Holiday Gift Guide: for the kiddos

We've found something for all your favorite munchkins this holiday season.

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1. Fiat 500 Car | 2. Quilted Knit Jacket | 3. Organic Cotton Leggings | 4. Urbanears Headphones | 5. Mollusk Skateboard | 6. Sequin Hangers | 7. Knit Raccoon Hat | 8. OUCH Bandaids | 9. Kids Ray Ban's Wayfarers | 10. My First Smartphone | 11. Big Top Set | 12. Teepee

Holiday Gift Guide: the host

For the host or hostess this holiday season.

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1. Sphere Ice Molds | 2. Threshold Mirrored Jewelry Box | 3. Champagne Flutes | 4. Jonathan Adler Zebra Dish | 5. Cheese Boards | 6. Cheese Knives | 7. Scoppio Sphere on a Stand | 8. Whiskey Decanter | 9. Diptyque Candle Set

Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

Fill those stockings with our picks for everyone on your list!

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1. Zed Ski Goggles | 2. Emi Jay Hair Ties | 3. Light Up the Room candle | 4. Burger Bomb Sauce | 5. Corkcicle Wine Chiller | 6. Pop Fizz Clink iPhone Case | 7. iBeats Headphones | 8. iPhone Backup Battery | 9. Bacon Money Clip | 10. Stanley Thermoses | 11. Moroccanoil Treatment | 12. Golf Balls | 13. Friends Pivot Mug | 14. JO Malone Lip Conditioner | 15. Chevron Coasters | 16. Zoe Studs | 17. Depuffing Eye Mask

Holiday Gift Guide: Under $50

Here are our picks for the perfect present under $50.

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1. Tough Guy Handkerchief Set | 2. Cashmere Penguin Gloves | 3. Made in Brooklyn T-shirt | 4. Naked Basics Palette | 5. Armitage Ring | 6. BKR Bottle | 7. Stag Head Wall Sculpture | 8. The British Scarf | 9. Jonathan Adler Universal Smart Phone Dock | 10. Dog Ceramic Plate | 11. iHome Mini Wireless Speaker | 12. Chanel Collections & Creations | 13. Toms Classic Slip Ons

Holiday Gift Guide: Under $25

Looking for that perfect little something to finish off your gift list.  This week we're featuring budget friendly gift guides at Under $25, Under $50, and stocking stuffers.  You'll find suggestions for all your gifting needs from the office secret Santa or what to gift your husband's nephew.  Happy shopping!

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1. Bare Minerals Gold Cap Collection | 2. Tangle Teezer | 3. Metallic Ikat Cosmetic Bag  | 4. Philosophy Pink Almond Lip Balm | 5. Glitter Belt | 6. The Beer Deck | 7. Anchor The Call Mug | 8. Beer Growler | 9.  Mac & Cheese Cookbook | 10. Happy Socks | 11. Address Embosser | 12. Succulent Kit | 13. Mr & Mrs Holiday Glasses | 14. Golden Monogram Mug | 15. Kate Spade Idiom Pencils 

Holiday Gift Guides: the foodie

We've found the perfect little something for the foodie in your life.  

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1. Glass Infused Dispenser | 2. The Sriracha Cookbook | 3. OXO Food Scale | 4. Take Note Chalkboard Nested Ramekins | 5. Breville One-Touch Tea Maker | 6. Dean & Deluca Spice Rack

Holiday Gift Guide: For Him

Check off the gift list of every man in your life. From the hipster to music lover to car enthusiast we've got you covered!

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1. 50 Cars to Drive | 2. Prospector Co. Beard Oil | 3. Crosley Stereo 3- Speed Turntable | 4. Fair Isle Shawl Cardigan  | 5. E. Homes Laptop Case | 6. UGG Hat & Scarf Box Set | 7. BillyKirk Travel Kit | 8. Mackinaw Wool Throw Blanket | 9. Guitar Pick Punch

Friday Favs: 25 things to do before December 25th

Happy Friday lovelies.  Hope you have some festive things planned for this weekend.  We will be checking off item no. 1 on our 25 things to do before December 25th list.  With festive Chicago holiday events that will have everyone soaking up the holiday spirit.  Happy Friday!

1.       watch Michigan Avenue light up in the Mag Mile tree lighting

2.       Thanksgiving day parade

3.       take in the sights at Lincoln Park Zoo Lights

4.       visit with Santa

5.       enjoy some hot cider at the Christkindlemarket

6.       ride the CTA holiday train

7.       enjoy a cup of hot cocoa at Ghirardelli

8.       soak up the holiday atmosphere with a lunch at the Walnut Room

9.       have a cup of tea at The Drake

10.   go ice skating at Millennium Park

11.   catch a holiday classic: the Nutcracker or the Christmas Carol

12.   family fun for all at Winter Wonder Fest at Navy Pier

13.   shop on mag mile

14.   stop by Macy's and check out their holiday window displays

15.  listen to  Christmas carols at the Bean on Fridays at Millennium Park

16.   catch a holiday double feature at the music box theater

17.   shake your belly like a bowl full of jelly at Second City’s  Letters to Santa improv

18.   enjoy the city view with brunch at the Signature Room

19.   watch the wreathing of the famous lions outside the Art Institute

20.   check out Christmas around the World display

21.   marvel at the Christmas tree lighting in Daily Plaza

22.   hear your favorite Christmas Carols at Tuba Christmas at the Palmer House 

23.   visit the Winter Wonderland at the botanical gardens

24.   take a ride on The Polar Express

25.   have brunch with Santa at Tavern on Rush 

Holiday Gift Guide: Give the Gift of Beauty

Give the gift of beauty this holiday season.  Whether it's under the tree or in her stocking these beauty finds are sure to get you on her nice list.

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1. Jo Malone English Pear Collection | 2. Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Eye Palette | 3. La Mer The Hand Treatment | 4.  Dior Lipstick in Diva Ruby Red | 5. Bumble and Bumble Creme de Coco Masque  | 6. Diorshow Extase Mascara | 7. Marc Jacobs Rollerball Trio Gift Set | 8. Fresh Ultimate Nourishing Honey Mask | 9.  Tom Ford Nail Lacquer

Instgram Your Holidays

Instagram maybe your mobile app sidekick but now it can be your holiday go to for gifts, and general merry making.  I've rounded up some of our favorite Instagram holiday ideas from gift wrap, to edible goodies, and the perfect way to immortalize this years memories in a gift.

In their stockings: turn your Instagram masterpieces into edible art with {1} Cocoagraph's delicious chocolate, or with {2} Snap Shot Cookies tasty cookies.  Turn their Instagram art into coasters via Tatertots and Jello

Under the tree: turn all their Instagram photos into one large photo collage via Postrgram, or a photo book via Artifact Uprising, or turn a select few into wall art with Canvaspop

Put a bow on it:  turn their holiday Instagrams into a keep sake ornament via A Step in the Journey, festive gift wrap via Pic Paperie, or gift tags via Sisters Suitcase and  Kevin and Amanda.

30 First Dates

The Mister and I are the worst at deciding where to eat.  After several back and fourths we usually end up at the same restaurant.  So this year we decided to create a list of 30 new (to us) restaurants that we want to try out.  We split the list in half, as you can clearly see some options are all the Mister (anything Mexican or Superdawg Drive In), and some are clearly all me (anything Asian).  This way when it comes to picking a place to eat, we can just refer back to our list.  It's date night, simplified.

1. Antique Taco
2. Au Cheval
3. Avec
4. Bar Pastoral
5. Big Jones
6. Chilam Balam
7. City Winery
8. Embeya
9. Fat Rice
10. Flour and Stone
11. Found
12. Gioco
13. Han 202
14. Handlebar
15. Kai Zan
16. La Cuchara
17. Le Creperie
18. Nellcote
19. Ombra Italian Bar
20. Opart Thai
21. Rickshaw Republic
22. RM Champagne Salon
23. RPM
24. Sienna Tavern
25. Sumi Robata Bar
26. Superdawg Drive In 
27. Tavernita
28. Takito Kitchen
29. The Boarding House
30. Yusho

Oscar's Best Dressed

I am in love with some of the stunning gowns that graced the red carpet last night.  Loving the trend of  column dresses with a slight train.  Some of my favorite looks were Jenna Dewan-Tatum, she is rocking that bump, and Amy Adams in that voluminous Oscar de la Renta. 

{photos via E Online!; Styleite; Marie Claire}

Happy New Year!

counting down the top 12 of 2012...

12. Celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary

11.  Jet setting from Omaha to NYC to NC to DC to Cancun and in between

10. Bro-in-law getting engaged

09. the{little}details busy wedding season

08. Weddings of great friends

07. Year of babies

06. The Mister accepting a fellowship position

05. Celebrated the big 3-0

04. Welcoming Parker home

03. Taking 4 pregnancy tests before admitting to myself that we were pregnant

02. Finding out we are expecting a lil' sir in March

01.  Ringing in 2013 with the Mister

Happy NYE!

Hope you lovelies have wonderful things planned for tonight.  Whether it's ringing the new year with your nearest and dearest, or with a couple hundred new friends, here's to 2013 and all the amazing things it will bring!

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