Cinco de Mayo is one of our absolute favorite Holidays.  Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexican heritage and pride and is a great reason to get together with your family and friends.  From the décor, to the music, to the food, there’s nothing we don’t love about this day!  So, today we’re here to help you host a magnifico celebration!

The Little Things:

• Buy batches of colorful flowers and place in short vases
• Stream colorful paper banners and flowers along your yard
• Buy fresh peppers and place in large glass bowls as food table décor
• Place mini-cactus’ along long tables
• Use maracas for your place settings
• Give every female guest a paper flower for their hair and every male guest a sombrero
• Have a piñata for the kids!
• Serve sopapillas and fried ice cream for dessert

The Ultimate Playlist:

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom by Selena Quintanilla Perez

La Bamba by Ritchie Valens

Macarena by Los Del Rio

La Cucaracha by The Hit Crew

Hot Hot Hot by Buster Poindexter

Your Attire:

French Connection Gwendoline Flower Dress, Ray Ban Large Metal Aviators, Rebecca Minkoff Neon Park Avenue Clutch, Sam Edelman Josie Wedges

Ultra Healthy Guacamole:

The best guacamole is made with the freshest ingredients… this recipe has been a classic in our families for years.  It’s diet friendly and also includes healthy, detoxifying spices!

2 avocados

½ cup of pico

½ lemon

garlic salt

lemon pepper

cayenne pepper

Mix avocadoes with pico (the chunkier the avocadoes, the better!), add garlic salt, lemon pepper and 2 pinches of cayenne pepper.  Squeeze lemon over guac (this adds a tang and also keeps your guac from turning brown!).  Serve with pita chips.  Serves 3-4

Our Favorite Skinny Rita:

3 ounces Patron

2 ounces fresh lime juice*

1 ounce agave nectar

Mix in shaker with ice, pour into two salt-rimmed glasses, garnish with limes.  *Use grapefruit juice for a delicious grapefruit rendition!

We are so excited for Saturday & hope that everyone enjoys their celebration!  Adios!

Kelli & Lisa

While many think New Year’s Eve is primarily a party for adults, it can also be a fun celebration for the family. New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate the old and welcome the new, and just about everyone can appreciate that, even children.

We usually like to have some friends and family over to celebrate the old year and cheer in the new one. During the course of the evening we take a moment to go around the room and recount happy and positive things that have happened throughout the year, as well as what our expectations are for the New Year.

Festive social foods like fondue are the order of the day. We get out the old fondue pot (you probably got one as a wedding present, too) and make at least one kind of fondue for dinner. Classic Swiss cheese is great, but varying the ingredients to make for more kid friendly versions (think yellow cheddar cheese) works too. We have an array of foods to dip in, including bread cubes, cooked broccoli and cauliflower, and ham.

When you’re popping the bottles of bubbly, don’t forget the kids by opening a bottle or two of ice-cold sparkling apple cider. A festive champagne flute of sparkling cider is fun to sip and welcome by children and adults who aren’t drinking alike.

If the kids aren’t going to make it to midnight—and let’s face it, many parents aren’t either—then celebrate the New Year by tuning into another celebration on TV. Remember, 2012 starts in the Pacific Islands first and works its way across the globe, so there are plenty of fireworks displays and celebrations to watch; one per hour, in fact.

Of course you need to make sure the children stay busy throughout the evening, even if they’re not staying up until midnight. I like to get the kids involved by letting them create fun crafts for the New Year’s Eve celebration:

• Make New Year’s crowns out of construction paper and decorate them with markers, crayons, and glitter. The kids usually make them both for themselves and for the grownups to wear, too.
• Noisemakers are also fun to make, and a New Year’s Eve necessity. Make some out of two paper plates stapled together and filled with beans. Decorate the plates as above.
• Go green and make shakers out of recycled plastic water bottle. Pour in some dried beans or rice (make sure the inside of the bottle is dry), cap it, and then decorate with tissue paper, glue, and glitter.

With these suggestions, the entire family can help ring in the New Year in style. Here’s wishing you and your family a fantastic 2012!

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just a few days away…2011 has flown by! As we all get ready to celebrate with family and friends, we want to share a few of our favorite things about Christmas. Christmas is one of the few times where we all slow down and pay attention to every little detail. Just another reason why we love the holidays so much!

When it comes to the Christmas tree, it’s the small details that make a grand masterpiece. And when it comes to the details, we have a little obsession with ornaments! We’ve narrowed down our favorites.

1) Rachel Roy designed ornament – Macy’s (part of the proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation) 2) Cotton Candy Machine ornament – Nordstrom 3) Glitter Football ornament – Macy’s 4) LOVE ornament – Urban Outfitters 5) Macaroon ornament – Sur la Table 6) Fireside Feelings ornament – Anthropologie 7) Double Decker London Bus ornament – Harrod’s 8 ) Dachshund ornament – Z Gallerie

If you haven’t broken down and gotten a real tree this year, or if you need some extra Christmas scents, we love stovetop potpourri. It’s an easy way to pull items you likely already have at home and fill your home with fragrant goodness!

Stovetop Potpourri Recipe

Ingredients:

• One whole orange or orange peel
• ½ cup of fresh cranberries
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 3 sticks of cinnamon

Directions:

Slice the orange into quarters and place into a saucepan with the rest of your ingredients. Fill the pan with water and place on the smallest burner. Heat on the lowest setting and refill the water as necessary.

You can certainly increase the recipe and add additional ingredients like nutmeg. And if you need a last minute gift or gifs for neighbors and co-workers, package the ingredients in a cellophane bag, add a bow (you can even add a tag with the instructions) and give the gift of a gorgeous-smelling home!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Kelli & Lisa

With the holidays upon us, it’s time for good cheer, family fun, celebration, and… house guests. It’s not unusual to have a house full of people during December. It can often be a challenge to entertain and feed guests, especially when you’re busy with the craziness of Christmas.

When I’ve got a lot of people to feed for breakfast or brunch, I like to make this easy and delicious egg and sausage casserole. It’s simple to make and delicious, and it’s something the kids can help out with, too. You can also vary the ingredients depending on what you have on hand or what sounds good to you. I’ve made it successfully using diced smoked ham and chicken apple sausages, and you can even leave out the meat for a vegetarian version.

Prepare the casserole the night before and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. (While you can make it and cook it immediately, it really turns out much better if it sits overnight.) The great thing about this is all you need to do is pop it in the oven in the morning! This dish is great as part of a holiday brunch buffet. It’s rich and filling, and a little bit goes a long way.

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• Half a 1-pound loaf of sourdough bread, cubed or torn into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound breakfast sausage, removed from casings, crumbled, and cooked
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Note: Kids can help tear the bread into pieces, mix the ingredients, and beat the eggs and milk.

Lightly butter a large (10–12-inch) casserole dish. In a large bowl combine bread pieces, sausage, and half the cheese. I used sharp cheddar cheese because that’s what we had in the refrigerator, but gouda, Monterey jack, and fontina are all equally good substitutes. I always use leftover sourdough bread, but any kind of sturdy white bread can be used. Stale bread is perfectly OK to use, too.

Pour bread mixture into prepared casserole dish.  In another bowl, whisk eggs and milk together in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over the ingredients in the casserole dish. Make sure all bread is moistened. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and put it in the refrigerator to rest until the morning.

When you’re ready for breakfast, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and uncover and preheat the oven to 350º. Bake casserole for 30–45 minutes or until top is golden and bubbly and eggs are set. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

This casserole reheats pretty well, too, but you probably won’t have any left over! Happy holidays!

(DVF shirt, scarf vest, pants, luggage; vintage hat; Lia Sophia bracelets and necklace; Christian Louboutin heels)

****

{“When you figure out your suitcase, you figure out your life”} – Diane von Furstenberg.

Holiday spirits, people! Everyone’s goin-a-packin! Trains, planes, and automobiles…guaranteed you will be part of the mass exodus {“movement of ‘Jah people, oh-oh-oh yea-eah!”} – Bob Marley) this holiday season. For the sun-chasers, Cabo San Lucas? Miami? For the snow-seekers, Aspen? Vail? For the rest of us in this world who don’t follow the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills travel itinerary, Uncle Joe’s house? Down the river?

{“No matter where you’re going, you will surely be a-tow-in”} – elshane. There’s nothing chicer than a shimmery soul in a scrawny suitcase, La Petite Valise.

How to pack your La Petite Valise? {cue unlined paper, colorful pens, and an imagination…} **I’ve substituted clothing for names; see how I pack my weekend La Petite Valise from LA to NY…

FRIDAY  (69°LAà 42° NYC)

Airplane: Jimmy leggings; Kimmy sweater; Shimmy scarf; Winnie flats; Minnie

leather jacket

Dinner with parents: Binny jeans; Spiny chiffon button down; Shimmy scarf;

Winnie flats; Gwinnie fur coat

Out with friends: Binny jeans; Gimmee sequin top; Shimmy scarf; Lynnie killer stilettos; Minnie leather jacket

SATURDAY (38° NYC)      

Business meeting: Timmy harem pants; Spiny chiffon button down; Shimmy

scarf; Lynnie killer stilettos; Gwinnie fur coat

Lunch with old co-workers: same look as above

Dinner with college friends: Flynnie leather pants; Kimmy sweater; Lynnie

killer stilettos; Minnie leather jacket

SUNDAY (43° NYCà 74° LA)

Shopping Soho: Flynnie leather pants; Spiny chiffon button down; Shimmy

scarf; Winnie flats; Gwinnie fur coat

Museum tour: same look as above

Airplane: Timmy harem pants; Kimmy sweater; Winnie flats; new scarf I

purchased while shopping earlier that day; Minnie leather jacket.

Friends, we call this “hanging with Kimmy, Shimmy, Winnie, Minnie; Binny, Spiny, Gwinnie; Gimmee, Lynnie, Timmy and Flynnie.”

Therefore, when you pack a La Petite Valise, you…

ALWAYS HAVE ROOM TO “MAKE NEW FRIENDS”

xo, elshane

All I want for Christmas is…

* Everything sequin * Navajo embroidered accessories * Gorgeously expensive bath products * Extra blingy costume jewelry *

Oh, and, for my significant other to think I’m the best girlfriend in the entire world. {Cue tolerable present ideas for men here}…

* Everything sequin * Navajo embroidered accessories * Gorgeously expensive bath products * Extra blingy costume jewelry *

Eek. I guess I’m really bad at sharing.

But, this holiday season I’m feeling recession-proof! Not just because of my array of lucrative freelance positions that I hold {most of which I’m paid in tweed skirts three sizes too big, costume rings that rust my fingers, and cashmere socks that I store in the “if I ever make it on that skiing trip” drawer.} Kidding. I’m feeling good, and I want my favorite friends in my life to look as good as I feel.

The ultimate Fashion-Friend’ly Gift Guide for everyone in your life who really matters…

For yourself, start with a fabulous heel that, for one time of year, you don’t have to just look, not touch… like this Jimmy Choo pair for $750. Add a colored denim pant, say JBrand, Rag & Bone, or Citizens of Humanity.

Oh, and throw in that must-have party dress {blame it on New Year’s Eve}! MICHAEL Michael Kors, $175

Now for the best friend, think STATEMENT! Anything leopard will do… like this MICHAEL Michael Kors tote, $598. For the blogger and fashion-obsessed friend, if she already doesn’t do the Lita…then she ain’t got nothin’ on style! (Fix it quick by getting her the newest and most lightweight {might I add fabulously comfortable} Jeffrey Campbell “Lita” boot, $145). And of course, no chic mom can be without comfort bling, like these STEVEN Steve Madden studded loafers, $145.

A spiritual friend should never leave home without a “well traveled” {lewk}, like this backpack reminiscent of a Turkish Grand Bazaar market find, or these prayer bead bracelets.

Co-worker time! LOVE HATE relationship? We all get it. Instead of filling his stocking with pricey coal, get him something that can enhance his inner cool-factor. Bond No. 9 perfume and cologne, $150 and up; Voluspa candles, $18 each;  Kiehl’s bath and body products, $60 gift set for men and women; Gucci coffee table book, $85

Fashionable best guy friend duties? Keep his mind-body-soul Los Angeles laid back in colored sock and TOMS shoes. Did you know, for every TOMS shoe purchased, a new pair of shoes is given to a child in need? Pump up that holiday spirit! $48 and up.

Blind gifting? Grab Bag? Can’t go wrong with the best hair-tie known to wo-men: elastic knots, 6 for $10; Hollywood Fashion emergency kit (filled with all women’s must-have-quick-fix’s like double stick tape, stain wipes, blister pads, more, $14.95, or quirky coasters that fit any home decor (or re-gifting pile), $6.95 each.

Happy shopping!

xoxo, elshane