Guys Gift Guide

Merry Christmas in just 9 days! I love giving presents, especially ones that I know are going to be hits. There's nothing better than just knowing you got the perfect thing for the perfect person! Usually, the hardest gifts on my lists are ones for guys. Dad, brother, boyfriend, or old clients- guys are hard to shop for! Here is a collection of some of my favorite gifts for guys. 

1. I'm in love with these beautiful felt and leather ipad cases from Rustico Leather. 2. Pendleton Blankets are beautiful investment. Great for summer picnics or Fall football games! 3. This Italian made leather duffle is perfect for a few days away. The only questions is business or pleasure? 4. Oh Hello Jimmy! Don't you love the new pocket dial by J Crew and Jimmy!? I do! 

Here's another list just in case; it contains some of my favorite things to give. I love to give books that have enriched my life. Anything by Brian Doyle is my favorite. His creative non-fiction inspires me and hearing him at readings is such a treat! If you aren't familiar with his work grab a copy of Leaping to start with. The Duke Cannon soap is another favorite of mine to give. The packaging is brilliant and they truly smell delightful! - but in a totally manly way. The boxes have hilarious descriptions and are sure to get a chuckle. Anything from Rustico Leather, even just a keychain, is sure to be a win. They are old clients of the Ad Agency I used to work for (shout out to Eli Kirk!) so I've seen a lot of their product line; it's incredible! Enjoy!

1. Brian Doyle is my favorite author. His creative non fiction will a) Change your life and b) Be an awesome gift for anyone! Leaping is my favorite. 2. These manly Duke Cannon bars of soap smell delicious and are hilarious to boot! 3. I'm 100% on board with the fancy sock trend. These from Nordstrom are fantastic. 4. Watch this!  5. David Foster Wallace is a sure thing. If you like Brian Doyle, or David Sedaris or words in general, you'll like this. 6. This shave kit is CLA-SSY! 7. This Rustico Leather keychain is simple, but manly. 

Eeeeeeeats!

I love food. Like, a lot. Like, more than your average person. Like, more than other people who say they love food. I’m serious. I have those other people beat, I promise. You might be thinking, “I don’t know Rebecca? I really love food too and I have the Bon Appetit magazine to prove it.” But I’m here to tell you that you actually don’t. Not as much as I do.

They have the best produce at Harmons Grocery, including this adorable mini pinaple!

I love going to markets to find fresh ingredients. I love flipping through cookbooks (and pinterest) for new ideas. I love cooking and baking and smells from the kitchen. I love making a plate beautiful and unique and a feast for the eyes too. Going out to a beautiful restaurant with quality food and a trusted friend is one of my all time favorite activities! You should listen to my family when we get together; 75% of our conversations are about food. I adore eating food! But mostly I think I relish in bringing friends and family together with food. Cooking for people you love makes all the prep and time and cost worth it, don’t you think?

My favorite cookbooks! 1. Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson, 2. Huckleberry by Zoe Nathan and  Matt Armendariz 3. The Family Flavor by Whitney Ingram (and beautiful photos by Sheena Jibson)

I can’t be sure, but my first memory with food may be eating those pink and white animal crackers as a kid; you know, the kind with tiny colored sprinkles. The pink ones were just SO PINK! (Mmmmm food dye! Mmmmm red no. 40! Delicious!)  I’m sure my first memory of cooking is a batch of pancakes from scratch. I remember dragging my Moms big red Betty Crocker cookbook, and a chair from the dinning table over to our kitchen counter to prep. I’m sure I left the kitchen a disaster and the pancakes were probably burnt. But I’m so glad my mom let me freely explore her kitchen! So much of my love of food comes from my amazing chef Mother.

Pops and I ordering more food than two humans can consume at Aristos in Salt Lake City

I'm fancy. I made these orange flavored cookies. 

In 4^th grade best friend Lucy Meza and I giggled ferociously while we made cookies and accidentally spilled way too much vanilla in the batch. To this day I swear they are the best cookies I’ve ever made. I’m always trying to recreate that serendipitous spill by throwing in too much vanilla extract, maybe adding some almond extract etc- anything that may taste unique and good. The thing is, the ingredient I’m really looking for is nostalgia and I’m not sure what grocery store aisle that can be found on?


In college I experimented with ingredients and spices. Some dishes were okay, so many were total misses. The first dinner party I threw with my roommates went horribly wrong! Everything was late and the fettuccini was not quite right, and of course! –the boys we invited over weren’t even interested in me. But it was fun to cook! Cooking meals away from home made me feel adult, and independent, and capable. Eventually I learned which spices worked and which didn’t, and how to perfect timing in my kitchen.

One of my favorite recipes from Huckleberry. So good and so easy!

About 5 years ago I was terribly in love with a boy and would cook for him all the time. I loved cooking for him and with him. We joined a produce co-op and would get mystery vegetables in our weekly basket. It was fun to try to figure out what the heck we were going to make with …  jerusalem artichoke root, (which, contrary to it’s name, is not AT ALL like a normal artichoke) or excessive amounts of butter lettuce, or some mystery squash. It felt satisfying to create something with someone. It felt scary and a bit freeing at the same time to put something of myself into a dish and then give it to someone. Our first kiss was interrupted by the oven timer going off for a batch of fluffy German pancakes. We made stakes for valentines day with my cast iron skillet. I used his Moms apple crumble recipe for his birthday. And I made him gut and clean the turkey (ew!) when we hosted Thanksgiving dinner at my house one year.

3 years later when we broke up I wasn’t hungry. Not for a long time. I’m pretty sure I survived off hummus and pitta chips for a solid year. I didn’t cook. For a while, walking into the kitchen made me cry. For a while walking into any room made me cry so I don’t know if that is saying much. Eventually though, my appetite came back and I got hungry too cook again too.

 This Oregonian had to get in some berry picking this summer! McBride Briar Patch in Mapleton.

I still remember the first meal I had post break up. It was probably 4 or 5 days after the event and I hadn’t eaten because I just couldn’t. An acquaintance (who is now a best friend) stopped by with a plate of food. She just handed it too me and said something kind and left. I felt so loved.  Chicken and rice casserole has never tasted so good before or since- ever!

Treats and a great view at Eva's Bakery in Salt Lace City.  

Navigating singlehood can be treacherous… and hilarious. I’ve spent lengthy conversations with kindred friends while we commiserate. More than once we’ve concluded that the beautiful tart or cookie from our favorite patisserie is more exciting than our upcoming date with some dude. The thought of a confection can fill me with more joy than the idea of another exhausting 1^st date. 

Are you kidding me!? This place was precious! Sugar Bakeshop in Charleston SC

Brunch with my girls (don't mind the messy hair) at The Copper Onion in Salt Lake City

I was certainly feeling this when I visited Boston a few years ago. Yes the town was lovely. Seeing my best friend who lived there was lovely. Walden pond? Lovely. But oh my gosh! you have to try the pistachio cookies from Mikes Bakery and you absolutely MUST go to Flour for the best meal of your life!  I have a sizable pinterest board entitled, “Food to Visit” and I don’t feel ashamed of that. Not even one little bit!

One of my favorite meals ever! The Tupelo Honey Cafe in Asheville NC

Coconut Chocolate cake with strawberries on top by me. 

I guess what I’m saying is- I love food; But not just the tastes and smells. I love how it is woven through the fabric of my life.  I love how a certain dish brings me back to a place and time and the people that were with me. I love how my absolute reliance on food to sustain me and keep me alive reminds me that I must rely on Christ with the same kind of intensity and rejoicing. There is an abundance of love that is offered through a cup of tea, or a slice of homemade bread, or a bowl of soup, or a cookie.  Food reminds me that in life there is so much to be savored.

Oh, for the love!

A Poem of Gratitude 

I hear words in clips and phrases that I unlawfully take ownership of.

They heal my soul and give relevance to my heart. 

And because such, they are mine now.

I'm so grateful for these:

Moments

Artists

Emotions

This ability to relate to others 
These talents that others have cultivated

Thank you Wilco, Ingrid, and Regina.

Thank you Stevie Nicks. Thank you Joni Mitchel- and God for that voice- and Van Morrison too. 

Thank you Brian Doyle, and my dear one Anne.

Thank you to the vibration of music, and the rhythm and cadence of careful words. Words,that no matter how heavy, make me feel lighter for the hearing of them. They remind me that I'm not alone. 
Thank you Rembrandt and Connelly and Hopper 

Songs and paintings and crafted word and voice and the way light enters through certain windows in certain buildings- they are all heartfelt prayer on my behalf.

I’m so grateful for art, in all its forms; Music especially! What is it about lyrics paired with melody? Lyrics are the message but melody is the bullet that blows past my thick skin, and my heart- no matter how hurt or guarded or stony- and lets the message sink in and take root.  

I have a list of songs that are significant to me. No doubt I’ll share a number of tunes on that list eventually, but today I wanted to share these Bright Eyes lyrics. I cry almost every time I earnestly listen to this song.  They remind me of how important it is to love and be compassionate towards other people. There have been many a day that someone has just “sat with me a while” or kept me company through “days so long and black.” This song is a description of empathy, compassion, and kindness. 

Bowl of Oranges

The rain, it started tapping on the window near my bed. There was a loophole in my dreaming,
so I got out of it. And to my surprise my eyes were wide and already open.
Just my nightstand and my dresser where those nightmares had just been.
So I dressed myself and left them, out into the gray streets.
But everything seemed different and completely new to me.
The sky, the trees, houses, buildings, even my own body.
And each person I encountered, I couldn't wait to meet.

I came upon a doctor who appeared in quite poor health.
I said "There is nothing I can do for you
you can't do for yourself."
He said "Oh yes you can. Just hold my hand. I think that would help."
So I sat with him a while and then I asked him how he felt.
He said, "I think I'm cured. No, in fact, I'm sure.
Thank you Stranger, for your therapeutic smile."

So that is how I learned the lesson that everyone is alone.
And your eyes must do some raining if you are ever going to grow.
But when crying don't help and you can't compose yourself.
It is best to compose a poem, an honest verse of longing or simple song of hope.
That is why I'm singing...
Baby don't worry cause now I got your back. And every time you feel like crying,
I'm gonna try and make you laugh. And if I can't, if it just hurts too bad,
then we'll wait for it to pass and I will keep you company
through those days so long and black.

And we'll keep working on the problem we know we'll never solve
Of Love's uneven remainders, our lives are fractions of a whole.
But if the world could remain within a frame like a painting on a wall.
Then I think we would see the beauty.
Then we would stand staring in awe at our still lives posed like a bowl of oranges,
like a story told by the fault lines and the soil.