­

Gift Guide: First Kiss

By |February 12th, 2014|Gift Guide|

spidermanSo, you’ve made it past an awkward coffee and perhaps a painful dinner or two.  You lovebirds are well on your way to wedded bliss… or at least Applebee’s.  Okay, fine maybe The Standard.  If your relationship is starting to heat up and your loins are starting to feel the burn, you’re going to need to step your game up and a candle for Valentine’s day is not going to light her fire, but it may get you fired.  Below are some gifts totally giveable to the potential future mother of your children… or dog.

valentines gifts

 

1. L’Agent by Agent Provocateur Esthar Appliquéd Lace and Satin Eyemask, 2. Deborah Marquit Giardino di Fiori Lace Soft Cup Bra and Lace Thong,  3. Lanvin Padam Continental Flap Wallet, 4. Gorjana Taken Ring, 5. ginette_ny Be Mine Petal Studs, 6. Cosabella Panty Pack, 7.  L’Artisan Parfumer Voleur de Roses, 8. Valentino Rockstud Small Neon Leather Bracelet, 9. Jennifer Zeuner Mini Heart Bracelet with Ruby, 10. Elizabeth and James Leary Sunglasses, 11. Fleur of England Amour Silk and Lace Boudoir Bra and Bow Tie Brief, 12. Carine Gilson Silk Charmeuse Camisole and Flottant Shorty

Eating good in the neighborhood.

xx,

WhyDid

 

 

Gift Guide: First Dance

By |February 11th, 2014|Gift Guide|

napolean dynamite danceYes, along with finding someone cute to cuddle up with this Friday– which just so happens to be February 14th, your boo or potential object of affection will most likely be somewhat stressed about what to gift you for this Hallmark holiday.  All of this will be made exponentially harder when factoring in what is or is not appropriate based on the length of your relationship and just how hot and heavy it’s gotten between you two thus far.  If you’ve just started dating and Patti Stanger would still have you on the two drink maximum (HA!), it’s just that much more tricky.  It’s important to show interest without giving away the promise of a picket fence, perfectly trained papillon, and three adorable and well mannered children.  Ladies, print this out, press forward, casually share it on Facebook and hope that your man is smart enough to read on.

When my newly smitten best guy friend confirmed with me that he should, in fact, send flowers to the new apple of his eye for Valentine’s day, he was downright insulted when I made him assure me he wouldn’t send the standard red roses- especially those flanked with the floral equivalent of cantaloupe, baby’s breath.  I forget that his mama raised him right and he, therefore, has impeccable taste down to wearing a three piece suit to his business casual office. However, some of you “gentleman” (yeah, I’m air quoting that) could use a little bit of a stern reprimanding when it comes to gift giving for the special ladies in your life.  Therefore, I’m here to guide your ship through the rocky waters of your budding relationship to your own private island of infatuation.

Some side notes about my selections:

  • Do not give a half assed gift.  If you choose to go with a frame, put a flipping picture in it.  That’s like giving a girl a vase with no flowers or a jewelry box with no jewelry.  This type of gift will land you in more hot water than baby’s breath or store bought chocolates (just don’t).
  • The little things are the things she will remember– unless she’s a gold digging ho and, in that case, you should abort mission before she drains your bank account and your sanity.  If you give her a book, write a sweet inscription.  If you opt for a change purse, tuck a shiny, lucky penny inside for her to find.
  • Don’t overdo it.  Crotchless panties two weeks in?  Probably not.  Now, six months in is a completely different story… Pro-tip: If you give a giant, shiny, or expensive gift too early on, you’ve set yourself up for future failure.  You must always outdo yourself and you, my friend have set the bar awfully high (sorry, ladies, but you know it’s true).  As for giving a girl a ring so early on, this is a knuckle ring and it’s a pearl, not a diamond.  You’re basically giving her something to punch you in the face with should you ever foul things up.  I consider this ring a token of good faith and an indicator that you’re up on current trends.
  • Don’t bother with a card– unless you plan on writing more than just your name.

valentines present

 

1. Wildfox Lolita Sunglasses, 2. Miu Miu Croc Effect Glossed Leather Pouch, 3. Taschen Set of Two Fairy Tale Books, 4. Rodarte Rohearte T-Shirt, 5. Rablabs Obra Frame, 6. Mary Green Sleeping Beauty Eye Mask, 7. Sophie Bille Brahe Lisa Petite Pearl Knuckle Ring, 8. Bing Bang Secret Admirer Necklace, 9. Jennifer Zeuner Adored Necklace, 10. AIR by alice + olivia Drape Wrap Around Top, 11. alice + olivia Lizard Phone Pouch with Portable Charger, 12. Elle Macpherson Medina Lace and Silk Pajama Set, 13. Chan Luu Cashmere and Silk Blend Scarf, 14. Eberjey Mabel Lace Trimmed Jersey Robe

Seriously, I wish I could date myself sometimes.  Also probably why I’m such a hit at a certain W 12th Street hot spot

xx,

WhyDid

 

image via

Gift Guide: Pet Project

By |December 14th, 2013|Gift Guide|

smitty in the cityIt’s no secret that a grandparent’s main duty is to spoil his/her grandchild.  Well, it would seem that my father has taken this task a tad too seriously by overindulging his namesake and my dog, Smitty.  My furry friend and I flew out to California a few weeks ago to celebrate Thanksgiving with my darling dad and middle bigger brother, Andy.  I was not surprised when Smitty got more than his fair share of our turkey fueled feast.  We all love Dick Smith, but being the softy who always gives in to Smitty’s sad begging eyes certainly doesn’t hurt his standing in the race to becoming the dog’s favorite family member (other than me, of course).  I’m now immune to his cuteness, but Dick is still a sucker.  A few days after Thanksgiving, ol’ Smitty wasn’t feeling so swell and on the following Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I awoke in sheer panic when my baby was sick as a dog- literally.  Many people find my easygoing personality a bit annoying as I don’t have the strongest sense of urgency- but this is exactly when that character feature/flaw comes into play.  As I roused my dad from his serene slumber, I started to cry and dear dad had no idea what to do with me.  He doesn’t have a pet and therefore nor does he have a vet.  It was also 5am and as we know, most vets are not open until the decent hour of 8 o’clock.  Calm Kiki took a breath, pressed her passcode into her iPhone as her fingers were too shaky for her fingerprint and proceeded to find the closest animal emergency room.

We arrived at Monterey Peninsula Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center 20 minutes later and Smitty was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis.  He was held overnight with an IV and we retrieved him the next afternoon.  After being home for a short time, I knew there was something else wrong with him.  My normally perky pup was merely a shell of himself and other than myself, there’s no one I know better.  We took him back to the vet and they gave him more medicine and some under the skin hydration and sent us on our way.  Again, we were only home for a little while before I knew this was not just a case of an inflamed pancreas.  I’m no vet (I don’t like blood), but my diagnosis was there’s something else happening.  We got back in the car and I held my best friend in my lap, praying that he could hang in there, but thinking about how I would deal with losing the equivalent to my left arm.  Another doctor was on duty when we arrived and he immediately knew there had to be some sort of blockage.  Smitty was given barium and they X-rayed his teeny tummy every two hours for the next six hours and sure enough, it was clear that Smitty had indulged in something other than Thanksgiving stuffing.  We were given the scary decision of whether or not to operate on my poor pooch and after deep deliberation we gave the go-ahead for him to go under the knife.

I didn’t sleep until the doctor called to tell me, my little man was doing okay and in recovery and almost three weeks after leaving New York, Smitty is healing nicely.  Needless to say, Smitty has accounted for his share (and then some) of our holiday budget, so he’s just gonna have to settle for an extra long walk and maybe a belly rub as his Christmas gift.  My mom has deemed him, “The Dog Who Ate Christmas” and I’d say that’s fairly accurate.  In his defense, you really can’t put a price on life- unless you’re a hitman.  However, if your pooch or pet has been better behaved than Sir Smitty Smith, show him how much he/she means to you with a little something more than Pupperoni or catnip.

gifts for pets

1. Mariposa Dog House Frame, 2. Creature Comforts WOOF Dish, 3. Ware of the Dog Plaid Back Zip Dog Coat, 4. Ralph Lauren Crocodile Dog Carrier, 5. Barney’s New York Crystal Bow Collar, 6. Found My Animal Collapsible Water Bowl, 7. Pet House Trixie, 8.Graphic Image Leather Pet Lover’s Brag Book, 9. New Age Pets Indoor/Outdoor Raised Pet Bed, 10.Bottega Veneta Intreccio Scolpito Dog Leash

Sit.  Stay.  Good boy.

xx,

WhyDid

Gift Guide: Oh, Man. Another Gift Guide.

By |December 13th, 2013|Gift Guide|

christmas male modelsIt is with great relief that the only men in my life that I have to worry about this holiday season are my brothers, my father, Smitty, and a handful of guy friends (by handful, I mean like three).  Luckily for me, most of them will be perfectly content with a simple well wish and maybe a bottle of Fireball (talking to you, Andy Smith).  And it’s a good thing I am single this year, because not only would I not be able to afford a thing after Smitty’s most recent trip to the vet (more on that later), but it would appear by my selections below that I’d be dating a cross between Don Draper and Al Borland… which actually would be an upgrade from some of my exes who probably would have been happy with hand mirrors, toy helicopters, and a vat of Scotch large enough to drown in. gifts for men

1. Baxter of California Shave 1.2.3 Kit, 2. R2-D2 Soy Sauce Dispenser, 3. Golf Ball Monogrammer Set, 4. J. Crew Dog Print Pocket Square, 5. Cashmere Earflap Baseball Hat, 6. Royce Leather Eyeglass Box, 7. Acqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere Razor & Brush, 8. Salvatore Ferragamo Angolino Lizard Money Clip Wallet, 9. Stag Decanter, 10. Levtex Mr Right Pillow, 11. Pocket Multi Tool

 Yo, where’s the mistletoe? xx, WhyDid

Gift Guide: The Beauty of Giving

By |December 12th, 2013|Beauty Buzz, Gift Guide|

holiday makeupOkay, fine.  She doesn’t quite seem to fit into any of the five gift giving categories from yesterday.  Deep breaths, drama queen.  I have a fairly easy fix, my friend.  There are very few (although, astonishingly, there are some) women who would turn their perfectly powdered little noses up at the gift of beauty.  Since the time we are old enough to sneak into mama’s rouge, we are mesmerized by makeup.  The beauty industry caught onto this and made your life a whole heck of a lot easier because many of them have crafted up kits especially for the holiday season.  But aside from the limited edition palettes, there are plenty of fun ways to gift your buddy with beauty.

gift guide makeup1. Bobbi Brown Basic Brush Collection, 2. The New Black Foiled Again 5pc Nail Set, 3. Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain Soap, 4. Oribe Purse Size Collection, 5. Elizabeth Arden Holiday Lip Gloss Set, 6. Kitsch Bow Ponytail Holders, 7. Le Metier de Beaute Ultra Hydration Mask Duo, 8.Library of Flowers Arboretum Bubble Bath, 9. Forever 21 I Need Lipstick Cosmetic Bag, 10. Jouer Sparkle & Shine Holiday Party Favors, 11. Deborah Lippmann R&B Mini Nail Lacquer Duet

xx,

WhyDid

image via