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ART OF LIVING
DECEMBER 17 - DECEMBER 23, 2009
GIFTS FOR THE HOME BY ERIN VOSTI LAL
Maude Woods From a designer’s perspective, this place is heaven! Recently opened in October, Maude Woods carries the most exquisite pieces for the home. A wonderful mix of antiques and new items, you are sure to find a lovely gift for the home. They have a large selection of the most divine antique glassware, which always make wonderful gifts. My favorite is a set of antique hobnail goblets or the Dorothy Thorpe bar glasses from the 40’s and 50’s. If you are looking for a hostess gift, they carry beautiful silver nut trays and green glass bowls in the shape of leaves, or antique French pottery that can be used as a bud vase. For the entertainer on your list, there are many serving pieces and elegant tabletop accessories to choose from. For the collector on your list, Maude Woods has antique magnifying glasses, which always look lovely as a collection on a coffee table. I fell in love with a small burlwood box with tiny drawers, perfect for storing stationery or postcards. They have an extensive collection of John Robshaw textiles, and delightful decorative pillows if you want to give something soft. Even for the dog lover on your list, they have a great selection of Harry Barker dog beds, which any dog would appreciate for the holidays! 55 East Holly Street Pasadena, CA | www.maudewoods.com
Country Cottage Country Cottage is a sweet and charming store with a huge selection of home décor items and holiday decorations. Whether you are looking for a gift, or shopping for your own home, they have beautiful ornaments, stockings and anything to make a home festive for the season. For the gardener on your list, they have all kinds of great items, including adorable garden signs and decorative pieces for the outdoors. They carry great accessories for the kitchen; I love their selection of delightful kitchen and tea towels, which makes great gift wrapping for a present for the cook! Or if you’re looking for a hostess gift, you won’t go wrong with their wonderful scented candles. Country Cottage carries fun cottagestyle signs that can be hung up on the wall or propped up on a table or counter. With cute sayings and drawings, these make wonderful gifts, and are sure to bring a smile to a friend or loved one. This is the perfect place to shop for home décor, especially if someone you know loves that cozy, country cottage look, or Americana. 107 W Foothill Blvd | Monrovia, CA
Lula Mae Lula Mae is a store that is just as enchanting as its name. Voted Best Gift Boutique in Pasadena, they have a whimsical selection of holiday décor and wonderful gifts for the home. What I love most is the vintage charm that many of the items they carry exude. Their ornaments, holiday figurines (even their selection of Christmas aprons!) all conjure up a feeling of holidays past. Everything is very unique, including an adorable and extensive collection of snowmen and snowwomen, all dressed up in their holiday finest. As gifts, I couldn’t resist a set of vintagelooking Santa plates and glass candy dishes. Lula Mae also has tiny Christmas trees with silver ornaments and hand-made cloth angels and stockings. I fell in love with a collection of brown and white porcelain with bird motifs - mugs, trays, salt and pepper shakers, and boxes. Some of the pieces have a cute little bird figurine on top. The boxes are great to store jewelry in by the bedside. Their kitschy and fun gifts for the home also include salt and pepper shakers in the shape of yellow chickens, an eggling which, when cracked open, becomes a planter for little plant seeds included inside, and fun trays and boxes for anywhere in the home. 100 N. Fair Oaks Avenue Pasadena, CA | www.lulamae.com
KC Hopper I love giving stationery as a gift, especially as the hand-written letter is becoming rare. KC Hopper specializes in custom stationery and invitations, and has a great selection of gifts as well. I personally love their lines of candles which I keep in the closet as extra hostess gifts for that unexpected invitation to a holiday party. Personal notecards or notepads are a thoughtful way of giving someone on your holiday list a tailored and customized gift. For several of my clients, I am creating custom notepads with their initials at the top, in a simple but elegant font. I’ve found adorably chic notecards for several friends and am having their first initial printed on top in a modern font. For one friend who collects anything with dragonflies on it, she will be receiving a colorful and whimsical personalized stationery cube this year. KC Hopper will work with you to select the right design, colors and style for that special person on your gift list. Their selection is extensive and thorough. They even print custom napkins. For my mother who has just finished an extensive and painful remodel, I’m giving her a set of paper cocktail napkins that read in red letters, “Have you seen my contractor?” They will be a hoot at her next cocktail party! 401 1/2 S. Myrtle Ave. Monrovia CA | www.kchopper.com
West World Imports The part of holiday shopping I love is browsing unique stores to find an unusual and beautiful gift that is perfect for the collector, or someone who has very distinct taste. West World Imports is always my go-to place for incredible antique furniture when I’m designing a home. But they also have a wonderful collection of antique accessories that make for great gifts. They have a beautiful collection of antique framed prints, with subjects that range from birds, flowers, maps or architecture. If anyone on your list collects pottery, there’s a great amount of antique French pottery in the store, or decorative antique plates that can add to a collection. There’s even a French hay feeder from the mid 1800s I found that would be a great wall decoration for my dad’s home, as he is hard to shop for, but loves eclectic antiques repurposed as something else. For a friend who loves feminine and delicate pieces, I found a lovely little pink French pitcher with hand-painted flowers that will be a great accessory in her kitchen. I also love their vintage French wine jugs, large and of the prettiest green glass; they make for the perfect gift for the oenophile on your list and are fun to fill with wine corks from bottles that have been enjoyed or matchbooks from memorable excursions. West World Imports has beautiful wood tea caddies and cigar boxes which are also great gifts for the home, or elegant antique trays for the entertainer on your list. There is truly something interesting for everyone on your list here. 171 E. California Blvd. Pasadena, CA | www.westworldimports.com
The Frame House Who doesn’t love to receive a frame as a gift? The Frame House specializes in custom framing, which makes a fabulous, personalized gift. They are very knowledgeable and incredibly helpful, especially when it comes to coordinating colors and frame styles to match the subject. They have a beautiful and large selection of frame types, from formal to modern, ornate to simple. If you have a print, a painting or even a photograph that needs that extra, special touch, framing it for a friend or loved one is always a great way to go the extra mile when gift giving. I love to frame sentimental objects, and they will frame anything from signed baseballs to baby booties. In fact, I’ve managed to have my friend’s husband sneak out a set of antique keys they have been collecting, so I can have them framed for the holidays as a surprise. What a lovely addition it will be to their walls! 2 North 1st Ave. | Arcadia, CA
SHOP HERE FOR HER
Superfood Drives Promote Healthy Food Donations
BY MARIA MCDOWELL
Iris Intrigue This charming boutique has a mix of clothing for lounging or going out on the town. The boutique is stocked with jackets for the season. The style is geared for playful soccer moms and elegant grandmothers. Pick up a comfy Fresh Produce pant set or perhaps one of this season’s trendy box jackets (the ones sold here are reversible!). Knock out a good portion of your shopping list for everyone here; half the boutique is a gift shop with wonderful jewelry, quirky trinkets, and stationary by Vera Bradley. The Staples: Hiking and lounging tees from Life is Good and Fresh Produce. Hand knit and exclusive silk-screened scarves from local designers. Don’t Miss: Lindsey Phillips Ballerina Flats, price conscious ($60 range) with adorable detachable brooch clips. We Like: The owners’ conscious decision to stock a majority of brands that are made in the U.S. and/or eco-friendly. 49 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre 91024 | 626-355-4032
BY ERIN VOSTI LAL
Attitude! This boutique is a great find nestled on the corner of Sierra Madre Blvd. and Auburn Ave.. A small store, it makes up for its size with pieces so well edited, you’d be pressed to find this selection in a store twice the size. The styles are fashionable and yet classic, with many possessing a whimsical bohemian flavor. The price points are mid-range with tops in the twenty to thirty dollar range, and dresses going around forty to sixty. You’ll go into the store a browser coming out as a stylish diva with a sassy look one would expect to find on Robertson Blvd. The Staples: Dresses with a range sure to please the feminine to the fierce. Don’t Miss: The great selection of handbags. From clutches to satchels, they’ll be sure to rouse compliments without having to shell out hundreds. We like: The well-edited selection that simultaneously pleases all tastes. 90 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre 91024 | 626-355-3929
Elisa B. A Pasadena favorite, Elisa B. is robust with New York high style on the West Coast. With brands such as 3.1 Phillip Lim, Milly, Tibi, J Brand, Juicy, Trina Turk, Shoshanna, Rebecca Taylor, and so much more, this boutique will have you dressed to the nines every time. Not for the weak checkbook, these clothes will put a dent in your wallet but will be worth it with the head turns and classic pieces that will last far beyond any trend of the moment. The jewelry selection here is a pleaser as well with Becky Kelso, Pade Vavra, Wasabi and other great genuine stone pieces. Perfect for gift giving. The Staples: Splendid tops and great designer denim. Still worn on these gams from years past. Don’t Miss: The amazing selection of jewelry here. Whether your budget is $30 or $300, you’ll find pieces sure to delight a loved one. We Like: the selection of TOMS shoes here. Another great gift idea. 12 Douglas Aly Pasadena 91103 | 626-792-4746
Vanity Room We sure are happy to have discovered this little jewel. A Salon and Boutique, Vanity Room is like a trip to your best friend’s closet. Tiny and comforting, the boutique is a breath of fresh air from the hustle and bustle of malls and even the small boutiques around town. Since it’s so small, the owner focuses on buying trendy items that you can mix and match with your existing wardrobe. The pieces you’ll find here range from preppy to Manhattan-chic. The styles are chosen to work for a vast age-range. The jewelry is also distinctive and well priced. The Staples: Jewelry and denim at low prices. Don’t Miss: The versatile pieces the owner buys to combat her competitors. We Like: The personal feel of the boutique and that you can get your hair styled in the same cozy place. 611 W. Huntington Dr. Monrovia 91016 | 626-357-7616
Ruthi Solari stands next to a food donation drum at a local grocery store early one morning. As shoppers walk through the door, she catches them to explain her mission: “We’re trying to bring healthy, non-perishable food into lowincome communities by asking you to donate canned food items that are nutritious and nutrient-dense.” She hands them a list of items in the store that are non-perishable and rich in nutrients, so shoppers are able to buy the healthy items while they shop, and donate them on their way out. Ruthi is founder of SuperFood Drive, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing healthy, nutrientdense, non-perishable foods to populations in need. Through collaboration with local food banks, SuperFood Drive educates givers and receivers about the benefits of promoting health and well-being to individuals in their communities. Instead of reaching into the back of your pantry for food donation items, Ruthi urges donors to pick out healthier foods, which often cost the same as other non-perishable items. “For example, donate black beans instead of refried beans in lard, donate fruits packed in their own juices instead of sugar, donate whole grain pastas and brown rice.” According to Ruthi, with individuals learning to donate foods that are nutritious and healthy, the whole community benefits in the end. “Eating healthy can help children focus at school and give them more energy. It can also help families cut down on prescription medication by promoting a greater immune system and stop the increase of general diseases and ailments,” Ruthi explains. But what, exactly, are superfoods? “Superfoods are foods with a high nutrient-density per calorie ratio; in other
words, foods where you can get the most nutritional ‘bang’ for your buck.” Ruthi continues, “Super foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and other important nutrients. These items can all positively and greatly affect one’s brain, heart and energy level.” Ruthi has worked closely with food banks to modify their most needed items into superfoods. This makes it easy for donors to provide populations in need with the food items they need the most, but with healthier alternatives. Ruthi s professional training as a Certified Nutritionist and background in corporate wellness, along with her leadership position at United Nations Association in San Diego inspired her to produce SuperFood Drive in observance of United Nations Millenium Development Goals and hunger prevention worldwide earlier this year. After reading a book about superfoods, and their incredible effects on one s health, Ruthi became passionate about superfoods and their health benefits. With this new knowledge, she started spreading the word about the value of superfoods to her family, friends and co-workers. Then, in January 2009, at a conference called “Food as Medicine” put on by the Center for Mind Body Medicine, Ruthi explored the idea of how to impact low income communities in the areas of health and wellness with MDs, PhDs, RDs and other health enthusiasts. Suddenly, the concept of SuperFood Drive was born. The goal became fostering a circle of knowledge and of giving; individuals purchasing and donating the superfoods would learn about health benefits as they purchased the items, while the individuals receiving the superfoods would benefit directly from the nutrient-dense items and the direct impact eating superfoods has on one’s brain, energy level, heart health and more. The
theme quickly became “Giving the Gift of Health.” SuperFoodDrive.com was then created, a way in which donors could simply and easily go online to donate superfoods from their lap top, work computer, or even phone. Ruthi’s mission is consistent with the United Nations Association’s First Millenium Development Goal: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger. Her vision is to transform local food drives, national food banks and global humanitarian aid into providers of nutritious superfoods. Ruthi puts it simply: Now, more than ever, Americans are facing the daunting challenge of hunger, turning to local food banks for their primary source of household food. With the increase in need for food donations in communities across the country, providing families with nutritious and healthy food has become imperative. And with the holidays approaching, many local food banks are in desperate need of donations. And SuperFood Drive has responded. With volunteers all over California reaching out to their local communities, they have numerous projects, programs and initiatives coming up, including a holiday SuperFood Drive partnership with several Whole Foods Market locations, as well as “SuperKids for SuperFoods,” a campaign which will connect a low income school with an affluent school to educate students about how to choose healthy, kid-friendly snack items. It’s easy to host a SuperFood Drive in your own community, Ruthi explains. “Basically, you will act as the liaison between the people or groups donating the nutrient-dense, non-perishable SuperFood items and the people, groups and organizations receiving the donated items.” To learn more about SuperFood Drive, or to start a SuperFood Drive in your community, visit www.superfooddrive.com.