THE AMERICAN COCKTAIL is the first book from the visionary writers of IMBIBE MAGAZINE. the staff combed the country for the most creative cocktails to include in one concise hard-covered collection in lieu of their usual monthly glossy. if you haven’t noticed as of yet, bartending is hot. in the last month alone i’ve gotten three requests to teach the skills of the trade to curious beginners. i don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t appreciate this book as a stocking stuffer. (CHRONICLE $20)

japan might just be the coolest country in the world. after all, the entire world shops japan for new fashion, product and eco trends—tokyo, specifically. apart from their little whale fetish, the japanese people have it going on, big time. because of this, i am really proud that intoxicated zodiac candles are sold in japan, and i can’t wait to get over there myself! when i do finally make it to the “coolhunting” destination of the fashion world, this book will be packed in my suitcase. “DRINKING JAPAN: A GUIDE TO JAPAN’S BEST DRINKS AND DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS” by chris bunting, is not only a fascinating and comprehensive read, but a charitable one as well. with every purchase a portion is donated to japan earthquake relief—and yes, the effects of the quake are still an unlivable nightmare for those affected. (just because it’s never mentioned on USA TV doesn’t mean it’s not still beyond bad over there.) one more reason to buy this book and go to japan asap—they need all the tourism support the world can give them! but, even if you are not traveling in japan, this book is still really great. anyone who is fascinated by the wonderful world of spirits will take pleasure in flipping the pages of this entertaining and insightful book. so, for christmas this holiday, get your friend this stocking stuffer along with a bottle of saki, and they will be instantly cool… cool, like japan. ($24.95 USD)

BTW, japan is a libra! betcha didn’t know that…

THE PUNCH BOWL by dan searing is a must have for holiday entertaining. that is, if you don’t want to spend all your time behind the bar mixing drinks for your guests, with whom you should be cavorting. yes, pitcher drinks are all the rage, but before pitchers, there were punches. in fact, before we were born, there were punches. some of the recipes in THE PUNCH BOWL are circa 1890. this factual and well photographed book contains both antique recipes and their more modern counterparts. in short, it really is a fantastic collection for novice or the pro… $14.95.

“Fountain of Youth” Cocktail from Skintervention:

1.8 oz vodka
1.8 oz dark grape juice concentrate

Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Combine all ingredients and shake well. Strain the mixture into a chilled, stemmed cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

About this recipe the author (Scott-Vincent Borba) says: “Grapes and acai berries help soften fine lines and wrinkles, increase elasticity, and renew skin’s natural glow.”

AstroShrink asks: What if we encouraged people to age as nature intended, holding in high regard their life experience, knowledge, and wisdom they have to offer. I’d much rather sit at the knee of a wise old grandmother whose face is etched and deeply lined than be with a woman who tried to erase all of her character to keep up with our society’s obsession with youth.

I suppose it depends on what you value – the superficial or the deeper layers? On the surface we can skip around, noncommittal, carefree. But the depths are darker, remote, mysterious, maybe even dangerous. Who knows? We don’t go into them often.

Apparently, we prefer the superficial. It dominates and pervades our lives through images, media, art, television, movies and other entertainment. Sexy young women, virile men, great hair, white teeth, flat belly, cleavage, perky behind, smooth skin. Can you get along and not cause problems? Perfect! You’re hired.

After a while it becomes part of our unconscious: young = good, old = bad. Where is the balance in all of this? Certainly we haven’t found it yet. We see Hollywood “role models” taking great care to sculpt their faces and bodies so they’ll remain young and firm. Who and what does this benefit other than the deep pockets of the beauty industry and the deeper cultural shame regarding the aged?

Alas, my mind is just as oriented as the next person toward youth and beauty. I look in the mirror at fine lines and wrinkles, the dreaded brow furrow, and I secretly say to myself, “Let’s make that appointment for Botox soon.”

But how can I do it when I’m a proponent of the holistic path? Of course I want great skin and a youthful appearance, but I don’t want to use harsh chemicals or surgery to get it. What I truly value is the natural radiance that can glow from a person no matter what their age. And I want the wisdom and grace of the aging process to be honored, instead of dreaded.

Enter Scott-Vincent Borba, author of Skintervention and voice of reason among Hollywood’s elite. A celebrity esthetician, Borba teaches how to develop more youthful skin, and he does it in a way I can endorse. He believes that inner health is seen in your outer appearance, and that you can be confidently gorgeous from the inside out at any age.

In Skintervention: The Personalized Solution for Healthier, Younger, and Flawless-Looking Skin you’ll learn about Scott-Vincent Borba’s philosophy including:

• What ingredients in your skin care products are most effective, whether your concern is anti-aging, sensitivity, or breakouts
• Everyday products that sabotage your skin
• What nutritious, anti-aging items to keep in your pantry and refrigerator
• Food cures for fine lines and wrinkles
• Skin-Savvy recipes (beautifully illustrated)
• Do it yourself facials and treatments
• What to do about chocolate, alcohol, and French fries (it’s not what you might think)
• A question-answer section addressing skin concerns at every age
• A week-long VIP beauty plan to get yourself “Red-Carpet Ready”

So, if you’ve been thinking about your own skin and its youthful (or not so youthful) appearance, and who hasn’t, take advice from Scott-Vincent Borba’s book Skintervention. I know you’ll find it inspiring to find a skin-care expert in the entertainment industry who promotes holistic, healthy solutions for beautiful skin at any stage of life.

Christina Grant, Ph.D., is a specialist in Holistic Healing, Intuitive Guidance, and Energy Balancing. She has helped thousands of people transform physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. A widely published author, she also hosted the “Health Connections” radio program as well as co-hosting Monterey’s “Your Health” television series. She is frequently interviewed on radio and television about various aspects of holistic healing.
To learn more or contact her, visit WWW.CHRISTINAGRANT.COM

HOW TO BOOZE EXQUISITE COCKTAILS AND UNSOUND ADVICE… THE RIGHT DRINK FOR EVERY OCCASION by jordan kaye & marshall altier

this book is hysterical. first of all the graphic design is very cool—appropriately antiquated in appearance. the illustrations are superbly cross-hatched renderings of various bar utensils. there’s a pair of goats on the cover, which is enough to make me buy it right there! as a recipe book, “HOW TO BOOZE” offers a well-stocked assortment of prohibition-era tipples, and a smattering of more modern day delights. each spirit category is also briefly explained, further legitimizing it as a bar book.

but the real meat of this manuscript lies in the author’s intimate narrative. according to mr. kaye and mr. altier, each libation has an appropriate situation in which to imbibe it. the glorious writing style outlining these specific events is witty, dark and just wrong.

EXAMPLE CHAPTER ONE: “you will regret this, you already regret this… it can be grim work, bedding down the homely. but the truly unattractive do have the right to sex. and sometimes, it’s just your turn to turn to give it to them. others shirk their duty; you are worthier than that. where lesser folk yawn and slip out the door, you buy two more rounds and bravely step up to the challenge. verbal overtures are cast and received. trembling hands are placed on frightening thighs. the direction is ominous, but it’s clear. and every time you raise your eyes from the bar, you suffer a crisis of confidence—masked, it’s true, as a spasm of disgust. christ. will i really do that? less a rhetorical question than an admission of illness.”

need i say more? this book is raunchy, politically incorrect and and makes more sense than i care to admit. get it for the less sensitive souls on your list… HARPER COLLINS $15

astrological advice for outwitting conniving coworkers, slacker staff, and the boss from hell… it’s all in hazel dixon-cooper’s new book: WORK ON A ROTTEN DAY. the “cosmo astrologer” has applied her infamous brand of zodiac wit to the workplace… just in time for the holidays. here is a sampling of each sign’s “career cheap shots” below. (GLOBE PEQUOT.COM $19.95)

ARIES: constantly confronts others
TAURUS: holds a grudge
GEMINI: plays both sides against each other
CANCER: uses emotional blackmail
LEO: interrupts and expects your attention
VIRGO: sabotages projects by omitting important details
LIBRA: tells the boss you’re incompetent
SCORPIO: attacks you privately while maintaining a professional public facade
SAGITTARIUS: exhibits phony friendliness
CAPRICORN: exacts sly revenge when you least expect it
AQUARIUS: deliberately confuses an issue
PISCES: takes days off when you’re overloaded

IN THEIR CUPS by AJ RATHBUN is a collection of old and new poetry with a common subject theme: alcohol. so, if you’re a poetry fan, and an alcoholic… this book’s for you, baby! and it gets better: the very first poem in the book involves astrology! (harvard common press $9.95)

“LINES ON THE MERMAID TAVERN” by JOHN KEATS
souls of poet dead gone,
what elysium have ye known,
happy field or mossy cavern,
choicer than the mermaid tavern?
have ye tippled drink more fine
than mine host’s canary wine?
or are fruits of paradise
sweeter than those dainty pies
of venison? o generous food!
drest as though bold robin hood
would, with his maid marian,
sup and bowse from horn and can.

i have heard that on a day
mine host’s sign-board flew away,
nobody knew whither, till
an astrologer’s old quill
to a sheepskin gave the story,
said he saw you in your glory,
underneath a new old-sign
sipping beverage divine,
and pledging with contented smack
the mermaid in the zodiac.

souls of poets dead and gone,
what elysium have ye known,
happy field or mossy cavern,
choicer than the mermaid tavern?

i love the cover on this book more than anything else. why do bad girls always have a drink in their hand? DARK FAIRIES by dr. bob curran is an unusual work in that it highlights the naughtier elementals, rather than the helpful ones we usually hear about. i’ll admit it… i’m a fairy fan. and reading such dark stories about creatures that i consider to be so special was more than a bit unsettling. but apparently, like fallen angels, dark fairies do indeed exist. well, lemme tell ya, after reading this book, you’ll be praying you never meet one. DARK FAIRIES $14.99

page six columnist paula froelich’s MERCURY IN RETROGRADE is a good read. one of those you can’t put down and stay up far too late reading. hate that type of book, but also kind of love it…

it describes three hip new york city chicks, whose lives collide under the influence of mercury retrograde. the book’s tone is witty, naughty, and ends nicely… which is a welcome change, as i’m still recovering from that crappy, open-ended LOST finale.

my favorite line from the book is when mr. type A status-conscious fashion editor tells ms. fashion minion/surf/writer that “she’s not the pedophile’s dream she used to be…” move over sex in the city… mercury in retrograde is here. and for once, that’s a good thing! $15 simon & schuster

so what’s summer without frozen drinks? especially a summer such as this. here in the northern hemisphere, we’re practically being roasted by heat waves and record breaking temps on an almost daily basis. personally, i love it! but i am in the minority, as most love their air conditioners a whole lot more. in this respect, global warming ain’t so bad. to me, there is no greater pleasure than sitting out on my beautiful porch, enjoying the steamy night heat, sipping the frozen beverage i just whipped up. now that, my friends, is a little piece of heaven on earth. sound good? if so, go get yourself a blender and 101 BLENDER DRINKS by kim haasarud. this new book is chock full of creative concoctions, such as the “brazilian pepper crush,” which calls for cachaca, jalapeno-orange marmalade, grenadine, kumquats and of course, ice: wow! ($16.95)