#19 Handmade Gifts, Homemade Goodies, New York City Christmas Travel Guide
Plus More Obsessively Curated Recommendations
Hello Friends,
I'm sharing some of my favorite things to do in New York City and New Orleans during the 🎄 holidays. I also share ideas for handmade gifts and recipes for homemade goodies. I believe the best gifts are made with love! One of my favorite traditions is making candy and baking treats for family and friends.
Please feel free to comment if you have questions, responses, brilliant ideas or if you feel like sharing a favorite recipe, restaurant, or anything else.
You can also email me 💌 marlayoung@mac.com.
If you are a ✨ new subscriber, check out the archives here, including travel guides.
Here's to a beautiful holiday season!
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📺 WATCH
Yellowstone (Paramount): Season 5 of Yellowstone is back. If you are a fan of the show, find out how Taylor Sheridan created the most popular television show.
The English (Amazon Prime): The story follows an English woman, Cornelia (Emily Blunt), who travels across the midwest to exact revenge on the man who murdered her child. After she and Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer), a native American man, save one another from a murderous fate, he joins her in helping exact her revenge with their pasts crossing in more ways than they could have imagined.
The Crown Season 5 (Netflix): Princess Diana seeks revenge, Princess Margaret reunites with an old flame, and many more juicy subplots await in the Netflix series’s most scandal-rich season yet.
Tulsa King (Paramount): Sylvester Stallone plays a Mafia capo who just got out of prison and is sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he tries to set up a criminal organization.
The Great British Baking Show (Netflix): It’s back with its two-part holiday special.
Glass Onion A Knives Out Mystery (Theaters): Tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case.
The Lost Kitchen Season 3 (Discovery +): Erin French followed her passion and opened a restaurant in her hometown of Freedom, Maine. Travelers from around the world gather at The Lost Kitchen to enjoy Erin's locally inspired and sourced menu. Stream the whole series if you are new to the show. Erin also has a cookbook.
READ 📚
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict: Snag if you like Gilded Age-era and art history.
Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are by Lysa TerKeurst: If you are processing a breakup or divorce, this book may help.
LISTEN 🎧
Shane Smith and the Saints: This Austin, Texas band is featured at the party celebrating John Dutton's inauguration as Governor of Montana in the latest season of Yellowstone.
DOWNLOAD 📱
Circuit (App): Your free local electric shuttle in 21+ cities, including Austin, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Miami.
Paperkarma (App): Sign up for a subscription for a nominal fee and take photos of any junk mail that comes to your house to automatically get unsubscribed.
SURF 🌐
Partiful: An event-invitation service that allows hosts to create mobile-friendly event pages and guests to receive reminders via text.
Who Brings: As an alternative to clunky spreadsheets or endless email chains, WhoBrings is a brilliantly simple way to figure out who’s bringing what.
Wirecutter: Experts research, test, and review hundreds of products across different categories. Check this site before making the splurge.
DO 📦
Elf Excursions from Big Memories Little Details: Tired of trying to come up with ideas to do with your elf? This quality box comes with everything you need to create fun scenes with your elf as you create magical memories. Each bag includes supplies, cards, parent instructions, and pictures of how to set up your elf scene.
2023 Prayer Journal: Great gift for friends, or snag one for yourself.
SEE 🎭
Peaky Blinders The Rise (London): It’s a play (and you are in it), a party, and a bit of an "escape room" experience. Fans of the show love it.
FOLLOW 📱
Kristie Streicher AKA The Feathered Brow Guru (Instagram)
BAKE 🥧
What’s For Dessert by Claire Saffitz: It’s a wide-ranging celebration of simple desserts of every kind, from stovetop desserts to chilled and frozen desserts to easy cakes, cookies, cobblers, and crisps. Check out her YouTube show, Dessert Person.
THE HOTLIST ✨
New Orleans
Zee’s Pizzeria has the best pizza and salads in NOLA
Ft. Lauderdale
Floreana Nails is an organic nail salon in Flagler Village
Heritage offers specialty pizzas & colorful salads in Flagler Village
London
Rosslyn Coffee is a favorite for coffee, and the soft-serve cold brew dusted with chocolate is popular during the summer.
How to run a successful book club.
On the enduring love of the Crockpot.
Esquire Magazine’s list of best restaurants.
Not all supplements are proven. Always read labels and do your research beforehand. Examine.com, an independent US supplement resource, is a good starting point. Try opting for capsules over oil or powder, as these are more likely to be as close to a 'food state as possible. Molded tablets often contain fillers and can be challenging to digest.
The best affordable sources for stationery.
I love this idea for a soup station.
Entertaining this month? Here's the best way to fake a clean house.
Have you heard about Handmade Amazon? It allows artists and small businesses to offer their handmade items with Amazon shipping rates.
Mixologist Julie Reiner's tips for creating perfect cocktails.
The best dairy-free and gluten-free cooking swaps for butter, cream, eggs, and flour.
A beautiful read about living through the death of a parent.
How to recognize the challenges of your unmarried single friends.
3 simple steps that stop you from being a pushover.
Travel around the world with this collection of 46 cookie recipes.
Tips for hosting a cookie exchange.
If you like Butterfinger bars, you will love this Peanut Butter Crunch candy. It is incredibly delicious and so quick to make.
The best cut-out sugar cookies.
Heidi Swanson's cookie recipes are so creative.
Ideas for hosting a Christmas cookie exchange party.
Ina Garten’s smart tip for better cocktails.
Favorite Cities to Visit During the Holidays
New York City
1. See the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.
2. Take pictures of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree.
3. Use this map for a walking tour of the department store window displays.
4. Go ice skating at Bryant Park.
5. Shop the holiday markets and craft fairs.
6. See Harry Connick Jr.'s Christmas concert at the Lincoln Center.
7. Watch the Empire State Building’s Annual Holiday Light Show.
8. See the Nutcracker
9. If you have little ones, don’t miss the Holiday Train Show.
10. See the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights display.
11. See the "Origami Tree" at the Museum of Natural History.
Tips:
If you are traveling from Baltimore, D.C., or Philadelphia, take Amtrak to NYC.
Show-Score.com is the ultimate resource for show information. Some of the shows, including Hamilton, offer online lotteries. You are notified via email if you win tickets and have one hour to buy your ticket(s). It’s worth a try for sold-out shows. RUSH tickets are another way to get discounted show tickets. I also use the Today Tix app to buy show tickets.
New Orleans
New Orleans is extra special during the holidays. For shopping, you can’t beat the unique boutiques on Magazine Street. To see Christmas lights with little ones, visit Celebration in the Oaks. If you are going with friends, stop by Piety Desire Choc on Magazine Street and order a hot chocolate, then hop on the streetcar to the Garden District. It’s a great way to see all the historical homes decorated for the holidays. Take the perfect shot in the Roosevelt Hotel Lobby for a memorable photo. For more things to do in NOLA, see my city guide.
Baltimore
Take the light rail to the Woodberry station. Head straight to Artifact Coffee for a beverage. From Artifact coffee, you can walk to the Hampden neighborhood. This is my favorite neighborhood for boutique shopping. Be sure to go before 3 pm (Thurs. - Sunday) and stop by Harmony Bakery for a sweet treat. This vegan and gluten-free bakery is fantastic. The highlight of the evening is the Hampden Christmas Street Holiday Show. For dinner, there are many fabulous restaurants. My go-to is Clavel for authentic Mexican tacos when I'm in town.
Washington, D.C.
My favorite event when I lived in D.C. was the White House Christmas Tour. Tickets must be requested months in advance through your local elected officials. Grab a coffee at Baked and Wired and walk in the residential section of Georgetown to see the beautiful homes decorated for the holidays. Stop by the Willard Hotel for photos.
Charleston, South Carolina
I enjoy walking in the historic district. Grab a coffee or tea at the Harken Cafe, and get ready to be blown away by the decorations. You could also do a carriage ride around the city. For the ultimate photo, stop in the Belmond Hotel and take a photo in front of the Christmas tree with the spiral staircases and chandelier in the backdrop. For more ideas, see my Charleston City Guide.
Orlando
My favorite event is the Bar du Chocolate at the Waldorf Astoria. It’s a decadent selection of champagne and chocolate hand-crafted by Waldorf Astoria Orlando’s world-class pastry team Dec. 24-25, 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm.
San Antonio
The famous holiday lights on the River Walk are displayed through January 9, 2023. While you can walk along the River Walk, the boat tour is also fun. For more ideas, see my San Antonio City Guide.
London and Paris are also fantastic for shopping during the holidays.
My Favorite Resources for Designing Cards & Invitations
1. Walmart offers impressive, clean-looking, and inexpensive photo cards you can make online and pick up in-store. They include lined envelopes. They start at $0.28 apiece.
2. RedStamp offers a quick way to solve those last-minute "Oops! I forgot to send a card!" moments by letting you make and send digital cards from your phone (and your computer, too). RedStamp also offers a mailing service that will mail cards for you, starting at $1.49 each when you buy in bulk.
3. Paperless Post is an online card design site. I love their designs.
4. Postable allows you to send a mass email to friends and invite them to enter their current addresses into a private online address book. Then, they'll finish the job by addressing and mailing cards for you at as low as $2.00.
5. Minted is a popular card design online site featuring high-quality products.
6. Tiny Prints designs are fancy. Check online for the savings code for 40% off orders.
7. Artifact Uprising is similar to Shutterfly, but I like the designs better. Check out the 3-in-1 holiday card that can be repurposed by your family & friends. It's a greeting card, a photo print, and a tag.
BOOK CLUB
Here's a selection of my favorite books for making homemade goodies.
Food Gift Love: More than 100 Recipes to Make, Wrap, and Share
by Maggie Battista
Friends Food Family
by Nathan Williams
Handmade Gifts From the Kitchen
by Alison Walker
Canning & Preserving Gift Mixes: Awesome Recipes for Presents Your Friends and Family Will Love
by Susan Jacobs
Friends Food Family
by Sasha Wilkins
Homemade Memories Childhood Treats With a Twist
by Kate Doran
Pret-a-Party: Great Ideas for Good Times and Creative Entertaining
by Lela Rose
Dinner Diaries: Reviving the Art of the Hostess
by Daniel Cappelo
The Craft Cocktail Party
by Julie Reiner
RUM CAKE
This is my favorite cake to make this time of year.
*Substitute with AP flour if you are not making it gluten-free.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
2 Tablespoons butter (melted)
3 cups gluten-free flour or unbleached AP sifted, plus more for dusting the pan. *I use Cup 4 Cup GF Flour or Auntie’s Gluten Free Flour.
2 teaspoons instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt or kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup olive oil
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 large eggs
½ cup dark rum
1 cup sour cream
GLAZE:
½ cup (1 stick of butter)
¼ cup water
1 cup sugar
¼ dark rum
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick spray and dust it with flour, tapping out any excess.
To toast pecans, melt butter in a microwave bowl. Toss nuts in butter and spread evenly on the cookie sheet. Place in oven for 10 minutes, tossing at half the time (5 minutes) to ensure even toasting. Remove from oven. Sprinkle nuts over the bottom of the prepared cake pan.
Mix the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the olive oil, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and the rum and mix until well combined.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour mix on low speed until blended after each addition.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, turning the pan after 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 60 minutes; then invert the cake onto a raised wire rack set over a baking sheet to cool completely. Prick the top with a toothpick or skewer.
Make the glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and rum and heat over low heat, stirring, until thoroughly combined.
Spoon and brush the glaze slowly and evenly over the top and side, pausing to allow the cake to absorb the glaze. Repeat until all the glaze is used.
1. ALL IN GOOD TASTE: Richly illustrated in Kate Spade’s signature style, the book is a patchwork of essays, recipes, how-tos, and hostess tips for creating the perfect party.
2. PINEAPPLE COCKTAIL NAPKINS: What is more welcoming than these Pineapple Embroidered Cocktail Napkins/Coasters?
3. JONATHAN ADLER CHAMPAGNE CANDLE: I am crazy about this scent.
4. FLORAL STATIONERY SET: The hostess will love this chic writing set.
5. PALM BEACH ENTERTAINING: This personal invitation into the private homes of Palm Beach’s most celebrated members of society shows how to bring high style to your gatherings at home. More than twenty hosts open their doors, revealing their secrets for entertaining along with one hundred of their most tried-and-true recipes.
6. SQIRL LA JAMS: You must try these jams! Sqirl is a popular little cafe in Los Angeles. The jams are all made in-house using only the best locally sourced ingredients.
7. MINI NOTEBOOKS BRADLEY AND LILY: These pretty designs make a lovely gift.
8. HAMPTONS ENTERTAINING: Eighteen lavishly photographed parties are featured, offering a wealth of inspiration for table settings and menus, along with entertaining tips that will serve for memorable occasions. Over 80 recipes are included.
9. COMPARTES CHOCOLATE BARS: Some of my favorite flavors include Donuts & Coffee, Coney Island (milk chocolate with bits of waffle cone), Cereal Bowl, Campfire (dark chocolate with graham crackers and marshmallow), and the Blonde Bombshell (white chocolate with butterscotch). Every bar is full of fun both inside and outside. I want to give them to everyone on my list!
10. TABLE TOPICS QUESTIONS TO START GREAT CONVERSATIONS: These little boxes are awesome. The questions fuel great conversation and get everyone involved.
11. FAT TOAD FARM CARAMEL: The best caramel made on a farm in Vermont.
12. JENI’S ICE CREAM: Great for a host/hostess gift, or keep them in your refrigerator but beware, they won’t last long!
13. BUTCHER AND BEE SMOKED ONION JAM: Try it on: any sandwich, cheese, charcuterie, or roasted vegetables. It’s insanely delicious! Add a biscuit mix with the jam. I like Callie’s biscuits. For celiac friends, there is a gluten-free biscuit mix.
14. WINE TOTE: These totes are great for gifting with a bottle of wine or champagne. I love the travel tote bags too!
15. THUG KITCHEN PARTY GRUB: Give this to the bachelor or young couple who loves to entertain. Party Grub combines exciting, healthy food with easy-to-follow directions.
16. NORTH SHORE GOODIES HAWAIIAN COCONUT PEANUT BUTTER: This peanut butter is delicious!
17. THE COCKTAIL PARTY: New York caterer Mary Giuliani shares all her secrets, tried-and-true planning tips, inventive menus, whimsical recipes, and delicious stories to stage the perfect party for a range of special occasions.
18. L.A. BURDICK HOT CHOCOLATE: The host or hostess will love this delicious drinking chocolate.
19. QUIN CANDY: Quin candy is made in Portland, Oregon sourcing local ingredients. I like the Salt Sweet Caramels.
20. FAVOR QUOTE CANDLES: All the candles have inspirational quotes and smell amazing.
Recipes
The best fudge recipe.
Claudia Roden’s Orange and Almond Cake
Yotam Ottolenghi’s Flourless Coconut Cake
Emily Luchetti’s Ginger Cookies
Ovenly's Salted Peanut Butter Cookies
Belinda’s Flourless Coconut and Chocolate Cake
For more party planning tips and resources, see this past newsletter:
You May Have Missed:
I just saw that 1923 (2nd Yellowstone prequel) begins streaming on 12-18. I watched 1883 and enjoyed it, even though it was so sad and I can't wait to watch 1923. I started watching the Crown and got part way through season 2 and either I lost interest or it was boring, so I quit. I had every intention of going back to it, but like books and finding time to read, there are just too many shows to watch and not enough time to watch them all. Thanks for all the great links; I've found several that I'm looking at for gifts for friends/family.
Great resource, Marla!