easy and delicious eggnog

I spent this weekend enjoying holiday cheer with my family. We put on some Christmas music (some of my favourites are Elvis Christmas Duets, Sarah McLachlan’s Wintersong,  and Celine Dion’s These are Special Times) and set to the task of decorating the tree. It was a lovely festive afternoon of family and fun.

We also enjoyed a glass each of fresh and frothy homemade eggnog. I recently spent a weekend at Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, just outside of San Francisco (you can read a bit more about it here) and I visited the cooking school, where Kelsie Kerr, Cooking School Director, was whipping up delicious, delectable holiday eggnog.

I was inspired. While I didn’t get my hands on Kelsie’s recipe, I did find a few online and I whipped up a batch of this sweet treat for my family. Mmm! Here are a few for you to try, courtesy of eggnogrecipe.net.

Easy Eggnog
Diamond Eggnog Recipe
Traditional Eggnog Recipe
Coconut Eggnog Recipe
Chocolate Eggnog Recipe
Low Fat Eggnog

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kate spade christmas ornaments

Kate Spade sells gorgeous Christmas ornaments, too! Shocking! My sister is pining over a gorgeous Kate Spade bag (she likes the white; I like the black) and while I was checking out its specs online, I came across these pretty ornaments. The candy-coloured ceramic ornaments come packaged in a beautiful hatbox and will look stunning on your tree. Or, if you’re hosting a dinner party, put one on each guest’s plate with their name and let them keep it. (This means, of course, that you’ll have to buy extra for yourself!)

Price: $75 for a set of 5
For more information: visit katespade.com

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jonesy christmas cards

I don’t know about you but it can be tough to be original year after year, holiday after holiday. I mean, I’m buying gifts for the same people every year (you know, minus maybe an ex-boyfriend or plus a new colleague I really like) … but for the most part, the list of family and friends remains the same. So each year I, like you I’m sure, am faced with the challenge of coming up with something new and special. Same goes for the Christmas cards I send out each year. Who wants to send out the same cards year after year after year? That’s why I was so excited when I came across the Canadian company Jonesy. Not only are their stationery designs super-cute, fresh and original, according to the website: “Jonesy is dedicated to supporting the highest social and environmental standards. All products are printed with soy based inks on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper.”

Cards can be purchased individually or in boxed sets and you can also buy gift tags. Plus, I love that you can also purchase select boxed sets of cards from which 100% of the net proceeds are donated to the Sick Kids Foundation.

For more information:
Shop online at jonesy.ca. Customers won’t pay more than $5 for shipments within Canada, and for orders of $75 or more, orders will be shipped for free!

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cavallo point lodge

I’m staying at the most amazing resort in San Francisco right now and I just had to tell you about it! It’s called Cavallo Point Lodge and it’s a luxury resort hotel in the heart of Golden Gate National Parks. The setting is idyllic. Tucked away from the city proper, almost underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, this place gives ‘getaway’ a whole new meaning. The historic rooms are restored, turn-of-the-century Colonial Revival buildings and they’re a stunning union of old and new. Original features combine with modern decor elements to create a space that’s got both history and a contemporary design aesthetic. And, with an eye to environmentally-friendly living (fine organic linens and cotton towels, certified organic cotton robes and slippers, bamboo wood furnishings and recycling bins), this is the kind of place it’s good to support. Walking into the bright and spacious rooms feels like walking into your own home … everything from the perfectly chosen paint colours to the warm and welcoming accessories say ‘home’, not sterile hotel. I haven’t seen a fraction of what this place has to offer yet (there’s a spa, a cooking school) and already, I know I’m eager to return. I felt a real joie-de-vivre on arrival here and I’m excited to explore. I hope you have the opportunity to do so, too!

Cavallo Point Lodge
601 Murray Circle, Fort Baker
Sausalito, CA 94965
phone (415) 339-4700 / fax (415) 339-4792
cavallopoint.com

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