Song of the Week

Phoenix featuring Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Paul Shaffer, and Buster Poindexter - Alone on Christmas Day

Crazy About: Advent Calendars

clockwise from top left: little houses, village, mittens & stockings garland, minimalist tree,

mini tree diorama, starry tree, winter forest scene, winter wonderland town, San Francisco map

What We Are Talking About This Week

Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop is doing an amazing collaboration with Valentino.  If you're in the market for some fabulous, high end, star studded holiday looks, this is the line for you.

 The wonderful and hilarious essayist David Sedaris is currently on tour, and he's stopping at Northridge this Saturday.  Amazingly, there are still a few tickets left, so we just have one word for you: Go!  If you can't, console yourself with some of Sedaris' best stories on NPR.

While most places wait to unveil their holiday decorations until after Thanksgiving, Christmas comes a little early to Pier 39, where their tree will be unveiled this Saturday evening.

There is an amazing culinary event happening tonight in Los Angeles in honor of the release of SF/NYC Chef Danny Bowien's Mission Chinese cookbook.  Featuring a banquet cooked by Bowien, as well as chef's from LA's Night + Market and Sqirl, SF's Tartine, and LA, NYC & Portland's Pok Pok, this is set to be a delicious time.

It's no secret that San Francisco is winning the NorCal vs. SoCal airport food battle, and Eater has outlined some of the best places to eat next time you're waiting for a flight at SFO.

Can't Wait For: A Very Murray Christmas

Bill Murray, George Clooney, and Sofia Coppola?  December 5th, we'll be there!

Cozy Day After Christmas

We hope you had an amazing Christmas and got everything you wished for! We're planning on building a big fire in the fireplace and watching movies while sipping on our favorite warm beverages: apple cider, almond milk egg nog and mexican hot chocolate.

clockwise from top left: housecoat, apple cider, nutmeg, eggnog, throw,

slippers, mugs, mulling spices, mexican hot chocolate

Here are some things we've been watching lately:

Snowpiercer

We loved the visuals of this futuristic snowpocalypse movie where the world has frozen over and humanity resides on a giant train that travels the world, completing its loop once a year. It features Tilda Swinton, who, based on this article by GQ seems like the coolest person ever and makes us want to visit Scotland immediately. (available on Netflix)

The Affair

Season 1 just finished for this drama about an affair between two married people. Each episode covers events first from one's perspective, then the other. It's interesting to see which tiny details change, this musing on the fluidity of memory was something that also drew us to our favorite recent podcast, Serial. (available on Showtime OnDemand)

The Artist is Present

This documentary delves into the past work of performance artist Marina Abramovic and follows her as she prepares for a retrospective at MOMA. Her piece Lovers is especially moving as she and her partner walk from opposite ends of the Great Wall of China, meet in the middle and decide to end their relationship. (available on Netflix)

Portlandia

We love this IFC series set in Portland. Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein have created an amazing array of characters. It will begin its fifth season this January, so it's the perfect time to catch up on past episodes. (available on Netflix)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope you are having an amazing day.

Song of the Week

David Bowie & Bing Crosby - The Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth

Crazy About: Seasonal Sweaters

Clockwise from top left: red with bows, gold knit, turquoise ski, grey with gold broach, penguin,

black & white jacquard, grey reindeer, unicorn fair isle jacquard, red tartan

Winter Wonderland Holiday Party

We love having our friends over for dinner during the holidays. It gives us a chance 

to relax over food and wine and good conversation. We recently hosted a winter 

wonderland-themed party, and it was a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

Our small flocked Christmas tree set the tone with its snowy branches, from Little Hills Tree Farm.

 We went for an easy appetizer of crackers, cheese and an orange cranberry mostarda.

 Guests were welcomed with a mug of Mulled Wine. As a bonus, it also made the house smell amazing.

The dining table, set and ready. Branches of seeded eucalyptus made a simple centerpiece. Dinner was French Onion Soup, a baguette and a pear and blue cheese salad. Easy to make ahead and put in the oven when guests arrived.

 Letter ornaments served as name cards, and also a party favor to take home.

 For dessert: a gingerbread spice bundt cake.

Clockwise from top left: tablecloth, seeded eucalyptus, pitcher,  flatware, bundt pan, candles, candlesticks, 

wine goblets, mulled wine syrup, plates, glasses, christmas crackers, letter ornaments, napkins

Merry Christmas!

A very Merry Christmas to all! Cheers, and thank you for reading!

Holiday Windows in San Francisco / Union Square

One of our favorite ways to get into the holiday spirit is to wander around Union Square looking at the Christmas shop windows. Every store tends to put their brand's spin on the holiday. Here were some of the ones we liked best this year:

Brooks Brothers had the coziest family windows

 Paul Smith kept it simple with touches of red in the outfits and green mistletoe 

 Alexander McQueen let the clothes be the focus with this amazing beaded number

 Prada featured a winterized version of Hawaiian print

 This little kiosk museum brings a little culture to the street corner

 Hermes was simple with lodge scenes

 This men's H&M was one of our favorites. Love the riff on the country manor.

 Gucci was simple, but elegant

Gump's went with the tagline Holly Days and had an enchanted garden feel

Christmas Playlist

We are so excited for Christmas tomorrow - the presents are wrapped, a fire is burning, and we are curled up with a glass of eggnog listening to our Christmas playlist.

Song of the Week

Marcella Detroit - California Xmas

Recipe: Press Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
red and green food coloring

With an electric mixer mix the butter, egg, and almond extract.
Add the sugar, flour and salt and mix until combined.
Divide the dough in half and mix red food coloring in one batch, green in the other.
Wrap the dough in saran wrap and chill overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
With a cookie press space evenly on a cookie sheet, decorating with sprinkles and red hot candies.
Bake 4 minutes and then rotate the trays and bake an additional 4 minutes.

Our Complete Gift Guide

It's not too late to find the perfect Christmas present - many of the items in our guide can be shipped two-day or purchased in store...  Or there are always these last minute gift ideas:

*Plane Tickets
*A Foodie Cheese Class

*Artisanal Chocolate or Coffee & Mugs

*Favorite Magazine Subscription
*A meaningful book with a personal inscription
*A Personalized Playlist (+iTunes gift card for more music)

*A Potted Plant from your local nursery - we like paperwhites for Christmas, or you can make a tabletop succulent garden if you have a green thumb

Gift Guide - Wood

clockwise from top left: wood panel, ring, wood links, domino set, toasters, chair, sunglasses, finial, clutch, book light

Interior Design Inspiration: Classic Red & Green Christmas Decor

Clockwise from top left: napkin, pine scent diffuser, pillow, wreath, red mercury vases, 

green mercury vases, door mat, santa mugs, red garland, reindeer topiary, star lantern

Recipe : Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups and 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, and ginger together in an electric mixer, or by hand.

In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.  Pour them into the wet ingredients, and then add the chocolate chips, mixing well.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, place onto buttered baking sheets, and refrigerate for twenty minutes.  Remove from refrigerator, and bake 10-12 minutes until done.

Makes approximately 30 cookies.

Gift Guide - Fur

Clockwise from top left: collar, hot water bottle, coat, heels, ottoman, moccasins, pillow, clutch, gloves

Gift Guide - Tartan & Plaid Picks

clockwise from top left: book, tie, coat, bag, ice bucket, scarf, wallet, flats, shirt, blanket, flask