GG's New Year's Eve

That's right - the party girl is asleep. Happy New Year to our friends around the world! You can leave a message for Giulia's editor here, if you like. xoxo

Faces of January 12

Some very much unfinished 2010 business. It's days before the first anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. Things are really bad. Everyone can do something. If you can do a little more, there are Haitian artists ready to sell you some fabulous paintings & drawings. (photograph of Patricia Brintle charcoal Faces of January 12 - #2 via MedaliaArt. More Haitian art for sale, here.)

ciao-meow/GG Holiday Central

Running Out

The year is ending (& the new one has started in Australia & New Zealand, hi guys!). Giulia's editor must run out to the market (among other places). Back tonight, EST. You can read about & watch video of 2011's arrival in the Antipodes, here. (photograph via here) Cheers!

ciao-rush-meow/GG Holiday Central

Party Like It's 1959

What if some of the most famous online services were launched in 1959? You would have "Everything Ages Fast" Faux Vintage Ads. From Apartment Therapy Unplggd via Teya Rutherford's Little Chuckles on Pinterest). Back to supervising Giulia--she wants to tweet...not sure if this is a good idea. Back tomorrow for New Year's Eve. xo

ciao-meow/GG Holiday Central

Meatless Monday 2011 - Hop On!

We know it's not Monday but making New Year's resolutions is happening now. If you haven't done so before, consider hopping onto the Meatless Monday bandwagon. If that makes you nervous, check out the Meatless Monday website & commit to a few weeks, see how it goes. Though Mark Bittman is not a vegetarian, he is at the forefront of the less-meat movement; here are some of his most popular recipes, many are veggie. Also Liberty London Girl has many wonderful vegetarian recipes & tips on scraping the bottom of the pantry/vegetable bin (with panache).

ciao-meow/GG Holiday Central

(photograph by Carl Monus)

Byrne on Burton

Studiously ignoring the baking of cookies, the cleaning of the apartment, the taming of a certain feline (a lost cause). More fun to read things like Gabriel Byrne's review of Furious Love & his remembrance of Richard Burton on the Irish Times website. GG's editor feels the need for a full-length hooded cloak--now. (Last summer bricolage post on Richard & Elizabeth)

(photograph is via The Burtons tumblr. There's an amusing entry about the meeting of a bellhop & Burton, here.)

Write a Letter

Don't you love getting letters through the mail? It is one of the most personal and meaningful means of communication. Revive the art of letter writing—write a letter to a friend! Begin by creating your own personal stationery, here at the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum's site. (The Activity Zone has many other fun ideas, too.) Do we have to remind you that, ahem, you probably owe some thank-you cards? (photograph by the ghost factory on flickr via The Benevolent Postcard Society)

Happy Third Day of Christmas!

ciao-meow/GG Holiday Central

Sweet & Spicy Almonds

So you're stuck in the house because of the blizzards? You might have ingredients on hand for this super fast, easy snack. If you don't usually make this sort of thing, reconsider. Bulk nuts are best so that they're fresh & you don't have to spend a fortune. (This works well with less expensive raw peanuts, too. The whole point is the sweet/spice.) We made these by the bucket last year on a whim. Big hit & they make a good gift--you haven't seen everyone on your list yet, right? Especially in this weather. Oof. (Photograph of Hannah Berman's kitchen via Design*Sponge. We may paint ours similarly in the spring.)

Sweet & Spicy Almonds (via Martha Stewart)

2 1/2 cups unblanched almonds (or raw peanuts)
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook honey and water with olive oil, stirring, until combined, 1 minute. Add almonds; toss to coat.

3. Transfer nuts to sugar mixture (do not scrape extra glaze into bowl); toss to coat. Cool in a single layer.

Bon appétit!

Merry Christmas

Very best Christmas wishes to all our friends around the world!

ciao-merry-meow/GG & her editor

(image via Vintage Holiday Crafts)

Official Santa Tracker

It's sort of cheating but if you need to get your children (or cat & dog) to bed...see NORAD's Official Santa Tracker. Threaten no Santa if they remain sleepless, then pour yourself a beverage & watch It's A Wonderful Life (on in the States on NBC at 8pm or if you're near us, it's at AFI Silver Theatre at 9:00pm & way worth it on the large screen).

As Giulia's editor types this, Santa is in Tarrafal, Cape Verde & his next stop: Grytviken, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

ciao-meow/GG Holiday Central

GG's Beau Sapin

Giulia is very busy inspecting the tree, rearranging ornaments, generally causing no end of trouble. Why should today be any different than the other 364 days a year? Back later tonight. Cheers to Australians who are already celebrating Christmas. Merry Christmas, Julie & Simon & Wee Birdy!

merry-ciao-meow/GG Holiday Central

Italian Holiday Notebook

Have you visited Italian Notebook yet? It's written by an amusing bunch of expats in Italy. These photographs are by GB (in Rome). The modern LED fairy lights are rather a clash of modernity & the ancient but Rome is trying to find a way. Here is a message from Caesar Santa Claus (!) via the website.

ciao-bella-meow/GGCM

Shoot Your Sandwich

You're sitting around eating anyway. (Yes you are.) Play food stylist, snap your sandwich, & upload it to Saveur.com. Why ever not? You might win & be in the April 2011 issue. (photographs via Saveur.com)

ciao-slurp-excusez-moi-meow/GG's Lunch Lady

PS: Remember Toys For Tots & the IKEA Soft Toy Campaign!

What is The Giving Effect ?

A national movement getting food, gently-used items & more to people in need. From people like you! Donate your things. Change lives.

Genius idea. We bet you have stuff you can give in your local area.

ciao-merry-meow/GG Central

(Anthropologie photograph via Rebecca Schley via Pinterest)

Faux Bo

Bo, the Obama family dog, sits by a larger-than-life holiday decoration of himself in the East Garden Room of the White House. Some 80 volunteers helped create the 4 foot statue, which is made of 40,000 pipe cleaners. (40,000!)

If you want to keep some people busy with pipe cleaner creatures, see here. More things are done with pipe cleaners than ever -- apparently. GG wants a tiara. Of course she does. (photograph courtesy White House flickr stream)

ciao-woof-meow/GG Central

Funny Christmas Cookies

"I'm melting....ahhhhh." Here's an amusing idea if you happen to have some sugar cookie dough around (if not, it takes 5-7 minutes to whip some up--that's a scientific fact, by the way.). This is Meaghan Mountford's Decorated Cookie blog version. (Found via the Best of Pinterest & Crazy Domestic blogs. Thanks!)

ciao-cheeky-meow/GG's Holiday Kitchen

Moony Monday

Are you staying up to see the total lunar eclipse tonight? We are told that the moon will be a beautiful coppery-red, just like GG. Here is NASA's link to all things lunar. Cheers. (photograph via Popular Science(dot)com)

ciao-meow/the Mgmt.

Sparkly Sunday Night with GG

Regular visitors here know that Giulia rarely makes an appearance. She's rather demanding when it comes to grooming (in addition to suggested remuneration fees--which we are ignoring, thank you). Here is a rare moment of calm between fairy lights & GG. She alternates between suspicions that fairy lights suddenly coalesce into a monster to yum, these sparkly lights must be tasty. Otherwise, why would her editor shriek the moment a snaggletooth makes contact with a light tip? Oof.

Here's a new Simon's Cat video, Santa Claws. Even if you don't have a cat, it's funny. Have a good Sunday evening!

ciao-sparkle-meow/GG Holiday Central

'Twas the Saturday Before Christmas

...& you're going to IKEA. (Yes, you are. Admit it.) Why don't you pick up at least one soft toy & help UNICEF & Save the Children? Please remember the Soft Toy Aid campaign. The need is great, the prices on the IKEA soft toys is very low. (Their cuteness is indisputable, just like Giulia's.) As we've suggested before, even if you don't need any little-person toys this year, Toys for Tots (& gift collection campaigns in other countries) is in great need. (image via IKEA.com)

ciao-meow/GGCM

Free Holiday Ornaments & Gift Wrap - Bird Edition

The generous Top Bird at Wee Birdy has a gift for you, here. Have fun catching up with her move from London to Sydney. We're so glad that she's back online. On the theme of birds (get down, cat!), this pretty & free download is from talented Lisa Rupp at That's Happy. These birds (shown above) could be ornaments or more gift tags. (Here is Lisa's Etsy shop.)

We hope to pick up the posting pace but Giulia is eager (anxious, really) for the Christmas tree to be decorated. How can she dismantle the tree if it's not up first? Right.

ciao-meow/GG's Holiday Coordinator

PS: The Clever Pup has a tasty Sugar & Spice cookie recipe today. Yum.

(photographs via That's Happy)