Gifts

If you love chocolate, and love to bake, Chocolate Baking – The Ultimate Guide to Cakes, Cookies, Desserts and Pastries by Edd Kimber published by Quadrille and launching on March 10, 2026, will appeal to bakers and chocoholics. Edd Kimber’s recipes are inspired and easy to follow with stunning photography by Matthew Hague, and as a dedicated baker, I cannot wait to make all of the recipes in this gorgeous 255-page book. Why not bake something special and create lasting …

After an exceptionally long, and seemingly endless winter, I am so looking forward to Spring and enjoying my gardens bursting with colorful blooms. As I looked out my windows and still saw snowdrifts on my lawn and my gardens sleeping under fluffy white blankets, I was in desperate need of garden therapy, which I found in the book, Growing Bulbs in the Natural Garden – Innovative Techniques for Combining Bulbs and Perennials in Every Season by Jacqueline van der Kloet, …

The New Café Beaujolais Cookbook – Recipes from the Iconic Mendocino Restaurant by Julian Lopez with Foreword & Select Recipes by Margaret S. Fox provides a delectable introduction to the iconic and historic California French restaurant, Café Beaujolais located in Northern California. It is a gorgeous cookbook that celebrates the cuisine of this famous restaurant with its longstanding tradition of excellence through its mouthwatering recipes, photographs, and illustrations. Julian Lopez and his parents, Peter and Melissa Lopez, purchased the restaurant …

Whether you are a professional chef or a home cook, one of the most essential elements in a kitchen is a good set of knives. After trying many knives throughout the years, what we especially like about ERGO CHEF Knives is that they were designed by a chef for chefs. The knives have a curved handle to better fit your hand, reduce stress, and also have a nice heft to them that just feels right. When you spend hours working …

I grew up baking with my mother, which is what attracted me to the beautiful award-winning cookbook, German Heritage Baking Time Volume I: Honored Recipes, Traditional Techniques, and Culinary Secrets by Heidrun Metzler, as she also learned from her mother, as well as from her aunts and grandmother, all very accomplished bakers. It is important to note that Heidrun’s recipes are easy to follow whether you are an experienced baker or a novice, and the photos are mouthwatering stunning. The …

Giving Advent calendars are a tradition in our family, with the recipient opening a numbered “door” on the calendar to reveal a small chocolate each day beginning on December 1 and running through the Christmas holiday season with the last door to be opened on December 24. It is always fun and provides something for the recipient to look forward to each day during the hectic holiday season. As tea drinkers, we were excited about Tea Forté Limited Edition Warming …

Using a good hairbrush is like making a trip to the salon. Throughout the years I have been in search of a really good hairbrush, and they have always fallen flat. I was thrilled when I “discovered” Balmain Paris Hair Couture hairbrushes as the quality is exceptional and the feel is luxurious on your scalp. I have the Balmain Paris Hair Couture All Purpose Spa Brush that is made especially for Detangling and Polishing, and the feel of the brush …

Rosé wine – what would summer be like without bottles of it popping up everywhere like wildflowers after a summer rain? Rosé wine can be found everywhere these days, on bar menus, at restaurants, at the beach and poolside, and at home gatherings. So, how and when did rosé wine suddenly become the darling summer wine? In the book, Rosé Revolution by Rasmus Emborg and Jens Honoré, published by Interlink Books, an imprint of Interlink Publishing, the authors take an …

Shopping on Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich, Connecticut just became even more delicious with the opening of 365 Collective by Abigail Fox + Serendipity, a gorgeous “bijou” of a boutique curated by its owners, Abigail Fox and Suni Unger. I went to the VIP Launch Party on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at the woman-owned shop and totally loved all of the boutique’s offerings, especially the hand-crafted jewelry, the adorable hand-knitted baby items, and the vintage barware and cocktail glasses that would …

If you love the Burgundy region and its gastronomy, wine, and its lush and verdant ambience, and want to bring home a taste to remember it by, the cookbook At Home In Burgundy – The Papillon Recipes by Eleanor Garvin will take your palate on a delectable trip back to Burgundy with each of her delicious recipes. As a bonus, there are wonderful wine notes and photos by Dennis Sherman to complement Eleanor’s recipes. The book begins with a story …