I love to have people over for dinner, and I try to make it happen as often as I can. One of my constant dinner party invitees recently asked me for a list of my favorite host gifts I’ve received that aren’t wine, because she wasn’t comfortable picking a wine for someone else’s taste. The following is my list of favorite not-wine gifts that I shared with her. For the most part, they’re something easy and inexpensive to keep on hand for last minute dinner invitations.

- Cheese paper
Proper storage of cheese helps to preserve the purity of its flavor, and helps prevent bad molds from forming.

- Fancy peppercorns
I didn’t really understand peppercorn differences until someone introduced me to green peppercorns, with their clean, mild flavors. Delicious!

- Quality olive oil
I love a delicious olive oil that I can enjoy with crusty bread or drizzled on arugula salad.

- Pink salt block
Amazing to cook on, and at less than $30, a really fun surprise gift!

- Organic Honey
Sweet and earthy, and very versatile!

- Quality Black Tea
I love using black tea in baked goods, to smoke chicken, or in a fruit glaze. The better the tea, the more special the flavor turns out!

- Chocolates
I don’t think i need to explain …

- Local Coffee (like Chicago’s own Intelligentsia)
Even if a host is not a coffee drinker, having coffee on hand for guests is a must.

- A hunk of good Parmesan
Parmesan will add life to any salad, grilled pizza or a simple pasta.

Non-food gifts
These two aren’t edible, and probably appropriate for a more special occasion.

– Guest book
During dessert, having guests sign a guest book is a special way to end the night.

- Cook’s Illustrated magazine
One part cooking geek, one part culinary school, this publication helps demystify basic and more complicated cooking techniques.

Enjoy! — Rebecca F.

Photo credit: Intelligentsia Coffee

Etsy is wide and wonderful, yes, but sometimes its sheer size can make the possibilities seem overwhelming. Mary T. turned us on to Glancely, a visual sorting tool, but another way to make sense of the madness is to take your cues from a design resource you trust. For me, that resource is West Elm, so I was thrilled to learn about their collaboration with Etsy. Each season, the brand will be highlighting the work of some of their favorite artisans both in their catalog and online on their Etsy page where users can browse listings of their favorite items and shops. Special pop up marketplaces will also find a home in some stores and will allow sellers to display products to West Elm customers in house. Keep an eye on their Etsy page for details! –Sarah C.

I’ve never been much for New Year’s resolutions…they just seem like a breeding ground for disappointment. But a good January “start-the-year-off-fresh” cleaning spree? Now you’re talking!

This year, I’ve decided it’s my closet that’s in dire need of a makeover. I live in an old Victorian house, with a closet that could be called scattered on its best day, and a complete disaster the rest of the time. With shoes I keep meaning to put back in their boxes, rolling racks standing in for hanging rods, and shelves I can’t access without an advanced course in gymnastics, there’s just a general feeling of disorganization and disarray in what should be the happiest room in the house for a fashion blogger .

While a major remodel is out of the question, I’m convinced it’s the little things that are going to remedy this disaster. Like, for example, these beautiful drawer liners from Hammocks & High Tea (don’t you just love the name?). I adore the hip chevron and ikat-inspired patterns, and I also love that you can pick from a half dozen barely-there scents (or go unscented if you prefer). I’ll be adding a bit of amber or lavender/lemongrass to the mix, to help counteract the “musty old house” scent my closet’s currently wearing.

For $25, you get a generous set of six sheets, which will cover quite a bit of space. And since they’re non-adhesive, I don’t have to stress about cutting and applying them with engineer-grade perfection. Genius!

Now I just have to tackle that shoe situation. –Becki S.

I made a deal with myself for January 2011 that I would be more eco-conscious this year –always take my own shopping bags to the store, re-gift magazines that I’ve already read, keep winter composting, etc. I’m attempting to make one eco-effort every day for as long as I can! This weekend I discovered a green tip that made me happy – you can wash a plastic shower curtain liner! It was time to change mine, and was feeling really guilty about throwing it out because it can’t be recycled. After a little research, I decided to try and wash it instead. I tossed it in the washer with some bathmats and cleaning rags, and set the temperature on warm. I added a little laundry soap and about a cup of white vinegar and set the wash to regular. PRESTO – a soap scum-free shower curtain liner that was ready to be re-hung. I would imagine after a few washes the curtain might be a little worse for wear, in which case I could use it as a project drop-cloth before disposing. NOTE: don’t put liners in the dryer, and be sure to wash in warm, not hot, water. – Rebecca F.

photo credit: Apartment Therapy

New year, new stamps! In late December the U.S. Postal Service released its list of 2011 stamp program debuts and with it, some snazzy new options to dress those envelopes. A Pixar film aficionado at heart, I’m loving the Send a Hello collection, featuring some of my favorite animated friends, but the standout for me in this release is the Pioneers of American Industrial Design set, available in July. Each stamp honors one of twelve influential designers with their name, a picture of their object and the year it was created. Skip the lines by ordering online and have them delivered to your mailbox for just $1 shipping and handling. –Sarah C.

image courtesy of simplesong

1) While not great for kids, we’ve got measuring spoons that are both adorable and actually usable. ModCloth has our number with these Scoops of Flower spoons planted in their own handy pot. DJ says: “Very sweet. I am reminded of the “florist” measuring cups at Anthropologie, but those don’t look too functional, as they have an inner line for the measurement. These spoons look as if they would be functional as well as pretty.”

2) When it comes to New Orleans, you know your food joints. Katie D. asked for recommendations and you had many. Brenna says: “Just spent the holidays in New Orleans and I’m pretty sure all we did was eat…. Highlights were: Stanley’s, Acme Oyster House (go early to lunch to avoid waiting in line), and a finish at Commander’s Palace. A native of NOLA recommended Dominica, but we just ran out of time, and we also wanted to try to the sister restaurant to Stanley’s – Stella’s. Happy Eating!” Where do you eat in New Orleans?

3) We love Windsors, including West Elm’s new take on the style. Ellie says: “Gasp, I do have West Elm Windsor love. I actually scrolled back and said, “Wait, what?”
I do totally love this, I wonder how the construction is though, no West Elm nearby. I am doubting that it has that same engineering that allows real quality Windsors to have strong tighter spindles, especially in the legs, over time.”

4) Gray can be exactly what the doctor ordered. Sarah C. shared her room redesign and her new gray walls are reader-approved! Kimberj says: “Beautiful transformation. Now you just need some art on the walls and you’ll be set. With that soft grey you’ll be able to use vibrant color to bring life into the room. A rich tone of any color will do Love the pintucks by the way!”

5) Art on our iPhones? Yes, please. Brainpickings and Society6 are making it happen. Ellie says: “Oh awesome. Cheaper than the etched bamboo ones I was looking at before Christmas and more durable than the old standby skins.”

We are going bananas over these salt and pepper shakers spotted over at Whorange. They are very appealing, yes?

The right basket could make or break an entry way or bathroom. CasaSugar helps narrow it down with this wire basket roundup so we can get to the organizing already.

Speaking of baskets, if green is more your shade of style, how about a basket fashioned from an up-cycled garden hose? Via Re-nest.

BLDGBLOG has a fascinating post about the concept of cryptoforests, and how feral landscapes are reclaiming ground in the urban sphere.

Brita, meet your better-designed sister: the Mavea pitcher, at NOTCOT.

DIY beach glass in four hours, for mosaics, paving, or just for fun. Awesome — thanks, Evil Mad Scientist!

Healthy, spicy, and satisfying : sounds like the perfect moderate winter meal! These cold noodles with peanut sauce from David Lebovitz are definitely on the menu this weekend.

Made from 100% organic cotton, I’m loving the look of these block-printed towels. In addition to the playful Mason jar pattern, Oh, Little Rabbit’s Etsy page has a lot more to love, including a set of octopus napkins (4 for $22) and reusable produce bags that are almost too pretty to use. — Sarah L.

Megan B. recently made us all jealous by heading to Hawaii for vacation and dipped into our readers’ expertise for some traveling suggestions. You guys were so fantastic that I thought I’d follow her lead. My husband and I are celebrating our first anniversary with a trip down to New Orleans at the end of January. It will be our first time in the Big Easy so we’re looking to hit up the best of the best. While I’ve been drooling over the thought of beignets at the Café du Monde, that’s as far as my Cajun cuisine tour planning has gotten. What else can’t I miss? Which bars are tourist traps and whose etouffee is life changing? Leave your suggestions after the jump and “laissez les bon temps rouler”! –Katie D.

photo courtesy of flickr user KatjusaC

By this time next week, we’ll have installed the last of three water-efficient toilets in our house. After that, we’re kinda at a loss for our next green project. Over the years, we’ve replaced the dishwasher, washer and dryer as they wore out with greener versions; added a solar attic fan; replaced doors and windows; and tackled a host of smaller projects to improve our home’s efficiency. We’ve also ran the numbers on a few ideas that we just can’t justify the cost of, like solar panels, geothermal furnace or a tankless hot water heater. While we’re searching for our next project, do have any green reno ideas to throw our way? — Sarah L.

Photo above: the Caroma Adelaide toilet, an EPA WaterSense approved high efficiency toilet (HET).