Something Sweet

I often help my clients with their annual gifting endeavors. As we know, it’s more than just the object being given, it is the “touch-base mentality” that is important in thinking about nurturing clientele and industry partners. The holidays are always a part of that comprehensive plan, though, I do encourage my clients that “less is more” during this obligatory frenzy.

During the holidays I tend to gravitate toward small gestures, or something that is consumable and will delight not only the recipient but perhaps their office mates and/or family. Equally important, as we know, is the presentation factor.

Below, I’m sharing a “freebie C&C Curation” with some of my favorite edible delights for your last minute gifting. Accompany your gift with a thoughtful note on letterpress stationery.

P.S. Most of my clients have their gifting flushed out by October 1st to help minimize any stress! We put all paper goods into production in the beginning of October, so that by the time they return after Thanksgiving, we’re really just worried about postage and getting the boxes out the door. If you were on the ball this year, file these down for 2026!

FIRSTLY: Italy’s oldest confectioner, Romanengo, offers an array of chocolates, candied fruit, fondant, and more. This elegant box of chocolates comes in a box with illustrations and reproductions of old prints. See here.

SOME OTHER IDEAS…

1. When in doubt, visit Houses & Parties. Rebecca Gardner sells various goodies from Lavoratti. I am particularly fond of the Chocolate Pencils, including assorted flavors such as Pistacchio Verde di Bronte, Sale Marino di Trapani, and Lemon from Cinque Terre. Their branding is chic and soothing, the box practically feels like a collectable. See here.

2. Who doesn’t adore a luscious tin of caviar? Look no further than Petrossian. I do love a heaping of caviar on my baked potato on New Year Eve… See here.

3. Sant Ambroeus? Say no more. I wish I could magically dash one of their classic pink Principessa cakes to my zip code (if you know, you know), alas, their other offerings will have to do. Try their Cookie Tin (I gifted this to clients one year), or perhaps a Pandoro!

4. Instead of gifting the classic lemon or orange basket, consider sending a lovely box of pomegranates. Not only are they delicious, but they are gorgeous in a sterling silver bowl in the kitchen, or cut open on a cheese plate. Their bright festive color says “holiday” and the packaging is simple and perfect. See here.

Best of luck and Merry, Merry!

morning citrus

Our former Vermont cabin kitchen, putting our juicer to proper use on a snowy morning.

If there is one tried and true winter addition to our routine, it’s this Citrus Press Juicer we use almost daily. I consider it a luxury item in our home and love indulging in fresh grapefruit juice with my morning coffee. It’s my little moment of sanity in the throes of packing lunches, scanning emails and preparing for the day ahead. I am a big fan of practical and experiential gifts, and this baby has become a go-to of mine. It also serves as a great morning activity with littles as my son loves setting the table for breakfast and then making fresh squeezed juice.

Last Christmas I gifted my parents with this juicer and they love it too (though I think it gets more of a workout at cocktail hour). The price point isn’t offensive and it is easy to clean and use.

Better yet, gift with a basket of vibrant Cara Cara Oranges to accompany! Pro Tip: store your citrus in the fridge so the juice is cold.

Autumn Action

With the leaves falling and children back to school for some time now, I find that there is a renewed focus in our industry. Summers are often flooded with design photoshoots and busyness. Now, it’s a different mode of execution. As such, I thought with the tightening of routines and sharpening of Autumnal efforts before the holidays sneak up on us, I’d share a few actionable C&C tips to help double down on hitting the pavement. Here’s “Tip #1” for you to ponder. I’ll plan to share more in the coming days and weeks.

TIP #1: STOCK YOUR STATIONERY
In the spirit of learning from the best, when I worked for an AD100 Designer on the west coast, she would keep a box of her chic stationery with her coveted floral design studio. When she’d send arrangements to her clients, they would receive a lovely note on her stationery to accompany the delivery. Brilliant and so simple. If you tend to gift from a routine vendor or florist, consider doing the same. Be sure to also communicate to your florist your specific preferences — for example, I loathe square vases, and anything clear! My florist knows I prefer certain varietals — you’ll never catch me sending an orchid.

Or, maybe, now is the perfect time to replenish that stationery stash for client correspondence...give it a thought!

Get Your Greens

We spend the Fourth of July Holiday tucked away in the Green Mountains, a place I reference often as it’s a landscape that unifies our family and recharges our minds and bodies. I find that I struggle to truly sink into relaxation in this season of life — reading a book feels like a major feat these days. However, being in the natural world, hiking, exploring, breathing in the mountain air, getting a little gritty while disconnecting from my inbox and overscheduled life, it is a feeling that brings me great comfort. Luckily, we’ve introduced our son to this way of life at an early age and he thrives in this environment, too. It makes my heart happy. Especially when the outside world feels so heavy, to be able to nourish ourselves in a pure landscape…it’s our comfort food.

In a way, I have a different identity when we are in Vermont. In the winter, I live in leggings and oversized sweaters. Casual city. In the summer, I’m usually outdoors, in hiking pants, a bandana and dry-wick top. I look like a glorified troop leader. With the summer season front and center, I thought I’d share some of my favorite go-tos for life spent questing for mountain time.

HIKING PANTS
The key is to wear pants in the summer given the bugs and ticks. These lightweight Patagonia pants are perfect.

BADGER BUGS
We are big on the natural products and have troves of this natural bug spray at the ready. I do think the natural products make your hair and skin a bit more oily, so a proper bath is required post-endeavor!

TRAIL SHOES
I have traditional hiking boots and trail sneakers. I do like the ankle support the boots provide, however I recently switched things up with these Solomon Thundercross shoes and have been quite pleased. A good summer alternative when you don’t want to wear a clunky boot.

BANDANA
I have a large assortment of bandanas, from gas station finds, to Pucci prints, and more. A recent score from Nickey Kehoe has been a constant. Load them up with bug spray before tying around your neck or in your pony tail.

BACKPACK
We are big fans of OSPREY products — from their baby packs to kids packs and adult packs. They do a great job of designing their products that adapt to the body form, be sure to invest in a pack that is for your respective gender. I fill mine with a banana and the essentials like keys and trail maps, but I’m mostly in it for the water supply.

MELAMINE PLATES
I scored these incredible faux-bois wood grain plates at a chic shop years ago. They are impossible to find online, however they have been so useful for outdoor picnics at home, at concerts in the mountains, and at campsites. I highly recommend having a stash!