Perennially stumped about the best wine to bring to a party? Allow me to simplify: buy a case of this warm, fruit-forward Chianti and you’re set for the season.  Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Brolio 2007, $20

If she’s a good host, I’m guessing she’s a crafter at heart. Any knitter, whether she’s a novice or a pro, will drool over the DIY options in this book. Vogue Knitting: Classic Patterns from the World’s Most Celebrated Knitting Magazine, $30

I can’t think of much I wouldn’t love to receive from DL & Company. But their Fleur de Bois candle smells exactly like the holidays, without being cloying, and the blown glass holder is gorgeous all on its own. And these mini candle-and-diffuser sets are infinitely more gorgeous than their price tag suggests. DL & Co Fleur de Bois candle, $100; Mini Diffuser & Candle set, $24

What could be better than brownies from the legendary Sugardaddys Bakery? A brownie bit trifle kit, complete with a crystal trifle bowl, that’s what. Just try to give this one away without sneaking a bite!  Trifle kit, Sugardaddys Bakery, $58

Getting gorgeous letterpress cards in the mail every month? Talk about the gift that keeps on giving. Plus, chances are good she’ll send you one to thank you for the perfect gift. Mailbox Monthly, by Satsuma Press, from $48

Doormats are a tricky business, if you’re picky about them (as I am). This one is guaranteed to stop traffic…at least long enough to remind guests to wipe their feet. Mountain doormat, Angela Adams, $45

The coolest French press I’ve ever seen – add a pound of your favorite coffee, and you’ll get invited back every year.  Freud French Press, Horne, $110

I hear bundt cakes are the new cupcakes, but the perfect host would know best. Show her you’re up on your culinary trends by treating her to a treatise on the hottest thing in baked goods. Even better paired with a classic bundt pan. Cake Simple, by Christie Matheson, $13; NordicWare “Heritage” bundt pan, (my personal favorite, but a variety of styles from $20)

Show her you love her OCD side with a bottle of citrus-scented hand wash. This has a light, refreshing scent that works for everyone, and the oldey-timey packaging is a serious bonus. Village Perfumer hand wash (comes in 6 scents), C.O. Bigelow, $12

I may be the world’s only naysayer on the maxiskirt/dress trend, but I just don’t get it. Or, I didn’t…until I tried on this silk version at Madewell on my SF trip last week. It is un-be-lievable in person – the holy grail of maxi skirts. Sadly, floor-length silk felt a little impractical for rainy Portland, but if you’re in a more temperate climate, nab this the second it goes on sale.

Speaking of silk (well, polyester in this case), while I had high hopes for the Karl Lagerfeld for Macy’s collaboration, I only managed to find one thing in the entire collection that I liked: this delicate zigzag blouse. Those high collars are no good on me, but if you don’t have that problem, this is lovely, and a perfect layering piece for fall.

There’s so much Vogue love in the book world this fall…I hardly know which way to turn. But I’m a sucker for a coffee table book with both substance and style, making Nostalgia in Vogue (available in Oct) and Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (covering her years at both Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar) my picks. Nostalgia in Vogue is a collection of the best Nostalgia columns from the magazine’s history – always a favorite series of mine – paired with some stunningly memorable photo shoots. And if you’re a Vreeland fan, the latter is simply a must – so many fantastical, avante garde photo shoots are reproduced and paired with her inimitable outlook on style.

My sweet friends over at Hammocks & High Tea just launched a few new patterns, all of which are utterly delicious, as Martyn Lawrence Bullard would say. (It’s possible I’m watching too much Bravo these days…) But then there’s also the matter of their new scarves…and, as you’d expect, the combination of supersoft silk and bright color is making me very, very happy.

I’ve been obsessing about these LL Bean Signature trousers since I first saw their fall linesheet over the summer. So far, best trouser of the season if you ask me. Now that the weather’s (almost) cooperating, I’m dying to rock these with a chunky sweater or my Vince moto jacket.

And, last, with all that practicality, we need a bit of fantasy to start the weekend, don’t you think? All of the gorgeous enameled azure and gold in Tiffany’s new Picasso Venezia collection is making me positively giddy. It’s like Van Gogh meets the Medicis…bright, opulent, and definitely a showstopper.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone…see you back here next week!

After all that exhaustive “research,” I thought the least I could do is share some of my favorite finds from the September issues with all of you. And of course, I’m hoping you’ll tell me what you loved from the issues too!

Harper’s Bazaar has really been outstanding this year – it’s in danger of overtaking Vogue in my heart. This year’s September issue didn’t disappoint, with piles of fantastic photo spreads and aspirational shoots. While I carry no torch whatsoever for Lea Michele, who feels very one-note to me (no pun intended, I swear), I thought the shoot was styled perfectly, and the end result was so soft and pretty, it’s worth a look. But the standout was their shoot with Georgia May Jagger as Margaret Thatcher – while Jagger ends up with an almost Barbie-like façade in most images, it’s an incredibly compelling editorial.

{Lea Michele, shot by Mark Seliger; “Iron Lady”, shot by Terry Richardson; both, courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar, September 2011}

W Magazine did some beautiful work for fall – in fact, the editorial shoot by Steven Meisel was my favorite of all the September fashion coverage. Titled “Transformers,” Meisel photographed several of the fashion world’s best models – first in their natural state, then done up to the very pinnacle of high fashion. The transformations were, truly, jaw-dropping – these images will be in a book someday soon. In addition to being stunning (both before and after), the editorial gives you such a realistic picture of exactly how much goes into a model shot (and makes you feel considerably better about how non-model-like you think you look on any given day).

{Model Aymelene Valade in “Transformers”, images courtesy of W Magazine and Steven Meisel, September 2011}

Vogue is usually the front-runner in all things September, of course…but this year, they didn’t rank as high on my list. Their central fashion editorial, a pet project of Anna Wintour, was an editorial based on her recent trip to China. It didn’t resonate with me – there were some beautiful images, but they were cluttered, and the fashion seemed to disappear in the mess. The shots of Kate Moss’ wedding were amazing, though. And the “My Generation” shoot with Natalia Vodianova was the fashion standout, packed with predictably retro silhouettes and a grainy film texture that gave the shoot that extra dose of nostalgia.

{“Kiss Me, Kate”, photos by Mario Testino; “My Generation”, photos by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott,
both courtesy of Vogue, September 2011}

Lucky is a magazine I look to for function, not necessarily heavy-hitting artistic editorials. They’re brilliant at presenting dozens of bright ideas, and showing you what to do with them. But, they unveiled a massive internal redesign for September, and I’m absolutely in love with it. Cleaner, more graphic layouts, more artistic renderings to give almost a J.Peterman feel to some of the stories, and a few new columns to love. Particularly a new fashion/beauty advice column by beauty editor Jean Godfrey-June, whose opinion I trust implicitly. Instead of showing you my favorite spreads, I thought I’d show you the pieces I bookmarked from this issue. Standouts are the Weekend Chic editorial on p. 96, the Style Spy page on ’40s-inspired tea dresses (so sweet, and perfect for fall), and “Styling the Fall Trends: The Tastemakers”, starting on p. 198. And if I buy nothing else this season, I *will* track down the Fallon necklace Jessica Alba is wearing on page 109 and own it, so help me.

{UGG Lynnea boots, $200; Surface to Air “Forme” vest, $299; Old Navy belted military jacket, $50; White House Black Market slim ponté pant, $78; Jason Wu lace and wool sweatshirt, $1,195; DANNIJO “Sophie” earrings, $220; DKNY “Aura” haircalf wedge booties, $298 (not yet available), all from Lucky, Sept 2011}

Honorable mentions for Elle and InStyle, neither of whom bowled me over. I did love Elle‘s “Hide and Seek” shoot, a take on the fur trend that a few different mags did for the season – model Herieth Paul hit it out of the park. And Alexa Chung’s “Mix Master” spread in InStyle wasn’t groundbreaking, but then their fashion coverage is built to be more educational than artistic, and this was a spread you could take to the sartorial bank.

What was your favorite September issue this year?

But, it also means I’ve been enjoying a few really exceptional cookbooks lately….and I had to share.

Italian Home Cooking, by Julia Della Croce, is one of my new favorites. It’s packed with recipes that are comforting, delicious, inventive and easy (often not even requiring a trip to the store). Right now, I’m particularly obsessed with her Oven-Fried Chicken and Winter Squash Stew (involving fresh pumpkin, an ingredient that’s not exactly easy to find in August). The chicken, at least, isn’t entirely unseasonal. It would make for an amazing summer picnic, if I can ever drag the hubs out into a park for 20 consecutive minutes.

Everyone and their monkey is talking about Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook, My Father’s Daughter, and being pleasantly surprised by its non-pretentiousness (and its excellent recipes). I’m going to add to the chorus, though I can’t say it’s entirely lacking in pretension. The way I see it, that’s all part of Gwyneth’s charm. Again, easy recipes, most of which have vegetarian versions – which matters not a lick to me, though I like that she gives you the option to make a traditional dish veg-friendly without insisting upon it. I also love that she has both regular and “healthy” versions of a few baked treats…again, no arm-twisting, it’s just an option. If you’re after a method for eating just a smidge healthier, with only a mild amount of preaching, it’s a great choice. No, I won’t be making any homemade sriracha, but I love the hefty chapter on soups, and I’m looking forward to trying her dad’s pancake recipe. I may even try the Perfect Roasted Chinese Duck, which Mario Batali says is amazing.

Now that I gave you my token “healthy” cookbook, let’s follow that up with some utter decadence, shall we? Did you know that Ladurée has a cookbook? Did you know it comes in a box just like the one they use for their famous macarons? Packed in lavender tissue paper and with a pale green suede on the cover, no less. The recipes in Ladurée Sucré are probably more for admiration than execution – even a simple recipe for gingerbread cake allegedly takes 3 days to make. But if you’re a bakery nut like I am, you’ll spend hours poring over the photos and deciding what you’d make, in a fictional world in which you had a commercial kitchen and a sous chef.

What have you been cooking up this summer?

For the rest of us, I’ve found a little something that’s much less expensive than a trip to Manhattan, but will still give you an indelible impression of the exhibit. For $45 (less if you’re a member), you can pick up the Met’s catalogue of the exhibit from their online gift shop, and it’s utterly beautiful. It’s an oversized, hardbound catalogue of such style and substance that it bears almost no resemblance to typical museum exhibit memorabilia. It’s brimming with images of nearly every look in the exhibit, as well as images of the rooms and displays, and commentary by the curator, Andrew Bolton. The cover, a hologram of McQueen’s face, imposed over a metallic skull, is a perfect reminder of the 3D Kate Moss hologram in the exhibit (see the Widows of Culloden video here for a closer look).

Stunning, isn’t it? If you’re at all interested in the history of fashion (as I obviously am), this is a tome you’ll want on your shelf. Moreover, I’m guessing the publisher won’t be reprinting this once the exhibit’s over, so it’s worth buying now while you can.

So, you’ll understand why I’m so looking forward to a few much-needed days at the Oregon Coast next month. A bit of sun, sand and reading by the beach is exactly what the doctor ordered. Since I have hammock time on the brain, I thought you might like to know which books will be in my beach tote…in case you have something similar up your sleeve this summer.

The American Heiress, by Daisy Goodwin: This 500-pager is the perfect beach read…from what I’ve seen thus far, it’s Gossip Girl meets Downton Abbey, all set at the turn of the twentieth century. In other words, I’m not expecting great literature, but I do foresee a pretty juicy story line and plenty of extravagant escapism, which is exactly what I’m after.

The Imperfectionists, by Tom Rachman: This title debuted last year, but it’s out in paperback now, making it a prime candidate for beach reading. I love a novel that turns a series of short stories into a cohesive plot line, with all of those beautifully-intersecting characters and events coming together in the end. The Imperfectionists promises to be that novel, and set in a foreign correspondent’s newsroom in Rome (think Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday), it’s sure to remind me of all of the tumultuous events of my brief career as a news reporter.

Super Sad True Love Story, by Gary Shteyngart: I’ll admit, this one will probably be finished before I actually head to the beach, as it’s currently sitting front and center on my bedside table. I haven’t quite decided how I feel about the shady Lenny Abramov, the book’s central character – he’s deeply flawed, and not entirely sympathetic, but his exploits thus far in the novel promise some interesting reading. Shteyngart has a talent for exposing with raw honesty exactly what goes on in our minds when no one’s watching…and the novel is fascinating for that alone.

A Year and Six Seconds, by Isabel Gillies: I’m trying not to let the fact that this book was written by Detective Stabler’s wife deter me from the story, which feels like a simpler, cleaner reincarnation of Eat, Pray, Love. It’s one of those stories that drowns you in the hard parts of life, only to buoy you with the sweet side in the end. I’m not sure it’s quite the lighthearted storyline I have in mind for a vacation, but it’s definitely on my list.

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Every summer, I choose a classic to revisit (a habit that’s likely a relic of those summer reading lists from AP English), and The Great Gatsby is my pick this year. Clearly, I’m having a love affair with the early twentieth century…but there’s a new version of the movie coming out this fall (though how you can compete with Robert Redford’s Gatsby is beyond me), so the timing feels perfect.

Now comes my favorite part…what are you reading this summer, friends? I’m always anxious for new ideas!

{By the way, since I’ve been swimming in work this month, I’ve taken to posting some of my favorite sale finds on Facebook and Twitter instead of here on the blog. If you haven’t been visiting, this is definitely the time to start!}

Her book, 100 Best Places to Stuff Your Faces is already a huge hit here in PDX, but naturally, it needs to travel. If you have any plans to visit the Rose City any time soon, believe me when I tell you this book is an absolute must. Without it, you’ll be stuck dining at the same three restaurants every single local will recommend to you, and you won’t even get near the best spots, which are almost always off the beaten path. After all, Portland is nothing if not hipster, which usually means the best finds are hidden down a back alley, behind an unmarked door, in a suburban neighborhood across town.

{Side note: Speaking of hipsters, you must watch this video about “Hipster Rules” from last season’s new show, Happy Endings (warning: there’s an auto-play video on that site…très annoying). Spot-on description of the Portland vibe.}

Ahem…as I was saying. This witty, utterly charming little guide would also make an excellent gift for any local friends you have. I’ve already found literally dozens of places I’d never tried (or, in many cases, never even heard of), and am so looking forward to working my way through all of Jen’s fantastic finds.

Plus, how often do you get to send a hipster something they haven’t already seen?

Now, fair warning: this cookbook is not for the faint of heart. One cake recipe cautions that it takes three days to complete. But some of the recipes are simpler – like my favorite thing in the shop: their graham crackers. They’re nothing at all like the graham crackers you know. They’re crumbly and dense, packed with butter and cinnamon. They’re amazing by themselves, but they turn a s’more into a religious experience. Also, I’d have sold my firstborn to get the recipe for their fluffy, marshmallow-like boiled icing…but now, I only need $15. Much more reasonable.

{All photos kindly provided by Chronicle Books}

If you’re into cakes (their old-fashioned cupcake with boiled icing is unparalleled) and confections (including marshmallows that are simply otherwordly), are looking to test your baking mettle, or if you just like pretty, pretty cookbooks, this one needs to be on your shelf.

A little bit of bonus good news: the publishers of Miette kindly offered to let me share that delicious graham cracker recipe with you! Get your bake on…after the jump:

miette’s graham crackers

{Excerpted from Miette: Recipes from San Francisco’s Most Charming Pastry Shop, with permission from Chronicle Books}

We created this graham dough for the lime meringue tart, but when we rolled it out a little thicker and punched cookie shapes, we discovered a superior version of this classic American cookie. Graham is a type of whole-wheat flour that tends to have a coarse, uneven texture, so we don’t use it. Instead, we make our dough using regular whole-wheat flour to produce a smooth, crisp, buttery cookie, flavored with a touch of honey. This dough might be the most versatile in the bakery. The Miette Cheesecake calls for these cookies crumbs in its crust. The Lime Meringue Tart calls for the dough to be rolled out (like a tart dough) and pressed into the pan before baking off. You can wrap extra dough in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature.

Makes about twenty-four 3 1/4-inch cookies, two 7-inch tarts or a dozen 3 1/2-inch tartlets.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (7 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Generous 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey

Sift together the flours, salt, and cinnamon into a bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, brown sugar, and honey and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, beating just until combined after each addition. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling, or for up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unwrap the dough and place between two sheets of waxed paper. On a clean work surface, roll out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Using a 3 1/4-inch round cookie cutter with a scalloped edge, cut out the graham crackers. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet, placing the cookies about 1/2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. They should snap crisply when cooled.

Gather up the dough scraps, reroll, and cut out to make more cookies. Bake as directed and let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Since I’m finding myself ill-equipped to express myself with words, I’m giving you presents instead!  Yes, we’re doing a major, knock-down, flat-out amazing giveaway all of next week, so whatever you do, don’t forget to show up Monday to get in on the action!

In fact…okay, I can’t resist (I am the world’s worst secret-keeper). Here’s a little tease – can you guess any of the delicious prizes up for grabs?

And with that, on to Friday Finds!

I can never seem to get enough of the new goods at Chilewich. There’s just something about their use of texture and tone to make neutral pieces sing. The latest addition to their little family is this Electric Stripe utility mat, which comes in a few different stripey combos (though the blue is my favorite). It’s precisely the blend of utilitarian and inviting I’d want at my front door. Bonus: prices start at $45, and I spotted these most recently at my friendly neighborhood Ace Hardware, so they’re actually easy to acquire.

A.P.C., a French label known for clean, creative styles has just launched their Resort/Fall 2011 lookbook, and it’s a doozy. This “Resort/Fall” season is a relatively new phenom, but I’ll take all the new goodies I can get. Particularly that sleeveless shirtdress.

I just polished off Dreams of Joy, the latest Lisa See novel. It released this week, and if you’re a fan of hers, it’s a title you won’t want to miss. The first half starts a little slow, but the second half is utterly worth the wait. This continuation of Shanghai Girls (I don’t think you need to have read that title to enjoy this one) takes you deep into the world of communist China under Mao’s leadership. It’s full of that well-researched Chinese history See is known for, and the whole thing is so engrossing, even my husband couldn’t believe how rabidly I was devouring this one.

And, last but not least, I’m having another of my DIY moments – this time, I’m hellbent on recreating this gorgeous Isabal Marant necklace, as I adore it, but it’s too spendy for me even at half price. I seem to remember seeing these wavy, zig-zag-ish beads everywhere when I was just a wee shopper, but have no idea what they’re called or where I’d find them now. Any ideas?

Have a wonderful weekend, friends – I’ll be here, working away on the fabulous week ahead. But I hope you take plenty of time to enjoy the sun this weekend!

The Hicks family is just entirely too stylish for me. In fact, if I’m honest, I wanted Allegra Hicks’ newest book, Eye for Design, simply because I knew it would look awesome on my coffee table (it does, by the way). But the interior is every bit as fabulous…packed with beautiful images of her interior projects and textile designs that are endlessly inspiring.

I like Tina Fey, but wouldn’t have considered myself a serious fan…until I read Bossypants. Now, her jokes seem funnier, and I find myself rooting for her at every possible opportunity. I’m utterly impressed by her ability to dole out hysterical stories and sage advice (sometimes simultaneously) – she’s so damn funny, you can easily forget what a major force she’s become. I’m particularly in love with the fact that she manages to talk about women’s rights in an intelligent, non-bra-burning sort of way.

And Kyung-Sook Shin’s debut English novel, Please Look After Mom is heartbreaking, but so beautifully written, you must read it. It’s the story of a Korean woman whose mother goes missing, and it details how she and her family cope with the search, and their memories of her. Most of the story is written in the second person, which gives you a unique feeling of being involved in the story. The tale is heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, and makes you work just hard enough to follow the story. It’s one of the best novels I’ve read in ages…you simply must.