Holiday ideas: for the domestic goddess

The holidays are fast approaching, so for the next few weeks, I will to get in at least one post about gift ideas. This one is for the domestic goddess. And when I say domestic goddess, I'm talking about people who love to bake, or are just discovering a love for baking. You could either do one or all of these as stocking stuffers, or have a little gift for a gift exchange or something, all for under $25.

From top: set of two conversion magnets ($8.95), pair of mini snowmen spatulas ($9.95), set of 3 holiday cookie cutters ($4.95). All available at Crate&Barrel. You could also add your favorite baking book, and a set of cookie sheets for more rounded gift!

If there's something specific you'd like me to tackle, please let me know. I find buying gifts for men to be the most challenging, so I'm going to try to run through some men-centric ideas that have nothing to do with tickets to sporting events (which is usually my fallback, when all else fails : ) ).

Eating Across Cleveland: Indian Delight

As an Indian person in the U.S., you may be surprised to know that I don't really eat much Indian food. Why, you ask? Well, for one, I won't cook it at home, because Indian food uses lots of aromatic spices, and most homes in the U.S. either have carpet or inadequate air-flow, or, its just too darn cold (or hot) to leave windows open! It smells yummy as you're cooking it, but not so much after its hung around your home for a few hours. As far as eating out, for some reason Indian restaurants (particularly those in Cleveland) are either over priced, or serve just-mediocre Indian food.

This past weekend was the Indian festival of Diwali, and in keeping with the theme, N and I decided to get Indian takeout from a newly opened restaurant in the Gordon Square District: Indian Delight. N and I started with samosas. N ordered the Seekh Kebab with Garlic Naan, while I ordered the spicy chicken vindaloo. Overall, the food was really good; probably some of the best tasting Indian food I've had in Cleveland. There were however, a few things that could be changed for the better: I wish they'd cut vegetables and meat smaller, so that its not a giant hunk of potato or chicken. The garlic naan was great tasting, and fresh out of the oven, although not as pillowy as I usually like. Other than that, a solid meal at a restaurant I will definitely try again.

There is one caveat: The restaurant is REALLY sparsely decorated. Its decor is like the very basic Chinese restaurants you see in strip malls. So, I recommend takeout. Not only do you get a 10% discount on takeout orders, but that way, you can hang out on your own couch watching trashy tv  or a movie as you enjoy your meal.

Do you have an adventurous palette? What have you tried lately that you would recommend?

Consume with Care

I'm sure you've heard all about Four Loko, which has now been banned, or is at risk of being banned in quite a few states. It is legal in Ohio, and this weekend, it made an appearance at our tailgate.

I'm not gonna lie, I didn't like it. The lemon-lime version isn't terrible, but the rest of the flavors taste like a mixture of cough syrup and jolly ranchers. DISGUSTING!! Its rumored to be the equivalent of 6 beers and a cup of coffee, so please consume with caution.

Have you tried Four Loko? What did you think?

And the winner is....

Wow, picking a winner turned out to be quite the task! Apparently, Clair is not in the mood to pick anything out today, so we had to use Otto. Now Otto has been trained not to take things that are not his, so I had to settle for using the name he nudged out of the platter, as you will see in the video below.

So, without further ado, the judging process:




Yes, that is relief you hear in my voice. I wasn't sure that it was going to work, but great job Otto, and congratulations to the winner!!! Thank you everyone for participating!!!

Dark Spots

Our house is definitely a work in progress (even though we've now lived here 6 months!) N and I have a dark spot in our living room. It's the end with the L-shaped couch, and while we've tried using an end table with a lamp, its just not throwing enough light to the dark corner. I've decided we need a lamp behind the couch. I think we're going to go with this one:

Brushed Steel Arc Lamp, available at Macy's (on sale now, plus free shipping!)

A J. Crew obsession

I have a major obsession with J. Crew. MAJOR! Which should not come as a surprise given that J. Crew U (Miami University) is my alma mater. (Is it even called that anymore?) I'm particularly obsessed with their sweaters. It started two years ago, with the summer shawl-collar sweater (in silk and linen), which I promptly picked up in 3 colors. Its continued steadily since then, and I now find myself with quite the J.Crew sweater collection. These came for me yesterday. There's 5 in there!

Here's why I luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurve these sweaters:

1. They live up to lots of wearing and washing

2. They're really well cut (and therefore flattering)

3. They're a really good price considering (1) and (2).

This season I'm also looking to invest in some cashmere, maybe this one

Or this one

OBSESSED!!

What about you? Do you have any brands or products that you're completely obsessed with??

Shopping for a cause...AND, a contest!!!

Hi friends! Hope you had a great Halloween weekend! I had a really fun time, but I'm not going to recap today. Instead, I'm starting off November with something fun: shopping for a cause!! This is a longer-than-normal post, but please bear with me; there's something fun at the end!

From 4 pm- 9 pm on November 20th, Beachwood Place plays host to The Second Annual Compassion From Fashion event, which benefits the Gathering Place. If you're not familiar with the Gathering Place, it is a Cleveland-based organization that provides education and support programs for people who have been diagnosed with cancer, and also for their families, who may not know what to expect or how to deal with the diagnosis of their loved one. Best of all, these services are offered completely free of charge!! I personally know a few people that have used the services of the Gathering Place, and I've heard a lot of positive feedback about the institution. There are two locations in Cleveland; one in Westlake, and the other in Beachwood, so if you, or someone you love has been recently diagnosed with cancer, and is seeking some help, please direct them to the Gathering Place.

In any case, the Compassion From Fashion event is raising much needed funds for the Gathering Place. It's a night of food (catered by Maggiano's- yum!), fashion, and of course, SHOPPING!! For one night only, a number of Beachwood Place retailers will be offering special discounts; Here are some of the deals

American Eagle: 15% off your entire purchase
Caché: Take $25 of any regularly or sale priced item of $125 or more
Calendar Club & Go! The Game: 20% off full priced merchandise!
Cardboard Heroes Sports Stuff: 25% off entire purchase when you show your event bracelet. Purchase a $100 gift card and get a $25 gift card free
Chico’s: Will donate 10% of Saturday sales to The Gathering Place.
Eddie Bauer: 30% off entire purchase!
Express: 15% off your entire purchase!
Guess: Receive 20% off your purchase of $100 or more.
Guess by Marciano: Receive 20% off your purchase of $100 or more.
Jessica McClintock: 20% off purchase! (Excludes fragrance and accessories)
Mario's International Spa: Purchase a $100 Spa Dollar gift card and receive a $50 Spa Dollar Gift Card.
Molly Elaine's Boutique: 15% off any regularly priced item!
Origins: Free deluxe cleanser with any purchase.
Saks Fifth Avenue: Present your wristband to receive 15% off your purchase.
Steve Madden: Receive 15% off all full priced merchandise!
Style Lounge: receive 40% off your entire purchase! Kids can enjoy free face painting from 4-6pm.
Sweet Factory: Buy 1 lb or more of bulk candy and receive ¼ lb free.
The Walking Company: Save 15% off any of our exclusive brands!

Of course, besides supporting a great cause, it gives you the opportunity to get a head start on your holiday shopping (ahem! There are less than 60 days to the big event (or events, depending on how you celebrate)).

So here's how to participate:
1. You can buy tickets here ($20 pre-sale; $25 at the door), OR
2. You can WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS RIGHT HERE ON THIS BLOG!!!

Here's three things you can do to enter:
(a) Leave a comment on this post, listing what retailer you're most excited to visit, and what you're thinking of purchasing
(b) Tweet the following:
I entered @cleshopaholic's Compassion From Fashion contest hosted @BeachwoodPlace to benefit The Gathering Place
(c) Follow @BeachwoodPlace on Twitter

Each of these gets you one entry, so do them all for a maximum of 3 entries! The contest will run Sunday, November 7th, and I (and Clair) will pick a winner on Monday, November 8th. There's one more thing....

In addition to the pair of tickets, you also win a $50 mall gift card!!! Happy shopping, and Good Luck!!


P.S. This contest is sponsored by Beachwood Place and I'm receiving one ticket as compensation. So excited to go to Saks and Style Lounge!