Friday Favorites

So I realize I completely forgot about last week's Friday Favorities and for that I am so sorry! But to make it up to you, I'm adding extras to this week's edition!

Recently, my beloved Waring Blender died. I know, I didn't think they were supposed to die! But mine did and it wasn't even that old, so I packed it up and took it back to Williams Sonoma to plead my case. The woman there was incredibly nice and helpful and said that they are no longer carrying Waring (shocker!) but that I could exchange it for a new one. Here's' what I got:

Breville Ikon Hemishpere LCD Blender

This is the Breville Ikon Hemisphere LCD Blender. It all but launches missles. The lady at the store was soooooo enthusiastic about it that I got caught up in her enthusiasm and didn't realize that it cost more than the blender I was trading in. But I will say, it's pretty awesome. It can even make snow (she mentioned this at least 30 times - what I'm supposed to do with snow, I have no idea. We get plenty of it right outside our door up here!)! So if you're in the market for a blender or someone wants to buy one for you, this is a good one!

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Maldon Sea SaltThose who know me know that I love salt. Love it! I'm particularly fond of Maldon Sea Salt. It used to be my little luxury that I'd pick up for myself at Citarella every now and then, but now it's widely available and you can even get it at Whole Foods. I use it in cooking and topping meals all the time as I love the salty crunch it gives food. I'm particularly fond of using it on top of my homemade peanut butter cookies. And I know this sounds crazy, but it's not quite as salty as regular salt which means it's not so overpowering. Try it and compare it to your regular salt and you'll get what I mean.

I also just discovered that they have a smoked variety! Whoo-hoo!

Smoked Maldon Sea Salt +++

Speaking of Whole Foods, have you tried their selection of wine? It's really quite good! We're big fans of what we've come to call Chicken Wine:

La Vieille Ferme is bright and delicious (we love both the red and the white) and IT'S $7.99!!!! Try it with pizza out of the box or a fancy dinner with your sweetie. It's a great wine!

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Have you taken your vitamins today? Have you heard the latest about Vitamin D3? With winter coming up, taking a Vitamin D3 supplement is definitely worth considering. New research comes out every day about the benefits of D3. Here's a great article about Vitamin D3 need-to-knows. Definitely worth a read!

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Avalon OrganicsWe're veering out of the food realm now. My friend Nicki turned me onto Avalon Organics Shampoo. Just google Sodium Laureth Sulfate and shampoo and there is a ton of compelling information out there for looking into SLS-free shampoos. I've been using it for the last 9 months and even my hairdresser has commented on how shiny and healthy my hair looks. I also don't have to wash my hair nearly as much as I used to! Organic shampoo (available at Whole Foods and health food stores everywhere) may cost a bit more than your typical drugstore shampoo, but the differences are amazing and you'll save money not having to wash your hair as often. One note, SLS is a foaming agent, so SLS-free shampoos will not foam as much as you might be used to, but don't worry, it's still cleaning!

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Lonny magazine is a brand-new online-only magazine founded by the former editors of Domino. I loved Domino and was so sad when it closed. Lonny is brilliant and beautiful and the fact that it's online makes it easy accessible, environmentally friendly and best of all -  FREE!

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 Superfreakonomics

I was a big fan of their first book Freakonomics and am really excited about Superfreakonomics. Both are super thought-provoking reads. I mean, how can you NOT be drawn in by the subtitle: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance?

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And finally, a bit of blog love:

We are leaving for our belated honeymoon trip to Spain and Morocco in 40 days and I am OBSESSED with My Marrakesh. Oh, to be Maryam! Does anyone know if there's a Spanish version of this gorgeous blog??

Life in Grace is beautiful, fun and quite remarkable. Edie is a former physician turned stay-at-home diva. She has EIGHT kids and a gorgeous house (check out these photos!) and some really lovely ideas and thoughts on everything from family to fingernail polish. She's also doing a great 12 days of Handmade Christmas feature with the cutest ideas for crafty gifts that you should definitely check out. Darby from here was the featured crafter for Day 1 and all of the ideas are really fun and wonderful!

Alright, sweet readers, this weekend is David's birthday and my dear friend Emily is coming up from NYC. There's lots to be done around here! Have a fabulous weekend!

Love, Jaime