The coffee table book—boring old gift or inventive present? We like to think it’s the latter (and we’re excellent givers).
Here, a few of our favorites.
At this point, we’re past Thanksgiving, and all that holiday’s typical accoutrements—unexpected relatives, post-turkey lethargy, valiantly trying to catch up with Great Aunt Agnes. And heading straight into late December’s more of the same…
Well, you heard it here first: This year can be different. Herewith, some of our party-saving favorites:
It’s not quite fall, not quite winter (and, unbelievably, almost 2009). Foliage is over, skiing has yet to begin. So, faithful readers, I’m sure you’re wondering what Bostonista was doing in Vermont this weekend. The answer: A whole lotta nothing… in the best possible way.
Overstressed and overtired, we drove up to the Stowe area late Friday night, in good company. After a quick fish & chips fix at apres-ski mainstay the Shed, it was up the road to the newborn Stowe Mountain Lodge. Though we’d taken a hard-hat tour of the property last year, we never imagined it’d look like this. (more…)
As the hassles of the holidays begin to bear down, it’s important to plan your season wisely. And so this weekend, before the travel and relatives and debilitating amounts of food began, I set out intending to get a start on my holiday shopping.
Most of the friends and family on my list are fairly easy (though, Dad, if you’re reading this, you might want to ask Santa for the new Judge Judy DVD; I can’t do it). But there’s one problem:
What to get the cat who has everything?
Though I’ve invested in a variety of carpet, sisal, and catnip-dusted cardboard cat scratchers, I’ve thus far resisted getting my pal Joanie a good piece of cat furniture. So she uses our couch, chair, and rugs—anything but the aforementioned cat scratchers—as her posts.
Now, our (and by our I mean my boyfriend’s) furniture looks like we have a cat, or maybe eight. But while it’s fine to take a risk on a $40 post that the cat uses twice, it’s much harder to take the leap on a piece of furniture that can run in the hundreds. (Nevermind where to put it so that guests don’t look at you funny.)
So after some extensive research, I’ve narrowed it down to three: (more…)
The past months of mud-slinging ads, nationally televised emotional breakdowns, and the revival of the Saturday Night Live political skit have Bostonista alternately grinning, groaning, and feeling decidedly patriotic.
You already know about our favorite political dessert. Now, we’re sharing a few hot new accessories for fall. (more…)
It may be the rainy season here…but in PR Land, it’s holiday gift idea time. So we stopped by the Eliot Hotel yesterday to check out new offerings from La Mer and Jo Malone.
Some thoughts: We’re used to over-the-top gift ideas. We really like Jo Malone. And we’re clearly not opposed to conspicuous consumption.
But…whoa. The visit raised a couple questions…
I’ve lately been in the downsizing mood. Changing apartments this spring satisfied my need to purge. A family yard sale soon after cleared out the rest of the old junk, including golf shoes (a nice thought); piles of costume jewelry, beanie babies, and cat toys; and the impulse-bought super deluxe grind ‘n’ brew coffee pot used once (a bitch to clean). I consign all clothes I haven’t worn in more than a year and recently downloaded all my CDs onto a hard drive and sold them off. I’m making an effort to keep the hoarding tendencies at bay.
But I haven’t quite been able to quit books. For one, it feels wrong. Two, I like having them around. I’ll buy a book I’m interested in as soon as I hear about it so that I don’t forget, which is why I’ve got piles and piles of high-quality unread books in my bedroom, office, and otherwise scattered throughout the house, and I still have imminent plans to purchase the tell-all by Madonna’s brother.
Enter the Kindle. (more…)
Faithful Bostonistas-in-training know the quickest way to a new and improved look is a fresh-faced, rosy hue. And though a few of us differ on the best way to achieve said glow, this writer is sticking with her tried and true method. Namely, Kiehl’s Sun-Free Self-Tanning Formula. I’ve been a faithful slatherer for years, and only ever gotten one “you look a little orange” comment. (He clearly had no appreciation for a November tan.)
And come to think of it, it’s not just the faux-glow we heart. Several Boston staffers, guys included, can list an assortment of Kiehl’s products among their daily toilette (the Facial Feul, the Silk Groom, the Creme de Corps). Which is why we’re pleased to announce we have a new reason to head to Burlington: To shop the brand new Kiehl’s store, the company’s second free-standing outpost in New England (the first is on Newbury).
I consider myself somewhat of an artsy person. I like art, art museums, art house films, art-rock, Art Garfunkel. Posters and prints and one or two original paintings, which were given to me as housewarming presents, hang in my apartment. My mother is a brilliant watercolor artist (with her big spring show coming up tomorrow. Go Mom!). And I’ve been known to clean out a jewelry booth or two at craft fairs like the South End Open Market (which kicks off for the season this weekend!).
Yet, until last weekend, I had never actually bought original art myself. When I did experience original art buying for the first time on Saturday, in true Bostonista fashion, I went all the way, buying not one, not two, but three fabulous pieces.
Carolyn Marsden—a friend, coworker, talented painter, kickass photographer, and all-around great gal—invited Bostonista to her show, part of Somerville Open Studios. I was sure her art would be cool. I’d seen it online and I commissioned her to make a hand-painted t-shirt for my mom’s Christmas gift. But to be completely honest, I went mainly for the camaraderie. And, because I heard there would be cupcakes. (more…)
Just moments after Pete the Boston mag mailroom guy dropped off today’s mail at our desks—and before we had time to actually open any of it—we and other members of the Boston media received this email from an anonymous aol address, with no traceable IP address: (more…)
