange blossom water" and says she "once killed a huge furry spider, just by screaming."  I'm convinced she is magic.

Read the rest of the interview here.  And please go read through her blog here.

Have a beautiful, buttery, dreamy weekend--
MEL

(All images from here and here.)

A Denver Home...Guest Post!

Emily from A Denver Home Companion (remember her from Denver Week?) asked me to write a guest post for her lovely blog.  Go check it out here.

And if you're in Denver, go check out her Mr.'s new restaurant, The Populist.  They open tonight!  Emily, my Mr. and I will be there on Friday.

Thanks for letting me hang out in your blogosphere today, Emily!

XOXO
--MEL

Let's talk.

Happy Friday, my dear internet cosmos!

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about this blogging platform. I think there are a lot of circles where if someone where sitting down to talk to the infinite void of internet every day, that person would be committed. But we do it. And we love it. And even if no one talks back, we keep talking. Tell me, is this normal?

See, I just posed another question to the unending ether without thinking twice about it.

I know there are voices out there on the other end of this thing. I've seen you, heard you, held your hand, drank a cold one with you, lived with you. Hell, I've even read your conversations with the same internet that I write to.

My point is, I'd love to hear from you. I want you to talk at me the way I talk at you in this platform. I'd like to create that old fashioned thing they call "conversation".

So, here are some ways you can engage in "active listening" with me:

*Look to your right-hand side of this page. Now look up a little. Yep, right underneath that mysterious picture of me. Enter your e-mail address and instead of having to remember to come check up on me, I'll come straight to you in your inbox.

*Stay over there on the right-hand side and you can subscribe to this blog. That means I'll show up in your reader when I write a new post.

*I have a lot of opinions on a lot of things. Do you? Let me know by leaving me comments at the end of posts.

And even if you're more the "silent listening" type, it's okay. You're beautiful just the way you are. I'm just glad you stopped by to stand quietly in the corner and observe. You're welcome anytime.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! MEL

(image from here)

VOTE.

Here are some ways for you to get involved today:

*Make some phone calls!  Go here to get started.

*Remind your friends on Facebook to get out and vote!  Here's a super easy way to do it.

*Go vote!  Don't know where to go?  Find out here.

*Spread the word!  Let your friends know that you voted and encourage them to do the same.  Here's how.

*Wanna make sure you're making the right vote?  Read the President's entire plan for the next 4 years here.  Or you can compare President Obama's and Mr. Romney's plans here.

Everyone has an opinion and everyone's voice matters.  Go make it heard.

XOXO
--MEL

(Image from here.)

Uniqlo

Uniqlo, the mecca of chic basics, now has an online shop.

Uh oh.

Wool Blended Cocoon Double Coat

Orla Kiely for Uniqlo dress

crochet hat

corduroy skinny straight pants

Get ready Santa--the wish list is on full blast.

XOXO
-MEL