Très Ashley Gift Guide 2011

 

The holidays are here and it's time to go shopping. I've got some ideas for everyone on your list that I think you'll like. To me a personalized gift is the most thoughtful... something with a hand-embroidered initial or a photo... When in doubt, make it personal. Consider handmade gifts from etsy.com or fab.com and always try to give something you know they would like. For the person who has everything, give the gift of an experience...tickets to a show, a destination or to try something they've always dreamed of. For men, cloud9living.com can satisfy their dream to drive a race car or fly an airplane. There's personally in personal shopping. I’m sure you feel the same way I do…I absolutely love finding the perfect gift!     

For the Kids

Pirate checker board to keep things interesting in the game room. $225.00

Picture puzzle for those family get togethers, a puzzle gets everyone involved. $13.99

Bearded Beanie for baby to keep him warm like a lumberjack. $39.00   

Dimdi art is work done by an Italian artist who creates lovely watercolors of your favorite animals and pets. $25.00 

Lego Star Wars Visual Dictionary  It even comes with a lego guy, need I say more? $13.40

Hot Wheel Wall Tracks Starter Set My son will love creating tons of stunts on this wall tracks set and I love that we don't have to lose floor space because the tracks can be hung on the wall or on a door using 3M command strips that won't leave a mark. Brilliant! $37.97

Princess Glitter Gown What little girl doesn't love to play dress up? Neiman Marcus has many beautiful princess gowns to choose from. I like the princess pointed hat that goes with this Rapunzel looking gown. $68.00

For the Kitchen

Kitchen Magic Twisty Whisk in mint from Anthropologie will make your recipient's kitchen cheerful $8.00

All-Clad Slow Cooker with Ceramic Insert from William Sonoma is sure to make everyone's tummy happy and kitchen inviting $179.95

Dark Chocolate Balsamic is perfect drizzling on vanilla ice cream or cheese plates.  $14.95

Dean and Deluca wine club each month your gift recipient will receive two amazing wines

For Mom and Dad

Helen Ficalora jewelry is as fun to say as it is to wear. A perfect way to celebrate life's milestones with style.

Stripe and Field stationary will make mailboxes more colorful. $48.00 for a box set

Cell Phone Lenses that work with any camera phone. If you like the instagram app, you'll love these three small yet powerful lenses: the Fisheye, Telephoto, and Macro/Wide Angle Cell Phone Lenses. $49.00 for all three

Shearling-lined boots by L.L. Bean will keep your man's feet toasty warm this season. $154.00

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier  is a book that looks at Gaultier’s fashion shows and examines his visionary reflection of society’s evolution over the past thirty-five years.

For Razzle Dazzle

Pinhole Press Wine Labels will help you bring in the new year with unique and personal style $8.99

The Homesick Texan cookbook is the book every cook wants this season. You don't have to be from Texas to appreciate the comfort of Texan home cooking. Think cheese enchiladas, coffee-chipotle oven brisket, chicken-fried steak, coconut tres leches cake...  $17.49

Kate Spade "Spike the Punch" sweater is sure to make you feel like the life of the party. $195.00

Partridge In A Pear Tree Ornament Michael Aram's six inch tall plated ornament is a treasure of a decoration $49.00  

For more ideas see last year's gift guide here and happy shopping!   

MAY THE ROAD RISE TO MEET YOU

 

My husband and I recently watched the NBC show, Who Do You Think You Are? In the episode, Rosie O’Donnell travels to Ireland to find out more about her mother’s family. I kept thinking how I would love to go to Ireland and trace my relatives like Rosie. I've had many vivid dreams of Ireland and it’s always the same; I’m sitting on top of a high cliff overlooking the sea and smelling the fresh air.

I am proud to claim a wee bit of Irish in my blood. My grandmother’s grandfather was from County Cork, Ireland. It’s a very southern thing to ask someone what your grandmother’s maiden name is. I have always been happy to answer, O’Shaughnessy.

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! We celebrate the patron saint of Ireland on March 17^th (the day he died) with all things green (including leprechauns and shamrocks) to honor the Emerald Isle.

Saint Patrick was not born in Ireland, but Britain around 380. He was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave to herd sheep. Years later Patrick escaped back to Britain and felt a calling to study religion. He went to France and became a priest then a bishop eventually returning to Ireland to build churches and schools. I have read that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish people. Saint Patrick is loved and celebrated around the world. Who doesn’t love to say, “Kiss me I’m Irish?”

There are many popular places to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, but four favorites that are sure to put you in the Irish spirit. I’ve been lucky enough to spend Saint Patrick’s Day in three out of four of the hot spots. Dublin is first on my list and the one place I haven’t had the chance to visit yet. Perhaps I’ll go one day and trace the O’Shaughnessy family.

The number one place to enjoy the St. Patrick's Day festivities would be Ireland’s own capital, Dublin. With a five day St Patrick's Festival you will have plenty an opportunity to enjoy a pint or two especially if you visit  the famous Guinness Brewery. You will hear real Irish music and Irish dancing at an unforgettable parade. When I go, I would like to stay at Bono’s The Clarence Hotel in honor of my favorite Irish band, U2.

Another popular place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is in NYC. Once for Spring Break my husband and I flew into NYC the morning the world’s largest parade had begun. The taxi stopped many blocks away from our hotel because the streets were blocked off and we were swept into a sea of green with our bags (good thing they’re green). There is always an effervescent energy in NYC, but on Saint Patrick’s Day it radiates green! Our hotel was conveniently located by an Irish Pup, O’Casey’s where we spent a good part of our day drinking beer and listening to Irish sing-a-longs.

In San Antonio, the beer is as colorful as the river because every year the city begins its celebrations by dyeing the San Antonio River a bright emerald green and temporarily re-naming the river “Shannon.” Durty Nelly’s Pup is the place to be. The world famous Irish Pub features nightly sing-a-longs, shell-your-own peanuts and an endless selection beers. Did you know that San Antonio is the biggest consumer of Guinness in the United States?

Florence is another popular St Patrick's Day celebration city. The Italian’s call it 'Irlanda in Festa' where you can find concerts, typical Irish food and beer. Finnegan's Irish Pub is the place to be.

As a second grade teacher I love to decorate my classroom for St. Patrick’s Day with Shamrocks and read Irish children’s books. Here are a few of my favorites that I read to my class and my own children: Eve Bunting’s St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning, Tomie DePaola’s Jamie O’Rourke and the Pooka, and Gail Gibbon’s St. Patrick’s Day.

The Irish Blessings are some of the most beautiful. I like to do a countdown to Saint Patrick’s Day with one a day. I think you will enjoy them.

May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields and, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May you live a long life full of gladness and health, with a pocket full of gold as the least of your wealth. May the dreams you hold dearest, be those which come true. And kindness you spread, keep returning to you.

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks, may your heart be as light as a song, may each day bring you bright, happy hours, that stay with you all the year long.

May you get all your wishes but one, so you always have something to strive for.

May you be rich in blessings, poor in misfortune, slow to make enemies, quick to make friends. But rich or poor, slow or quick, may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light. May good luck pursue you each morning and night.

May you always walk in sunshine. May you never want for more. May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door.

There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships are friendships, and may they always be.

If you're enough lucky to be Irish, you're lucky enough!

A best friend is like a four leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have.

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.

It’s always nice to bless the belly as well! Irish food is not the most well known but it is some of the most comforting: Sheppard’s pie, corned beef and cabbage, beef stew, soda bread, and lots of potatoes. I like to continue the tradition my mom started for my brother and sister and I when we were little and make green pancakes, green eggs and green milk for breakfast while listening to a little Maura O’Connell.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and Slàinte!

The Year of the Rabbit: Our House is a Very Very Very Fine House

Winter is drawing to a close; spring is on the horizon and a fresh new start approaches with the Chinese New Year this week. The holidays are such a busy time that New Year’s Day is often just another celebration and might not feel as real and special as it should. Chinese New Year resonates with me this year more than any other because it symbolizes a second chance at new beginnings. It seems everything is new right now and a perfect time for a fresh start. A new blog, new kitchen, and new students all give reason to celebrate, but it’s also bit overwhelming and makes me crave things of comfort like my “old” cashmere sweater with holes in it.

Do you ever notice how certain material things we’ve had for a while make us feel safe? We have comfort food but we also have comfort clothes. Certain garments offer us stability. My cashmere sweater is like my security blanket; it’s familiar and safe and I know the way it will make me feel. I want to wrap myself up in what I feel comfortable in.

We typically recognize January 1^st as the first day of the New Year. I like the idea of celebrating again on February 3^rd. This is the year of the rabbit and predicted to be a gentle year full of good luck. This will be a refreshing change to the dramatic year of the tiger. The rabbit is calm, quiet, flexible, positive, and peaceful. It’s a good year to be home. The motto of the rabbit is to retreat; as a cancer zodiac sign, I’m good at hiding under my shell but as a dragon Chinese sign I still have trails to burn!

As with anything new, there is hope and optimism for new beginnings. At our house we have been remodeling our kitchen and with that comes clearing away old energy by cleaning, making repairs, painting, washing windows.... It feels good to start over and have a positive change and outlook.  The beginning is the most important part of the process, but it’s also the messiest!

I’ve always found the Italian language to be the most perfect language there is. There is a word for every feeling, food, and sense. A phrase that’s been on my shoulders is ‘sono a pezzi’ which means really tired, exhausted, or sad. Too much newness can be overwhelming! Like a typical teacher, I don’t care for change! I want my routine and schedule to be consistent. I think of David Bowie’s Changes...

(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different ‘woman’
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

I’m ready to sing Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s  

Our house is a very, very, very fine house
With two ‘dogs’ in the yard
Life used to be so hard!

Even though it’s not quite complete, the energy is already different. A new buzz surrounds our family and it is welcome like the lucky year of the rabbit.  But this ‘sono a pezzi’ feeling won’t quite leave me alone. I honestly haven’t enjoyed my new kitchen to the fullest yet due to these butterflies in my stomach that are also buzzing in my head? How do you make the new feel comfortable? I think ‘just do it’, dive in, open some fortune cookies and say Gung Hay Fat Choy!

On my menu to celebrate Chinese New Year and welcome the rabbit and all things new my family will enjoy cold sesame noodles, a crowd pleaser for the young and old! Whatever Chinese sign you were born under, the New Year is a time for feasting with family and friends.

If you have trouble mustering the energy to get started on something new, it might help to think about something that was repeated to me very often as a child. “Make sure you start each race with your best effort. You don’t have to be a head at the beginning to win at the end, but it sure increases the odds that you will.” I hope you get a great start!

Ashley’s Cold Sesame Noodles
1 lb Chinese egg noodles (or spaghetti)
1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 T rice wine vinegar
3 T soy sauce
1-2 t red chilli sauce like Sriracha
1 T toasted sesame oil
6 T water
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Add a generous handful of toasted sesame seeds and cilantro for garnish

In a blender, add ginger, garlic, sugar, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, chilli sauce, sesame oil, and water. Process until smooth and refrigerate for about an hour. Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted water and marry together with the peanut sauce. Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, and cilantro.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

New Year's resolution to "have fun" and "just dance!"

Instead of making a New Year's resolution to "lose weight" or "get healthy" why don't we try making a resolution to "have fun?"

One of my New Year's resolutions is to have enough energy to meet all challenges. When we are strong physically, it's easier to feel strong emotionally. I attribute a lot of my energy to Pilates, ballet, and yoga because all three help me find my center and stay balanced physically and mentally. If you care about your body, you take care of your body.

I love a fusion of ballet, Pilates and yoga because I think the three marry really well together. As a working mom of two young children I also have to be creative about how to find the time to exercise, it's much more fun to do together! I have some favorite DVDs that are fun for the whole family.

Dancing together creates an instant happy environment. We tend to favor music over the TV in our house, my children are happiest when music is on (so am I). If you want to have a blast with your children try: Wii "Just Dance," and Tracy Anderson Method Dance Cardio Workout with the children, I also recommend the New York City Ballet: the Complete Workout, for your dancer body.

 Dance workouts are all the rage because they are FUN; especially if you can do it with little people! There are many places offering belly dancing and Zumba classes; grab a friend and go together. It's much more fun to dance with a partner! Also, these are all things that can be done inside, when the weather is bad.

I have always found ballet, yoga, and Pilates to be mentally and physically challenging. Each has a calming meditative effect that soothes the soul. Listening to music while practicing can inspire creativity and artistry that you can't get in sports. If you think about other forms of exercise like cycling and running your mind is somewhere else. But with ballet, Pilates, and yoga you are mentally in control; you have a sense of power to direct your body to move in a certain way.


Ballet is my favorite! It's one of the oldest forms of exercise. There are movements that have evolved over hundreds of years and are specifically designed to embellish the beauty and grace of the dancer.

Ballet today is the result of centuries of learning how a dancer's body can be made strong and svelte while asserting itself with beautiful daintiness. Ballet is an exercise that is also an art form; because of this, it's never boring! Ballet requires you to move and to stand in a particular and balanced way. It benefits your coordination, posture, flexibility even your emotional well-being. I love that the mind is in tune with the body with breathing, concentration, control, strengthening smaller muscle groups to pull in longer muscles there is not bulk. Dancing can give you beautiful posture, sleek muscles, longer limbs that make you appear taller, a strong core, and flexibility. To me, a ballerina's body is the most beautiful: long, lean, athletic, and feminine. Ballet can actually change the shape of your body into a feminine and graceful structure. It is possible to have a dancer's body and not be a dancer!

Ballet targets and tones specific muscles that you don't use in other sports. Because of this, many athletes have looked to ballet as a rewarding form of exercise. I think of Emmitt Smith, Lynn Swann , and Herschel Walker who have a dance background. Emmitt was so much fun to watch in Dancing with the Stars; he was quick and light on his feet. Football is dancing around a ball. There is choreography, allegro, across the floor, agility, balance, rhythm... That's the benefit to practicing dance; you can carry it over into other activities that enhance what you already do.

I enjoy Tracy Anderson and think it would be a blast to go out dancing with her. At our house, we move the coffee table to the side and dance like crazy to the techno music that my husband says puts him in a trance. Tracy Anderson trains big celebrities like: Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Shakira , and Courtney Cox to name just a few. She is ballet based and has a background in Pilates. I really like how she uses low weights and high reps. Joseph Pilates set out to make the core of the body really strong, this is why so many dancers do Pilates.

Dancing is one of life's most enjoyable experiences! Discover a new world of beauty for you and your body. Find a friend or a little person and "Just Dance!" The fun you have will make you want to continue what you have started.

Doing this workout will get you swan lake arms!

Santa's Sinister Sidekicks

You better not pout; I'm telling you why...Krampus, Zwarte Piet, Pere Fouettard, and La Befana are coming to town!

Christmas in America is filled with sugar and spice and all things nice. Just look at the Elf on a Shelf; it's so cute and so American! The European Christmas has a more noirish flair; filled with characters that are not so loveable and kind. It happens that these noirish figures mostly come from Catholic backgrounds. Catholics have so many Saints; is it surprising that they also have a hefty amount of evil characters to go with the good?


After learning about Krampus, I started researching more of Santa's European companions. Although none are as scary as Krampus with his red tongue and horns, there are many who are just as disturbing.

Having two young children of my own and teaching seven and eight year olds, I have mixed feelings about these evil characters. Sometimes I think a little scare to entice "being good" might be a plus but I certainly don't want my children having nightmares! I think it's better to keep images of Sugar Plums (not demons) dancing in their heads!

In Austria: Krampus (meaning "claw" in German) is a scary horned creature with a red forked tongue; he is weighed down by heavy chains and goat fur. Krampus accompanies Saint Nicholas carrying a switch to punish bad children. The tradition in Austria is the children eat the little devil up in pastry form so he won't come to visit them! Krampus carries a wooden stick or switches and threatens children who misbehave. St. Nicholas never lets Krampus harm anyone because he is so kind but Krampus makes it his business to scare the living daylights out of children. On the Feast of St. Nicholas (December sixth), Saint Nicholas and Krumpus visit children to ask for lists of their good and bad deeds. The nice ones get treats like toys and candy; naughty ones get switches with a tree branch from Krampus. My friend from Austria said her parents never asked Krampus to come to their house and all her mom and dad had to say was, "Do you hear those heavy bells ringing and chains rattling?" That was all it took!

Also in Austria is a character named Sylvester who wears a grotesque mask, beard, and a mistletoe wreath lurks in a dark corner until a woman foolishly walks into the shadows and to her surprise she is seized and roughly kissed. All Catholic "Saints" are awarded a day on which Christians celebrate and pay tribute to that Saint's memory. December 31 is Saint Sylvester Day - hence celebrations on the night of December 31 are dedicated to Sylvester's memory.


In Germany: Belsnickel (similar to Krampus but not as grotesque) is a mountain man covered head to toe with fur who accompanies Saint Nicholas as the main disciplinarian. He is feared for his scary looks and leaves coal for bad children and candy for the good.


Also in Germany: Knecht Ruprecht, which translates as Farmhand devil or Servant devil, is a companion of Saint Nicholas. Tradition holds that he appeared in homes on Christmas Eve, and was a man with a long beard, wearing fur. Knecht Ruprecht sometimes carries a long staff and a bag of ashes, and wears little bells on his clothes.

According to some stories, Ruprecht began as a farmhand; in others, he is a wild castaway raised by St. Nicholas from childhood. Ruprecht sometimes walks with a limp, because of a childhood injury. Often, his black clothes and dirty face are attributed to the soot he collects as he goes down a chimney.


In the Netherlands : Zwarte Piet accompanies Sinterklaas and threatens children with switches and receiving lumps of coal, he helps Sinterklaas hand out presents on the fifth of December in Holland (St. Nicholas' eve, his feast day) by a steamboat from Spain, where he lives throughout the year. Accompanying Sinterklaas on the steamboat every year is Zwarte Piet, Sinterklaas's Moorish servant helper, who partners with him on the holiday gift-giving mission. Sinterklaas doesn't actually deliver any of the presents instead it's Zwarte Piet going roof to roof delivering to the children of Holland because Sinterklaas is too old and feeble for such exertion. Zwarte Piet and his friends were former chimney sweeps and have familiarity being up on rooftops and entering houses in uncustomary ways.


In Scandinavia: Nisse an Elf or gnome like creature who protects the farm In Scandinavian folklore, has an active interest in the farm by doing chores like grooming horses, carrying bales of hay, and other farm-related tasks. These chores were usually done much more efficiently and effectively than by their human counterparts. However, the Nisse is known to be temperamental and mischievous. If the household was not careful to keep its Nisse satisfied and unforgotten (usually in the form of a single bowl of porridge with butter in it left out on Christmas Eve) the Nisse could turn against its masters and bring bad fortune to the farm.

In France: Pere Fouettard (The Whipping Father) an evil butcher who committed murder carries around switches to threaten children and is feared by children. He carries rusty chains and switches. On December 6, Pere Noel roams through France with his small donkey laden with gifts and treats, and each good boy and girl receives a present. The bad girls and boys, however, receive a visit from Père Fouettard, who lashes them with his whip. Isn't it just très French to have a butcher in Christmas legend? I wonder if Pere Fouettard prepares a crown roast for Christmas dinner.


In Italy: La Befana was just an common old woman, cleaning her house and going about her business, when the Magi (the three wise men of gold, frankincense and myrrh) showed up at her door asking for directions to the Christ child. She didn't know, but gave them refuge in her home overnight. They found the experience so pleasing that they invited her to come along on their journey the next day; but she declined because she was too busy with her cleaning and didn't want to waste time. Later that night, she regretted the decision, and set off to find them with no luck. Since then, every year on January 6th, La Befana is said to be searching for the Christ child, and flies around on her broom leaving toys and candy in the stockings of good little children (and lumps of coal or ashes in the bad.) As an added bonus, before she leaves the house, La Befana sweeps your floors so you wake up on the morning of Epiphany with a sparkling home. But beware! If you see her during the night she'll give you a thump with her broom. La Befana may be ugly and old but the children adore her; I'd love for her to clean my house!

The good news is, no matter what country or culture, Santa is always viewed as a merry old man. I prefer the orientation toward kindness and positivity that we seem to favor in America. It seems a lot more consistent with the "Ho! Ho! Ho!" mentality to reward children for good behavior than to punish them for "being bad."

Ashley's Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday shopping is on my mind, how about you? I have a select few go to websites for gifts and I'm happy to share them with you. As a working mom I tend to shop online or at a one stop shop kind of place like Target. Seasonal shopping should be fun, not stressful! I hope to help inspire an enjoyable shopping season. As the song goes...These are a few of my favorite things!

We all want to see that excited look on the face of a loved one opening a gift. My daughter had it last year when she opened a pair of ruby red slippers! I remember one year when I had mentioned how much I wanted a pair of Timberland hiking boots. My Aunt Suzy and Uncle Sam had gone in on the gift together, but I didn't know that. I opened Uncle Sam's present first with the Timberland box and was in tears to find only one boot! I was crushed and assumed the store had made a mistake. Later, when I opened Aunt Suzy's present, I was so flabbergasted and ecstatic to find the other shoe that I jumped on the coffee table and started dancing!

Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping . ~Bo Derek

For the grandparents...Photos always make a happy gift! Everyone loves pictures!

At Chic Canvas you can easily upload a photo and get it printed on canvas. Sizes range from 8x10 to 40x60 with prices starting at $79. You can even have it personalized and stylized with captions and borders.

Another thing I love to do is make personalized ornaments, calendars, magnets, and photo books. Like my second graders say, "Easy peasy lemon squeezy!"

Most people love books! Even with the tech savvy kindle and ipad users, there is something wonderful about the smell, feel, and glossy pictures of a new book. Here are some of my favorites:


• Star Wars: A Scanimation Book by Rufus Butler Seder
Scenes from the movie comes to life when the book is turned from side to side. This is a book that is just as popular with big kids as it is toddlers.
• I can't wait to read Cleopatra because like Euripides said, Clever women are dangerous women, and no woman has gone down in history as more clever or dangerous than Cleopatra.
• For my mom, an expert in finding beautiful things, The Encyclopedia of the Exquisite was made for her! This book is an educational read on how beauty can be found in the most unlikely places.
• The World of Gloria Vanderbilt: I've always had a fascination with her because she was a renaissance heiress: a painter, a designer, a model, a writer, an entrepreneur, an actor, a socialite, a survivor, an icon...

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

Ashley's Favorite Gifts:

• Chocolates, Wine, Tea, Coffee, Pasta, Spices, Olive Oil- Can all be found in one of my favorite stores Dean and Deluca
• Stationary- Needle in a Haystack Thank you notes are so much easier to write if you have beautiful stationary. Dallas' own, Needle in a Haystack is the perfect place to find your writing inspiration.
• Tickets- One of my favorite gifts are tickets to a show! See what's playing at the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
• Cocktail Napkins- Sur la Table has an unbelievable selection and are guaranteed to make you laugh.
• Cookbooks- My favorite of the moment is Barefoot Contessa's How Easy is That?
• Knit Hat- Stitches of Faith The perfect baby gift!
• Socks- everybody needs them, everybody loves them!
• Candy- Dylan's Candy Bar
• Umbrellas- MoMa has my favorite color spectrum umbrella


• Diptyque candle- The best scented candles ever!

• Makeup- Sephora (my kind of candy store) I remember when my Great Aunt Dee had given me some Estee Lauder lipstick for Christmas. I was so excited to open that shiny gold tube! Makeup is always a fun gift!

• Slippers- JCrew
• Magazine Subscriptions- There's a new magazine called Anthology about home décor, travel, design, entertaining, and culture.

Kitchen gadgets make excellent stocking stuffers or just a little ditty:
• Red Envelope- heart measuring spoons


• Microplane Grater-Zester- a popular chef favorite
• Pop Strainer- my favorite kitchen utensil


• Kitchen Cuicine Soap


Three really cool websites for those hard to buy for people on your list:

• Mxyplyzyk pronounced mix-ee-pliz-ik, MoMaStore and American Museum of Natural History

There is no doubt that you will find something unique and impressive here. The holiday cards at the MoMA are without a doubt the coolest cards ever! The dinosaur toob at AMNH is every little boy's favorite thing!

For the men in your life...Cabelas covers it all! For your athlete Sports Authority is the way to go. For your Mr. Fix it you can't beat Lowe's or HomeDepot!

Happy shopping!

Please share your favorite holiday gift ideas, too!

Halloween superstitions, Macbeth, and Merde

Shakespeare said, All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.

I've been thinking of Shakespeare, specifically Macbeth. Many great stories come with an accompanying curse. The Macbeth curse is probably the most famous of all superstition curses. I remember my high school theatre teacher warning us never, EVER say Macbeth on stage. We all kind of laughed, like yeah right! But I'll never forget the intensity and seriousness in his face and voice. Sometimes I think I've accidentally said Macbeth and I'm not even on stage. But like Shakespeare said, life is a stage! You know the saying, "When it rains, it pours?" Well maybe someone just said "Macbeth!"

Dancers, actors, and directors NEVER say Macbeth in a theatre, especially not on stage! There are too many bad things that have happened as a result. It seemed everyone had a Macbeth story. There are many documented disasters and mishaps surrounding Macbeth: an actor substituted a stage dagger for a real dagger, sudden sickness, broken ankles, fires...

I'm not one to monkey around with tradition or superstition. I think of Stevie Wonder's song:

Very superstitious, writing's on the wall
Very superstitious, ladders bout' to fall
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don't understand
Then you suffer
Superstition ain't the way

I have a mix of both superstition and Pollyannaism! I do think it's better to live on "Glad Street" but a touch of drama goes a long way! The Macbeth curse is one of the most famous of all superstition curses ever! There is much evidence of bad things happening after someone has said Macbeth on stage. Lately I've felt like someone was saying Macbeth on my street! Bad things happen daily, but like Pollyanna, it's best to find the glad in the bad! I hope to teach this to my children.


Halloween, known as a very superstitious holiday, is approaching. My favorite things about Halloween have nothing to do with being scared. I don't like the scary factor, especially for children. I do love the fall treats, decorations, and fun costumes.

Photo: My children as Raggedy Ann and Andy. You can see luck was in my son's favor here swiping his favorite candy.

Trying to channel the good like Pollyanna, here are thirteen things to keep you lucky! Take them with a grain of salt!

1. Don't put hats on beds
2. Don't walk under ladders
3. Cover your mouth when you sneeze
4. If you spill salt, take a pinch of the spilled salt and throw it over your left shoulder
5. Knock on wood three times after mentioning good fortune
6. Carry a rabbit's foot for luck
7. Cross your fingers for luck
8. Don't open an umbrella indoors so bad luck won't rain on you
9. Hold your breath when you go past a cemetery
10. Hang a horseshoe upright above the doorway for good fortune
11. Break a wishbone for good luck
12. If a black cat walks towards you, it brings good luck, if it walks away it takes your luck
13. An elephant with the trunk facing up is good luck

Fröhliche Weihnachten, Buon Natale, Joyeux Noël, and Merry Christmas!

Have you ever had the feeling that you belong in a certain place? Well, for me that place is definitely Italy. More specifically, Florence; It is my favorite place on the planet! I dream of Italy and would love to go there for Christmas one day. I imagine it being magical! I picture an old villa with a roaring fire to read, relax, and play games in front of. We would eat hearty Italian meals and drink delicious wines while the kids drink hot chocolate. Well, I can do this all here! I'm just missing the sounds and scenery of the cypress trees, ancient buildings and vibrant Italians! I am lucky that my husband feels the same way about Italy. Home is where you make it but perhaps someday our home might be where we want it, in Italy. Christmas for our family is at our home. What fun it is to pull in other cultures and customs during the Christmas season. For families all over the world Christmas is the chance to get together, eat wonderful food and exchange presents as a sign of love. For me Christmas is not complete without my mom's crown roast, Christmas cookies, a real tree, and Christmas mass (it was midnight mass before we had children). We have adopted many European foods over the years: France's bouche de Noelle, Austria's Krampus pastry, and Italy's panettone.

We are all great teachers when we are teaching our children something we ourselves are passionate about. What better time to teach children about cultures and customs during the holidays. Children's little minds are open to the world and exposing them to culture gives them a new way of seeing things. As a bonus, I get to learn with them along the way.
Being a xenophile I am interested in all things European. Travel with me while you read this and let's have Christmas in Italy, Austria, France, Germany and England.

Photo: Ashley's daughter Zooey eating Krampus!

As in America, it is common in Europe that people stay close in their family circle during the holidays. Many Europeans, being Catholic, attend mass; even more popular is midnight mass. It seems mistletoe, garlands, and trees are something we have in common with the Europeans. It is likely that most traditions were adopted here in America (the melting pot) from Europe!

Photo: Christmas market in front of the town hall in Vienna, Austria
Merry Christmas in German is, Fröhliche Weihnachten. Christmas trees originated in Germany as well as many popular Christmas songs like, Oh Tannenbaum. Another favorite, Silent Night by Franz Gruber comes from Austria. In some German speaking areas of Europe, Santa is replaced by Christkind (Christ child). He brings presents Christmas Eve and rings a bell just before he leaves to let children know that the presents are ready. Also celebrated in German speaking regions is Saint Nicholas' Day on December 6th. He puts goodies in well behaved children's shoes and a servant named Krampus (a little devil) accompanies Saint Nicholas to make sure the children are polite and well behaved. My friend from Austria makes a Krampus Milchstritzl pastry for her children to eat. The tradition in Austria is if the children eat the little devil up, he won't come to visit them! Krampus carries a wooden stick or switches to threaten children who misbehave. St. Nicholas never lets Krampus harm anyone because he is so kind.

Photo: Christmas in Florence, Italy

Merry Christmas in Italian is, Buon Natale. Christmas Eve dinner traditionally consists of seafood, with the feast of the seven fishes. Dinner is followed by Italian Christmas sweets like: pandoro, panettone, torrone, panforte, struffoli, and more. Every year my second graders learn how the holidays are celebrated around the world. I love when we get to Italy and so do the children because they are so curious about La Befana! She is a kindly old witch who brings sweets and gifts to good children and charcoal or bags of ashes to naughty children on January 6th, Epiphany. This is the day to remember the Magi's visit to the Bambino (Christ child). In Italy Christmas is celebrated from December 24th to January 6th. This includes Christmas Eve, Christmas, Saint Stephen (December 26th), and Epiphany (January 6th).

Photo: Christmas in Paris, France
In France you say Joyeux Noël. French children put their shoes by the fireplace so Père Noël (Father Christmas or Santa) can give those gifts. La bûche de Noël (Yule log) is a popular dessert cake made of chocolate and chestnuts. The essential French Christmas decoration is the crèche, or nativity scene, which is found in churches and homes. In Provence, crèches are often a mix of religion and everyday life, showing not only the birth of Christ, but also the village and way of life, with farms, stores, and everyday people from the region.

Photo: Christmas in Great Britain
In Great Britain caroling is popular and so are Christmas cards. A traditional Christmas meal in Great Britain might include turkey or roast followed by Christmas pudding and during the meal Christmas crackers are pulled containing toys, jokes and a paper hat. Unique to England is Boxing Day, which sounds very Zen to me! It is traditionally a day for giving to the less fortunate and getting rid of the things you don't need or use anymore.

You can probably get a sense of where some of your traditions originate from. Or maybe you read about some you'd like to try this year. However you celebrate, do it with an open heart and love the home you've created for your family. Fröhliche Weihnachten, Buon Natale, Joyeux Noël, and Merry Christmas!

This Thanksgiving Toast to Squanto with your family!

This is an exciting time of the year to be a teacher of young children because learning about the Pilgrims and Indians is a subject my second graders are always interested in. Squanto's story is especially fascinating.

He was such a survivor! Squanto was kidnapped from his home in America in 1605 by English explorers when he was just a child. He was sold as a slave to monks who taught him English. He lived in London and later Spain before returning home. When he finally made it home, he found his Patuxet tribe had been wiped out by a plague. He then lived with his friend Samoset in the neighboring Wampanoag tribe.

In 1620 the Pilgrims came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in Squanto's old village. Squanto decided to live with the Pilgrims and teach them how to survive in the wilderness that he knew so well. He taught the Pilgrims how to hunt for deer, where the fish swam, the best ways to catch them, where to find berries and herbs and how to plant corn the Indian way (in hills with a dead fish to make the soil richer).

He and Samoset (who also knew some English) and the Indian king Massasoit made friends with the Pilgrims. In 1621 a treaty was made for peace and kept for fifty-four years. Squanto assisted in arranging this treaty, which bound the tribes to Plymouth. As a reward the Pokanokets, who had previously captured him, allowed Squanto to live with the English at the site of his original Patuxet home. Talk about coming full circle! And in return for helping them, the Pilgrims protected Squanto and allowed him to continue to live with them.

Because of Squanto the Pilgrims had much to be thankful for and they invited the Indians to the first Thanksgiving feast. It lasted three days. Massasoit arrived with ninety Indians. My second graders love comparing menus of the first Thanksgiving to what they eat today. It's really not all that different; turkey and corn are still popular staples!

Squanto lived with the Pilgrims the rest of his life. The Pilgrim children loved him and followed him everywhere.

Squanto did what any kind neighbor would do, he came over to say hello and help with dinner!! Then he made a decision that should inspire all of us. He decided to share his knowledge with his new friends. He taught them things that he knew well, things that would make their lives better.

This Thanksgiving, toast to Squanto with your family! Encourage your children to be the Squanto in their school. Squanto's story is a wonderful one to share with your children because it teaches them they should be friendly, kind and helpful to the new kids. After all, history could have been a lot different if it weren't for Squanto helping the Pilgrims survive in their new home in America.

In honor of celebrating the first Thanksgiving I think it's nice to pay homage to Squanto. Please enjoy one of our family favorites; suitably, corn! Happy Thanksgiving!

Ashley's Corn Pudding
• 1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons butter, in all
• 3 tablespoons dried Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped bacon
• 4 ears of corn
• 2 teaspoons salt, in all
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 small chopped onion
• 1 minced shallot
• 1-2 minced garlic
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 T bourbon
• 6 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup yellow corn meal

Directions
Preheat the oven 365 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a large casserole dish (13-inch by 9-inch) with 1 teaspoon of butter. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on the bottom and sides of the dish. Cut the corn off the cob. In a sauté pan, melt the remaining butter. Add the bacon and sauté for about 3 minutes or until the bacon is crispy. Stir in the corn, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the cayenne. Add the onions, shallots, garlic, and bell peppers and cook for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk the cream, milk, bourbon and eggs together. Add the remaining salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cheese. Stir the corn mixture and cornmeal into the cream mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until golden.