Engagement Gifts

One of the perks of being engaged is that some family members and friends bestow generous gifts. Of course anything off a couple’s handpicked registry is a safe bet, but I’ve come up with a couple of creative gifts that I personally plan to give when my loved ones become betrothed. So allow me to introduce the a muse bouche guide to engagement gifts –

Ring Holder

My dear friend Fallon and her fiancé Evan got us (me J) a ring holder. Justin tries to forbid me from removing my ring EVER, as I do have a tendency to (temporarily) misplace things, but lately I’ve been taking off the bling before bedtime. At least I have a safe and really aesthetically pleasing place to put it.

Personalized Stationery

My mama-in-law to be suggested that we purchase personalized stationery, and I’m so glad we did! I wouldn’t have thought to buy anything custom-made before the wedding, but having our “Amy and Justin” note cards is a treat. I think any couple would appreciate the gift of paper goods with their names engraved or printed.

Bridal Magazine Subscription

(Another gift really for the bride-to-be… But hey, “A happy wife is a happy life!”) As an admitted magazine addict, I’ve been devouring every bridal mag I can get my hands on. But I'm sure “normal” magazine consumers enjoy bridal mags when they’re recently engaged as well. And what a perfect yearlong span to be receiving a bridal magazine subscription! My favorites are Brides and Martha Stewart Weddings. 

A

Book Club

The one and only book club I ever joined turned out to be a debacle. Close to no one read the book, and close to no one showed up for the scheduled club dinner. Estrogen-fueled fighting ensued. The friendships have since been mended, but the book has been left untouched: The Marriage Plot. In my defense, I did attempt to read the book. It just wasn’t amazing. And with the little time we crazy Americans allow in a day for reading and relaxing and general non work related activities, spending time on an “eh” book is just not worth it.

In the past few months I’ve been reading some page turners, and I’d be happy to share my recommendations. In recent days I’ve seen a few friends post on Facebook that they’re looking for reading suggestions. And now is the season for snuggling up on the couch with a good book…

Middlesex

I abandoned The Marriage Plot and instead picked up Middlesex, the novel that elevated Jeffrey Eugenides to Oprah’s Book Club status. For years I was uninterested in Middlesex’s subject matter (with a hermaphrodite main character) and so I didn’t bother picking up the book, but its intricate storylines that take the reader back in history and around the globe are incredibly entertaining. And Eugenides provides the most poignant, relatable details; anyone can relate to his unique characters. 

The Poisonwood Bible

Barbara Kingsolver is a mastermind. The Poisonwood Bible takes place in the Belgian Congo in 1959, and its story is told from five different perspectives. The book is riveting. I read it while studying abroad in Barcelona. I had no TV, so reading was my main source of entertainment. (In addition to clubbing at Buda Bar, Shoko, etc… J)

Little Bee

Back when I was working at Elle Decor my coworkers and friends Melissa and Micah recommended Little Bee to me, and I will forever be indebted to them for sharing this literary masterpiece. It centers on the intertwining lives of a British woman and a young Nigerian refugee girl. I know it sounds cliché, but this book is truly heartbreaking and hysterically funny at the same time. Little Bee is a must-read. 

Fifty Shades of Grey

For all the haters out there: Lower your expectations. The Fifty Shades of Grey series is not being billed as an astounding work of literary genius. It is, however, being promoted as an enjoyable page turner – which it is! I loved it.

Happy Reading!

A

P.S. Did you hear about Lena Dunham's book deal? I can’t wait to read what she has to say.

P.P.S. My “Book Worm” Pinterest board.

Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood

As I’ve mentioned before, my Grandma Elly never cooked. Instead, like any resourceful New Yorker, she used her oven for shoe storage. She and my Grandpa Riis went out to eat at the most fabulous restaurants, including Elio’s. They dined at Elio’s at least bi-weekly and always shared the same tri-colore salad and two entrees: chicken parmesan and penne primavera. My Grandpa still goes to Elio’s on a regular basis, but now he takes me as his date.

[Elly & Riis]

There’s something to be said for having a fabulous local restaurant where everyone knows your name. Justin and I have found that in Rosemary’s Enoteca & Trattoria. Rosemary’s is right around the corner from our humble abode and it has the trifecta of important qualities: awesome ambiance, delicious food and great service. What’s more? It’s a lot more affordable than Elio’s : )

Rosemary’s opened in June and has been jam-packed ever since. Justin and I had stopped in when the restaurant first opened its doors, eager to see what had come of the once run-down Halloween store space. The uber-warm host and hostess introduced themselves and took our names. They haven’t forgotten us since. The staff at Rosemary’s is lovely despite having to manage hoards of people coming through their doors. Of course that’s a good “problem” to have. With a no reservations policy and delicious Italian food that isn’t over-priced, it’s no wonder the place is so popular. The bar, serving bottles of wine at $40/pop and glasses of vino for $10/each, is always bustling. The overall setting is high energy but also very pleasant; the décor is rustic country, with planters strewn about the place and small twinkly lights hanging from the ceiling. Also from up above: many of the menu’s vegetables straight from the rooftop garden. My favorite menu items are the eggplant caponata, the prosciutto di parma and soppressata, roasted brussel sprouts, Rosemary’s or caprese focacce and the market fish. Justin swears by the orechiette. Warning to anyone really sensitive to spicy flavors like me, all of the pastas have a little kick; I suggest asking the waiter to hold the pepper flakes. And in general, my best advice regarding Rosemary’s is to show up about an hour before you plan on eating, and either go back to your apartment if it’s nearby, or drink and nosh at the restaurant’s lively bar or at a spot nearby like Kingswood.

[Rosemary’s Bar Area - Photo Credit: Brian Park]

[Rosemary’s Rooftop Garden]

Bon Appétit!

A

Dark nails with an engagement ring… Do or don’t?

When I first got engaged I couldn’t wait to get a neutral-color manicure. The day after the proposal I said to my coworker Ally “My nails will always be plain and perfect from now on!” She (engaged a few months prior) knew better. After my initial post-engagement mani, the whole nude-looking polish appeal lost its luster. My nails have been chipped, bare, bright coral and even deep purple since… And now that’s autumn’s here, all bets are off. Bling or no bling, I’m wearing dark polish. It’s just me.

A

P.S. Check out these Essie colors for Fall/Winter. I love Power Clutch. 

On a related note, I met Essie Weingarten while I was working at Allure magazine. Essie was lovely and all about Baked by Melissa cupcakes. (The Allure mag sales reps made a big deal about getting lots of mini cupcakes for the Essie meeting.)

a moment of silence

Why is silence always associated with negative events? “Let’s take a moment of silence to commemorate [insert devastating event].” I think silence is golden, and should be cherished. When I consider silence, rather than conjure up an image of fidgety fans at a ballpark before the National Anthem, I think of melting into a delicious savasana at the end of a yoga class.

Recently I’ve been finding myself banishing Justin to the bedroom and/or forcing him to wear headphones to watch television, especially when I’m blogging, but even when I’m just relaxing and/or reading. 

To be surrounded by noise, all day, is just too much sensory overload. I need some quiet time. Dr. Andrew Weil agrees:

Sound has a direct and powerful influence on the nervous system and on our emotions… Most people are unaware of the effects of sound on the body and mind, even in the midst of the noise population so characteristic of cities and workplaces… The most obvious correlations are with anxiety and insomnia. If you suffer from either, I urge you to pay attention to the sounds in your environment and find out how they might be affecting you. Two simple experiments are to turn off television and radios if you are not actively listening to them, and to notice how different kinds of music make you feel.  – Spontaneous Happiness

Especially before bedtime it’s advisable to avoid noise and even technology in general. I try to avoid using electronics at least within a half hour of going to bed. And I think in general it’s good to have a “wind down” ritual prior to bedtime. Sleep is so important, and so many of us (either purposefully or begrudgingly) neglect it . And for those of us occasional (or perpetual) insomniacs, every effort to get some shuteye is worth it!

A

P.S. Remember when staying up late was so cool? I used to wail when my mom tried to send me to bed before my older brothers. Now, while I’m still a night owl, I try not to stay up too, too late. 

Paper Trail

I absolutely love paper goods. I can spend hours in a stationery store, perusing the aisles of handmade thank you cards, unique notebooks, etc. Of course as technology takes over, these quaint stores are becoming scarcer, and the handwritten card is becoming less and less common. But no less important! I agree with the old-school etiquette rules that require handwritten thank you cards for kind gestures and gifts. But quite ironically, I have terrible handwriting. Fortunately my better half has better, legible penmanship. So we’re OK in that department. Here are some recent paper finds worth checking out if you too adore stationery and the like, or even if you’re just in need of an obligatory b-day card for a relative…

Greenwich Letterpress

This adorable boutique is right in my West Village neighborhood, but of course it has an online counterpart. I especially love the store’s greeting cards (many of which are quite witty and/or sarcastic). And the Letterpress also carries some poignant anniversary and other lovey-dovey cards.

[Greenwich Letterpress Interior]

minted.com

I saw cute ads in bridal mags for this online stationer and decided to give it a shot for our new personalized stationery. I’m so happy I did! Our custom-made note cards came out beautifully. I was able to design the cards online by picking from an assortment of fonts and styles. And the paper quality is excellent.

[Our Personalized Stationery]

Muji

This Japan-based store has an NYC outpost right near my office in SoHo. Just like its products, the store has a clean, crisp feel. This is the place to go if you need to de-clutter and can’t handle the chaos of The Container Store. (Isn’t going to The Container Store when you’re in need of de-cluttering like going to the liquor store when you’re feeling hung-over?) Anyway, Muji has the chicest little notebooks in natural colors, as well as sleek looking binders, picture albums and more.

Sugar Paper

Cupcakes and Cashmere recently featured an adorable card from this Los Angeles stationer. I’ve been clicking through Sugar Paper’s Web site and Pinterest pages and I’m obsessed. I really like their style.

A

P.S. hello! Lucky has been recommended to me for save the dates or wedding invitations. The site looks like a great option for more paper goodies!

P.P.S. Check out my new Pinterest board dedicated to all things paper.

(cheesy) chicken soup for the soul

I shamelessly watch certain cheesy chick flicks over and over again. And they’re not necessarily good movies. I’m embarrassed to admit that my rotation has included 27 Dresses, Catch and Release, The Holiday and now… Friends with Kids. I’m obsessed. I watched it for the first time with my BFF Rachel at her beach house. Maybe it was the fabulous and comfy setting, or maybe it was the movie, but I felt uplifted. And now every time I watch it, I just feel good. For some reason, Friends with Kids is like Xanax, or chicken soup. When Justin was away for the weekend and I couldn’t sleep despite dead-bolting the door and checking on "The Manhattan Protector" I watched Friends with Kids On Demand. When I flew to LA and wanted a happy distraction from my awesome newfound fear of flying, I watched Friends with Kids via iTunes. And just in case I get the winter blues, I’ve secured a Netflix DVD of Friends with Kids. (Probably never to be returned… Until of course, I find a new flavor of comforting chick flick.)

A

P.S. What do you do to combat the blues? I liked this recent post on Cup of Jo.