What I Want For the Holidays

Ah, December, the month of winter wonderlands, my birthday, and the mania of gift giving! As a kid, I used to try to get away with “celebrating” as many of the wintertime holidays as possible, just so I’d have a decent chance at getting some good gifts. And each year, as I professed to every adult within a 10 mile radius that I celebrated Chrismahannakwanza + My Birthday, I’d get a swift slap to the side of the head from my mother as a reminder that no gifts were coming my way! These days, I’ve toned down the fake holidaying, and just hope for the best as far as wintertime gifting goes! Here are the 5 things I’m hoping for this holiday season:

1. Burberry Prorsum Booties: I first laid eyes on these Burberry beauties earlier on in the year and have been cyber stalking them every since. So what if they cost a good 3/4 of my monthly rent! The tough motorcycle feel, cross strap and ultra high heel are the stuff dreams are made of! A girl can wish upon a star right? Too bad I live in NYC and can barely see the stars at night, but I’ll keep my hopes up anyways…

2. Mad Men Season 1-3 DVDs: Even though I work in the TV business full time, I don’t watch too much TV, simply because there isn’t too much new stuff on the tube that excites me. Except for AMC’s Mad Men, that is. Even though it takes place in the 1960s, the writing team behind this hit makes sure every episode is relevant, exciting and super juicy. Nominated for three Golden Globes this year, the show has made a major fan out of me and I cannot wait to get my hands on the DVD and watch endless hours of Don Draper. Sigh.

3. Bijules Bar Ring: Friend of M.I.S.S. Bijules is one of the most innovative movers and shakers making accessories out there today, and the infamous bar ring is a perfect example of that. Anything as stylish as this, yet functional, is a winner in my book. Must cop, eventually.

4. Cupcake Car: I spend an inordinate amount of time each day thinking about baked goods, particularly cupcakes. I’ve become a connoisseur over the past few years, but have never encountered anything quite like the Cupcake Car. OMGeezies, the Cupcake Car is basically Power Wheels for unfortunately sugar-obsessed adults. Tricked out with frosting peaks and sprinkles, you can race this baby in speeds up to 7 mph. I want one, now. Too bad it’s $25,000 (available through Neiman Marcus only).

5. Legalizing Same Sex Marriage: This list has largely been material objects, but I am a firm believer that material items cannot make you happy unless you have whole happiness in your life. And in my opinion, it’s just not fair that some people in our country are offered that chance at happiness, while others aren’t simply because of their sexual preferences. The debate continues (the DC City council recently voted to approve gay marriage), and I can only hope that this holiday season all of the material bullshit is put aside so that we can focus on what would potentially make people across the country very very happy in the future.

Nicole Richie

Apparently staring in your own reality series, designing a line of jewelry, and squeezing out two kids isn’t enough for a celebutante these days. WWD broke the news early Thursday morning that style icon and mother of two, Nicole Richie, has decided to expand her fashion business, including jewelry line House of Harlow 1960 and maternity line Nicole for A Pea in the Pod, into her very own collection.

Nicole Richie's Winter Kate line

Winter Kate, taken from her daughter Harlow’s middle name, is a 37 piece line slated to hit stores in early February, that Richie has been working on since the beginning of this year. The pieces are true to Richie’s eclectic boho style and include maxi and slip dresses which are meant to be layered, vests, and bed jackets in vintage-inspired silk, crepe and chiffon.  Nicole told WWD that these items are mainstays in her wardrobe, “I probably wear the same two pairs of jeans every day as the background to a fabulous top. Bed jackets are a staple of my wardrobe because they are a gorgeous way to give jeans and a white T-shirt a completely different look.”

The line will be sold at stores like Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Sakes Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Intermix, and Kitson, with prices ranging from $35 wholesale for a camisole to $598 for the leather pieces. The line coordinates perfectly with her accessories line, House of Harlow 1960, which will be growing to include shoes for spring. Both collections actually target the same buyers. According to Richie, “She is a woman like me: She does not look at labels; she knows how to mix and match. The pieces can be dressed up, made casual, but most importantly, they provide the wearer a means of self-expression and fun.”

Check back for more updates on Winter Kate and Nicole Richie’s ever growing foray into the fashion industry, because knowing this busy mom, Winter Kate is only the beginning-she does have two kids remember.

Delman Shoes

If it’s good enough for Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and Katherine Hepburn, it MUST be good enough for you, right? These three fashion icons have rocked Delman Shoes in the past, and now it’s your turn! The newest styles released by the brand (a brand which has been around since 1918) are extremely sexy but still look ridiculously wearable at the same time. Our favorites include: Makayla in Red, Jules in Fuschia, Jane, Greer, and Geri, for that beginning-of-summer date that you just landed. Oh, and the Santee are good for by the pool or “by the beeeaach” as they say in the movie Half Baked.

The brand is available at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Endless.com, and are occasionally featured on Gilt Groupe if you can catch ‘em on time.

Famed luxury jewelry house Van Cleef and Arpels released it’s fourth scent entitled Féérie, and as you can see from the bottle, the scent is meant to take you away to a mystical fairy-filled place. The bottle and packaging was designed by Joel Desgrippes, who took inspiration from some Van Cleef and Arpels jewels. Apropos for a woodland nymph, Féérie is a “floral woody scent whose notes include violet, black currant, mandarin from Italy, jasmine from Egypt, iris from Florence and vetiver from Haiti. There is also absolute of rose from Bulgaria and essence of rose.” The fragrance was launched in July 2008 at Parfumerie Marionnaud, Harrods and Neiman Marcus and is set for international release in very tight distribution beginning in September. Féérie is a bit pricey as far as perfumes go, but when you consider the gorgeous sculptural bottle, it doesn’t seem that bad. This will definitely be a collectible, so if you love perfume bottles, I would put this very high on your list of must haves.

Source

It’s pretty a pretty sure bet that you’ll need a passport when you’re traveling by air across an ocean to another continent – North America to Europe, for instance, or Australia to Africa. But what if you’re traveling right across the U.S. border into Canada, or into Mexico? What if you’re driving your own car there? And what’s the protocol if you’re traveling by sea?

These are times when border procedures can get a little vague. Here are a few guidelines to help you out if you’re traveling from the U.S. into one of it’s bordering countries or nearby islands.

Mexico

Air – All travelers are required to present a passport. Period.

Passport Cover by Maharishi, GBP 60

Sea – Currently no passport is needed to cross into Mexico from the U.S. by sea (cruise ship or boat). However, by June 2009 all seagoing passengers coming back IN to the U.S. will be required to present a passport. It is assumed that the passport will be checked before departing for Mexico as well.

Land – Currently, no passport is needed to cross into Mexico from the U.S. by land (car, bus, other vehicle). However, proof of citizenship is required at checkpoints (birth certificate, driver’s license). By June 2009 all visitors will be required to present a passport when returning to the U.S. from Mexico, so you will need one before crossing into Mexico.

The full story and more passport cover options after the jump . . .
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Earlier this year Diesel introduced their fragrance Fuel for Life. The team of designers for the fragrance had this to say:

“We began by imagining scents that are a sort of secret potion for a new generation developed in a hidden laboratory,�? said Renzo. “We envisioned something, a power, known only to a chosen few that finally made it to the Diesel planet. This mix of retro imagination with a futuristic outlook is Fuel for Life.�?

And just in time for the Holidays, Diesel Fuel for Life fragrances has been refashioned! There are two options, both are perfect for gift giving this holiday season! The pocket chain, with refillable fragrance cartridge is perfect for that lady or gent that is constantly on the go, easy to carry and incorporate into your look as a fashion accessory…$75.

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The holidays are a dangerous time for an open-minded person like myself. It’s when I’m shopping for a specific person, looking for that perfect Christmas gift with them in mind, that I also happen to find many a perfect gift for myself, as I am a true optimist; inspired by all the wonderful things out there, seeing the hidden potential in each item I pass. You might think I’m crazy, but I’m serious; it’s the pleasure principle, and this week’s picks are great gifts to give and keep.

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