Merry Christmas

My Personal Photo

At last, after six months that seemed to breeze by in an instant, the holidays are here. Career has left little no spare time as of late. And so, I haven’t been able to properly update this little space that I love and which gives me such joy. The holiday season is one of my favorites and I’m looking forward to savoring the small joys of the season. 

My Personal Photo

In many ways, my Christmas wishes have already been answered in….

• A lovely holiday note of gratitude from a student I mentored a few years ago.
• Countless acts of generosity that led to a successful December benefit for a favorite cause.
• The kind compliments of a colleague who unbeknownst to me had been secretly admiring my leadership style. 
•  Family, good friends and a well-deserved break.

My Personal Photo

I wish you all a Merry Christmas! As always, thank you for your unending support. I am forever grateful. Enjoy the celebrations. 

Gift: The Luxe Notebook

Courtesy of Garance Dore 

It’s that time of year. The holiday season is one of my favorites. It’s all about spending quality time with family, festive evening gatherings, gorgeous decorations all over the city, generosity, and goodwill… A few lovely readers asked about my favorite items to give. I’m not one for gift guides and wish lists, but I figured I would devote a few posts to items I’m looking forward to gifting this season.

I’m a perfectionist about most things. I love indulging loved ones. Writing a note of gratitude. Meticulously wrapping beautiful packages and parcels. The art of the well thought out gift. My favorite things to gift have been books and items picked up on my travels. Admittedly, I have a difficult time not instantly sharing books and travel finds. 

I think Oscar Wilde said it best. I always travel with a notebook. Perfect for quick sketches, endless notes and all the things that come to mind when I have the luxury of quiet. To me there’s something very satisfying about pen and paper. And yes, it’s always fun to go back and read through my notes. The items below are dedicated to the jet-setters in my life. 

Courtesy of Graphic Image

A personalized/customized option from a retailer that’s a joy to work with

Courtesy of Hermes and Debrett

* Splurge worthy notebooks for the boardroom 

* A notebook that’s fit for a Queen

Courtesy of Net A Porter

* And for sketches, notes and musings during the collections

** Moleskines, along with notebooks from Muji and Archie Grand are perennial favorites that make great stocking stuffers.

How is your holiday planning going?

Christmastime In The City

My Person Photos

Just popping in to say a quick hello and happy holidays. I hope you're all enjoying the season. I love this time of year and make it a point to savor every moment. If I may toot my horn for just a second; I must admit that I have a talent for being able to find that thoughtful and luxurious gift for just about anyone. It takes careful planning and precision to come up with the perfect gift for everyone on my list. By the time  Christmas rolls around I can barely contain my excitement. 

In recent years, it's really the little things that make Christmastime so special. A handwritten note of gratitude. Staying up until 3 AM baking cookies. Immaculately wrapped presents. Decorating doorways, mantles and trees. All of the traditions. Spending time with family over leisurely long dinners and talking into the wee hours of the night. 

I'm officially on holiday, but checking work email compulsively. I'm not the best at relaxing, but these last few days have been lovely...

PS- How charming is Charles St?

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Gift wrapping inspiration. I have to outdo myself each year. 

Everything looks enchanting during the holiday season

Everything is aglow

Van Cleef and Arpel's (always enchanting) Christmas windows. VCA and Tiffany & Co. are always my favorite windows.

Pretty Shoes are essential for Christmas Eve Dinner

Happy Christmas Eve! After weeks of soirees, planning and preparations; Christmas is finally here. This week has been a flurry of activity. My holiday finally commenced with a well-deserved trip to the spa. Christmas is huge for my family. The celebrations officially kicked off with my mother's birthday on Friday. Everyone is in town, which provides a lot of laughter.

A chilly afternoon was spent dropping off a few perfectly wrapped presents to friends; admiring all the decorations as I went on my way. Big or small, I love taking the care and time to wrap a present beautifully. I have to add my personal sense of style to EVERYTHING I do. It's always fun to see people's eyes light up, when they spy an elegantly wrapped present with their name on it. Most importantly, the night before Christmas is a time to spend with love ones*. I wish you all a joyous Christmas surrounded by friends and family. I hope it's a GLAMOROUS one too!

Since we're on the subject of friends, I thank each and everyone of you for being such wonderful, intelligent and inspiring readers. Through this blog, I've met some truly extraordinary people and made a few friends too. The holidays are always a time of reflection and I feel very blessed to have your support.

* Of course, Christmas Eve wouldn't be complete without a glamorous pair of shoes  to show off a pretty pedicure. 

CREDITS

1) This is Glamorous / 2) Lorena Arance/ 3) Martha Stewart Weddings / 4) My Personal Photo / 5) Refinery 29