Your Annual Gift Guide Guide!

Tis the season for trees on the street & shopping!

Every year my favorite bloggers scour the web for the chicest, most thoughtful and unique gifts for everyone on your list. Every year instead of doing the same, I collect their lists and share a list of my own... Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the Seek to Be Merry Gift Guide Guide, a guide to some of the greatest gift idea lists on the web. So whether your looking for Mom, Sis, husband, girlfriend, co-worker or kiddos, there's inspiration here for you. Happy shopping!

* For the Ladies (Mom, Sis, Friends, etc)

List 1

List 2

List 3 (for a cozy, Nordic loving gal)

List 4 (for the organic lover in your life)

List 5 and List 5.5 (both for your jetsetter)

List 6

List 7

List 8

List 9

List 10 (for a gadget loving gal)

List 11 (all under $100, mostly under $30!)

List 12

List 13

* For the Gentlemen (Dad, Hubby, buddy)

List 1

List 2

List 3

List 4

List 5

List 6

* For the Kiddos

List 1

List 2

List 3 (for babies and mamas!)

* For Co-Workers

List 1

List 2 (for when you want to be thoughtful without spending too much)

* For your Holiday Hostess

List 1

* For Everybody Else...

Pinterest has a great curated list of every sort of person and every sort of gift they'd enjoy. Check it out HERE.

Dressing & Impressing - tis (nearly) the season!

Fact... Until February. I'll be over it by February.

Ladies... we are officially at mid-November which means in 4 short weeks "Holiday Party Season" will be upon us (possibly sooner depending on when your December social calendar commitments begin!) I always love and simultaneously hate Holiday Party Season because:

1) dressing for these parties can be tricky, especially if it's an office or work-related function;

2) dressing for these parties can be pricy, since stores know just when to mark up their holiday-perfect pieces;

3) dressing for these parties can be glamorous, because there are so many chic black, gold, red and deep green options out there; and

4) dressing for these parties can be fun because holiday cheer looks great on everyone!

Here to help you get ahead of the shopping rush are a few gorgeous dresses I've spotted recently and how I'd wear them.

I absolutely adore this dress. I think it is chic, feminine, ever so slightly sexy, but without question elegant. Perfect for a holiday season wedding or a cocktail attire seasonal party, though a bit pricey, this dress is sure to turn heads. And just think, it will be perfect for Valentine's Day too:) Buy it HERE.

Is your office holiday party at the office or does it begin immediately after work making a "costume change" impossible (or maybe just inappropriate?) All three of the dresses above could transition beautifully from desk to dancing, have a little pop of holiday cheer (love that sassy gold belt!) and won't leave any co-workers questioning your taste for the office or the party! Buy it HERE, HERE and HERE.

If you're looking for a bolder, more unique holiday party look that is still unquestionably sophisticated, I love this jumpsuit. Pair it with high heels, statement earrings and maybe even a thin gold belt to take the look straight into holiday party rock star status. Buy it HERE.

Finally, if your holiday party is all about bringing the glam, this dress is the one for you. Just as fancy, but a whole lot more sassy than the lil red number I posted first, this dress does beading and sequins without screaming dance costume or flapper. I think it's stunning and could be paired with strappy, sexy shoes or black tights and heels depending on how high you want to turn it up. Buy it HERE.

If you buy one new thing this fall...

Get it girl!!!

... buy THIS sweater! Seriously. Buy it. After 2 weeks of aggressive browsing and window shopping (literally, I went in and out of stores, perused online sales and noted what I saw during my strolls through NYC) this weekend I went on a much anticipated fall/winter shopping adventure (God I love to shop! #IgotitfrommyMama). I have 3 outstanding purchases to tell you about, but the most important one is definitely the sweater:

In the 3 days that I have owned this magical piece of clothing from Anthropologie, I have already worn it twice and I can tell that I'm going to have to resist the urge to wear it every.single.day... or maybe I won't even bother... it's that comfy, cozy, warm, pretty, chic and faaabbbulous. On Saturday night I dressed the cape-esque sweater up with leather pants and wedges while on Sunday it was accompanied by army green khakis and my Toms. This sweater can do it all, so based on my "the more you use it the more worth the investment it is" philosophy, this sweater is a five star purchase!

Want a pair of adorable flats at an oh so adorably affordable price!? Want them in black or tan or pink or turquoise (or red or grey or fuchsia!?) I got you girl!! Check out the Steve Madden Heaven Patent Ballet Flat from DSW, currently priced at a wallet friendly $39.95. I am on my second pair of these flats, the first of which lasted 2 years (which I consider a home run for flats!). They are comfortable and dress up any outfit with their patent leather shine! 

Lastly, I must confess that I finally took the plunge yesterday and this Converse loving gal has finally purchased a seasonally chic pair of cute Vans. Much like my beloved Chucks, Vans run about $40-60 and are a stylish way to look cool but still be actually wearing sneakers! I went for THIS awesome pair currently being sold at J. Crew which were on sale over the weekend for $45 (so don't pay full price!). These will be a great alternative to my white Chucks and hopefully just as versatile and comfortable.

So now you know my fall must have(s). One chunky, cozy sweater and flats galore. What are you wearing that you couldn't live without these days!?

Zara Sale

Quite possibly one of my favorite words!

This morning I went on a bit of a binge at Zara.com thanks to their always fabulous sale section (free shipping for purchases over $50!). Zara is the perfect place to find affordable, chic clothing, in particular stylish work apparel and trendy date/girls night out pieces. They carry everything from shoes and accessories to some of my favorite dresses in my closet. Generally priced on par with Ann Taylor Loft (another closet/sale shopping staple of mine) I go to Zara when I want to have a little more fun. 

Since there's nothing better than scoring something fun/practical/sexy from a good sale, here are a few Merry Meri purchases, near purchases and temptations from Zara.com. Happy Shopping!!

These shoes had me at hello (thanks CapHillStyle!). 100% an unnecessary purchase, I was able to imagine several outfits where this sassy pop of red will wow (including an upcoming milestone birthday celebration:) Will have to see how they look in person (could be too sassy red) but you never know unless you try right!? Buy em HERE.

These didn't make it into my shopping bag (my wedge needs are currently satisfied) but at $69.99 they're begging for someone to take them home! Buy em HERE.

$35.99 and the prettiest pale blue you ever did see. Buy em HERE (and check out other honorable mentions from the shoe dept HERE and HERE, full shoe sale HERE).

This pastel printed dress exudes easy, breezy, beautiful. It was a finalist that didn't ultimately make it into my shopping bag, but I'm already having second thoughts. Sunday brunch with flat sandals (see above!) or dinner with your babe in heels, this one's a winner (and the flowy cut will be so flattering!) Buy it HERE.

I purchased this dress back in March (at full price, doh!) and I get a bajillion compliments every time I wear it. Perfect for work in spring and fall and transitions great from day to night... You should wear it too:) Buy it HERE. And since the embellished neckline and ruffled hem are working for me, I bought THIS to give a whirl.

There were a ton of gorgeous white dresses in the sale section that made me wish I was a bride looking for the perfect engagement party/shower/rehearsal dinner dress again. The dress above is HERE, or there's THIS and THIS for simple, bridal-esque beauty (was super tempted by that last asymmetrical hem dress, but it didn't make the final cut... but flowy white... with a tan... hmmm :)

Not sure how this is going to fit, but at $39.99 with free returns I just had to give it a shot. I love the bright color and unique cut outs. We shall see!! Buy it HERE (and check out other honorable mentions from the dress section HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE)

My shopping cart runneth over before I made it to the Tops section, but that doesn't mean I didn't look and how great is that Tri-Color top!? I could see it with tailored pants for work or shorts for weekend play. Buy it HERE.

Sexy Saturday night shirt anyone? I love the rhinestone detailing on this shirt and think the thin straps and crossover cut are the ultimate in feminine beauty. Buy it HERE.

This flowy pastel beauty could be worn for any occasion with pretty much anything on the bottom. Plus pale yellow is going to make those of you with tans absolutely glow. Buy it HERE (and check out other honorable mentions from the dress section HERE, HERE and HERE).

Live large, spend small

New home = blank canvas (Disclaimer: Not my apt:)

As most of you know, Dr. H and I recently relocated to a new apartment in Greenwich Village. Expanding by approximately 200 square feet and moving to one of Manhattan's most beloved neighborhoods, we, like so many other New Yorkers, are living at the tip top of our housing cost comfort zone (and consider it worth every penny!) The trade off however, is that when it came time to upgrade our Ikea/college dorm/parent hand-me-down furniture collection, sticking to a budget was an absolute necessity. Though I dream of a day when the "perfect piece" is more important than the "perfect price", today is not that day. Since I love to share all that's good and merry in my life, here are some of my decor shopping success stories. We managed to find awesome new furniture from both expected and unexpected places (online and in person) and who doesn't love a good deal!?

* World Market - www.worldmarket.com

Because no one wants to break the bank on decor "accessories"

Dr. H and I decided that we were going to keep our 2 couches, but spruce up the living room with new pillows, carpet, accent chairs and a throw (to freshen up our fading love seat). Worldmarket was the PERFECT website for decor accessories with quality not at all sacrificed for affordability. Their furniture also gets great reviews.

* Target.com

Who knew Target.com was this chic!?

I am a big fan of Target (or "Tar-sh`e" as my Nanny calls it!) but Target.com pretty much blew my mind. The selection of furniture, particularly accent chairs, not available in stores is bananas and free shipping/returns are more common than not. Minimal assembly and high quality fabric sealed the deal on my target.com love affair

 * Rugs USA - www.rugsusa.com

Something cozy under your toesies

You know what costs a lot of money? A new carpet costs a LOT of money, so thank you Pinterest for directing me to this amazing website. RugsUSA has a huge selection of rugs at every price point, in every size, color and print you can imagine. Shipping was fast and the site's frequent sales make the shipping cost a non-issue.

* Brooklyn Flea - www.brooklynflea.com

Winter Flea

Summer flea

Dr. H and I love a good flea market (for reals, my husband will willingly peruse a flea market... how lucky am I!?) and Brooklyn Flea is a very good flea market. Outdoors in Williamsburg and Fort Greene during spring, summer and fall, now indoors at Williamsburg Savings Bank, on our most recent flea trip we discovered the incredible Joel Voisard, a furniture craftsman who made us a custom wood kitchen table and bench which we absolutely love. Since Brooklyn Flea is populated by small business owners and artisans, prices allow you to get creative, go custom and purchase something one-of-a-kind, all while staying in your budget! (Also, lots of good eats to give you energy for shopping:)

* UrbanOutfitters.com

Come into my bedroom friend!

Another awesome store that's hiding all the good stuff online! Urban's online furniture selection is as hipster-chic as their clothing and in most cases, even more fairly priced. Our fold-out loveseat (the "Anywhere Sofa") has stayed with us for 2 moves and we recently added those pretty little nightstands to our bedroom.

* Other ways to save...
I'm by no means a professional decorator, but I've got a decent eye and a crafty mind. Some more ideas I put to work:

- By repainting two of our old kitchen chairs a funky purple and re-appolstering the other two a burnt orange, I was able to get "new" chairs for my kitchen, living room and desk for under $20

- I had my heart set on a big fancy bed frame, but those prices are a serious commitment. Ultimately we found an awesome headboard at Pier1 for a fraction of the price. In the end, not having a footer on the bed gives our colorful and glamorous comforter (HERE) more room to shine

- Pictures can be art. Get creative when it comes to covering your walls by mixing artfully framed photos from your own collection with other pieces you've purchased. This personalizes your space while still keeping it classy.

I'm in love with Joe.

In my fantasy world, ALL my groceries fit in 1 tote bag
and I look this chic traveling home from the store.
(Reality = 3 bags and 5 "stop and rests" en route)

We've never met; I don't know what exactly he "trades"; but I am in love with Trader Joe. Trader Joe's is my absolute favorite place to grocery shop because it is impossibly cheap (I live in fear of some sort of child labor expose) and though Dr. H and I love to cook, life doesn't always allow time for following recipes, no matter how few ingredients.  Also, their employees are clearly taking some sort of happy pills and they pack your bags with Tetris like precision. So here are some Merry Meri & Dr. H approved favorites for your next trip to the happiest grocery store on earth (and check out THIS great site for more ideas).

Trader Joe's refrigerated and frozen sections are filled with packaged foods which will give you the satisfaction of a "home cooked" meal in a fraction of the time. 

We love ALL the pre-marinated chicken breasts
(found in the refrigerated section)

We ALWAYS have a bag of these guys
in our freezer. So easy, so tasty.

Recommended by one of my girlies, this is now a staple
in our freezer for "I don't know what to make" nights.

AWESOME side dish for an otherwise homemade italian
dinner (or ya know, pasta with turkey meatballs!)

A few other AWESOME "TJ-sponsored" meal ideas: Vegetable or Shrimp Fried Rice and a few types of dumplings and shu mai (all found in the frozen foods section); Keep some pizza dough in the freezer for an impromptu make-your-own pizza night; Reduced Guilt Mac Cheese (small portion, but so tasty I pretty much lick the container clean); frozen Linguine with Clam Sauce (one of the only non-takeout meals Dr. H will feed himself if I'm not home for dinner); Quinoa Duo with Vegetable Melange (because I still haven't figured out how to cook quinoa flavorfully).

The broccoli florets are another favorite.

I also like to keep some frozen vegetables from TJ's in our freezer. Though they aren't nearly as tasty as their fresh counterparts, it's nice to know that I can always get my greens into a meal without stopping at the grocery store on the way home from work.

And of course, my friend Joe has you covered for sweet treats as well:

The perfect tart and sweet snack when you're
craving "just a taste". Get them. Get them now.

Be careful. Studies show that it is impossible to keep these
in your home without eating them all within 72 hours ("studies")

Are you a fan of Trader Joe's? Do you have any favorites which I should add to my next grocery list? Leave a comment - share the deliciousness!