My Favorite Things

 

                  
By Kathleen Daelemans

Every year I'm asked to do gift segments for the Today show. They're not titled, Kathleen's Favorite Gifts, but you can bet they are. Why would I put anything on National Television I didn't absolutely love. This year I'm doing bulk gifts -- things you can buy in bulk and then mix and match with other items -- to make up scrumptious gift baskets for those you love.

You won't find a $4000 dollar freezer on my list, or a pint of sorbet (I much prefer full fat ice cream in winter) but you will find an unusual collection of gifts for everyone on your list. The entire list will be up before my segment airs next week (can you say web blog exclusive) with a complete price list and live links. I just love reading everyone's Favorite Thing's list this time of year!

I haven't seen everything on Martha's list yet but I did catch a minute of her show today. Martha was giving away gifts from  Bellocchio, an adorable shop in San Francisco, located at number 10 Brady Street (415.864.4048).

Way back when, once-upon-a-time-ago...

...I was a line cook at Zuni Cafe  in San Francisco. As soon as it opened, on my breaks, I used to run across Market Street to Bellocchio, a tiny, very lovely shop so beautiful it was easy to feel as though you were in a Paris shop. Bellocchio offers antiques and curiosities, as well as rare merchandise produced by historic ateliers. For 19 years,Bellocchio has focused on the beautiful, from the selection of merchandise to its presentation, and no parcel leaves without the shop's snappy signature gift wrapping.

I began visiting Bellocchio when it still smelled of fresh paint from its grand opening. I made friends with the owners, Toby and Claudia who used to come into the Cafe every morning for Cafe Lattes, scones and poached eggs. We traded stories of wonderful meals taken on our days off or of particularly busy afternoons of endless customers.

Bellocchio was just starting out. Zuni Cafe was in its infancy but the restaurant was always bustling with important guests such as Craig Claiborne, Pierre Franey, Elizabeth David and Catherine Denuvre. Every shift felt like New Years Eve. Escaping over to  Bellocchio felt like a mini trip to France.

Toby and Claudia invited me to serve hot cocoa to their guests during the holidays which I made from melted chocolate and real whipped cream. I'd spend every penny I'd earn serving the hot cocoa on sweet little offerings from their shop which is so lovely you imagine yourself moving in a bed and a cat and living there for the rest of your life. The job paid for the Christmas presents I sent home every year.

My Today show Favorite Things segment will air on December 4th only it will be called Bulk Gifts. I'll be posting all my favorite things throughout the week. I'd post them all at once in an organized fashion but I'm so far behind I can't possibly get them up here all at once. I'm nowhere near done putting together all of my segment notes for my producer but I wanted to pop in and give you a sneak peak of things to come.

My very first  Favorite Thing is from Ta-ze.com. It's their olive oil soap made with sage and loofah. It has a wonderful spa-like fragrance. The sage isn't overbearing or contrived. The loofa helps to slough off dead skin that always seems to shows up around this time of year. Plus it feels like someone is giving you a scrumptious little back scratch every time you get in the shower. I can't say enough good things about this soap.

I'm not one who parts easily with her money so the ten dollar price tag was hard for me to swallow but the beautiful packaging had me at hello. I may not have followed through with the sale if it weren't for the passion of owner Didem Tapban who took the time to explain to me she had personally chose the soap for her store.

"For centuries olive oil has been used to maintain the suppleness of skin and muscle, to heal abraisions, to give body and sheen to hair and to soothe the drying effects of sund and wind."  My first bar has lasted about nine months so far and I swear I bathe every day. You can even ask my Mom.

Comments

[Melissa]

I'll Tivo you on the show tomorrow, Kathleen! I'm very tempted by your description of the OO soap. Hope you're doing well!