Some Very Cool Products for You and Yours -Swag Bags Part 1

Now that we know that Tiger Woods is safely home from his little fire hydrant bang up and the usual Black Friday scuffles appear to be behind us, we can talk about some fabulous products/stores/brands to check out for the holidays. Last weekend I celebrated my 40th and a bunch of fabulous swag got sent home with the attendees. One woman gasped so deeply at the site of all of the goodies that one of our staff thought that someone had been injured. Now THAT’s a great bag of treats!

Jones Coffee Roasters – Love my boy Chuck Jones and this favorite Pasadena coffee hang out. Don’t worry, you don’t need to live in Pasadena to enjoy it because they’ll ship all over the place! Their motto is Roasted Locally, Sought Globally and it’s true. www.thebestcoffee.com

Barleans – Barlean’s is a great Washington based, family owned natural products company that never ceases to amaze me. They are the only people I know who can make you WANT to eat flaxseed. Their Omega Swirl is the bomb and is a great way to benefit from Omega-3’s without that oily texture. www.barleans.com. I can even sneak it into my kid’s fruit smoothies.

Wett Giggles – It is IMPOSSIBLE not to have a ginormous smile on your face the second you visit the Wett Giggles website. A nail brush encased in soap, Wett Giggles is the best way to get your kids to scrub up. I will tell you that we’ve got these adorable soaps all over the house and I must confess to sneaking in a scrub or to myself when no one is looking! www.wettgiggles.com – my go to spot for a good laugh.

Creative Memories – Creative Memories is the best way to do something creative and not have it take over your life. They have scrapbooks, great cardstock and all kinds of new products showing up ALL the time. I am obsessed with words and letters and how they look on paper and in art. I love these new stickers they’ve got not to mention a ton of other amazing things. www.creativememories.com – lots of inspiring goodies!

Zynks For Drinks – What are they? Zynks for Drinks are bright, colorful, definitely adorable charms attached to a unique stretch band to fit around your drinks. You can use them on water bottles, sippy cups, the works. H1N1 be gone because you’ll never forget which drink belongs to whom. They are perfect for kid’s parties, gym time, bbqs, wherever people and beverages come in contact. amazon.com Now these will make a terrific stocking stuffer!

Pasadena Magazine – Pasadena Mag is a local glossy that keep all of us in Pasadena and the surrounding foothills up to date on the latest in trends, companies, people and most importantly, restaurants. It never ceases to amaze me how much great stuff we have here in Pasadena. Thinking of going to the Rose Bowl or the Rose Parade this year? Why not enter to win some FREE tickets at Pasadena Magazine’s giveaway?  www.pasadenamonthly.com – see you at the parade!

PAMA LIQUEUR – My friends on Twitter know how much I love PAMA. I spend my weekends dreaming up new ways to combine this super premium pomegranate liqueur. I justify this by saying that it’s full of anti-oxidants, but don’t quote me on that. My latest version was diet tonic water with Pama and a squeeze of lime juice. Deeeeelicious! www.pamaliqueur.com is where you’ll find the REAL recipes!

Besame Cosmetics – Gabriela Hernandez has brought artistry and romance back into cosmetics. From one of my favorite cities ever, Gabriela was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and moved to the U.S. at the age of 12. Thank goodness because she brought all of that wonderful Argentine flair with her. At the party we featured my first ever (but not theirs) “Kissing Booth” where you could try out all of their lipstick shades, kiss a piece of paper with your favorite one and they’d write down the color so you’d remember. www.besamecosmetics.com Now that’s a good kiss.

The Butter End Bakery – Oh Kimberly, what do I say. The theme for the party was “The Four Seasons – It’s More Than Just A Hotel.” So natch, we had to have four cakes. I will be doing an entire blog post on Kimberly’s amazing cakes but in the meantime, take my word for it. Her artistry, attention to detail and baking skills are TO DIE FOR. Let’s put it this way, I spent my Black Friday scooping the last bit of frosting off the fondant from the cake featured in Spring. Even though I’m nursing a sugar hangover, I’ve got to tell you, it’s been worth every second. See Kimberly’s magic unfold at www.thebutterend.com. Kimberly, you are AMAZING.

So looking to mix it up this holiday season and try out/buy out some cool stuff? Then let your fingers do the walking because these companies will keep your recipients absolutely thrilled! Happy Black Friday everyone and enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving weekend!!