holiday gift ideas


Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Santana Row

The holidays are fast approaching and it is time to start thinking about last minute holiday gift shopping! If you are local to the San Francisco Bay Area, then you are already familiar with Santana Row in San Jose; which by the way, has FREE parking! Why not drive down from the city and enjoy a day of shopping and dining at some of the Bay Area’s most renowned restaurants; while parked for FREE!

Since this time of year can be stressful, I put together a little holiday shopping guide with a few gift ideas from select Santana Row shops. Of course, to get the full effect, you will need to stop by Santana Row to see these beauties in person! If you are time strapped, or do not live near Santana Row, never fear, I have inserted shopping links throughout the article so that you can stay in fuzzy slippers and continue drinking hot cocoa while shopping 🙂

For the hip man or woman: Scotch Soda

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From top: All items Scotch Soda: Barfly EDT  (in-store only, call 1-408-217-0032) / Sweaters (on sale!) / Clutch (on sale!)

The three gift ideas pictured above are from Santana Row’s newest shop; Scotch Soda. This is one my new favorite shops. The store is cozy yet full merchandise which would make great gifts for both men and women. In addition to warm sweaters and great outfits, the store has fragrances, handbags and accessories. There is also a lot on sale! If you haven’t stopped by Scotch Soda yet, please do! You will love it!

For the perfect gift, for anyone: C. Wonder

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From top: All items C. Wonder: Bike / Clutch (on sale!) / Pillow covers /Bracelets / Jewelry Boxes (30% off and comes in more colors!)

The above photos are from my all-time favorite gift shop; C. Wonder! I love this store so much because it has something for everyone on your holiday list. The store is packed with monogrammed items which will make the perfect, personalized this gift this holiday season; not to mention they are VERY on trend! Love that!

C. Wonder is also stocked with holiday foods such as candied popcorn and chocolate. There are scarves, sweaters, jewels, mugs, cheese trays; you name it, it is in stock. If I could have fit the entire store in this article, I would have! If you need to do some heavy shopping, I recommend stopping in at C. Wonder, Santana Row. You might just find everything you need in one place!

For the home decorator on your list: Z Gallerie

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From top: All items from Z. Gallerie, Santana Row: Light fixtures (in-store only, call 1-408-615-9865) / Clock / Budda / “The Godfather classic quotes” book

Z. Gallerie is the perfect place to find that something for the home decorator on your list. Not only does Z. Gallerie have fabulous home decor in stock, they also carry artwork and a fabulous book collection which will start interesting conversations when displayed on one’s coffee table. Perfect gift!

For the resort traveler on your list: Calypso St. Barth

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From top: All items Calypso St. Barth, Santana Row:  Candles / Clutches  (in-store only, please call 1-408-551-0024)  / Scarves / Necklace / Handbag (in-store only, please call 1-408-551-0024) /  

Calypso St. Barth is perfect for the world traveler on your list. The store is filled with beautiful pieces which evoke a tropical beach vacation vibe. There are unique handbags, jewels, scarves and beautiful sweaters which will make the perfect holiday gift for the globe-trotter on your list. Many of the Calypso St. Barth stores carry merchandise from local designers, so when you purchase an item in-store, there is a good chance it is limited edition or even one of a kind! Your globe trotting gift recipient will be quite pleased 😉

 

 

So make sure you stop in at Santana Row this holiday season to complete your gift shopping! There are many stores to choose from and since the restaurants are amazing too, you can make a fun-filled, luxurious day of it! Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉

*This post brought to you by Santana Row. All opinions are my own.


Teece Torre

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Photos: Earrings: Char Maassen / Lipstick c/o Laura Mercier Myth / Dress: Diane von Furstenberg / Clutch: Louis Vuitton (also love SAVE or SPLURGE) / Bracelet: c/o Teece Torre / Nail Polish: c/o Laura Mercier Butterfly Wings / Shoes: Valentino

One of my personal weaknesses is my love for jewelry. I am drawn to handmade jewelry by artistic designers. One of the things I look for in my jewelry is a sense of freedom and playfulness. I also demand quality; and love to wear something which is unique. When I met Teece Torre through Twitter, I fell in love. All of the designs are handmade with semi-precious stones and the bracelets are made to order in your wrist size! Love that!

Being that purple is one of my favorite colors, I was instantly to drawn to several purple hued bracelets on Teece Torre’s website; including this one, and this one. I settled on the beautiful La Notte bracelet which features iolite, citrine and aquamarine. I loved the richness of the gemstones set against the gold clasp and beads. The bracelet has an amazing color which appears very purple when set against other purple shades, black, brown or red. When against shades of blue, green or yellow, the bracelet takes on a bluish-purple hue which makes you squint to try and determine if you are looking at purple or blue! I love that!

All of Teece Torre’s pieces are handmade by the designer in her New York home. In addition to beautiful bracelets, Teece Torre also has fabulous earrings and the most amazing necklaces! I have my eyes on this one and this one. To learn more about Teece Torre, and to shop the collection, (great holiday gifts by the way!), please visit TeeceTorre.com.


L’Wren Scott for Banana Republic: my picks

L’Wren Scott for Banana Republic debuted online today and in stores around the country. As a huge fan of L’Wren Scott, and a huge Banana Republic customer, this collaboration, for me, is made in heaven. In fact, shopping the L’Wren Scott for Banana Republic collection today was definitely my Christmas present for 2013!

The L’Wren Scott for Banana Republic collection features classic holiday pieces such as a beautiful black “crackle” suit, sparkling sequin cardigan’s and classic, festive dresses. These pieces will not only look fabulous this holiday season, they can be enjoyed for many holiday seasons to come!

The accessories, blouses and jeans can also be worn in any fall season for years to come; they too are classic. Love that!

Since the L’Wren Scott for Banana Republic collection is absolutely fabulous, I thought I would share my favorite pieces from the collection with you. To shop the L’Wren Scott for Banana Republic collection online, please click here; or on the photos below. 

Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉

My L’Wren Scott for Banana Republic picks: