With the holidays fast approaching, I guess its time to think about PRESENTS - YEAHHHHHHHH- I love presents; giving and receiving - no matter - its fun to find or get just the perfect item.

I thought this might be a good place to start listing my favorite gadgets, tools, foods and stuff I just LOVE in general. This might help you get some 'kick butt' presents for your favorite cook, perhaps even for yourself? Of course, don't forget your pooch. Since I love Bogart my monster dog, I will also let you know about his favorite things.

There is no particular order to this list, just what jumps into my mind at any given time.

I just had some coffee; therefore I thought this little frothing stick from Williams-Sonoma is a perfect item to start off. It's called Bonjour Primo latte and cost about $20. It has been making consistently fabulous foam for me for over a year.

That brings me to my quite a bit more expensive Nespresso machine - but thanks to it, I look forward to getting up in the morning and, still half blind with sleep, make myself, or get it made by soul mate Randy, a perfect espresso in no time flat. Turn machine on - insert capsule - push button - don't forget to place little cup underneath - (in the morning it can happen, the shape I'm in) - voila! A PERFECT little cup of morning glory. I don't know how I managed before that. I have had this machine now for close to 4 years- it has NEVER let me down. I love this thing! Yes, it's expensive, but if you add up the $5 coffees you buy at Starbucks you have it amortized in no time. Plus, you don't have to even put any clothes on and leave your comfy home to get the day started, never mind waiting in these endless lines at the coffee places. There is a cheaper version for people a bit more alert than I am (especially in the mornings as I have mentioned before). It has a manual off button instead of the automatic shut off and it's under $200.

For the perfect cappuccino, I just froth the milk with my little frothing wand (I prefer making the froth with the stick instead of using the steam attachment of the machine), put the foamed milk in the microwave for 30 seconds- and let my little Nespresso machine do its magic... it has become a ritual that I cherish. It's not just a prefect cup anymore it's Zen to me.

Of course, there are several other versions and other manufacturers have produced similar capsule style coffee machines - I have this one and I love it.

For the pooch, the thing I love is a leash system called the Gentle Lead-Easy Walk (Yes, I just had Bogart the wonder dog in the park for his walk which made me think of it). I have always used a chain choke collar for my dogs and really liked them. Then Bogart's sweet and cute Trainer Robert, ( Dogboynyc.com ) Haussmann, turned me on to the gentle lead. No hurting your pup around the neck! The lead moves their shoulders into the direction you want them to go without any danger of injury or discomfort. So, do your fuzzy friend a favor, get him a gentle lead, he will be most grateful for that and even reward you with an extra lick or two.

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