PSHENYCHNAYA VODKA is known for its keepsake bottles, each of which houses russian vodka. i was lucky enough to snag one of these collector’s edition bottles this christmas! check him out—the look on his face indicates he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders (much heavier than a sleigh full of toys).

bendel’s store theme this season is the cocktail, and a promenade through this landmark shopping destination makes that clear. there are cocktail displays EVERYWHERE. if you can’t get there in person, take a stroll through the pics below.

the front windows invite the shopper into a retail wonderland with a product-filled martini glass pyramid and candy-filled glasses…

wow, bendels recycled wine corks… they look terrific painted white, resembling a lovely layer of fresh champagne snow afoot a mountain of perfectly frosted martini glasses.

how awesome are these pin-up martini girls sitting in their glasses?

and last but in no way least, the walls are adorned with my very own ZODIAC COCKTAIL graphics! on the 3rd floor, there are all sorts of astrology and alcohol-themed goodies… including our COCKTAIL CANDLES and SHOT CANDLES.

cheers to a divine 2010!

EXAMINER.COM’S Princess Agra just blogged a last minute holiday shopping guide, and she mentioned our SHOT GLASS CANDLES! you have to read this post, Princess Agra is hysterical… her writing style is so new york.

did you know that yesteryear’s christmas sugar plums were actually not plums at all? i never did, until i researched this post. apparently, sugar plums are a mish mosh of minced dried fruits mixed up in oats and brandy, and then rolled in sugar. i suppose the round ball shape gives it a resemblance to the plum. so, how cool would that be to garnish a glass of sugar plum sangria with a ready made, pre-slit sugar plum? in theory, this festive garnish should happily slide right on to the lip of the glass. so, yea, lemme know how that goes as i haven’t had a chance to test it.

did i mention that something so allegedly delicious has to be ruled by the one and only, drum roll, venus of course. the plum is ruled by venus, and hence therein lies the connection. but this tipple is especially fitting for the bull because this sugary delicacy is so steeped in tradition–just like taurus, (known more for its traditional values than than any other sign!) let it be known that sugar plum sangria is a taurus! here’s a recipe to make sugar plum garniture befitting a libational masterpiece:

SUGAR PLUM SANGRIA:

btl plum wine
3 c plum juice
1/2 cup triple sec
1 c brandy
1/2 lime
3/4 ss
3 c chopped winter fruit

stir in pitcher, for extra flavor allow to sit overnight. pour over ice in glass and garnish with a sugar plum.

This new year, write down those resolutions! Place them in a box to be opened this time next year with a shaker full of Yule Tide sweetness…

THE YULE TIDE

2 oz. Cranberry Pomegranate juice (Northland, Lakewood and Knudsen all make an excellent organic cran-pom juice blend)

1/2 oz. Orange Juice

1/2 oz. Grand Marnier

Dry champagne of your choosing

Mix first three ingredients in mixer with ice. Chill, shake & pour. Fill remaining space with champagne.

This year, for the first time, I will not have spent either of the traditional family gathering holidays with my immediate family. On Thanksgiving I was with extended family in Southern Louisiana. There was more food than our small army of folks could feasibly handle and a good deal of it left the house with us the following day, packaged securely for transport to northern Alabama, to be delivered to more extended family there. It was humbling, really, that so much abundance was in evidence at both locations. The houses were warm and full of light and family and there was always plenty of food and drink. Even the animals were slightly corpulent from seasonal overfeeding. It was impossible to feel as though one wanted for anything in such environments.

In stark contrast, Christmas will be spent on the road, most likely at a truck stop or someplace similar in the great state of Texas. Oddly, I’m very much looking forward to it because it will afford me the opportunity to reflect on the concept of family.

I’m one of those who has traditionally taken in “orphans” during the holidays, those friends who have no family (either nearby or existing at all) with whom to spend a time which rejoices in such connections. This season, at Christmas, I and my partner and our kitty will be orphans ourselves. We duly signed up for it, planning our time on the road as we did, but we never really stopped to consider the import of spending Christmas on the road. We’ll be certain to see and spend time with other orphans, as we’ll likely go into whatever truck stop we’ve decided to camp in, for tea, warmth, and hoping, I’m sure, with many others for some sort of silent fellowship.

Having family close at hand has been a practical consideration throughout human history, most especially during the winter months when help was needed to make sure food supplies were at the desired levels and the very young and very old were cared for with the extra attention that cold and damp conditions generally make necessary. The idea of several generations of a family sharing living space and resources has become rare in this day and age but we are seeing it spring up anew as we travel these days. Parents asking their college aged children to stay under their roof as long as they would wish, young parents asking their own parents to move in and assist with child rearing, and similar family dynamics that mirror those of days gone by are happening right before our eyes. There are financial considerations at work here, but more importantly, and more easily missed, are the bonds of love and friendship that encourage such decision making.

On the approach of the Winter Solstice, when the nights are at their longest, I can think of no better place to be than with family, be they blood or a family of one’s choosing. It is no mere coincidence that the sun sign being transitioned into is all about family, practical choices, reliability and a firm grounding in all that is necessary for not only surviving, but thriving. This is a time of gathering with those closest to you and deciding what is to be left behind in the Darkness since it either no longer serves you or is acting as negative ballast to keep you from reaching other goals. It is also a time for setting those goals anew, so that they might be nurtured by you as well as your immediate family, growing in strength as the days lengthen and coming to fruition even as the light returns to our lives.

As the sun moves from inventive and spontaneous Sagittarius into the more stable and dependable Capricorn, I and many others, will turn attention to practical matters of family, finance and health. New Year’s Eve is not the only reason we are resolution-minded this time of year. Capricorn’s resoluteness and desire to finish what has been begun also lurks in the sub-currents of our psyche around the Solstice when it begins its ascent in the Zodiac.

Rather that reflect on what we haven’t got or failed to achieve in the previous year, Capricorn urges us to look ahead at what opportunities still exist before us, and what we can do about them. We are encouraged to recall all of the sweetness that this year has afforded us and hold gratitude for each and every bit of it. We are reminded that what is important right now, in this moment, is always right in front of us, and that if we are not diligent in paying attention, we will miss it entirely.

With this in mind, I offer you a dose of the previous year’s sweetness in a wonderful little sparkly concoction I like to call The Yule Tide. Share it with someone close to you or sip it in solitary reflection. Mull over what your definition of family is, for there is no wrong answer. Family is generally where we find it, where we are moved to make an effort to connect with our fellow human beings and other living creatures. And it is mostly about the love that you have for all that you hold dear and your willingness to share it with your particular corner of the world.

May your holidays be filled with warmth and joy and the family of your choosing…

Cheers~Charon, The Most Dangerous Beauty Alive
theswordswallowers.com
oddangel.com

Charon Henning is one of a handful of female sword swallowers in the world today. She’s performed on carnival midways and at wine tastings, on theater stages and grassy lots.

Charon also reads tea leaves professionally, a skill she inherited from her grandmother on her mother’s side of the family. Tea-leaf reading is a wonderful and elegant form of entertainment, suitable for many time periods and venues.

Charon loves being on the road seeing new places and meeting new people. Want to catch Charon on the road for her live show? View her tour schedule here. Or, book Charon’s talent for your next event!

the kraken’s edgy, dark, completely unique theme makes this spiced spirit not only a delectable treat for the palate, but one for the eyes and mind as well.

this is the most interesting story book, and bottle of booze to arrive on my doorstep yet. inspired by a lethal and beastly sea monster, this black rum has a history to match. apparently the kraken is quite fond of human flesh, all though there are no survivors to attest for this horrific creature’s existence. all witnesses have of course been devoured, seaside.

this bottle, along with the kraken survival guide, is the perfect gift for the guys on your list. don’t delay—get this extraordinarily designed book, or poster, for FREE by signing up for it at kraken.com. the antiqued illustrations are awesome, the fonts are impeccably chosen, and the writing is near perfect.

• bottle is a Victorian Rum replica
• $16-20 buy it here:
• blended in the Caribbean with over 11 spices

we’re thrilled to boast that intoxicated zodiac’s shot glass candles are in the press! check out GIFTS AND DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES “Product Wire” Zine here:

there is still time to get the shot glass candle for christmas!!! perfect for stocking stuffers and chaunaka gifts this holiday, and perfect for birthday all year round… view them here:

remember, a portion of all proceeds will be donated to animal related charity. intoxicated zodiac employs environmentally friendly materials and techniques whenever possible. to give and receive… start the abundance cycle in your life… think about what you buy. IZ is an artist-owned business. thanks for your support—cheers!

Not a single reader here at IZ needs to be reminded that the Season of the Consumer is on the horizon. Even during the recession of last season the message was loud and clear, pushing us to buy, buy, buy even if (ESPECIALLY if) we were broke, broke, broke. The urge to tipple practically became a bona fide need in Maslow Hierarchy for many of us, but we still managed to do it creatively, especially those of us born around this time of year ruled Scorpio and Sagittarius.

This year, in abject celebration of the very first Season I spend as the antithesis of consumerism, in my trailer, on the road (read: trailer trash), I will raise my glass high on one very particular calendar day, and with an appropriately snarky toast, recognize Black Friday.

Friday is named for Freya, a decidedly assertive goddess in the Teutonic pantheon who handled matters of love among many other responsibilities, and Friday is indeed a most beloved day for many working a traditional 9 to 5 work week. I know many couples who have a traditional date night each Friday. It is a time of rest and for unwinding from the previous week. Black Friday, however, is the opposite of the above sentiments, particularly for those in the 9 to 5 world. It should be noted that the word black is not used here to connote darkness or anything dismal, though as most retail salespeople would tell you it probably should be. In this context, black is used to refer to the fact that this day, above all others in the fiscal calendar, is the day mostly likely to put a business back in the black. In this sense, Black Friday takes its place at the very pinnacle of days devoted to Excessive Consumerism. It is the inception of the Yuletide Shopping Season. (photo: mary claire miraldi)

It is also the time of year where I take great pains to avoid going out into public amongst the holiday shoppers. All of you out there who share Ebeneezer Scrooge’s literary Sagittarian sign (What? NOT a Capricorn?!) are probably with me on this one. Not only are malls horrifying places to enter from this day forward until well past Twelfth Night the following January, but the parents toting weeping children to visit Santa are nearly unbearable to be around. No wild primate would ever groom another with the fierceness these parents visit upon their very bewildered kids. And never was there a time of year when parking lots are more likely to spawn Vince McMahon’s next big find.

The solution for me, the one that allows me to sleep at night and lend a helping hand to my own community, has always been to support local and small businesses by making thoughtful purchases that help pass on some good elsewhere. Since I live on the road, this takes the form of ordering handmade items from web collectives such as etsy.com or directly from creators such as our very own Gwen here at IZ. I also frequent antique malls, flea markets, and the often greatly underestimated church bazaars. By doing so, not only are you opting out of the mass market mentality, you’re refusing to participate in the care and feeding of corporate greed. What’s more, you can make the conscious choice to buy from purveyors and artists who will in turn give something back to the world we all live in together. Pay special attention to promotions from artisans that pledge a certain amount to a charity you support or other sorts of sustainable goodness. Being a consumer doesn’t mean you have to exclusively consume. You have a choice in the matter and can agree to participate in a transaction only if it meets all of your criteria.

Extra work? Yes. Worth it? Totally.

Especially since you can reward yourself with a wonderful little gem I like to call the Black Friday Antidote! As a Scorpio I am terribly vulnerable to clever advertising, which makes not having a television on the road a bright blessing indeed. The Black Friday Antidote is a wonderful sweet diversion that still allows me to feel pampered and materialistic as I troll the Internet to find and order handmade items direct from their creators. And since material comfort is all about the illusion of security, I don’t mind creating an illusion of that illusion with this particular drink. It makes it that much more delicious, this bit of Sagittarian inventiveness mixed with classic Scorpio pouty stubbornness.

BLACK FRIDAY ANTIDOTE

2 oz. chocolate vodka

1 1/2 oz. Irish cream

1 1/2 oz. chocolate liqueur (Godiva is fabulous but there are others available)

½ oz. pepper vodka (more or less, depending on taste)

Mix ingredients in a shaker and strain into an elegant glass. Garnish with a fine chocolate at the bottom of the glass. Whole Foods (or Wild Oats in some areas) has an astonishing chocolate counter these days. Lots of different flavors, shapes and sizes to choose from, for all of your excessive garnish needs!

For those who simply cannot stand the combination of spicy and sweet (and I know plenty of Scorpios who are extreme purists when it comes to flavors) try substituting ½ oz. of orange vodka for the pepper vodka.

Remember kids! Chocolate + Scorpio + Sagittarius = Intensely Tasty Experimentation! Preferably with a Loved One!

After Black Friday any sort of peppermint cordial becomes a more than acceptable substitute as well. I say “after” due to my own purist Scorpio tendencies because for me, the Yuletide season simply doesn’t begin until the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and my holiday cocktails will not be shaken until after the decorating is completed and available for viewing. Just sayin. Your mileage may vary.
More on Yuletide tippling next month, when Capricorn raises a goaty eyebrow at us on the Longest Night of The Year.

Cheers~Charon, The Most Dangerous Beauty Alive
theswordswallowers.com
oddangel.com

Charon Henning is one of a handful of female sword swallowers in the world today. She’s performed on carnival midways and at wine tastings, on theater stages and grassy lots.

Charon also reads tea leaves professionally, a skill she inherited from her grandmother on her mother’s side of the family. Tea-leaf reading is a wonderful and elegant form of entertainment, suitable for many time periods and venues.

Charon loves being on the road seeing new places and meeting new people. Want to catch Charon on the road for her live show? View her tour schedule here. Or, book Charon’s talent for your next event!

La Palapa just released its very own cookbook! owners Barbara Sibley & Margaritte Malfy co-authored ANTOJITOSBY, FESTIVE AND FLAVORFUL MEXICAN
SMALL PLATES, which includes several of la palapa’s best recipes. such as their ridiculously delicious MANGO MEZCAL PALOMA.

i once reviewed the astrology of La Palapa in my post here. because it opened in august, the west village LA PALAPA a is a Leo!

Barbara & Margaritte are celebrating their publication by serving complimentary antojitos and margaritas tuesday, november 10th, 5 to 7 pm:
LA PALAPA EAST VILLAGE
77 Saint Marks’s Place • RSVP 212.777.2537
(SIGNED COPIES OF THE COOKBOOK WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE $22.99)

¿Cómo se dice “appetizers”? Antojitos, of course! The north-of-the-border love affair with Mexican food heats up with this luscious collection of 75 authentic Mexican small plates, invigorating salsas, and refreshing drinks from two of Greenwich Village’s favorite restaurateurs. Barbara Sibley and Margaritte Malfy are chef/owners of the fabulously popular La Palapa restaurants in New York City, where they deliver addictively authentic Mexican fare-food for people who love fresh, soulful cooking.

Traditional and artisanal, the recipes in Antojitos were collected from Barbara and Margaritte’s many years of traveling and living in Mexico.
No one does antojitos like Barbara and Margaritte. A stylish design filled with colorful Mexican folk art and food photographs round out this spicy treat of a book.

Just in time for christmas—perfect for the latin Lovers on your list….!

sorry peeps, gwen’s taking a little vaca… see you after the holidays! ps, if you like this christmas card, download the wallpaper under VIRGO.