The Holiday Wish List

By now the halls may be decked, but if you're anything like me, the shopping is far from done. If you still haven't gotten the perfect gift for the special guy in your life (me, duh), read along and start clicking your mouse! 

And, by the way, all of these items would fit perfectly under my Christmas tree, hint hint. 

Jack Spade Grain Leather Market Briefcase

Simple and classic, but with a modern twist, this is the briefcase that every man should own regardless of age or occupation. $465, available in Black or Chocolate, www.jackspade.com. 

Paddywax Cranberry Fig Candle

This simply packaged candle is the holiday season in a jar. Sublimely scented, but in no way overpowering, it will provide hours of olfactory satisfaction. $24, 8 oz., www.paddywax.com. 

CoSTUME National Scent Intense

I have been wearing CoSTUME National Scent Intense exclusively for about two years and I never fail to get compliments on my scent. Not a department store fragrance counter regular, CoSTUME National is far from mainstream, and until now I've only revealed my signature scent to a select few. The scent is sexy and seductive, warm and inviting, yet somehow clean and crisp. Created as a unisex fragrance, the scent mingles with each individual persons body chemistry to create an intriguing and complex fragrance. $140, 3.4 oz., www.costumenational.com. 

Tod's Benson Venetian Loafer

An investment for you or the man in your life, a basic, but stylish black loafer is a must for every mans wardrobe. Tod's world-renowned craftsmanship and quality is hard to surpass, making the Benson Venetian Loafer a solid choice that will become a footwear staple. $395, www.tods.com. 

Nancy Boy Shave Cream

A bond that all men share, shaving is something that we all do at some point, and when it comes time for you bring blade to mug, it shouldn't be done without Nancy Boy shave cream. Aloe Vera, cucumber, coconut oil and vitamin E come together to produce a intoxicatingly scented, irritation-free, close-as-can-be shave. $18, 6 oz., www.nancyboy.com. 

Moët & Chandon Imperial Champagne 

Still stumped? Nothing says happy holidays like a bottle of cheer, and you can't go wrong with Moët & Chandon Imperial is one of my favorites! Prices vary, see your local liquor store or www.moet.com. 

Liquid Gold? Yes.

The scent; seductive, warm, earthy, masculine, yet feminine all at the same time. The packaging; streamlined, modern, sexy and chic. The promise; head-to-toe skin healing, dry skin to oily, acne prone skin. The result; perfection. Skin and Bones Skin Therapy is all of these things, and more. No fillers, no chemicals, just ten essential oils sublimely formulated to moisturize and protect everything from your feet to your body to your hands to your face to your hair. Nourishing for dry skin types and balancing for oily skin types, this is one product everyone should have in their medicine cabinet or on their bedside table. Or both. 

$15 - $75, available at http://www.myskinandbones.com

Shear Perfection... Hush Salon Philadelphia

For years I was a salon nomad, I have been to almost every high-end salon in the Philadelphia area. I've had some okay hair cuts and some very good hair cuts, but nothing comes close to comparing to Hush Salon Philadelphia.


Opened in 2008 by the husband and wife dynamic duo of Adrienne and Carlos, I began entrusting my locks to Carlos a couple of months after their opening, and I haven't strayed since. I'm in a serious, committed, monogamous relationship with Hush Salon Philadelphia. And I'm not alone. In 2009 Hush Salon Philadelphia was named "Best of Philly" for cuts and color, this year Carlos was named "Best of Philly" for men's hair cuts. Adrienne devotes her time to color and Carlos to cuts. Together they, and their fantastic staff, turn out the best cuts and color this city has seen. 


The salon itself is sleek and chic, yet laid-back and inviting. The staff couldn't be anymore friendly and less pretentious. Run, don't walk, to Hush Salon Philadelphia. Your hair will thank you. 


www.hushsalon.com | 215.923.5010 | 45 N. 3rd Street, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia

Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis

1990's Manhattan. Drugs, sex, and night clubs. Victor Ward (formerly Johnson) from Ellis' "The Rules of Engagement" is back; a male model, would-be actor, opening the hottest new club, dating supermodel Chloe Byrnes - life is good, right? Wrong. A victim of 1990's New York Excess, Victor takes us from New York to London to Paris to Milan, from fact to fantasy (or is it?), from sex with girls to boys to girls. The book is violent and graphic and you absolutely will not be able to put it down, and if you do, you're going to pick it right back up. 

"The better you look, the more you see."

Sunday Riley's Ceramic Slip Cleaner

This is the cleanser I've searched for my entire life. Seriously. I have sensitive, somewhat blemish prone, combination skin, which, let me tell you, is not the easiest skin type to treat. I've been moderately obsessed with skin, hair and body care for years now and I've tried cleanser after cleanser; cheap, expensive, foaming, non-foaming, liquid, bar, gel, cream, etc. Some were too drying which lead to more oil, some were too moisturizing which lead to blocked pores and breakouts, some were okay - status quo - but they didn't improve the appearance of my skin. 


Until I tried Sunday Riley's Ceramic Slip Cleanser... This cleanser has a gel/cream hybrid consistency, an intoxicating fresh yet herbal scent, and foams up enough that you get the "squeaky clean" feel, without the tight, drying feel of foaming cleansers that strip all the moisture from your skin. I try and use natural and/or organic products when possible, so the fact that the Ceramic Slip cleanser contains refined French Green clay, Black Pepper, Sandalwood and Frankincense, without excessive chemicals and sulfates, is an absolute plus! As promised, this cleanser minimizes my pores, cleans deeply, doesn't dry my face out, and leaves my skin smooth and glowing.


$45, 4.2 oz., available at www.sundayriley.com and select Barney's stores. Your skin will thank you!