It was my first day at the Summer Gift Market in Atlanta.  It was brutally hot outside, but cool and comfortable in the showrooms.  I was overwhelmed for about the first hour, but once I got my bearings, I was able to navigate through one of the three buildings that make up the Atlanta Gift Market.  Today I concentrated on all things Christmas.  There were multiple floors of Christmas ornaments, trees, lights and other decorating tools.  Each showroom was more beautiful than the last!  One thing that I noticed was that trees were colorful, made to coordinate with room decor.  Gone are the days of the red and green tree!  Some of the most beautiful trees that I saw were in shades of deep purple and gold, and brown and turquoise.  I loved the way each tree was chock full of garlands, ornaments and floral filler.  They were a feast for the eyes, and definitely something that I will work to incorporate on our own Christmas tree offerings this year.

One of my favorite trees, at Midwest CBK

I also noticed that blues and greens will continue to be an important part of our colors at home.  When cruising through the furniture showrooms, subtle shades of natural green and soft blues turned up over and over.  Thank goodness, as those colors are the base to my own home decor!

Tomorrow the entire family will hit the showroom floor with me.  We will work our way through another building, enjoying the sights and sounds of all that Atlanta has to offer.  I suspect that my kids will find the hot items of the day, long before I will, which is why I am taking them.  My husband, too, will see things that I do not.  I love it when we all come together like a winning team!

Stay tuned for more updates and photos…

It is the start of July, and in a day, we will be packing the car up and heading south for Atlanta GA.  I will be attending the Atlanta Gift Market, the largest show of it’s kind in America.  It is my first time, and I am very excited to find some new, fun stuff to bring back to the store for all of you!  My whole family is attending with me.  Each one will have a unique perspective that will better help me stock the store with a wide variety of appealing gifts.  I will be sending back photos and updates while I am away, so be sure to follow me and my adventures on Facebook or Twitter (elizrichgifts).

Until later, Happy Shopping to You!

We had a bride come into the store this week to register.  She chose some lovely pieces, and when she got to the flatware, she asked to see our selection of sterling silver.  I explained to her that we did not have any samples,as all of the brides that we encounter choose the less expensive (but very beautiful) stainless for their flatware.  She wanted silver because her mother had silver, and her grandmother before that, and so on. It was a tradition of sorts, and she wanted to keep that tradition alive. We showed her our catalogs and ordered some samples, and she was as happy as could be.

This experience made me recall the story of how I got my silver flatware service.  It was a rather unconventional gift, as I was asked to pick it out and began receiving it at age thirteen.  My aunt, who is also my Godmother, was looking for a special gift to give me on my 13th birthday.  She brought me down to M.A. Green in downtown Waterbury, and asked me to choose the set that I liked the best.  At 13, I had very interesting taste.  Perhaps you would call it “gaudy” by today’s standards.  A very nice salesman steered me towards a Reed & Barton pattern that was busy enough for me at 13, yet timeless enough for me (with any luck) at 30.

Each and every birthday and Christmas, my aunt placed a gold and green wrapped package on the table for me.  At first it was fun to open the packages and dream about my life as a grown up, but somewhere around the 6th placesetting, it got old.  I wondered why she did this in the first place, and longed for clothes or money or something else that a teenager would use.

Somewhere soon after my eighteenth birthday, a hostess set was unwrapped, and then a mahoghany chest.  I knew that I was at the end of the line for this gift.

Fast forward to age 27, when I married.  I had received all of my china (Royal Doulton Orchard Hill), all of my crystal (Waterford Wynnewood), and I had all of my Reed & Barton silver service, thanks to my aunt.  I was ready to entertain!  I have never been one to let my things sit behind glass doors, collecting dust. To this day, I take out my china, crystal and flatware at least once a month.  I refuse to “save them for good”, for I truly believe that my family of four is “good” enough!  I am thankful for all of the wonderful gifts that I received fifteen years ago, but most of all, I am thankful for the silver flatware that my aunt had the forsight to make me choose, and to give me.  This was a special gift, an heirloom gift, even if I did not appreciate it at the time.  I will never forget how I got my flatware, nor the special woman that gave it to me.

This leads me back to my bride.  In this day and age of technology and all things that make our lives easier, it is so heart warming to see that there are some young women who still embrace the classics, and who refuse to abandon traditions that are tied to the way we entertain and love our families.  I salute you, Classic Bride, and I hope that you too have a chest of sterling flatware to place on your table with love!

All things traditional (and some not so) can be found at Elizabeth Richard Gifts. We invite you to stop in and allow one of us to help you to build your family table, filled with your own style and tradition.

I am back, sharing with you some of the things that help me to make my Thanksgiving stress free.  Part two to follow…

Thanksgiving Preparations

Dear Friends,

The days are shorter  and the air is colder.  While I may still be wearing my flip flops, I have dug a few sweaters out of hibernation.  We are deep into the fall season, and there is no one that I would rather share it with than all of you!  It has been a while since I have sat down to write this newsletter, and for that I apologize.  So much has been keeping me busy at the store, and I have missed connecting with you all, so I knew that I needed to put pen to paper before the holiday season was upon us!

I have to let all of you know that this is the last issue of the newsletter that you will be seeing in your mailbox.  I will continue to write them, six times a year, but from now on you will need to go to your computer to read them.  There are a variety of ways to follow along with us, and all are kinder to the environment than sending out the mailer.  You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or on our blog,  at www.elizabethrichardgifts.com. I encourage each and every one of you to sign up at our website, or in the store, with your email address, or become a Fan on Facebook.  By doing this, you will be able to keep up with all of our news, tips, and special offers.  Don’t let this be our last communication, visit us today and continue to support us, electronically.

Did you know….. We now carry Vera Bradley handbags, as well as accessories, special collections & stationary.  Vera Vera (microfiber), City Sport, Canyon, Crossroads, Frill & quite a bit of the Signature line can be found in our store. Our latest promotion is coming up on Nov 4th – spend $65 in Vera Bradley product & receive a free mini note cube. Later in the month, we will have the Holiday Tote promotion – free with any $100 Vera Bradley purchase.  Coming soon, our Vera Bradley interpretation of a Christmas tree.

Kathy would like to introduce you to Trollbeads Limited Edition Picasso Jasper!  They are gemstones that embody all the rustic colors of autumn – red, yellow, brown & green. Each bead has slowly developed its own unique pattern over thousands of years.  Kathy would love to show how you can use these beads in your creations!  On another note, we had our first Troll Party recently – it was a lot of fun. Margi McManus won the drawing – a Golden Quartz bead.  Talk to Kathy if you think you might like to book a party.  Kathy has some great jewelry specials coming up for November.  Watch the mail for her invitation.  If you did not get a jewelry mailer, but would like one, send Kathy an email (kathy@elizabethrichardgifts.com) and let us know.

You can still get Fascia’s Carmel Dipped Chocolate Covered Apples through Thanksgiving.  With or without pecans, apples never tasted so good!  Speaking of Fascia’s, consider adorning your table this Thanksgiving with Fascia’s Turkeys.  They are the ideal size to pair with a place card.  Kids of all ages will enjoy them!  And remember, we carry the ENTIRE line of pre-packed Fascia’s chocolates.  We will be ready to handle whatever your needs are for the holiday season.  Nut Trays, Ribbon Candy, Specialty Baskets, you name it, we’ve got it!  Make Elizabeth Richard’s YOUR place for all things Fascia!!

A few Saturday nights ago, I invited my staff to come in after hours and decorate our Christmas trees.  We had a blast and the results are magical!  We are sporting seven themed tress in the store.  I have always given ornaments as gifts, whether it was to my children, my teachers, or the special people that help me get through every day.  Ornaments are affordable, and make a very personal statement.  They are the perfect gift for so many on all of our lists.  Come in and I will help you pick just the right one.

You know that I am always adding something new to the store.  This month it was holiday tableware.  I am proud to tell you that I am carrying Spode Christmas Tree, Nikko Happy Holidays & Christmastime, Villeroy & Boch Toy’s Delight, as well as Lenox Winter Greetings.  You don’t need to set your entire table in the same pattern, try to add a few accent pieces to your existing tablescape. You will create a festive feel with little effort.

Whether your holiday decorating style is fun and whimsical or steeped in New England tradition, we have the gifts that will be perfect in your home.  We have an enormous and surprisingly affordable array of ornaments from Belleek, Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Albert.  The gift of one of these is bound to become a keepsake.  There are some gorgeous pieces of Mariposa for the holidays.  Pick out yours early, as supplies are definitely limited.  Don’t forget that we have an extensive collection of Willow Tree collectibles, including the Nativity Sets.  Shop early for the best selections.  Also, don’t forget, we also have a selection of Hanukkah gifts too!

I got a little carried away with boxed Christmas cards this year.  My obsession becomes your sale!  Extended through November 24^th, please pick out a free box of holiday cards with any purchase over $50.00.  Don’t need cards?  Grab an Advent Calendar instead.

There are some super cute baby clothes for the winter and holiday season.  Socks, jammies, sweaters and more will make that special baby in your life the best festively dressed kid out there.

Look for our new sale corner when you come in.  Everything on the sale rack is offered to you at 50% off of the original price.  The rack is located behind the baby stuff, so be sure to check it out.

There are still a few open dates for Ladies Night Out.  It is a fun way to shop and to do some good for the charity of your choice.  In the past three years we have given to over a dozen local charities.  We provide the invitations, a lovely array of refreshments, and some super customized specials.  Call for more info!

Don’t forget that we offer free gift wrap, and a variety of shipping options to get your gift there on time.

Lori’s Tip:  Let me help you to outfit your kitchen for maximum efficiency!  Thanksgiving is my specialty, and my store has all of the tools that I use in my own kitchen.  From a potato ricer to steamer basket to baster to roasting pan, I can help you to make this your favorite cooking holiday too!  Pick one of the items on my Thankful Thanksgiving List, and take 20% off.  Check out the web site blog for my list, www.elizabethrichardgifts.com/blog

And to all of you who we see throughout the year,

may you have a holiday season filled with joy and hope.

**Mailing List Special**

50% off of our already reduced-by-half Clearance Rack!

You will save a total of 75% off of the original price.  Selection varies.

Newsletter must be presented in order to receive the special.  Expires November 30, 2010.

951 Chase Parkway

Waterbury, CT 06708

203-754-4438

If you have read my latest newsletter, I explain that if you have all of the right tools, Thanksgiving dinner prep does not have to overwhelm you.  I have a list here of all of the tools that I have used for many a Thanksgiving, that you might think about incorporating into your own prep.  Perhaps you have of these items already, but if you do not, I know where you can find them…

Cuisipro Potato Ricer

Rosele Food Thermometer

Cuisipro Baster

Cuisipro Fat Separator

Mauviel Roasting Pan with V Rack

Cuisinart Crock Pot

Steamer Basket

USA Pans Baking Sheets

Pie Weights

Cuisipro Potato Peeler

Emile Henry Pie Plate

Shun Carving Knife

Thermal Caraffe

Emile Henry Lasagna Pan

This month only, take 20% off of these great and useful items.  Tell us you saw it on our blog.

Still need some more inspiration?  We’ve got you covered!  Coming soon, a Thanksgiving How To Video.

I had Dermot’s birthday party this weekend.  When both branches of my family come together, there is a houseful of roughly fifty, so it is a challenge to plan for the party.

I used the recipe for sauce and meatballs that has been passed down to me from my aunt and mom, and I fried up chicken cutlets from the Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook.  It was easy, delicious and filling.

My son is a huge Beatles fan, and I just love it!  I usually do a Halloween themed cake for him, since his birthday is so close to Halloween, but this year I decided to go a different route.  I had Annie from Annie’s Cakery design a cake to resemble a Beatles album, complete with the Apple logo!  (I insisted on on album, although most kids have probably never seen one!)  The album was a solid disc of chocolate (whichwe have not cut into yet!). The song on the “album”?  Why, “Birthday” of course!  I also added some cookies, and asked Annie to put the titles of different Beatles singles on each one.  It was so cute to hear the kids comparing which song they got on their cookies, belting

out the songs too!

I just love to support local businesses.  I find that they are accommodating and eager to please.  I urge all of you to try to support your independent local business people this season too.  And you just must try Annie’s Cakery!!  Find a link to her on our Facebook page.

Dear Shoppers,

The last time I sat to write this newsletter the trees were starting to bud and the flowers were peaking through the ground.  As I write this now, there is a chill in the morning air, and leaves have begun to turn.  It amazes me how fast time goes by, especially when you have been having as much fun as we have here at the store!  We were busy this summer, filling the store with beautiful new products.  Let me take a moment to tell you about all of the great stuff that we have going on…

We are starting September with a bang, offering a free Troll bracelet with the purchase of a fancy clasp!  (Good through 9/30/09)  It is a great way to start a second bracelet for yourself, or to put aside a gift for someone special.  Kathy, our Beadologist, has just unpacked the most beautiful fall beads, and is waiting for the late September arrival of the Empowerment Collection, a specially designed, limited edition collection of beads inspired by the fight against Breast Cancer.  Part of the proceeds from the sale of these Trollbeads will be donated to the local Komen for the Cure affiliate.  Stop in or call to find out more about this very special collection.

With much anticipation, Vera Bradley arrived in our store in August.  We are proud to carry the gorgeous & stylish sunglasses, as well as the fully functional and pretty stationery.  Be sure to check out what we have to offer!  And while supplies last, purchase $35.00 worth of Vera Bradley Stationery and receive a package of binder clips for free!

It is the season for Fascia’s Carmel Dipped Chocolate Covered Apples!  These are made to order, so please call or stop in one to two days before you need your apples.  We also have a new item, Chocolate Covered PB&J Ritz!  Try them while they last!  We will also have tons of edible goodies for Halloween from Fascia’s, be sure to save some room!

Our Kitchen area has expanded! We have given Kitchen a new home, and a whole new set of products too!  We are excited to have Emile Henry Cookware in our store.  For those of you who are not familiar with the brand, it is a gorgeous, versatile line, produced in France, that can go from freezer to oven to table.  Stop in to learn more about this lovely line!  We also added a superb line of kitchen tools, a rainbow of table linens, delectable jams & fruit butters, and gorgeous wooden cutting boards and bowls.  We have also added a very special selection of cookbooks.  I made sure to get all of my personal favorites, and I hope that you will enjoy my selections!

Were you spared by the tomato blight?  If so, stop in to try our line of oils and balsamic vinegar.  I have personally tried them all, and YUM is all that I can say!

We are starting to book fall and holiday Ladies Night Out.  These nights are lots of fun for you and your friends, and with the holidays approaching, now is the perfect time to book and get a jump start on your holiday shopping!  Each Ladies Night Out features food, drink, music, laughter, free gift wrapping, and gifts for all of your guests.

We have expanded our selections for babies and children.  We have beautiful new clothes, puzzles, crafts, raincoats & boots and so much more.  Skip the department store, and head over to see us for some of the most unique gifts for the little ones!

All of our Halloween décor and entertaining items are out, ready to be taken home.  You will find platters, bowls, jewelry, candles, and many more spooky items.  In addition, we have some great Lolita glasses and mugs to pick from.  Supplies are limited, stop in to get the best selection!

Thymes, our favorite line of bath & body has debuted a new fragrance, Moonflower, and it is just wonderful! Thymes Moonflower Body Lotion contains nourishing vitamin E and leaves a light gold shimmer on  the skin.  Come by the store to experience it for yourself.  And don’t forget about Frasier Fir, quite possibly the best holiday scent out there.  Supplies will be limited, so come by early to get the best selection.

And brand-new this month, become a fan of ours on Facebook!  login and become a fan in order to find out first what we are planning in the store!  That is about it for now, we are looking forward to seeing you soon!  Thank you for shopping with us!

The family and I recently took a vacation.  We went down to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, where we love the beaches and the climate.  What we don’t love is the food.  We were driving by a beautifully situated restaurant when my kids asked if we could have dinner there.  I said that I would think about it, to which my wise daughter pleaded, “But mom, they have the best mediocre food on the island!”  That sums it all up.  I spent the better part of a week preparing our meals rather than waste time, money and calories on food that does not “do it” for me.

I find that when I travel I long for the food that we have to offer here in and around Waterbury.  There is nothing like the variety of delicious choices that we have, from Italian to Portuguese to Turkish to Mexican.  Chain restaurants have their place in our lives, but I believe that we should support our independent and creative restaurateurs.  I wanted to share some of my own favs with you, and maybe you will try something new this week…

Have you ever tried Lisboa?  It can be found in the south end of Waterbury, on a very industrial little road.  But don’t let the nondescript building fool you, they have top notch Portuguese food and wine.  Try the shrimp Angola, the egg topped Portuguese Style Steak, or the Pork & Clams.  Enjoy a glass of light and refreshing Vino Verde and finish your night with the flan.  You will not be disappointed!

I am Italian, and I love Italian food.  Correction, I love GOOD Italian food!  My pick for some of the best?  The Roma in Oakville.  Although my husband and I struggle to get a table most times, it is certainly worth the aggravation.  I have my favorites here too:  We usually begin with the mozzarella D’Angelo, which is a slice of mozzarella fritto served in a white wine lemon sauce, rather than the traditional red sauce.  I love the veal here, no matter how it is prepared.  It is tender and full of flavor.  My husband swears by the homemade pasta.  Their red sauce is delicious too.  So call early to get a table, and savor the flavor of good Italian.

If it is dessert that you are looking for, go no further than Carmen Anthony’s.  We have gone there from other restaurants, just to have their dessert.  It is that good!  The creme brulee is a delight, and the bananas Foster satisfies me every time.  I recently tried their white chocolate bread pudding, and let me tell you, it was heaven on a plate!  Dessert won’t break the bank here, so be sure to treat yourself one of these days.

Looking for variety?  Try Quench in the east end of Waterbury.  I can honestly say that I have never had a bad meal here!  The pasta fagioli is not to be missed, it is incredible!  You can dine on pasta, chicken, steaks, fish, pork, whatever your heart desires.  The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable.  Tell Debbie that I sent you!

When I want a special lunch, I head to John’s Cafe in Woodbury.  This is a very small restaurant, so try to make a reservation if you go.  The food is creative, and ultra fresh.  My favorite (which is only a special) is the Pork Milanese served over baby green drizzled in a balsamic reduction.  I have tried in vain to recreate this dish at home, nothing compares to their version!  Enjoy a glass of wine from their extensive cellar while you are there too,

One last entry for tonight, L Restaurant in Middlebury.  They have an uber romantic feel, and a tremendous wait staff.  The food is delicious too!  I highly recommend the Pasta Bolognese.  I take great pains at home to make this hearty meat sauce, and their version makes me want to cry, for it is so much tastier than what I am serving.  I have yet to try anything there that I do not like, from their risotto and flatbread specials to there menu staples.  You will not be disappointed!

So now it is your turn.  Where do you like to go to get a more than mediocre dinner?  Leave me a post on Facebook!   And as far as the Outer Banks?  All I can say is that where they lack in good food, they make up for in good beach!

My husband and I have a nephew who is very lucky to have just about everything his heart desires. His birthday just happens to also be the week right after Christmas. And he is my husband’s Godson. So tell me that I do not have problems finding unique and different gifts for him!! So anyhow, we recently gave him a gift certificate to Converse to design his own sneakers. Was that great or what? His mom sent me the pictures of his creation. I was so happy! It really is a great tool, the possibilities are truly endless, and the price is just right. Check out the website the next time you need an idea for a tween, a teen or someone who loves the extra-ordinary!