Gift Guide: My Baby Sister

This is a fun one...next up I'm shopping for my little sister (stepsister, technically). She's a recent college grad living it up in NYC. Basically me about 10 years ago.

WHO I'M SHOPPING FOR: my little sister

She's young and fun and trying to figure it all out: her style, her job, her love life, her master plan. She's got particular tastes and tons of opinions...but not nearly enough money to make it all happen.

WHO YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR: that crazy, carefree younger sister (cousin, friend, etc)...someone who is just getting on her feet...that junior colleague you've been mentoring...anyone who is young at heart!

Street Level Faux Leather Pocket Tote, $48

This tote bag is cool and practical and timeless. It's a nice upgrade from her usual bag and she'll wear it to death.

Lucy Shasta Sequin Leggings, $58

When you are 23, you should wear sequin leggings. It's just a law or something. These are fun but just a teeny bit toned down. I may be buying a pair for myself (because life doesn't end at 23...).

Broad City Tee, $30

Abbi and Ilana are her spirit animals, and now everyone will know it.

Why Not Me?, $15/Yes, Please, $10 /The Opposite of Lonliness, $9

This is a golden age of memoirs written by smart, funny, accomplished women. Give her a mini library of kickass female inspiration -- maybe one day she'll be publishing one of her own.

Have a Gneiss Day Coaster Set, $50

A sort of grown-up thing that's made infinitely more fun by the amazingly cheery and vibrant pink hue. 

Naked2 Basics Palette, $29

A perfect little palette of pretty, wearable shades. She probably has drawers full of Saturday night makeup, but she'll really appreciate having polished shades for work, brunch with her boyfriend's parents, and other glitter-free events.

Sephora Favorites Liquid Luxuries Sampler, $65

I adore this set from Sephora -- you get to gift mini versions of ten of the most popular fragrances, giving her a chance to try them out and find her new signature scent. Then she gets a voucher to redeem for a full-sized bottle of her favorite. This is perfect for someone who has outgrown sticky sweet scents endorsed by heartthrobs and is ready for her first adult fragrance.

Twinning Emoji Print, $32

A cheeky piece of art for her growing gallery wall. I love these watercolor prints of favorite emojis. You can also find hilarious (and inappropriate) artwork on Etsy -- a naughty needlepoint is always fun.

Zara Blanket, $50

Her favorite cozy plaid, this time in a version that she can wrap herself in for hot nights in with Netflix.

Trader Joe's Cookbook, $15

She's got her dinner delivery game down, but it would be good for her to master a couple of easy recipes. I love this cookbook, which is based exclusively on ingredients you can buy at Trader Joe's. It doesn't get any easier, cheaper, or tastier than this!

Rebecca Minkoff Ava Dome Stud Zip Wallet, $145

A chic, stylish wallet is always a great idea. Even if she doesn't have much to put inside, she'll just love pulling it out of her bag.

Fujifilm Smartphone Printer, $140

This photo printer is genius, perfect for the "pics or it didn't happen" generation. 

Moon Juice Beauty Dust, $65

She doesn't really need a lot of treatment products, so how about something fun to help her keep that youthful glow? This powder is packed with goodness and perfect for mixing into all kinds of tasty drinks.

And if you need a few extras...

You can never have enough pairs of earbuds, and this set is so pretty.

An inspirational water bottle to keep her chasing the dream.

These emoticon candies are silly but they actually sound pretty tasty.

A few pretty travel essentials (even if she's still doing the hostel thing).

This monogrammed keychain is preppy perfection.

Weekend To-Do List

This weekend was a busy one -- I need a nap, but lots of good memories were made!

1. (Mouse-party hat-money bag = Disney, in case you were wondering)

I had some good friends in town all weekend and I've been playing tourist with them. It's the best! Roller coasters, fireworks, dessert after every meal, and so many laughs. It is fun to tour the parks with different people because I inevitably end up discovering something new or seeing things in a different way -- my friends keep pointing out some of the interesting landscaping in the parks (I walk by these plants all the time and never notice them) and also how many women are wearing strange and very visible undergarments (as the lone woman in the group I was asked to explain why but sadly, I could not).

2. At the last minute I got a ticket to a fabulous fundraising event (Give Kids The World's annual gala). I didn't think I'd be able to go because of my visitors, but a friend gave me her ticket when her plans changed and my guests were happy to do a quiet dinner on their own -- so I quickly ordered up a fancy dress from Rent the Runway and spent the night dancing and celebrating with some of my favorite people.

3. My hair and skin have been a bit fried lately, so I took some time to indulge in a bit of treatment while I was doing a few weekend chores around the house. I slathered coconut oil on my hair to fight some dryness -- simple and effective (my dog loved it, too -- there was a great deal of head sniffing). I also used a mask I'd picked up at Sephora a few weeks ago -- this perfecting and brightening Pearl Mask from their in-house brand. 

MINI REVIEW: I'd never used a mask like this before: you wear a an actual paper mask that's been soaked in some sort of magical treatment (leave it on for about 15 minutes), and then you remove the paper and rub the remaining product into your skin. The paper was a little awkward to wear -- it never dried, so it felt like cold, gloppy papier-mache on my skin. But my skin felt great after I removed the paper, and it was noticeably bright and glowy for hours. I wish I had used this before the gala -- it's definitely a good treatment to use before a big event when you want to look extra fresh and sparkly.

4. Of course, I spent some time chatting with my wonderful mother on Mother's Day. I hate being too far away to celebrate in person, but it was nice catching up and hearing her open her gift. I had the pleasure of being raised by one of the most wonderful and generous moms on the planet -- I hope she feels special every day, but certainly on the day meant for moms!