W2WW News Flash - CUSP section open in Neiman Marcus Natick.

Wandering through Neiman Marcus in Natick this week, I was thrilled to discover that an 'in store boutique' of CUSP was being completed.  CUSP is an outpost of Neiman Marcus featuring a contemporary and well-curated collection of young and emerging designers.  I love CUSP; there are lots of different price points and designers' pieces are mixed together. In the Boston area, we are fortunate to have one of the 6 stand-alone stores in Chestnut Hill.  

Now, in Neimans in Natick, I can simply wander up to the second floor and check out all the fabulous fashions CUSP has to offer, including their own line of accessories.  Just look for the totem poles! (And thanks to Neimans for allowing me to take photos.)~ JH

Love their accessories tables!

Images by Jennifer Houston.

Holiday 2012: Hostess Gifts

Image from marthastewart.com.

The first holiday party invitation arrived in the mail last week!   Besides the fun of putting together festive holiday outfits, I love to put together fun and festive gifts for the hosts.   But what to get??   Think special treats for the hosts that they might not otherwise buy for themselves!    This year, I’m leaning towards personalized, if I kick into gear early enough, and edible.  Yum!

See’s, an old fashioned chocolater since 1921, makes the most delish candies and mints.   Just for the holidays, the California confectioner, opened a shop in Burlington, MA at Wayside Commons which I stumbled into on a girl's night out with an old friend.  The sales gals were generous with samples and all self-control when out the window.   $75 later, I walked out with a bag of assorted treats. These old fashioned peppermint candies need only a red ribbon.  Done! $10. 

Images from sees.com

Pair these mints or any other edible with a bottle of amazing vino!   If you're looking for  a great wine with a great story, look no further than 90+ Cellars, a Boston-based wine brand that brings fine wine from all over the world to you at a fraction of the original price.  The idea is this: they bottle the excess from highly respected wineries with a history of high ratings. I first heard about 90+ on Chronicle last year and had to try it.   The Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is fantastic and we have a case in the wine cooler.  Available at Nine East Wine Emporium.  From $15.

Image from ninetypluscellars.com.

I'm a sucker for decorative plates and CWonder has a fantastic selection.  Perfect for jewels, change or keys!  Better than the junk drawer.  And the one on the bottom? We could all use a little zebra in our lives.

Images from cwonder.com.

Jen and I both love personalized stationary.  Who doesn't, really?  Especially when you can place the order with your Christmas cards!   I like this classic design from Tiny Prints. 

Image from tinyprints.com.

Laguiole France is known for its Languiole cheese, which has an Appellation d'Origine Controlee (label of guaranteed origin) and as the birthplace of the Laguiole knife.  I bouth this Laguiole cheese knife at Anthropologie last year and couldn't be happier with it.  The French know how to make cheese and cheese knive sets, let me tell you.  It comes in a lovely box ready for wrapping.  Pair with a gift certificate from Wasiks or your favorite fromagerie for a little apres-party wine and cheese love fest.

Image from anthropologie.com.

An adorably cheeky way to serve guests on this solid wood serving board, flanked by twoadorable silver mice. $28 at CWonder.

Image from cwonder.com.

There's lot of good hostess gifts to be had locally in our home town of Wellesley.  Try these monogram coasters from Papers & Presents for $40...

Image from paperspresents.com.

...or these initial notecards for $13.

Image from paperspresents.com.

I am always looking for a good book to read and forever asking my friends to share their lists.  Stop by Wellesley Books and pick up one of your favorites from 2012 and inscribe the inside cover with a little holiday happy.

What about a summer story by Nichole Bernier, Wellesley author?  In 'The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.', Kate's peaceful summer is anything but when she inherits a trunk of journals by her deceased friend.  The journals reveal a woman far different than the cheerful wife and mother Kate thought she knew. 

Image from wellesley.indiebound.com.

Shout out to my formidable rival on Words with Friends (you know who you are!) for your recommendation for 'Gone Girl'.   I got the book on CD and listened during the commute.  It's about a marriage gone awry so consider the audience when giving. :-) 

Image from amazon.com.

One of my favorite reads this year!

Image from goodreads.com.

This book is on my Christmas list.  If you don't follow Deb Perelman's blog, SmittenKitchen, drop everything now and check it out.   She creates simple delicious recipes in her shoebox kitchen in NY and has just published her first cookbook.  Great hostess gift!

Image from smittenkitchen.com.

If you are local in Wellesley, a newcomer and local favorite shop perfect for gift-giving is Pine Straw in Wellesley.  Owner Tracy Cranley has a great design eye and her perfectly curated gift store won't disappoint.  She's pointed me to her favorite hostess gifts this year.  First up, the Corkicle..chill the rod attached to the cork and voila, instantly chilled wine!  

Image from Lisa Bida.

Love, Peace and Joy candles luminate from within.  She has cute, decorative match boxes to go with.

Image from Lisa Bida.

Your host will want to ditch the Trade Joe's liquid hand soap for these beautifully wrapped and fragrant soaps from Claus Porto.

Image from Lisa Bida.

No, this is not wine.  It's dishwashing soap!   The pretty bottle would look right at home on my counter next to the real bottle of wine.  

Image from Lisa Bida.

How about these hometown coasters for the man-cave or den?

Image from Lisa Bida.

If I'm going to a party where the kids are invited, I like to throw in a little giftie for the children.  These straw drinking glasses were a HUGE hit last year and kept the kids occupied the next day while Mom and Dad were recovering.  $3.99 at the Container Store.

Image from containerstore.com.

Or how about these cool old-school, low-tech, high-fun trinkets I found at Pine Straw?

Image from Lisa Bida.com.

Happy Party season, one and all!  ~ LB

W2WW News Flash - J.Crew opens in Chestnut Hill tomorrow.

The long-awaited move of J.Crew from the Atrium to the Chestnut Hill mall is complete.    And, per their email, those shopping at J. Crew in Chestnut Hill on Wednesday, November 21st will end up with an opening day present (for those who spend $250 or more).  I think I'd rather be there than at the grocery.

Image from jcrew.com email.

We will be back next week continuing with our Holiday 2012 series. Whatever your plans for the holiday weekend, Lisa and I wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving! ~ LB & JH

W2WW News Flash - Tory Burch opens first store in Boston.

Finally, after years of watching her stores pop up all over the world, we have our own Tory Burch store in Copley Place in downtown Boston.  I might try to sneak there this weekend and check it out; if you beat us there, let us know how it is!  Hours are Monday through Saturday 10am to 6pm, and Sundays noon to 5pm.~ JH

Image from toryburch.com.

Holiday 2012: Gift Guide

One of my friends asked if we could share some ideas for gifts as the holiday season approaches.  Gifts for ladies (sisters, aunts, cousins, friends) in the form of accessories and other fun finds.  We love giving (and receiving!) and were happy to assemble this list.  Maybe we can get a little holiday shopping done at the same time. :-)  By price-point, these are some of our favorite finds this season!  Happy shopping!

Under $50

I found this first gift item in J.Crew while standing in line to check out.  I almost bought several just to have gifts 'in case'.  My iPhone gets drained regularly, so what girl wouldn't LOVE to have a back-up battery in her purse/tote?  Love the prints and colors, especially this cheetah.  At $39.50, it's a great gift!

Image from jcrew.com.

This set of 3 gold bangles is another great find at J.Crew.  For $39.50, it's totally useful gift which I have given before.  Every girl needs these in their jewelry drawer.

Image from jcrew.com.

Another fun gift I've given to others (and to myself) are these fun Farmer's Market Baskets from Anthropologie, priced at $14.00.  I have several on my counter holding shallots and garlic and a bigger one ($20 each) holding avocados.  These are the smaller ones pictured below.

Image from anthropologie.com.

Pinkberry yogurt is one of my latest addictions.  Seriously, sometimes we make late-night Pinkberry runs for small cups of chocolate hazelnut swirled with peanut butter (with dark chocolate crunchies on top).  Yum.  If you have a friend near or far with their own Pinkberry nearby, why not send a gift of swirly goodness?!  From Pinkberry.com, you can both purchase e-gifts to be emailed, or have gift cards sent.  Brilliant! In amounts as low as $5, send a friend a tasty treat.

Image from pinkberry.com.

One of my favorite online stops is The Stationery Studio.  They have everything under the sun that's paper, from personalized cocktail napkins to party invitations.  I was recently trolling for gifts, and clicked on their 'Colorful Notepads' section under stationery.  For around $30, you can get sets of really lovely, personalized pads.  And who can't use more fun paper for mundane things like grocery lists?!

Images from thestationerystudio.com.

Under $100

I have loved these earrings for a while and they are still on my mind.  I'm not normally enamored with logo earrings, but these by Tory Burch are classically lovely while giving a little twist on a stud earring. They come in silver, gunmetal, or gold.  At $68, they make a present that I would like to receive. (The smaller logo earrings are $58.)

Image from nordstrom.com.

Every girl/lady needs updated cosmetic bags.  Lisa and I have always loved the cosmetic bags by Henri Bendel; they come in several sizes and keep going and going regardless of the abuse.  Between $48 and $132, they make great gifts, either one large one or a couple smaller ones.  In my purse right now, I am using 2 of them.  You can go with the classic brown and white stripe, or the current print, which is entitled 'NY Minute'.

Images from henribendel.com.

Who doesn't love a personalized gift?  If you have the time (20 day production time plus shipping time, so order soon!), iomoi.com has the best iPhone covers for $68.  Personalize using either a monogram or name (depending on the design) and impress your girlfriends or sister-in-law.  There are 60 different designs from which to choose! Be sure to know which iPhone version your recipient has before ordering.

Image from iomoi.com.

A friend convinced me that I needed one of these and after I bought one, I had no idea how I lived with out it.  Every lady should have a substantial wrap in their closet and this one by Nordstrom is $98 and comes in 9 colors.  While mine is a basic black, you can flirt with 'sandshell' or 'pine bark', as pictured below.

Lisa mentioned these jackets a few posts back.  Uniqlo puffer jackets are on trend, lightweight, and completely affordable at $69.90.  They arrive in little carry pouches, so the gift recipient will never know what's inside until they open it. So fun!

Images from uniqlo.com.

Under $200

I have been searching around for a golf cuff bracelet for myself, but one that's a little less 'Wonder Woman'.  I found this Kendra Scott one at Neiman Marcus.  For $150, it's a good price-point and lovely, timeless piece.  I can see this on any lady wearing a sleeveless sheath dress or silk top.  

Image from neimanmarcus.com.

If you know your recipient well, why not customize a Longchamp Le Pliage bag for her?  With a 3 week lead time, you can choose the bag size you want, the handle length (hand or shoulder), the colors (endless combinations), hardware color (golden, nickel or bronze) and any monogramming you want.  Lisa and I travel with the largest bag as our 'carry on' bag all the time.  I tried designing the largest bag and added initial embossing on the leather; my total bill was $192.50.  

Image from longchamp.com.

For a great evening bag (or day shopping!), the Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C. Shoulder bag would be a welcome addition under my tree!  The $195 price puts you right under the $200 mark, and on Nordstrom.com, it comes in about 8 colors.  I love how you can wear it cross-body, keeping your hands free at holiday parties in the future.  (I kind of love the grey!)

Images from nordstrom.com.

Fantasy gifts

Lisa's top gift desire this year is a (HINT HINT) Vitamix blender. Lisa 'juices' regularly and would love the treat of this blender which apparently purees anything in it to pure liquid - no lumps and bumps.  Honestly, it would be a great gift for anyone that blends regularly.  The Classic starts at $449, with the professional at $529.  Not a gift for your friend down the street, but one that you might want to leave clues for about the house.  Just saying.

Images from vitamix.com.

If a very serious gift is to be given, then a classic Chanel Reissue 2.55 bag is at the top of my list of fantasy gifts.  Oh, wait, is this about giving and not receiving?!  Any lady would love to have one of these in her closet.  I'm a fan of the 2.55, but in the original, Reissue, version. Coming in 3 sizes, the Reissue has the original Chanel clasp (no CC lock), chain shoulder strap (no leather entwined), and all the lovely details that Coco put into this bag (like the zippered compartment on the inside of the front flap where Coco put her love letters).  A classic now and forever; a forever gift.  Priceless (but really in the thousands, depending on size). 

Image from myfashionjuice.com.

Whatever your holiday gift-giving needs, we hope this has helped!  Happy elf-ing! ~ LB & JH

Holiday 2012: Party Attire

We are all in that pre-Thanksgiving lull right now before it all heats up.  That's right ladies, the Holidays (with a capital H) are upon us, and now is the time to sort out what outfits you might need this holiday season.  Not in a panic on a Saturday in December, 3 hours before a party.  Now.  I had a shopping appointment yesterday at Nordstrom with the lovely personal shopper Amy Swartz;  she pulled a room full of outfits as well as some skinny black coated jeans I needed and nude shoes (STILL searching for perfect nude pumps).

Images from Jennifer Houston.

I settled on 2 outfits and I'm having a debate with myself about whether or not to share them here.  After all, I'll be running into some of you on the holiday scene and want my outfits to have some sense of new-ness!  So, instead of going straight to what I bought, let's talk instead about what's out there this year.

Gold (and all strains of metallic) is (are) huge this year. I saw a lot of items in gold or with gold details.  And sparkle!  I actually purchased an item that was made with a gold/bronze metallic fabric and a dress with gold threading through the material. This top from L'Agence at Nordstrom was darling, but I just couldn't pull it off.  Over a pair of crisp black pants, it would be heavenly.  Please, someone try it so I can admire it!

Image from nordstrom.com.

I peeked into Club Monaco on Lisa's suggestion and they had some lovely holiday items (she thinks they have a great holiday line right now, and I agree).  The Rebecca dress is really on trend, with it's 'pale orchid' color and lines of sequins down the front.  It looked really easy to wear. 

Image from shopbop.com.

And yes, I know, it looks really short.  But you never know, and it might be a great tunic look when paired over leggings and heels?!  I actually considered trying that today but was running late and didn't have time to try.

I picked up a champagne-colored silk tunic this fall and have worn it to dinner events over black, cropped pants and heels with a gold, pendant necklace.  It's a simple, easy outfit to wear.  Here's one by Vince that is similar.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Take the gold out of the top and into a skirt, this like jacquard skirt from Zara.  Highlight the skirt detail by neutralizing the rest of the outfit with with black pumps, black tights, and a black blouse. 

Image from zara.com.

Enough about the gold; you get the idea.  Other things I saw today were sequins, and lots of them.  Not bad-wedding-sequins.  I tried on a couple of things with complete sequin coverage, like the Annabell Sequin top from Tory Burch.  Very easy to wear and full of holiday fun!  I had brought a pair of my black dress pants and black heels with me today, slipped this on, and could have gone to any holiday function straight from there (see me below).  It also comes in this amazing aspen green (green is very hot - see below); the black bow coordinates immediately with your black pants and voila!  Outfit!

Images from toryburch.com.

And here I am in that top at Nordstrom. (With a lot of nude pumps lined up!)

Image by Jennifer Houston.

At a lower price-point, J.Crew has this darling polka-dot sequin top, again, another easy outfit.  Comes in black with white dots, and like this, winter white with black dots.

Image from jcrew.com.

For those who dare, there are more than a couple of full-on sequin dresses out there this year.  No accessories needed; just pumps!  Rachel Zoe has one (also short, but if you have the legs, rock it!) as does Diane Von Furstenberg with her Merano long-sleeved dress. 

Image from bloomingdales.com.

I am amazed at how many sequins there are out there this season.  Check out CUSP's 'The Party Shop' collection of festive attire, ranging from sequined bags and shoes to jackets - tons of sparkle. 

Another big find this afternoon was 'Green'!  Apsen, forest, pine, and all the shades in between. I was a sucker for these rag & bone jeans (like I need another pair of jeans) but they fit so well, I fell in love.

Image from nordstrom.com.

I digress.  For holidays, I saw lots of green in many forms.  First, this Gibson blazer at Nordstrom is great over a column of black.  Very sharp and fun!

Image from nordstrom.com.

Lace was the last 'big thing' I noticed today.  In tops, dresses and skirts, here are a couple of pieces that Amy showed me today.  The Joie Marelia Lace top was fun; I already have a lace t-shirt in my closet, so I didn't need to add another even though it fit really well.

Image from nordstrom.com.

This navy lace dress, the Zarita by Diane von Furstenberg, would be great for a corporate or work holiday party.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Finally, combining 2 trends in one item without being tacky, this Cynthia Steffe sleeveless belted lace dress is a great option if you are craving the green with your lace.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Hope you enjoyed the mini-review of my shopping trip today; feels like you accompanied me to my appointment!  Let us know what you are finding for your holiday looks out there in retail-land! ~ JH