Hopenhagen Street Style

In honor of Hopenhagen (the climate change conference) that started yesterday, I rounded up some of my favorites looks from that hail from the streets of this news-making city.

{Images via Copenhagen Street Style}

NYC Apartment

I loved the story of this newlywed couple's experience decorating their first apartment together. Designer Brendan Kwinter-Schwartz helped them edit their craigslist finds into something spectacular in a small space.

Check out the article and interactive before and after features at the New York Times

Thanksgiving Recap

I'm so behind on posting, but I wanted to share some of my favorite things from our Thanksgiving Celebration!

We had such a wonderful time hosting our families this year; it was an incredible feast and I had a blast in the kitchen whipping up some old and new favorites.

Appetizers are a taken seriously in our family; crudite and BLT dip in a hollowed cabbage and an antipasto spread of cheeses, chutney and olives started things off right.

Our table setting was simple; holly branches in silver mint julep cups and candle light.

But perhaps the runaway favorite of the evening was the pear, walnut, brandy cranberry sauce; just enough sweetness to balance the tart, I would recommend this recipe for any holiday meal.

{Cranberry sauce image via Food52}

Pink to Green Gift Guide: For Your Foodie Friends

For the people on your list who pine for perfect produce, cook their way through volumes of Gourmet and consider the kitchen solace at the end of the day. These goodies are perfect for the foodies you hope will be inviting you to dinner.

1) Hand dipped, fluer de sel topped, organic caramels that hail from Brooklyn may seem like complicated candy, but let me assure you the taste is simply incredible. Order them in cute, environmentally responsible packaging from Organica Deluxe. We put these in our out-of-town guest bags and received hordes of compliments, you will too!

2) For the perpetual recipe collector, a gift certificate to create their own TasteBook is the perfect way to commemorate their efforts.

3) A membership to a local CSA would score you major points. Check out this website for participating farms in the their area. For all the produce they will have coming their way, a beautiful and unique way to display it is the ultimate foodie art. This fruit stack is perfect.

4) Encourage experimentation in the kitchen with a new gadget; a tangine will be a perfect addition to their repertoire because a meal with a pretty presentation and easy clean-up is sure to charm.

5) With all natural flavors like aged balsamic, lime fresco and vanilla bean; Fusion gourmet salts are the ultimate gourmet accessory.

6) The secret to perfectly carbonated water and tonic in minutes (sans disposable bottles), Soda Stream is a favorite in our house. Every foodie will love the ease to impress while also appreciating a smaller carbon footprint.

7) Specialty liquor such as TRU organic lemon flavored vodka would surely entice a cocktail hour to immediately ensue. A tree is planted for every bottle you purchase!

8) A modern looking, reclaimed wood spice block is a perfect compliment to their burgeoning salt collection.

Pink to Green Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! As the holiday shopping season officially jump starts today, here are my picks for stuffing a stocking this season:

1) Organic cotton Hanky Panky Boyshorts are a fun stocking addition; the lace detail has a lot of charm.

2) Josie Moran organic moisture balm is a cure-all for winter skin from one of prettiest green makeup lines around.

3) A Smathers and Branson coin purse is the perfect trinket to tuck in a stocking, I love the kitschy needlepoint choices.

4) A practical and purposeful gadget case becomes coveted in this recycled wool design.

5) Pure merino wool from New Zealand will envelope your winter toes with luxury, Ice Breakers is a favorite Kiwi brand. These crew socks will be worn immediately!

6) A lavender essential oil kit is the perfect way to unwind and this travel kit will ensure that you sleep well even through your holiday escapades. I've written about my love for this essential oil routine before and Aura Cacia is one of my favorite brands.

7) The stocking stuffer kit from Priti offers a great combination of environmentally friendly, seasonal nail colors. It's always nice to add a little sparkle.

8) A family tradition that I can't pass up is packing the stocking with nuts; healthy and festive, a handful of these always tumble out of our stockings.

Toast of the Town

Since Desiree Roger's feature last January in Vogue, I've been excited to follow along with Obama's social secretary. Tonight is perhaps one of her biggest opportunities to shine; just days before thanksgiving, the White House will be hosting it's first state dinner of this administration.

Months of planning will be unveiled as around 350 guests are treated to what has been called an event, "bigger than the biggest wedding".

I'm fascinated by these parties and have been since reading a great book called, A Lady First, by Latitia Baldridge who was the social secretary during the Kennedy administration.

From the invites, china, menu selection and, of course, black-tie ensembles, tonight is like an east wing version of the Oscars; I'm definitely going to tune in!

{Images from East Wing Rules}

The Silver Lining To My Thanksgiving Prep

Before taking to the kitchen, I have various prep-projects to attend to. (I'm hosting our families for Thanksgiving for the first time!) And since I tend to accessorize my home like my wardrobe, I have more than my fair share of sterling silver trinkets around the house that need polishing. Luckily, I ran across painless, rub-free and eco-friendly instructions for this task at the Simplified Bee, thank you Cristin!

I scored 8 of these pineapple place card holders and linen napkins at my favorite antique spot and can't wait to use them on our table. They are practically begging for their Charlotte Moss matching salt and pepper shakers!

So while I'm making a pretend shopping list, I'll add the outfit I'd love to play hostess in. This little number from Oscar is definitely calling my name.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

{Penelope image via HERE}