- CENTERPIECE

Saturday

12Dec2009

santa baby

Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 10:13PM

I know all you girls out there have made your lists, checked them twice, wrapped, packed, mailed and delivered all of your holiday prezzies. But hey, fellas? Now might be a good time to get cracking. Twelve (12) days until x-mas.

A favorite client of mine, Paul, sent me a message this week about my gold nameplate necklace. His gorgeous wife admired it, he thought it might make a nice prezzie for Christmas, wanted to know the provenance of said necklace and furthermore, which color he should get for his Mrs. He picked up a hint, sought advice from a trusted source and acted. Well done, mate. You are a Ninja. You give us hope.

In honor of Paul's brave Kung Fu Christmas moves, I've compiled a short and sweet list with a few suggestions for sure-shot goodies to wrap up for your woman.

1. NAMETAG: We'll start with Paul's pick, a gold nameplate necklace. Carrie Bradshaw made it famous. If you don't know who she is, let's talk. One of the best gifts I've ever received, and one of the most noted and complimented accessories in my arsenal. Go with the gold, it's the classic. And don't be afraid to punctuate any "i"s with a diamond. Another bonus: You'll never accidentally call her by another name.

2. IN THE BAG: This Novella Royale handbag is exquisite. I'm a fan of the classic, structured shape, the slate grey color is positively failsafe and the gold rivets pack a playful punch. She's ladylike and superfoxy all at the same time. And the handbag's not bad either.

3. SNAPSHOT SWOON: Whip up a photo book on iPhoto or Blurb. Upload fab photos of the past year, add a bit of poignant prose on an introductory page and you're in business. A streamlined solution for documenting your days together, a perfectly charming coffee table book and maybe a new holiday tradition in the making? Bonus points for being super sentimental and made by you.

4. A PIECE OF WORK: Buy artwork. Photography and affordable prints are a great way to start. Do you have any artist friends? No? Well, I do. I love this photo taken by my mate Rich Bayley in Cuba. How insane would that be as an oversize print in a white box frame? Or check out this charming (and affordable) The World Is Your Oyster print at Keep Calm Gallery. Complete it with a delicate, ornate frame and it's good to go. And I'd be remiss in not referring you to my own pics on centerpiece gallery. A few that might be nice are this or this or this. Order prints on paper or canvas (no framing necessary!) straight from the site. You don't even have to talk to me. Gotta love the interwebs, boys.

5. DEAR JOHN:This indulgent Essence of John Galliano Diptyque candle is heaven. Sultry, smoky, perfect for the festive season. Probably the closest most of us will come to actually wearing Galliano and we'll take what we can get. Um, did I mention that it is the Essence Of John Galliano?! Yeaaaah. Nuff said.

6. A KIMONO, NO?: I know many of you men are a little shy to buy your girl something sassy, silky or sexy. You don't know what size. You don't know how far to go. White cotton? Lace? Latex? You're a little concerned that if you get it wrong, the gift could provoke a slap in the face or a swift kick in the family jewels. I get it. Here's a piece of advice- start with something safe, like this kimono robe from Agent Provocateur. It's friendly for any body, and understated enough for even the most demure dame. A safe bet that we know you'll love, and she will too.

So there you have it. Six sweet surprises for you to stash under the tree. Now get out your wallet and focus, Grasshopper.

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PB&J YOU'RE A-OKAY

Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 02:52AM

PB&J. It's a time tested classic kiddo combo. When peanut butter and jelly are in cahoots, they're hard to resist. But these days a PB&J sandwich rarely, if ever, makes the cut for lunch in my world.

Most of us have- at least once- dipped a spoon into the peanut butter jar, then the jam jar, then straight down the gullet. No? You haven't? Oh ooookay. It's cool, I won't call you out. You just keep floatin' down that river in Egypt. You know the one? Da Nile?

But if you need a snack for rafting through the rapids, I've got just the thing to satisfy those grown-up PB&J cravings, minus the jar and the spoon. And the shame.

A classic peanut butter cookie with a sweet and tart raspberry jam thumbprint. So sophisticated that you won't have to hide in the pantry with a spoon to get your fix. You're welcome.

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Faux Poster Bed

Monday, November 9, 2009 at 06:07PM

I'm a little lovesick. For weeks now, I've been pining for this wooden bedframe by Design Mobel. It's a modern spin on a classic four poster bed. The design maintains the romantic sensibility of the four poster, updated with super clean lines and a little twist. Modern day romance does exist. Sigh.

If you're lusting for more than understated romance, beef up your bed with Design Mobel's various integrated accessories.

Like a Bose sound system if you want a little bass in your bassinet. Or, if it's time to turn on the red light (Roxanne), a pendant light with four color settings should do the trick. And if you want to hide away those unmentionable bedside necessities, an optional drawer stows everything out of sight.

All these bells and whistles make this four poster prodigy sound more like a flashy automobile than a bed. But hey, if the romance fades away, the fancy features should keep things hot and heavy.

Sweet dreams.

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Thursday

05Nov2009

Aub Baby

Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 07:05PM

I'm just going to cut to the chase. This is my new favorite dish. For me, it was love at first bite. It's sophisticated but not fussy. Straightforward and simple but super satisfying.

Picture this: Eggplant reduced down to a silky, smoky, garlic infused sauce and tossed with al dente spaghetti. Add tiny ribbons of fresh basil and bright bits of chopped sundried tomatoes, top with a pile of fluffy, freshly grated parm and you're in business.

With two main ingredients and a handful of additions in supporting roles, it's so simple you can whip this up any night of the week. Remarkably, the star of the show, eggplant, is usually relegated to the role of the ugly stepsister in the minds of most.

I happen to think that eggplant is misunderstood and often underestimated. For starters, why do we call it by it's most unsexy name?Egg. Plant. Doesn't sound very appealing at all, does it? So let's call it by it's sexy stage name, aubergine. Sounds better already doesn't it?

So give eggplant aubergine a shot. Here's the recipe.

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Sunday

20Sep2009

SLOW RIDE

Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 11:05PM

One of my final meals in Seattle was at the home of my beloved bestie Steph and her beau Blade. Steph is my favorite person and also my persona grata in the kitchen. We've done a lot of cooking together both in Seattle and abroad. She's a master chopper, grater, slicer, really pretty damn good with the knife. (Except for the time in the Caribbean when her knife slipped from her grip and consequently carved an "S" onto my shin. Marking her territory? But really, mostly, my top sous chef.)

So this was a first. Steph as hostess, queen bee, chef in chief. And everything was perfectly under control. No services of a sous chef needed. Before heading to work, she'd piled chicken breasts into a slow cooker with a magical mexican mixture of spices and sauces. She then went to the office and closed four deals before returning to the casa in time to shred the slow cooked chicken and serve stellar tacos to her hungry guests. That's just how she rolls.

Steph dished up the mouthwatering meat with toasty corn tortillas, tangy crumbled Cotija cheese, warm black beans, fresh corn shaved off the cob, and a cool and crunchy homemade avocado and cucumber salsa. Damn straight. I'll say this. Outside of a taco truck in a parking lot in Northern California, these were the most memorable chicken tacos of my life. I looked in awe at Steph and thought, "I can't believe you've been holding out on me."

Ever since that night, I've been trying to recreate the slow cooker magic. I think I've concocted a pretty solid recipe and one so simple that any sous can do. So if the rhythm is right, move to the music, and you can slow cook all night. Or day. When you're at work.

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