Nicole Miller’s mega sale

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Nicole Miller’s ultra blow out sale comes but twice a year.

Your next opportunity for designer clothes from 50-90% off starts Jan. 15 at the Manayunk and Bellevue locations in Philly. Expect a sale with personal service, as opposed to a free-for-all with jumbles of goods.

It’s retail at its purest. Mark ’em down and move ’em out. Save a passle, with no hassle.

It’s a great opportunity to pick up a frock for an upcoming special occasion — or pick up a dream dress and tuck it away, because we all know how hard it is to find a perfect outfit when we are shopping on deadline. Better to be prepared, darlings.

The deals last until Jan. 31 so don’t delay. If you do, you will have to wait another six months to bag discounts this deep.

Beluga vodka, a premium pour

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It’s bad form to drink like a fish.

But do reach for Beluga, the vodka with the sturgeon on the label.

The number one super premium pour in Russia, Beluga now sells two vodkas in the United States: the flagship Beluga Gold, with individually numbered bottles and a $199 price tag; and Beluga Noble, a finely crafted vodka packaged in a lovely bottle embellished with a shiny  sturgeon and available for less than $40.

We sampled Noble, which matures for 30 days and is distilled three times with a whisper of honey, oats and milk thistle extract at Russia’s iconic Mariinsky Distillery. The water comes from the chilly Siberian artesian springs that water the hardy grains that go into the vodka. The result is a crystal clear elixir that is a bit medicinal upon first sip and soon settles into a crisp, pleasing tonic for whatever ails you.

We mixed Beluga in cocktails and decided we like it best presented simply, with a generous splash of Schweppe’s tonic and a slice of lemon or lime. Chill the tonic and the vodka and add lots of ice. Or skip the tonic and ice and simply enjoy a nip of blizzard-cold Noble. Forget all about Siberia.

The intuitive pairing for Beluga is caviar. It’s also an impressive accompaniment to smoked salmon.

Whatever you serve it with, think of Beluga as a fish to be reckoned with in the big pond of premium vodkas. And you don’t have to swim upstream to enjoy it.

Kruising with KISS

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Stick out your tongue and say KISS.

Rock legends KISS are reuniting for the third time for Halloween 2013’s KISS Kruise III, Oct. 28-Nov. 1, from Miami to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas on board Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Pearl.

The four-night festival at sea gets off to a rocking start with an acoustic sail-away concert on the pool deck featuring KISS performing — without makeup! But not to puke in your beer. There will be another concert, with full makeup and histrionics. A bonus: each band member will host his own onboard activity. Napkin folding, anyone? Band mates also will hold forth in a Q&A session on the pool deck.

New for 2013 is a unique meet-and-greet opportunity for the youngest sailors in the KISS Navy. Limited to kiddies ages 2-14, each child will receive an autograph on one item of his or her choice,  along with a group photo with the band. No parents allowed! This isn’t Disney, mom and dad.

Fares for the KISS Kruise III begins at $750 per person based on double occupancy, plus taxes and fees. Prices include entertainment, meals, and access to Norwegian Pearl’s  amenities, including outdoor pool, hot tubs, rock climbing wall, and fitness center.

Beginning Jan. 8, fans can read more and sign up for the KISS Kruise III pre-sale at www.thekisskruise.com . Staterooms go on sale to the unwashed masses on March 15. Kids sail for taxes and fees only during the pre-sale. Families are encouraged to check out  the new family mini-suites, also available only during the pre-sale.

Simple Squares, simply good

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Often, the simple things are the best.

A bouquet of daisies. A diamond solitaire. And, now, Simple Squares, a yummy, nutritious snack made from raw ingredients: a blend of cashews and almonds, sweetened with honey, plus flax, vanilla, sea salt and such seasonings as rosemary, sage, cinnamon, cloves and coconut.

No gluten, no dairy, no refined sugars. The bars are both sweet and savory; and because they are not baked the nutritional value is not compromised.

Because I am committed to NOT skipping breakfast, I have found Simple Squares to be a great grab-and-go. Why settle for a donut when you can have a treat that is filling and good for you?

You can find Simple Squares at such health-conscious purveyors as Talula’s Table in Kennett Square or buy them direct from the company website. They are a tad pricey, at $29.99 for 12 1.6-ounce bars.

Merry Free Shipping Day

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Today is Free Shipping Day, another made-up phony-baloney event.

Golly, it’s not like it’s Black Friday, a REAL holiday.

But, hey, there’s something in it for you.

Simply head to your favorite online retailer. Think Land’s End, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Neiman Marcus. Shop away. Then hit the send button.

Your goodies will arrive in time for Santa to place them under the tree. For free.

 

 

We’re going gaga for green

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The 2013 Color of the Year is emerald green, says the Pantone Color Institute, the arbiter of fashionable hues.  It’s an elegant, retro pick, a color that is associated with harmony and good fortune.

“Green is the most abundant hue in nature — the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, says in a statement. “It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity — no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.”

Emerald also makes a vibrant color companion to Tangerine Tango, the perky orange that is 2012’s top color, as shown in trendy designs by Chella Textiles, Pearson Furniture & Fabrics, York Wallcoverings and other producers.

Already, we are seeing green gowns on the red carpet, sported by Angelina Jolie and Catherine Zeta-Jones. JCPenney rolls out emerald towels and bedding in February. And Sephora also will show makeup in the new hue.

Expect to see green ties before St. Patrick’s Day, along with emerald polos and pullovers for guys. For the fashion-forward guy, leave a green sweater under the tree.

Still, not everyone is climbing aboard the Green Machine. Sherwin-Williams has named Aloe, a soft blue with a 1950s vibe, as its 2013 pick. And Benjamin Moore is serving up Lemon Sorbet.

Shopping and dining under one roof at Art Alliance, Rittenhouse Tavern

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In the holiday season, most folks have two long lists: a shopping list of gifts to buy; and a calendar chockablock with social gatherings.

In Philly, you can eat, shop and be merry, all under the historic roof of the Wetherill Mansion at 251 S. 18th St., home to both Rittenhouse Tavern, a cushy, chic and creative restaurant, and the Philadelphia Art Alliance, where visitors can both admire and purchase contemporary crafts and designs.

The Art Alliance, located toward the street side of the building, is a bright, hip space. It’s a great place to find one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted jewelry and textiles — after all, one can never have too many decorative pillows — for that particular someone on your list.

As for the restaurant, it’s more salon than tavern. I especially appreciate the EB Manhattan ($13), a sleek and satiny concoction of Rittenhouse rye, with both sweet and dry vermouth.

Enjoy your holiday get-together with friends in either the lounge, warmed by a Carrera marble fireplace that graced the original mansion, or enjoy a repast in the dining room. (Note the mural of geese in flight, painted by Richard Blossom Farley in the 1920s.) In warmer months, guests can dine outdoors on a cobblestone patio.

The menu by chef Nick Elmi, an alum of the old Le Bec Fin, lists such high-touch dishes as Scotch eggs wrapped in pork farce (that’s chopped and seasoned piggy). Entrees include crispy striped bass with cabbage, barley and hibiscus ($27) and hay-roasted mallard breast with smoked white yam, celery and crab apple ($31). Each Sunday, Rittenhouse serves up a regional treat, an Amish-style supper of fried chicken ($19).

Open for dinner, Tuesday through Sunday. Brunch Saturday and Sunday. Closed on Monday.

 

Want dinner in a hurry? Bring in the Ninja 3-in-1 Cooker pronto

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Hey, we are sure in a hurry at this time of year. We work. We shop. We decorate. We take care our loved ones. We squeeze in as many parties as we can.

And, hey, are we ever hungry!

We need a hero, as in the Ninja 3-in-1 Cooker. This latest must-have in the arsenal of small appliances looks like a slow cooker, but it can do much more. In fact, it’s possible to make complete meals in 30 minutes flat with this one worker bee countertop appliance.

All you need to do is layer the main course, veggies, and pasta or rice inside the pot. The Ninja does the work, cooking evenly in half an hour. Time to ring the dinner bell!

The steam oven feature makes it easy to make healthy, low-fat fare.  The heated steam captures natural juices, while fat drips away.  What about dessert? Cupcakes, cakes and other sweets can be steam baked in the Ninja using half the butter or oil. Reminds me of the wonderful steaming that produces figgy pudding.

Ninja also helps to clean up. The cooker has both stovetop and slow-cook settings, allowing  cooks to sear and brown meats and vegetables before slow-cooking. No separate pan, no spattering  pot dirtying up your stovetop.

The Ninja makes a great Christmas gift for the foodie on your list. You also might want to press it into service on Christmas Day if you are hosting a large gathering and are making oodles of food. The cooker is a super supplement to your cooktop, ovens and microwave, producing a perfect roast or ham without fuss or muss.

Expect to pay about $160 for the Ninja. You will find it at such retail friends as Target, Macy’s, Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond and Sears.

 

A bigger bite of the Apple

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Are you one of those wackadoodles who spends days in line waiting for whatever new Apple product is about to hit the shelves?

Have we got an event for you.

The redesigned Apple Store at King of Prussia is opening on Dec. 8 and naturally it’s bigger and better than ever. In addition to the iPhone 5 and iPad mini, the expanded store offers more space for workshops, training, or to meet with one of those nice folks on the business team. The Genius Bar is bigger (you must be one because you shop there) so  more customers can get help.

I don’t know how it compares to the big honking Apple store that just expanded at Christiana Mall in Delaware but Apple has been pretty darn successful at rolling out retail centers that can accommodate more customers.

With Personal Pickup, you can buy online and pick up your order at the store. While you’re at it, you can use EasyPay on the Apple Store app to purchase accessories quick like a bunny.

If you are one of the first 1,000 customers, you’ll take home a commemorative T-shirt. Free, baby.

 

The bell keeps butter better

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I admire Julia Child for many reasons, including her assertion that a little butter is one of life’s sublime pleasures.

It also stands to reason that tearing a hole in the toast with cold, hard butter is an unfortunate frustration of the human existence. As an exalted indulgence, butter should be at the ready. Soft. Supple. Spreadable.

That is why the Butter Bell rings my chimes. Inspired by traditional kitchens in France, L. Tremain developed the crocks from durable china. The Butter Bell keeps butter fresh and soft without refrigeration. And when you have scraped the last bit from the bell, you just pop it in the dishwasher. Magnifique!

The signature line of Butter Bell crocks features raised floral patterns. Or go with classic white, with red or blue lettering. There’s Butter — one of the most beautiful words in the English language — on one side and the French word Beurre on the other. The polka-dot bell comes with a cute, spotted spreader.

Here’s how it works. Take a stick of butter out of the fridge and allow it to soften. Mash the butter into the bell. Pour about half a cup of cold water into the crock. Then insert the bell in the crock. Keep away from heat and out of direct sunlight. Replace the water every two days. One stick of butter lasts up to four weeks. Really!

It’s a super low-tech kitchen gadget for the foodies on your gift list. And there’s a special deal at Butter Bell. Buy two crocks at prices starting at $21.95 and a get a third for free.