Can you believe it’s already August? It’s okay though, because that means my favorite season is almost here: FALL!! (The first day of Fall in the Northern Hemisphere this year is September 22 at 5:18 p.m.) In preparation for this crisp, bright, leafy, rainy, glorious time of year, I created an Autumn Essentials list, chockablock full of products (clocks, silverwear, apparel, art, etc.) to help get you in the spirit. In honor of Halloween, the list currently contains 31 items, but I’m sure there will be more as the autumn months get closer, so keep checking back! Cool stuff shown above (L-R): Puckered Canvas Bag, 23 Inch Roulette Clock, Narration Booties, Lipmann Collection Nail Color in Dark Side of The Moon, Gladiator Bird, Raven, Wire Spun Candelabra, Viceroy Velvet Curtain.

Today I found the two best things. Let’s peep Best Thing #1 first:

This Kitchen Science Measuring Cup gives you regular measurements (which is helpful when cooking, but sorta boring), but you also get to see cool and useful information related to the volume of stuff you just poured into the aforementioned measuring cup (above). For example, one and a half cups of whatever you’re cooking with equals one hundred pieces of penne regate pasta!

And now, check out Best Thing #2:

This isn’t a dust collector that sits on the shelf at your mom’s house. This is, in fact, probably the best game ever invented and I want it. It’s called the Babushkas Bourres Drinking Game and this is how you play:

1. Spin the top, which is marked with images corresponding to the 3 (different sized) Babushka dolls.
2. Once the top stops spinning, locate the Babushka doll that corresponds to the image the dreidel landed on (it’s all color/size coordinated. So good).
3. Pour a shot into the corresponding Babushka doll, which is actually a shot glass. . .Surprise!!
4. Take the shot.
5. Pass the top to your left. Or right. Whatever.

(Best Things #1 and #2 both make fun gifts for your pals, but I hope you cop atleast one Best Thing for yourself too!)

I’m keeping it classy with My End-of-July Finds. Everything that is appealing to me today has a vintage-chic, rose-colored feel to it (or has rhinestones on it, duh). I must be getting into the Fall vibe. . . And cocktail coasters are cracking me up! Peep these hot picks and see my other July Finds here. What do you think?

July Finds (L-R): Oh My God Coaster, Lula Hoop Scarf Kit, Bear Shits Coaster, Fossil “Candy” Frame Cents Coin Purse, Cocktail Now Coaster, Rose Bouquet Earrings, Bling Bottle Opener, Tree Owl Lamp, Wildfox Malibu Girl Sweatshirt.

Don’t forget to vote on today’s poll

What Do We Think of Halle’s Potato Sack Look?

That top is a bad move, girl!!
OR
I love potato sacks, especially ones with Halle Berry in them!

No, I’m not talking about potted plastic plants. With wall decals, you can bring an entire tree inside your home and stick it right on the wall for a modern, unique take on home decor. And it’ll never die! If you get tired of your decal, even if it’s been years since you applied it to the wall, you can easily remove it without damaging the wall surface. Check out my Nature Wall Decals guide to see all the nature-themed wall stickers that I think would look cool in any room of your house.

Shown above (L-R): Treesome, Luxury Bonzai, and Classic 16.

See also: Wall Decals for the Kitchen for kitchen-specific wall decor.

Having just created my own registry, and making an ongoing list of possible registry items over the past few weeks, I thought that I’d go through and pick out some registry necessities. Even if you feel like you have everything, you have to remember, now is the time to go for things that you may not normally splurge on for yourselves.

Bed and Bath
Frette linens have the splurge department covered- they are by far the most amazing bed linens I’ve ever slept on. Their famous Frette Hotel Collection is 100% Egyptian cotton, 200 thread count and comes in classic styles. Frette also makes amazing towels in 100% thick and absorbent Turkish cotton.  With your new towels, spice up your bathroom experience with the Yuzu Jasmine Hand Soap and Lotion duo. If you decide to go with Frette linens, you may want to add a little pattern to your bedroom with a graphic patterned Marimekko Lehtimaja duvet cover available at Crate and Barrel. They also have complete matching sets if you want to get pillow shams and sheets.

Kitchen
I am a firm believer in spending a little more for quality kitchen ware. Most quality stainless steel kitchen goods will last nearly a lifetime and you’ll find that they actually make cooking easier. You’ll never regret having a good All-Clad stainless steel, heavy-bottom sauce pan or saute pan- it’s amazing heat conductivity will insure consistent heat disbursement, saving you from charred sauces and the like. A good set of Shun Knives, if sharpened regularly, will last forever. And for the baker in the household, a KitchenAid Mixer will always come in handy. There are so many different attachments for the mixer- you can do anything from making fresh pasta to crushing ice. Don’t forget the NordicWare Bundt Pan. Everyone needs to be able to make bundt cake!

Dining and Entertainment
All entertainers should have some crystal wine glasses on hand. Even if you keep them boxed up for special occasions, they are good to have. My favorite glasses are made by Riedel and come in a set of two. You’ll also need to have a crystal decanter like the one from Schott Zweisel. Crate and Barrel’s Cove Dinnerware and accessories (like the Cove Pitcher), although simple in white or blue, will ensure a sophisticated dining experience while letting the food speak for itself.  To dress up your table top a little more while keeping it simple, grab some interesting tea-light holders like the Pixie Candleholder and the Chilewich Bamboo Placemats that come in a variety of colors and shapes and clean up really easily.

I found most of my these registry must haves at Macy’s, Crate and Barrel, Sur La Table and Williams-Sonoma, but there are a ton of great places out there create a gift registry. Drop me a line if you have any must-haves that I’ve missed!

In my search for vintage country-themed rooster kitchen decor, I was pleasantly surprised to find a vast array of modern kitchen decor featuring the rooster as well. Since ancient times, the rooster has been a symbol of watchfulness, pride, courage, flamboyance, and vigiliance, among other things. Today, many have chosen to adorn their kitchens with rooster decor in the adorable traditional, French country-style. In my Rooster Theme Kitchen Decor shopping guide, I have included both modern and rustic kitchen furnishings.

The Italian Ceramic Rooster Pitcher makes a great housewarming gift, as it symbolizes good fortune and protection from danger. If you purchase this pitcher, it comes with the legend of the ceramic rooster pitcher written on a small scroll. It is an interesting story from the Renaissance period and the pitcher makes a precious gift!
Pictured: from top left: French Rooster Clock, Coq Au Vin Rooster Kitchen Flour Sack Dish Towel - Set of 3, Kitchen Rooster Canister Set of 4 Country Style, JK Adams Novelty Rooster Cutting Board, Old Dutch 2-Tone Rooster Design Standing Paper Towel Holder, Rooster Message Board, Rooster Wall Clock, and (below) Ricco Deruta Italian Ceramic Rooster Pitcher.

What do bullets, chicks, and weed have in common?

It’s probably not what you’re thinking. . . I’ve never done this before, but I added almost 50 products to one buyer’s guide on Kazowie today. Once I started, I just couldn’t stop. And you’re going to think I’m weird when you see the particular item that piqued my interest so much. . .

The buyer’s guide is called 47 Cool Ice Cube Trays. Why? Because there are 47 products, the items are all ice cube trays, and they’re all really cool, believe it or not. I never really thought much about investing in uniquely shaped ice cube molds, but if you’re throwing a party or want to spice up your daily cold beverage, this is the way to go. They’ll make an impression. I’ve included the most inexpensive ice trays I could find on my guide because you’re probably going to want to buy more than one tray of a certain shape, especially if you’re serving up drinks for several people. (It would be a shame to run out of dinosaur fossil cubes and have to switch back to REGULAR ice halfway through the party! Tacky.)

And get this: all the silicone trays featured in the guide also double as jello molds, chocolate molds, baking trays, or even butter-shapers (melt, pour, refrigerate)!

I also found these sick Progressive Ice & Slice ice cube trays, which involve putting slices of lemon or lime in the tray’s wells and allowing ice to form around the slices. If you’re as excited as I am about this, click 47 Cool Ice Cube Trays and select View Per Page: 50! That way, you can scroll through and enjoy all these awesome ice trays at a glance. You will not regret this.

Shown (L to R):Pi Symbol Ice Cube Trays, Fossiliced Dinosaur Ice Cube Tray, Fred Cool Jazz Ice Cube Tray, Silicone Alphabet Letter Ice/Bay Tray Set.

Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching (May 10th) and if you haven’t started brainstorming gift ideas, you should probably start soon! If you know your mom’s awesome, but don’t know what she wants or needs in terms of a gift, you can check out my Sweet Mother’s Day Gifts buyer’s guide, which contains some nice gifts (in a wide range of prices) that any mom would appreciate.

From left: Spa Stones Soap Set, Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia Cologne (don’t worry, it’s not man cologne!), Calico Juno Bracelet 09, Coral Pillar Candle Holders.

Just keep in mind your mom’s personal style and go from there. And remember, it’s the thought that counts, so don’t stress too much. Your mom will still love you no matter what you get her for Mother’s Day. . . She sorta has to.

Have a happy Mother’s Day!

I spend lots of time in the kitchen, mixing up new concoctions that my dinner guests are usually hesitant to taste. But that doesn’t discourage me from cooking! If you spend lots of time in this room of your house too, it’s only natural to want functional utensils that are also cool-looking and unique, especially if you’re cooking with friends, family, or your significant other. I find that cool kitchen stuff always makes a great gift, too.

A pair of rubber frog oven mitts goes great with some onion goggles and only serves to make your cooking experience more fun and enjoyable. Some other Things That Belong in a Kitchen are included on my Kazowie buyer’s guide, such as The Cannabis Cookbook and a magnet bottle opener.

Although my kitchen has never been that fancy (I currently have a teeny kitchen with one counter), I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to kitchen accessories and appliances. Maybe snob is the wrong word, but I am from the school where I believe in spending more on things in the kitchen that I will most-likely be able to use for the rest of my life. Basically, I shop for clothes at H&M and the Gap, but all of my kitchen stuff comes from specialty stores. If you’re just starting to build up your kitchen to its full wonderfulness, there are a few culinary classics to start out with:

1. One stainless steel saucepan. All Clad brand, originally made for professional chefs, are by far the best.  A little pricey, but they last forever. You might be passing down your All Clads to your grandchildren.
2. A Le Creuset Cast-Iron Braiser or French Oven. You can make almost anything in one of these; the cast-iron distributes heat slowly and evenly, especially good for stews, soups and sauces. They come in an amazing color palette as well.
3. A good peppermill- Don’t be fooled by electric or funky shaped peppermills. The best are the simple old school wood peppermills with a steel mechanism. Peugeot makes a super duper high end one for $300, but they also have a smaller model at $25.
4. A stainless steel colander- a good, sturdy colander is a must have for cleaning vegetables, straining pasta, and rinsing fruit.
5. Good knives- If you make the investment to buy a good set of knives you won’t be sorry- as long as you find a good sharpening service in your area to take them to, you’ll have them for your lifetime. You’ll also have an easier time prepping food and you’re less likely to have the unfortunate dull-knife-finger-cutting debacle. My favorite brands are Shun and Wüsthof.

If you have these few staples, this will be a great beginning of a gourmet kitchen. Check out some other recommendations- Gourmet Kitchen Must-Haves