Originals

I’m not French, but every year I swear I’m going to make a buche de noel for Christmas dinner. The francophile in me just can’t help but be charmed by that cute little yule log, bursting with marzipan mushrooms, coated in chocolate and raked to look like real tree bark. There are so many international Christmas treats […]

Is there anyone in the world (besides Ebenezer Scrooge) who doesn’t love the insta-holiday mood created by sipping hot apple cider? It’s like jingle bells for your taste buds. Served alongside delicious holiday cookies and some background Christmas tunes, it’s one of our favorite holiday traditions. “Having a pot of mulled cider on the stove will fill

Just about everyone and their mama has hopped on the gluten-free train in Tinseltown, but nobody does it with quite as much flair as Nicole Richie. The 32-year-old mother of two is so serious about her diet that she’s even rapped about making wheatless spaghetti. But that doesn’t mean she won’t indulge her sweet tooth from time to

The only thing better than nibbling delicious holiday cookies is nibbling delicious holiday cookies that someone else has baked. How do you get your hands on other people’s baked goodies, you ask? Easy–participate in a cookie swap and you get access to your neighbor’s grandma’s famous divinity cookies, or your sister-in-law’s signature thumbprint jam jollies. All you have to

The holiday season is the perfect time to teach children about service, gratitude and giving. Often parents with children with special needs, or more specifically, those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, wish to teach their little ones these lessons, but feel uncertain how to approach these learning opportunities given their child’s developmental delays. For more information and tips

As it’s Britney Spears’ 32nd birthday and the beginning of December, this mini mani Monday there’s one particular pattern on our minds: plaid. A favorite among proponents of the ’90s fashion comeback (think Clueless or the birthday girl’s “Hit Me Baby One More Time” video) and those wanting to showcase their holiday spirit, tartan nails have been on the

I love to make my own holiday decorations and a wreath is a Christmas DIY must. This fun, easy-to-create wreath made from peppermint and cinnamon candies is perfect for Christmas (and using candy in any shape or form is generally a hit with kids). Hang it from a door or simply place it on a shelf. You and the kids can customize

Crafting real paper snowflakes can get complicated quickly thanks to ultra-crisp folds, intricate cuts and refolding when your finished flake isn’t the shape you’d thought it would be. Enter coffee filters to save the day! This project requires only white filters (think office break room, not the fancy natural-slash-unbleached version) and a pair of scissors. A few easy

Making flavored vodka from scratch has always sounded like a novel idea but let’s face it: Any recipe that takes two weeks to make ain’t gonna happen in our household. That is, until we stumbled upon Pippa Middleton’s super simple tip–use the dishwasher, people! According to the Duchess’ younger sister in her book, Celebrate, the fastest way to speed

KID FRIENDLY: Address: 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, US Website: calacademy.org Phone: 415.379.8000 Not only one of the largest natural history museums in the world, The Academy of Science is also the newest science museum in the United States. Housing the Morrison Planetarium, a Rainforests of the World exhibit, and the Steinhart Aquarium all under one