S: Is for the gift of scent

Eighteen days left and my wish for today's gift under the tree is highly personal. There are so many perfumes out there. Angel by Theirry Mugler is the best selling perfume in the world and I admit until it became popular I was a fan. I also use to wear Opium and Sugar by Fresh. Women can normally tell you every perfume they have ever used. Most likely the end of the fragrance signifies a new stage of life. When we are children we are mystified by our mothers adorning themselves with whiffs. We know when we get there we too will be attractive. We too will attract our mates. Which brings me too.....


#18: A scent for just ourselves: I love "Smiley" the new perfume from France's Arthes group. The unisex fragrance is based on olfactory molecules theobromine and phenylethylamine that are known to trigger happiness. Developed by Firmenich, the scent itself is a fruity, spicy accord with bergamot and orange at the opening, and cocoa, praline and curaçao at the heart of the fragrance. The dry-down features patchouli, myrrh and musk. I was given a bracelet which I still have on and have been periodically inhaling. Does it make me happy? That I can't answer. Have I been addicted to it's scent? Yes! I want to bury my nose in it and that to me is a product to buy. I am excited that it comes in bath tablets as well as rubbing friction that I can think of a variety of uses for it and am looking forward to experimentation. Suddenly I hear I see mommy kissing Santa Claus. Mistletoe a welcome adornment. Does that make me happy? Absolutely and that is definitely a F.A.C.T.

T: Is for Turtles and Tee's underneath your tree

There are various Christmas Mart's through out the city. I stopped off at the one in Grand Central to see what would excite me. For the most part nothing is really unique and new. #19 for things to wish for under the tree is for your kids or the kid in you. I have also seen this unique company at street fairs and have been waiting to find someone to give this to. So my dear readers I give it to you.
# 19: Bugs Deluxe: They're squirmy, squiggly, slightly squishy, a little strange and simply great. BugsT-shirts make dressing fun for kids and young-at-heart adults alike. One small, plastic 3-dimensional friend from the animal kingdom (or beyond) is displayed beneath a clear vinyl window at the center of these loveable cotton tops. Each creature is framed by a silk-screened design. BugsTs are inspiring and fun wearable toys. Sparking a natural desire to learn and it's an automatic show and tell. Born in Brooklyn, New York, this family based company has been suppling to museum stores for 15 years. With more than 100 styles of BugsT-shirts to choose from you will be able to please the pickiest kids or adults. Fully machine washable and dry-able makes the natural world have a straightforward appeal. It is easy to take time to enjoy life's simple pleasures and the nature around us and that is a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Christmas Wishes with clubbing on their mind

#20: A place to entertain or just hang out.

With twenty days left till Christmas and New Years around the corner last minuet details are on everybody's mind. If you haven't booked your New Years festivities or are looking for an intimate club to show your appreciation to friends, employee's or those out of relatives I recommend 49 Grove. Tucked in the heart of the village, red velvet ropes beckoned to those who know the secret of 49 Grove Street. A landmark building and stairs that lead down to a hidden sanctuary. Plush intimate nooks allow for supreme people watching without being watched. A turn-of-the-century private club or your parents basement where you are nestled in complete comfort. Dark wood soothes, while lavish fabrics, and state-of-the-art audio/visual system are shockingly unobtrusive.











You can actually have a conversation, which in itself is rare in a a club setting. Their service is unsurpassed with a wide range of services including open bar, passed and stationary hors d’oeuvres, sit down dinners and buffet selections that will tempt event the biggest critic. Accommodating they offer seven days, 24 hour availability. A dramatic showplace created with an atmosphere of luxury and fun, with a keen attention to every detail. Christmas wishes that are seeking elegant, comfortable, charmingly run, celebrity driven clubs know in NY clubs spring up everyday but it is a F.A.C.T. that it is hard to find the right fit and this fits snugly under the tree.

A: Is for Art and 21 days till Christmas

#21: Light that masquerades as art
Toshio Lezumi creates glass sculptures that resinate like water reflecting sun. They fill the room with prisms of color and iridescent light surrounding the spaces they reside in. Spinning worlds of beauty that are so glorious. The soft, morphing glass surface bear a dynamic component suggesting the surface tension of water, yet remains static at the same time. The work draws your eyes in, guiding them into the deepest inner reaches but never allows them to focus onto a set image. The external space that surrounds the work is reflected within, and yet the way it appears changes in accordance with the glass’ complexities of thickness and distortion, as well as the point at which the viewer’s gaze is directed. The same things can be seen in every "work of art". But considering that glass has a property of being split into appearance and existence Toshio Iezumi has found limitless beauty in the property of this material and his work is a phenomenon of nature blending with man. I dream of day when one of his pieces will adorn my home and finds it's way underneath my tree and this is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for the First Three Days of Christmas

When I was a child one of my favorite holiday traditions was an advent calender. Each day I would await with eagerness to discover the item behind the awaiting window. For the next 24 days consider this an advent calender of the things you should wish for under your tree, or tips on how to make your holiday brighter. It is the best of the best of what I have written about with a few new surprises. There will be give aways and hints of items that are not even accessible to the average person. So lets get going because I owe you three.




24: Food Glorious food. Do you like Duck? If so here is the answer to a night out or take-out that will amaze even the most sophisticated pallet. I wrote about them February 26th and my opinion has not changed Planet Thailand 212 otherwise known as PT212 is a delectable treat, run by owner Anna Pop who graciously aims to please. Expect Carpaccio done to perfection, chicken satay in one of the best peanut sauces, fried tofu is so delightful it melted like custard in your mouth, and Tuna Tataki ($10) that Tom could not stop raving about. But it is the special Duck Panang for $16 which melted in a curry sauce over sticky rice in a banana leaf and green beans still crunchy that to this day has me sighing in contentment. Located at 30 West 24th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues it is in the perfect location to enjoy a wonderful meal before hitting the Cutting Room. It is an unique date place, a comfortable be with your friend place and is #1 on my advent calender.










#23: Designer duds for less. This is a Francois Girbaud coat that retails in the store for $1,200.00. On E-Bay $135.00 and it's yours. Best secret and holiday knowledge...if you know the designer and what it is you want you can find it for at least half if not more off. Nanette Lempore, Anna Sui, AWOL are just a few of the brands you will find.



















22: Pictures from space. I have written several articles on The Hubble Telescope. From our solar system to extremely remote fledgling galaxies formed not long after the Big Bang "The Top Ten Most Amazing Pictures Taken" in the last 16 Years have come from the Hubble. They illustrate that our universe is not only deeply strange, but also impossibly beautiful." Did you know you can purchase these? There was a time we bought stars for our loved ones and the money went into space, however by adding a Hubble to your wall you are adding to the Hubble continuing . Maybe in journeying with your eyes it will lead you to conquer your own final frontier and make that a F.A.C.T.