Because Red and Gold is Always in Style for the Holidays

Phew, with the Holidays behind us, it's finally time to...
... Shop???

It was chilly in New York City yesterday and without anything on the docket, I spontaneously decided it was a superb day to take in some post holiday shopping.  Looking back, given the crowds and the packed lots, it was perhaps a foolhardy decision. Nonetheless, I packed up my daughter, navigated some strangely convoluted New Jersey roads and traffic, and found myself, with thousands of others, inside a large, (well-heated!) luxurious mall.

For those of you who enjoy making your home festive during the holidays, it is imperative that you  shop now.  Take advantage of this short window, when normally unaffordable holiday trimmings are affordable.

My first stop:  Restoration Hardware -- where I cleaned up!  The bulbs (above), including the hand-blown lights in the back, are now proudly part of my growing collection, thanks to Restoration Hardware. Together, I bought a dozen for less than the full-price of a few.

From there, we hit up Papyrus for next year's holiday wrap, at deeply discounted prices:

Holiday wrap from Papyrus

For us foodies, a trip to the mall is not complete without a stop at Williams-Sonoma. If not for my daughter's persistent campaign to visit the toy shop across the way, I could have spent hours looking at the dazzling polished All Clad pots, glossy porcelain pans and all the other "indispensable" kitchen paraphernalia.  (Above) I found these elegant, wonderfully festive dinner and side plates -- deeply discounted.  No doubt, they will surely be in good company with the rest of my holiday dish collection.

And finally, I dragged my now beleaguered daughter through all kinds of children's clothing boutiques, including my favorite -- CrewCuts, coming out with countless discounted dresses, accessories and a stuffed animal (of course)!

Having spent the day in a suburban mall, it felt great to be back in the city (in Soho to be exact) for a quick bite. Returning to the city, even from a day trip, can be a pleasant reminder of the incredible, independent style that so many New Yorkers thankfully pull off, each and every day:

This is one of the many reasons we love New York!

Happy 2015!!