CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE

Best Bachelorette Gifts

July 7, 2010 by Pansy | Comments (0)

The bride is a vision of beauty, romance and joy.   The next chapter of her life and all the expectations that come with it lies happily before her. But, understandably, brides are a delicate breed.  She has the biggest To-Do list she has ever faced in her life!  As a friend of a bride, the perfect gift can make all the difference.   I recently looked around Austin to see what gifts might make the bride feel even more special and loved at this exciting time in her life.

Women know that lovely lingerie can change your life and a visit to Underwear was truly inspiring.  To keep our bride rested, there are silk sleep masks embroidered with “Kiss the Bride” that are delicate but practical.  The French line, Hui, is a creamy lace fabric guaranteed to make you feel elegant.  Stella McCartney has some enticing boudoir pieces and Mary Green has some lovely “something blue” silk panties.  These items are perfect gifts for brides!  Go by Underwear, 916 W. 12th Street. shop-underwear.com

When you walk into Milk + Honey, you instantly relax.  The setting is peaceful and it smells wonderful.  A great gift to ward off any bridezella tendecies is the Milk + Honey Retreat.  This consists of a 60 minute massage with aromotherapy, a 60 minute facial and the lux pedicure/manicure.  The bride gets to visit all 3 areas of the spa and leaves renewed and relaxed.  Bridezella be gone!  Milk + Honey, 204 Colorado Street, milkandhoneyspa.com

Paper Place is an inspiring place to browse for brides.  They have a great selection of picture frames.  Why not frame photos from the different showers and parties as gifts?  And since writing thank you notes becomes a part-time bride for any bride, check out their selection of notecards.  You can also order postcards announcing their new address. Paper Place is at 4001 N. Lamar.  paperplaceaustin.invitations.com

The PJ Shop features women’s loungewear as well as jewelry and clothing.  How perfect to give the bride a new robe to relax in after her latest round of parties!  I love the Plum Pretty Sugar Silk Road Sweet Robe.  So feminine and silky.  Their slippers are so attractive too. Check them out at thepjshop.com

Back Home Furniture is full of unique details for the home.  They have some very chic sofa pillows that would make great gifts for the new home.  Also, their throws come in unusual colors. Walk around and get ideas.  Getting a gift not on their wish list can be a fun surprise when you know the bride and groom’s taste.  backhomefurniture.com

When the bride and groom return from their honeymoon, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a week’s worth of meals lined up for them? Vicki Commiso, Personal Chef and Catering, customizes the menu and delivers it!  How lovely to come home to Lemon Chicken Piccata served over whole wheat noodles, Asparagus with Tomato confit and a green salad with citrus vignette.  They can eat on their new dishes with all their new tableware while being inspired about what to cook starting the next week!  Vicki Commisso, 512-744-5991.

Hello, Summer!

June 21, 2010 by Karina | Comments (0)

How many times a year do we utter the words, “If only there were more hours in the day…”? Well, on the summer solstice, you will get your wish since today, the sun shines longer than any other day of the year. Today of course also marks the official start of summer, and with it, we celebrate all the best things about this much-anticipated season! To welcome the return of flip-flops, barbecue’s, vacations and more, we’ve compiled a list of activities to do in order to take advantage of those extra minutes of sunlight. Grab your friends and family and head out – you won’t want to miss a second of your summer solstice celebration!

A picnic is a simple no-brainer for a summer occasion, but you might decide to get a little creative for the special occasion by coordinating a late-night sunset picnic in your city’s most scenic setting. Bring a playlist of songs with the word “sun” in them to set the right mood.

If you’re an avid outdoors-woman, you’ll want to really maximize your extra minutes of rays! Head out for an evening hike, run, or bike ride and extend it a little longer than usual. You’ll get an extra boost knowing that this is the only night you’ll be able to savor the sunlight during your routine workout.

Spending your solstice doing water activities is an excellent idea if you live near a body of water. Boating, surfing, kayaking, or even just lounging beachside will give you that summer glow you’ve been missing all winter. Plus, watching the sun lower over sparkling waves is a sight that can hardly be beat, and one you’ll want to store in your memory for the next winter.

Say Mother Nature decides to throw you a curveball and sends rain instead of shine, well don’t let that stop you from enjoying the spirit of the day. Curling up with a book and hot tea can be relaxing during a summer rainfall or storm especially if enjoyed from a patio or porch. If the day is more gray gloom than thrilling boom, head to your local arboretum or greenhouse to get your tropical nature fix.

Hats Off, Celebrations On!

June 16, 2010 by Karina | Comments (0)

Each spring, we celebrate the return of backyard barbeque’s, the blossoming of hydrangea’s, and the accomplishments of the thousands upon thousands of spankin-new grads. We all know it’s not exactly smooth sailing out there for our latest diploma holders; but we want to do all we can to ensure the departure from school and foray into the working world is at least a little bit brighter (a little sparkle goes a long way). We’ve surveyed the land in search of all the elements that make up a great grad gift: utility, novelty, and FUN! Here are the unique shops and services we found, sure to be the second best thing your grad receives – next to that hard-earned diploma. And of course, all the shops feature one great gift for the future entreprenesses of Austin – the CRAVE Guidebook!

Barron Image Consulting (11801 Pleasant Panorama View, Ste A)
Every new college grad encounters the same dilemma upon entering the professional workforce: how to make the transition from sweatpants and sneakers to tailored suits and pumps. What better way to get your graduate off on the right well-heeled foot than with an image consulting session from Austin’s trusted expert Cindy Barron. Oh, the places you’ll go, in that perfect pair of trousers!
barronimageconsulting.com

Holiday Golightly (online)
If your graduate is like most, chances are the only places they have been able to experience in the past few months are their tiny studio apartment, the library, and their student cafeteria! A post-graduation getaway is definitely in order, and this Austin agency is the way to go with dozens of package deals pre-planned so that the only thing she’ll need to think about is which bikini to pack.
holidaygolightly.com

Paper Place (4001 N Lamar, Ste 540)
Once the commencement parties have ended, and the caps have been tossed, a graduate will need a way to stay in touch with her wide circle of friends and professors. Sure, she’s got Facebook but a handwritten note says a lot more these days. Personalized stationery might be the ideal gift for your technologically-overworked grad which you’ll find in droves at Paper Place, along with photo frames, albums, and other gifts to commemorate the occasion.
paperplaceaustin.invitations.com