Happy 2019 from all of us at Chrystal Toth Designs! We hope your holidays were as wonderfully festive as ours — and that you discovered some new favorite items during the gift-giving process. We sure did! Here, then, are our current Top 5 Favorite Holiday Gifts:
1. May I Come In?: Discovering the World in Other People’s Houses, by Wendy Goodman.
We are just a little bit addicted to this book. A delicious treat from the wonderful, lush, endlessly curious eye of Wendy Goodman (who seems effortlessly to know EVERYBODY chic who walks the earth). The philosophy of the book claims to be "Great interior design is a byproduct of one's passions," but actually, it is a lot "Quirky rich old people who don't give a s**t.” Which makes it simply richly dazzling, chaotic, delicious. There’s so much inspiration here for the amateur, for the professional - for anyone with walls and a roof and a fantasy. A total pleasure to pour over! $65.00
2. Amazon Echo Wall Clock.
Attractive, amusing, affordable … and super useful! Brand new from Amazon, here’s the latest toy that pairs with your Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Dot, etc. Its sleek, clean design and practical dimensions — it measures 10” x 10” x 1.5” — make it a no-brainer for a kitchen or office. And syncing it to a paired Echo device — just say “Alexa, set up my Echo Wall Clock” — is only part of the fun! Set one or multiple timers (“Alexa, set a 12-minutes timer”) and watch it count down in a great-looking LED display. $29.99
3. Custom Walnut Edge-Grain Cutting Board.
From our favorite New England woodcrafter, comes this beautiful custom cutting board. Ours has an inlay accent stripe of various wood species, along with a front & back lip, but he crafts them in endless varieties. All are lovingly made in his shop on Connecticut’s Bolton Lake. Call us for details!
4. Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven.
It’s iconic. And there’s a reason. In our estimation, Le Creuset’s Round Dutch Oven is unsurpassed in both beauty and quality. Oh, and we hear it’s also indispensable in the kitchen for its ability to maintain even and consistent heat. To be honest (full disclosure here), we’ve not yet used ours for slow-cooking, braising or roasting — not sure we ever will. But it’s a gorgeous accent in our kitchen. The stainless steel knob is sold separately, but we think it’s a great finishing touch. And “Flame”, one of 19 available colors, is a Pantone “Color Inspiration” for 2019 (what a lovely coincidence!). $340
5. Le Chateau d’Estoublon Beruguette Extra Virgin Varietal Olive Oil.
You might not ever buy it for yourself and, therefore, it might just be the perfect gift! Like wine, chocolate and sea salt, extra virgin olive oil has joined the rarefied ranks of luxury food items. EVOO from France might be at its most decadent when it comes from this brand run out of a chateau in the heart of Provence where the 212 acres of trees grow on the southern slopes of the Alpilles hills. The label is known for its five single variety oils, and like the name indicates, bitter and spicy Béruguette olives are the ones used here. Those new to the intricacies of olive cultivars might find the Béruguette overpowering for raw greens, but a drizzle over cooked fish, chicken and meat makes for a memorable meal. Bon appétit! $44.95
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