I'm all for a gift I can eat, and after some personal indulgences with the bakery at Grand Asia Market while trying to buy frozen dumplings (hey -- my man loves them) I decided that this year the dangerous mix that is an Asian pastry should be shared with my world.




The sesame seed bun pastries are filled with a sweet red bean paste that's perfect for those that like a sugary treat. The almond loaf is the most conventional choice if you are gifting to picky eaters.

If you want a great stocking stuffer or a gift tag that's just as giftable as the present it adorns, I loved these monogram tassel keychains at Target.  I thought they'd be great hooked on the arm of a crossbody purse too if you didn't need another key chain in your life.




Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

Magnolia leaves are a time honored tradition in Southern decor, and at Christmastime they take front and center stage.  One of the best places to shop fresh greenery and magnolias is at the NC State Farmer's Market, where internationally acclaimed Weston Farms got it's start back in 2002.  Owner Erin Weston (dubbed the Magnolia Queen by Walter Magazine) grows her magnolias right here in Garner, NC on her family's 30 acre farm.  An art history major, she dabbled in heirloom vegetables and perennials before trying her hand at wreath making from magnolia cuttings, and idea inspired by the fresh fir wreaths being sold at the Farmer's Market.  Her designs were so popular, she had a hard time making them fast enough to keep in stock at her own Farmer's Market booth.

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Fast forward more than a decade later, and the Weston Farms brand is now a leading wreath and garland supplier internationally.  Lucy and I stopped into the  Weston Farms booth at High Point Furniture Market this year to check out the latest trends in magnolia swag.

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One of my favorite parts of this year's High Point Furniture Market was getting to speak with so many local designers and entrepreneurs.  Based right here out of High Point, North Carolina, the husband and wife design duo of Andrew and Audrey Kane behind Tapestries, Ltd are bringing vintage charm to everything from wall hangings to throw pillows. Audrey's mother, Nancy Herman, started the company over 45 years ago, and at it's outset the company was focused on traditional hand-woven European tapestries.   Like most success stories, they've faced a lot of challenges and are constantly re-evaluating what they can bring to the design world that is unique, new and fresh.  We interviewed Mrs. Kane for our feature today, and are thrilled to share how they've transformed their business, all while maintaining their local NC roots and love of all things vintage.

So if you live in Raleigh or are travelling through, you probably don't need more people telling you to eat at Raleigh staples like Poole's Diner, Bida Manda, or newcomer Stanbury.  Bloomsbury Bistro doesn't get nearly the press that these other venues garner, perhaps because it's not located downtown, but in an unassuming strip mall right at the Five Points intersection next to a yoga studio and a Rite Aid.  Don't we know we can't judge a book by it's unassuming cover by now when it comes to culinary adventures? The food here is arguably the best in the Triangle.  Creative menu items? Fantastic wine pairings? Soups that will make you want to never open a Campbell's can for the rest of your life?  Well, let me just show you what I mean:



Another thing I love about Bloomsbury Bistro is that the menu is constantly changing.  They use fresh, local ingredients and Chef Toler is always concocting a new twist on classic dishes both Southern and international. Think you know pork borscht?  Yeah, think again because when I had it at the Bistro this fall I decided it might be a new favorite food group for me.  Entrees are reasonable at around $25-30 and you'll have generous portion sizes.  If you think you've experienced the best the Triangle has to offer, I challenge you to add Bloomsbury Bistro into your rotation and see if you don't put it on the top of your list too!

What are you waiting for? Click here for reservations!

Click here to see the other great homes on this Holiday Housewalk

Nothing beats a faux fur throw for snuggling up on the couch.  This thing is seriously warm!!  The faux fur pillows and throw are on sale at World Market right now (click the pictures to shop):

You can make your own tassel garland with our easy guide!

Of course I needed a little blue and white in there!  This is a lid to one of my chinoiserie vases -- I just flipped it over to turn it into a candle holder.

The Entry
This gallery wall definitely came out better than anything else I've done so far.  For the holidays I've kept things pretty simple with fresh greenery and gold ornaments in the chinoiserie I keep out all year round.  By the way these photos are making me realize what a nightmare my entire house is for babies.  I've become my grandmother for sure.






Front Porch
My magnolia wreath is definitely far into dried magnolia mode, so this year and last I've added fresh greenery from around the yard to fill it out with some green.  I've also seen great ideas of people painting their wreaths gold which may give me a good project for next year.