It’s that time of year again. It’s that time when Ms. S&C and her splendid group of girlfriends compile ten of their favorite things, meet for dinner, draw names, and exchange baskets of goodies.
At this year’s basket exchange party, Ms. S&C scored a jar of pickled asparagus (perfect garnish for bloody mary’s), delicious wasabi-flavored almonds, and a slew of beauty-related items: night cream, Olivella soap, and hair removing cream (bathing suit season is right around the corner, you know).
Here’s what Ms. S&C put in her (mostly) health-and-wellness themed basket:
- GT’s Organic Raw Kombucha — Yes, the documented health benefits are a bit conflicting, but Ms. S&C is convinced that this fermented tea beverage — which she drinks three times a week — is great for her digestive health and her skin. (And now she wants to make her own.)
- Incense — Until about six months ago, Ms. S&C probably hadn’t purchased incense since college. But — as part of a new age-y streak — she is at yoga four times a week, at the acupuncturist once a month, taking daily Chinese herbs, drinking crazy fermented beverages, and lighting Champaka.
- Dried apricots — A perfect snack, with a handful of cashews or a spoonful of almond butter. This treat is also great when served with pork or duck (try cooking with carmelized onions). Salty+Sweet=Yummy.
- Cloth napkins — Ms. S&C likes to use cloth napkins for everyday use (and bright colors means that stains don’t show as much).
- Nude-colored lip gloss — Ms. S&C loves the dark-smokey-eyes and nude-colored nail polish and shiny nude lips look. She also likes the “Perfectly Nude” brand from Sephora.
- Yoga — It is hard to put yoga in a basket. So, Ms. S&C’s love of yoga came in the form of a strap this year.
- Dark chocolate — This is Ms. S&C’s indulgence item. She has a fondness for fancy dark chocolate, and Mast Brother’s has a special place in her heart. (So does Vosges for that matter.)
- Misha’s coffee — Hooray for local artisanal coffee! (And kudos to Whole Foods for carrying it.)
- Running/workout playlist — Ms. S&C loves making playlists (it’s a recurring item in her basket), and this year she adapted a running mix she shared awhile back.
- Recipes — Thomas Keller’s roast chicken and crispy kale and are (excuse my language) fucking phenomenal.
And while there wasn’t anything cocktail or shoe-related in her basket, Ms S&C’s friends definitely came through, as gin, vodka, and sparkling rose all made an appearance.
Now, of course, Ms. S&C wants to know: What favorite things would you put in your basket? Share in the comments below!
PS) You can check out Ms. S&C’s favorite things from 2009 and 2010.
posted by Ms. S&C
Academy Awards Fashion and More
For the third year in a row, Ms. S&C is live blogging the Academy Awards. Yes, e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e else is doing it too. (Twitter has been abuzz with the latest updates for days now.) And no, she doesn’t have any special insider information. She is just like you. She is sitting on her couch, in ripped jeans and a tank top, drinking red wine from a box. And she can’t wait for James Franco.
Ms. S&C is live blogging the Oscars, along with everyone else.
Here we go:
Love that Kelly Osbourne just called Helen Mirren’s body “bangin.”
I think I like Scarlett Johansson’s dress. The color and the lace overlay and the messy hair are a little unexpected.
The best decision Gwyneth Paltrow could have made (at this stage of her career) was appearing on Glee (plus, she looks great tonight in that slim silvery number).
Cate Blanchett is in an unusual lavender dress. She was described by someone as a “work of art.” And I couldn’t agree more. She is absolutely gorgeous (I love the short hair) and like a breath of fresh air.
Wow, a lot of red: Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lawrence, Penelope Cruz, Anne Hathaway. I wish I liked red more.
That ABC backstage interview with James Franco could have gone better, right?
Commercial break: Ms. S&C saw eight of the ten movies nominated for Best Picture, and she wants “The King’s Speech” to win (again, along with everyone else on the planet who has seen it).
Correction: Jennifer Hudson’s dress is apparently “tangerine,” not red. Thank you, Tim Gunn.
Loved the question by Robin Roberts, of GMA, to Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban about what music they listened to on the way over. Unfortunately, the only answer we got was “mellow.”
Did you know that Melissa Leo from “The Fighter” is also John Goodman’s wife on “Treme”? She looks so different. And by different, we mean better.
Commercial break: Check out the S&C Twitter page too because we are retweeting commentary that is much better than ours. #humbled
Yay! Love an Alec Baldwin cameo anytime, anywhere.
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