Countdown to V-Day: subtle hints for your guy (or not so subtle)

With less than two weeks to go to Valentine's Day, it's probably a good idea to give the man (or men, if single and juggling ;-)) in your life some idea of what you'd like and what you expect. Poor guys, most of them already have trouble getting us a present for our birthday and at Christmas/Hanukkah, so Valentine's Day and anniversaries just add pressure.

Lift the pressure by gently suggesting some ideas - or casually leave this webpage open on your pc right as he's walking through the door.

1. Flowers: that's a no-brainer, right? Gotta have flowers on Valentine's Day. Buy us a nice enough bouquet and we might just forgive you for not offering to help with the dishes.

2. Chocolate: very nice addition to flowers, and the two together will be enough for many women (me included). Of course at Valentine's Day there are tons of heart-shapes boxes and such, but don't just reach for the box of chocolate you see: if chocolate and flowers are the gift, get the good stuff.

3. Jewelry: it is often said that if a man wants to get lucky, then jewelry is the go-to gift. I can't promise it'll work (and it definitely won't if that's the only reason you's buying jewelry - you know, karma), but I'm pretty sure it'll be appreciated. I like Wendy Culpepper and Fragments, because their pieces are classics, with a twist - and they have a wide range of prices to fit every budget.

4. Accessories: What girl wouldn't like to open a box and find a gorgeous pair of heels in her size? A pair of designer shoes might be a long shot, but how about something a man perhaps finds more useful (never use the word "practical" when talking about clothes/accessories, unless you mean "ugly" and are trying to be diplomatic), like a gorgeous pair of cashmere gloves or lovely silk scarf?

Another option: combine 2. and 4. with these gorgeous chocolate shoes from Gayle's Chocolates:


5. Lingerie: another popular gift for Valentine's Day, for obvious reasons. If that's what you want to gift your gal, then go for it, but make sure it's something classy (if it's something that might be featured in an adult movie, then it's a NO), possibly silk. And only get this if you know the correct size. You might be surprised to know that many women aren't very truthful about their real size ;-)

6. Pampering: a romantic, relaxing, spa weekend is a great Valentine Day's gift. But if that isn't doable, a gift card for a mani-pedi, a couple's massage or a beauty package at a day spa are great too. And so are the luscious, spa-quality sets available nowadays: they smell great and the products are a real treat, and allow you to bring the spa home. My favorite? The sets from Origins. Always a treat.

So... I hope this helps. And remember, if all else fails, flowers and chocolate are always good. Especially accompanied by a lovely dinner... one that she didn't make herself :-)

Cool finds of the month: Holiday Edition, part 1

With the holidays approaching, it is only fitting that I dedicate the cool finds of the month to stuff that can make this lovely season more bearable ;-) No, seriously, with the shopping, the cooking, the planning, the spending, by the time we get to the part where we are supposed to let go and have fun, we don't want to be too tired to enjoy it, do we?

So this first installment of the Holiday Edition will focus on gift-giving and other holiday-related activities – I hope you find it helpful.

Multitaskers tend to get lots done but we also have the highest stress levels, and the holiday season is stressful enough as it is! If you are trying to cramp a whole lot of stuff into your lunch break, and you find yourself trying to catch up on unreplied text messages while out shopping, here's something to make things easier: install Vlingo on your Blackberry and you'll have your very own text-messaging assistant. Just say what you want to send and Vlingo will convert it into a text message. It's easy to use and it's a free service!

If you, like me, are expecting house guests for the holidays, and are getting everything ready for them, here's my tip: give THEM your pillow and get yourself a customized pillow from Sleep Number! Their Create Your Perfect Pillow program allows you to personalize the exact outer comfort, inner support and pillow protector materials in their pillow. I recently upgraded to one of these pillows, and I was very surprised to see what a difference something so small makes in the quality of my sleep.
Pillow prices start at $90, and gift cards are also available for purchase – check it out at any of the Sleep Number stores nationwide or online.

How gorgeous are Nancy Gonzales handbags? But who can afford them? Well, maybe you don't have to. Enter the Sweepstakes (hosted by Neiman Marcus) for your chance to win a $3000 Nancy Gonzales shopping spree!

Going on a trip for the holidays? Taking your little one with you? If you are staying at a Hyatt hotel, you can travel a lot lighter by using the Hyatt Travel Lite service, which allows you to order anything you might need, from formula and baby food to strollers and carriers, and have it delivered it to your Hyatt destination.

Need to get your home ready for the holiday parties you'll be throwing? Check out Amazon's Home and Garden Holiday Markdowns, to score kitchen equipment, cookware, table linens and tableware at 30-50% discount.
Also save on decorations on Amazon's Get Ready for the Holidays section.



If you think your sister or best friend would love to find something cute from Bebe under the tree, make sure you use coupon codes to get it for them: through November 30th, get $20 off your purchase of $125 or more with coupon code BBSAVE20 – heck, get something for yourself too, and get $100 (!) off your purchase of $300 or more with coupon code BBGET100.

If your favorite jewelry is feminine but edgy, you'll love Meredith Kahn's Made Her Think line. And you'll love even more that she has a lot of fantastic pieces on sale, up to 60% off! Perfect time to get a present... especially if it's for you ;-)

Women are so easy to shop for! Another example: makeup. Clinique is, in my experience, the brand with the best "gift with purchase" offers. This year Clinique has teamed up with leading designer Trina Turk and has a great offer at one of my favorite stores, Nordstrom. You will receive Trina Turk’s first-ever cosmetics bag, filled with 6 beauty essentials, plus a mirrored lipstick case, FREE with any Clinique purchase of $25 or more — exclusively at Nordstrom, until supplies last.
Or – if you already have too many make-up bags – you can shop at Clinique online get a free tote with your purchase of $50 or more.

This year, Drugstore.com is giving Clinique a run for their money! Their Kooba Beauty Bag is filled with goodies from Stila, Boscia, Sue Devitt, Oscar Blandi, and many more - a $200 value for just $85. The products sound lovely, but the Kooba wristlet is the real catch!

Another great, "no-brainer" gift is pre-packaged gift sets with products already paired up, where you can pick the type of product and/or the scent and get several items already in a lovely gift box. Origins is definitely my favorite place to get gift sets, because they products look and smell lovely, and the gift packages are always so pretty (in fact, I think some of them also make great hostess gifts) – check out this year's Holiday Sets!
Bliss is another popular brand, especially here in the NYC area; and their gift sets are very affordable, like The Big Orange set, which includes two products and a tote.

If you prefer natural and organic makeup and beauty products, you'll be excited to know that Lavera, one of the top natural brands in the world, is now running a Clearance Sale on their website where you can save up to 90%! There is also an Anniversary Sale going on, with newly released products at 15% off. Personally, I think their lipgloss is one of the best I've ever used, and that includes both natural and not-so-much ones ;-)

Send a positive message by gifting your favorite tot with a lovely organic slogan tee by Eco Ike, and enjoy free shipping on any order of $50 or more, and free holiday packaging (including a card) on all orders. My favorite is the "bee green" tee!

And for the mom of the eco-tot, you can't do better than a gift from NIMLI, which is possibly the most fabulous eco-friendly fashion online store! Right now you can enjoy the extensive selection in the fall sale (check out the pashminas!) as well as 20% off your order with coupon code FALL08, and free shipping on all orders over $100.

I don't know about you, but I usually do most of my holiday shopping online. You get great deals, can find coupons to apply (like those at RetailMeNot and CouponNerds) and you can even get money back when you purchase through Ebates. And on top of that, you don't need to go out with the baby in the stroller and fight the madness of the holiday crowds. There is one problem though: some items you really want to see before you buy them. I found a solution, at least as far as toys are concerned: Amazon's Holiday Toy List lets you narrow your choices by age or by price, and then actually see the toys in action! Check it out here.

If you don't know what to get as a Christmas gift for someone on your list, consider a magazine subscription. Get $5 off a one-year subscription to Cooking Light, Elle, Martha Stewart Living, Men's Fitness and others by using code MYPOINTS5OFF during checkout.

Get your little ones gorgeous wooden toys and playroom furniture for Christmas and save by shopping the Pottery Barn Kids online sale, with items up to 65% off.

One for the men: girls like jewelery. But we don't necessarily like the classic stuff, maybe we like more interesting pieces, pieces that will still be lovely years from now, but never boring. You can't go wrong with pieces from Melissa Joy Manning – and you can get 15% off any purchase by using coupon code ARTISAN.

You know what else girls like: bags.
Luna Boston is having a great handbag sale on designer handbags! Foley + Corinna, Hayden Harnett, Botkier, Gryson and more - great chance to snag a designer bag at a discounted price. LunaBoston.com also ships offers free same day shipping on all orders over $100, and free returns – can't go wrong.
But if your budget doesn't allow you to splurge on a designer bag, check out the wide selection of designer-inspired handbags at Baghaus. Through December 1, take $10 off purchases of $50 or more with coupon code TENOFF.

If you'd like more tailored recommendations, you cannot go wrong with GiftGirl. Provide some details about the recipient, and Jean will recommend several fantastic gifts. Whether you choose the 24-hour access option for $5, year-round access ($20) or a personal consultation with Jean ($200), you will get tailored, honest, unbiased suggestions (no paid endorsements!). Here's a little freebie from Jean:



Happy Holidays - and happy shopping!

Cool finds - Baby edition

Babies, babies everywhere! My little niece Rita was born on Wednesday*! Everyone I know seems to be pregnant or a new parent.** In her honor, I decided to center this "cool finds" post around babies and tots.

Part 1: gifts to celebrate baby's arrival

Birthday Keepsake print: this is so gorgeous and girly! It will be customized with baby's name, date of birth and weight. I don't normally like these things, but this one is a lovely painting. Since you are at it, take a look around Dimples and Dandelions: they have gorgeous things! (OMG, I thought I was SO OVER the diaper bag obsession, until I saw this Fleurville tote)

A pair of good-quality, stilish shoes like these Lauren Pediped baby shoes is always fun to buy and fun to get. I don't like loafers, but these are just the cutest. And Pediped is well known for being good quality, fashionable, soft and comfy for little feet. Robeez are a good pick, too. When Stella was younger, we absolutely loved their booties.

If you prefer to go more traditional, I love this Welcome Wagon and this Wicker Baby Rocker, as well as this smaller (and more affordable) gift set. All of them are available in pink, blue and unisex yellow and green.

If mom and dad are eco-conscious (or if you are and want to bring them on board), this colorful organic bamboo mini bowl and utensils would make a lovely gift, especially when paired with a copy of Green Babies, Sage Moms and a cute organic cotton onesie. Or you can add little gift for the new mom with a bottle of organic body butter by Earth Mama-Angel Baby.

I think it's a really nice thought to get something for the new mom; the attention always shifts to the new baby, but the mom deserves some pampering too. Blooming Lotus makes sustainable gift baskets that look pretty and smell delicious.
If mom practices yoga or has expressed interest in it, she would probably love a Dali Mama raw silk yoga bag accompanied by a good postnatal yoga DVD.

And if you want to go one step further, bring dad a bottle of this Ceago Sauvignon Blanc, which is made from organic and biodynamically grown grapes. A great gift that is also eco-friendly.


Part 2: recommended items for parents of little ones

1. A diaper clutch is a must have for a mom/dad on the go. Just pop diapering essentials in it and put it in your bag, or leave one in the car. I prefer the ones that unfold into a changing mat, because I am kind of a germophobe when I'm out. I love my OiOi one! The Skip Hop Pronto Changer is pretty similar. If you like to have things that are personalized or customized, look no further than this Quick Trip Organizer.

You can also choose a more polished, less baby-like look and go for this patent changing clutch. And if daddy wants his own, this is a good pick.

2. A good carrier can make your life soooo much easier! The problem is: there are too many, it's impossible to choose. So go to The Baby Wearer, which is a very friendly community where you'll find descriptions of the different types of carriers and tips on how to choose the one that's right for you. My personal favorites:
- The Moby Wrap for newborns and young babies: it's soft and cuddly, it comes in some really nice colors (and a matching pouch to fold it into) and it's made of stretchy fabric, so it has a much smaller learning curve than most wraps. It's also very affordable.
- A pouch or ring sling for quick outings. I like to have one always in the car or in my bag so I don't need to take the stroller with me for quick shopping trips. My favorite ones are the Mamma's Milk adjustable pouches, Peanut Shell fitted pouches and a ring sling I got custom-made by Beth of DrewBaby Designs.
- A Mei tai carrier for walks, hiking trips, or just to replace the Moby Wrap once baby becomes too heavy for it. I absolutely recommend you get a Babyhawk: really comfortable, lots of colors and patterns, lots of options. Not only it's worth the money, it's worth more.
If you aren't fond of the straps, perhaps a Beco will suit you better.

3. Whether you're nursing or bottle feeding, these items are a must to keep mom comfortable and baby safe.


So there you have it! If you have any questions or special requests for a future edition of the weekly Cool Finds post (baby-centered or otherwise), please share in the comment section. Also let me know how you liked this one!




* Rita is actually my cousin's daughter, but it's as close to being an aunt as it goes for me, since I am an only child

** excuse me while I pull out my handy dandy baby dust deflector