Tag: presents

I Love New York: Gifts For My City

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20120911-141600.jpg9/11 in New York is always a little different. Even the hustle and bustle of midtown seems a bit slower, people come to work a little later as they shuffle in from memorials and by work the pace picks up a bit more but the tone is still somber. We are acutely reminded of our promise to never forget in a way that is more palpable than during the rest of the year. As a New Yorker, you only have to look at the skyline or walk past a firehouse to remember…for many of us this is a common, even daily occurrence. I recall the sky being so clear, the day having so much promise and holding my 10-month-old daughter getting ready to take her to playground and begin our day as usual. And then the world changed and I loved my city all the more.

Please consider checking out the 9/11 Memorial items, and the rest are iconic NYC items that I think you will also enjoy.

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Football Themed Gifts

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20120909-225044.jpgIt’s been a while since I did a sports themed gift list and with football season getting off and running it seems the time has come (I know it’s this time of year because of the content showing on our living room TV on Sundays and Monday nights). So here is a list for your pig-skin loving giftee, and also a nod to mine (love you honey bunny xxoo).

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Mustache Themed Gifts

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My daughter is obsessed with mustaches. Yep, those handlebar, thick mustaches that we used to use to play disguise. Who knew they would become a fashion statement, but here it is 2012 and it is. Yesterday, she went to a birthday party and as I was picking up gifts for that event, I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw so many cute mustache items all over the Upper West Side–I had pulled together a little mustache giftie to surprise my girlie just because (and socked a few away for another day for good measure)!

When she returned from her party last night she said: Mom, you should do a post on mustache themed gifts… And right she was, so here it is.

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Labor Day Party Hostess Gift Ideas

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Photo credit: © George Tsartsianidis | Dreamstime.com

Labor Day gatherings are always bitter sweet. They mark the end of those lazy days of summer and the beginning of getting “back to business.” Back to school, back to “regular” work hours, regular clothes and closed toe shoes–but also the promise of crisp fall afternoons, leaves changing color and (of course) Halloween is coming…

But, when going to a party, you know my POV on bringing something that messes with the menu (if not see this prior post) so for Labor Day you want to bring a gift that is thoughtful, possibly seasonal and in keeping with your host and your personality. Here are my ideas for consideration. Happy Labor Day and be safe!

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Gifts for Fashionistas

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With NY Fashion Week approaching it felt appropriate to start dreaming up gifts inspired by and that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to give to my Louboutin wearing Birkin toting friends (both of them). But regardless of who you hang with, I have always felt fashion epitomizes fun, fantasy, reinvention and escapism and if one interpretation doesn’t do it for you, there’s always another collection or another season right behind. So enjoy…or hang tight, there will be more to come soon enough or even better, chime in with a spin of your own.

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Gifts for Back to School II: Tech Gear

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In my day I begged my mother for a Trapper Keeper…anyone else remember those? Mine had kittens on them — similar to the image below with the puppies but with, well kittens) — and I LOVED it. Today middle schoolers at my daughters school are encouraged to have laptops, that’s right laptops and both my kids are connected with phones, tablets and computers and we are in constant connection with them from the moment they leave the house until the moment we come home from work. So the real question was what cases should they get this year?

Trapper Keeper circa early ’80s
mine had kitties

As I was browsing the web in search of picks to surprise my own mini technophiles with, I made note of some of my faves to share with you…(yes, I know, some could work even for me).

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Gifts for Back to School

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My husbands favorite commercial is that Staples Back to school spot where the Dad is dancing in the aisle to the holiday tune “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year” and the kids look miserable drudging behind him. Every year he waits for that commercial to begin airing again because it makes him laugh out loud and it does mean school is almost back in session and normalcy can return to our home. But even will I miss the lazy days of letting them sleep late (so I get to sleep a bit late too), a later routine so dinner isn’t at 5:30 which means, as a working mom, I get a shot at eating with my family and the promise of a sun-kissed weekend.

I don’t believe in buying comfort or joy, but I think it’s always nice to kick off back to school with a thematic gift that the kids can use during the year. Oh, and for your viewing pleasure, that Staples commercial is at the bottom of all my picks… enjoy 🙂

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Summer’s Top Rated Toys Ages 0-13: August 2012

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20120813-232546.jpgAs promised, here are more top toy picks culled from Amazon. This time I selected five gems in each age group based on customer ratings (my sorting was 4+ stars–many with 5–and most had to have at least 100 reviews). I also tried make sure not to duplicate any products featured back in July–but feel free to check out that post again here. I’ve also included some personal gifts i gave to my own kids this month that did not make the top five list, but did make my family very happy. Enjoy!

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Gifts for Cool Aunts

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20120803-020852.jpgRecently I reconnected with a cousin from my Dad’s side. As we were catching up on family, jobs and kids I mentioned my Aunt D on my Mom’s side. Without skipping a beat she said me: “Oh my God I always thought she was so cool! I loved her leather pants. You were so lucky to have her for an aunt.”

I couldn’t agree more. As a little girl she was the coolest… I used to think “when I grow up I want to: wear leather pants, straighten my hair, wear cowboy boots, look cool in just about everything, be sassy and saucy just like her.”

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Gifts For Moms & Grandmas

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July 4th Lobster Bake: Three Generations
From left to right back row: my grandmother, mom, aunt
Front row: my son (2) and daughter (4.5)
I am behind the camera

My mother’s birthday is at the end of August–sometimes falling right in the middle of Labour Day weekend (if you want further proof of this, see my earlier post on her Summertime Tea Party). What’s really interesting, or at least it was for me, is when you see your mother in action as not just “mom” but as “grandma”… particularly if this is to your children, and in my case since I was my mothers’ only child this was the only way that was going to happen. Putting on my gift-giving hat, this is a very cool challenge because I get to think about different kinds of gifts for her from my children and work with them on the selecting and assembling.