This is the last All Good Things post of 2019, but my All Good Gifts is one of my favorites, so I’ve saved the best for last! I read recently that gift giving and receiving is really just an affirmation between two people. Isn’t that lovely? It affirms the relationship, the value, the love, the care. So as you’re checking off loved ones on your gift list this season, keep that in mind.
Sometimes we get caught up in the hustle and bustle and buying things becomes a chore. Let it be an opportunity to affirm the friends and family in your life and your cherished relationship with them. We all just want to be considered, seen, and noticed, right? And whether a gift is given or not, we all know that the “biggest ticket items” we can offer are kindness, patience, and compassion.
I’ve compiled a list of useful, beautiful, and delicious things that have been in my kitchen and home this year. Many of them come from my neighborhood of Harlem, and it has been my pleasure to shop local and give back to my community. First up is the 22K Gold Nightclub Map of Harlem Savoy Luxury Candle from the Harlem Candle Company. (And once the candle has long burned out, it becomes a cocktail glass!) It’s extra special to me because I live in the Savoy Apartments which were built on the original footprint of the Savoy Ballroom which was a thriving dancehall in the Harlem Renaissance. It was one of the first dance halls to integrate white and black dancers and musicians. The Harlem Candle Company celebrates that era with a number of candles besides this gorgeous gold Savoy candle. If you’re in NYC, they are set up at the holiday market at Grand Central and you can go smell and see these affordable luxury items in person and gather up some gifts.
A few weeks ago friends were in town and we were in a local coffee shop. There was a flyer for Harlem Honey that said ‘free delivery in Harlem.’ Count me in! Honey is one of my passions because my family had bee hives on our little farm in Missouri. We’d collect the honeycomb frames and press out the liquid gold. As a little girl, it was a magical process. I buy honey whenever I go to foreign countries and when I visit farm stands and markets around the United States. Part of the magic for me is knowing that every bottle holds flavor from the flowers and bees in the area from where it was made. I love that I have honey in my kitchen that was made from rooftop bees just a few blocks away.
My honey was delivered by the owner Tim’s parents. A darling elderly couple came a calling while I was in the frenzy of Thanksgiving cooking. They were fascinated that I had all four burners of my stove going, both racks in the oven full of turkey, food containers filling both of my refrigerators. It was sweet chatting with them. As they were leaving, Tim’s dad said, “It is clear you love what you are doing. How lucky the families are that get to taste that love.” Well if that isn’t the best compliment of the year, I don’t know what is. You can taste the love in Tim’s honey as well! Go to his online Etsy store and buy some really special honey.
The Harlem Chocolate Factory is worth hopping on the subway (or buying a flight) to sample their fine chocolate. Harlem Chocolate Factory is an artisan chocolate shop located in the heart of St. Nicholas Historic District also known as "Strivers' Row." (Harlem Honey rooftops are also on Striver’s Row!)
The Harlem Chocolate Factory is an artisan chocolate company based in Harlem hoping to convey the cultural experiences of Harlem through chocolate. They have a Speakeasy Collection and a Sunday Soul Collection that really take you on a cultural flavor tour of Harlem. And the bonbons are so pretty! These are a really unique treat for the chocolate lover in your life.
Oh the internet is a wondrous thing! Instagram delivered me a new friend this year in Mark Leary. I’ve been slightly mobile crazy after I got to tour Alexander Calder’s workshop years ago as a cater waiter at his granddaughter’s wedding. When I stumbled upon Mark Leary Designs, I was smitten with his work and even more so with his written words accompanying his mobiles. He writes in a vulnerable, thoughtful, and inspiring way. Seeing Marks’ posts are truly one of the highlights of my day. You must follow him on Instagram too to add a new highlight to your day!
After months of following one another, commenting, and liking each other’s posts, we finally reached out and became friends and digital penpals. One of my goals for 2020 is to get to Portland to meet my new friend in person, gaze at his mobiles, and to meet his black cat Buddy. As a gift to myself to celebrate my recovery, I am commissioning Mark to design and make a mobile for my midcentury modern apartment. Go to his online shop and order a special mobile for someone you love - even (and especially) if that person is yourself!
It’s no secret that my friends are talented. Two of them have released new music just in time for the holidays. Coco Sansoni and I went to Webster Conservatory together in St. Louis and she is still singing like an angel. I’m so proud and in awe that she has written and recorded this new telling of the Christmas Story. Coco’s voice is a musical mashup of pop country and modern broadway belt. Her song Savior Of The World is $0.99 and is the perfect tune to ring in the holidays. I think I’ve listened to it 99 times!
You might know Marty Thomas as the youngster from Missouri who was the Ed McMahons' Junior Vocalist Star Search Champion that beat out Britney Spears. As awesome as that is, Marty has gone on to even more greatness. Grammy nominated, gracing Broadway stages, touring the world as a vocalist, creating a weekly show in NYC to champion other performers, and a passionate advocate for human and gay rights - Marty is also my sister’s best friend - so I have extra love for him. His new album, Slow Dancing With a Boy will be released December 6th, but you can preorder it now. It’s going to be glorious. Have you heard this man sing?! He’s other worldly.
Have you ever gone into a fancy potions store and slathered and sniffed pretending you had all the money in the world and could buy the high quality and high dollar potions? This summer friends were in town and we went to the new Hudson Yards mall in NYC and there is a fantastic store just like the one I described above called The Conservatory. Despite the luxurious vibe of the products sold there, the sales people there are so generous and encourage you to slather and sniff and pretend. My friends surprised me with my favorite scent Buddha Wood as a thank you for staying with me. I’ve since repurchased the hand wash and knew I’d want these potions on my holiday gift round up. Yes, it’s pricey for a hand soap, but you know what, I’m worth it. And so are you!
My friend Ilana Eck of Stylish Spoon had a dietary need, she met it for herself, and then designed a whole business and food product line to serve the needs of others. Special food needs can be complicated, but Ilana offers a simple solution for breakfast, lunch, midday work treats, after school snacks, and a must to pack in your gym bag. Her offerings are gluten free, dairy free, soy free and vegan! Basically, they taste like a miracle.
Fully baked and ready to eat, her super moist Oatmeal Cups are the next generation of oatmeal. A perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Keep a dozen in your freezer and pop one in the microwave or oven for a warm oatmeal you can eat with one hand. They are a perfect gift for a new mom or for a family running out of healthy ways to get food into their kids’ bellies. Check out her subscription services to add to your family’s weekly eats!
Stocking Stuffers! These are the things that I used the most in my kitchen this year. You’ll want to get them for the cook in your life too.
Dad’s Seasoning from Hoppy Goat Farm - salt, pepper, brown sugar, coffee, and garlic. Oh. My. Goodness. This has become my ‘house seasoning.’
Spicy Chili Crisp - you know I love a condiment, right? This jar is my new favorite. It’s gotten a lot of culinary press this year, but maybe it’s new to you if you’re not living under a pile of cooking magazines. Spicy, crunchy, savory, a bit sweet, earthy. It’s indescribable. Try it!
Entube Curry Paste - They make a whole paste collection but the curry is my favorite. Mild and flavorful.
Fancy Sprinkles 30% off EVERYTHING today! Go! Go! Go! I’m not really a baker but Fancy Sprinkles fools everyone into thinking I am. An explosion of color and texture that transform every treat into the prettiest sweets on the table.
Tekla Dish Towel From IKEA - Last but not least, the true workhorse of my kitchen is this $0.79 dish towel. I buy them in sets of 10. Order a stack for the holidays!
