Happy New Year!  I am very excited about this year! I am turning 50 and I am truly embracing it! Here is a video about my plans for this year:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The t-shirt I am wearing in the video was given to me by ndy (Not Done Yet) creator, Carol April. I LOVE this t-shirt because this is exactly how I feel about turning 50 – I am generation-ageless! And, as Carol says “We are the generation that brought you Rock ‘n Roll, Earth Day and put the man on the moon, but we are Not Done Yet!”

We are the generation that, at this midlife age, has never looked or felt better. We have dreams and goals that challenge us and we plan on accomplishing them. Plus, this truly is the time in our life when we want to have fun. So, why not wear your new mantra on a t-shirt that says – among some of the clever choices – ‘Not Done Yet’, ‘live-agelessly’ or ‘Not Dead Yet’.  Each t-shirt, thermal or tank top, is manufactured in the USA and, for every shirt sold, a portion of sales proceeds goes to support Cancer and Alzheimer’s research.

So, go ahead, make a statement and let everyone know that you are Not Done Yet!  To purchase your t-shirt got to the ndy online store. These make a great milestone birthday gift. I know I am stocking up!

As the Succulent Wife has matured, so have her writers, who have just come to terms with calling themselves Baby Boomers. Although we do not feel our age and have always felt that Baby Boomers were of the older generation, we have now embraced who we are, i.e. members of the most influential generation ever. Thus, The Succulent Wife is now, officially for B(l)oomers™ *.

To those who have seen us grow and to those who have just discovered us, we want to thank you for being part of our journey of succulent self-discovery.

We would like to offer to four of our readers a $25.00 Gift Certificate to Restaurant.com (if you do not know about Restaurant.com, just read what we wrote here).

To enter this giveaway, please subscribe to our blog (see the subscribe field in the right column) and then simply tell us – by leaving a comment below – what you enjoy about The Succulent Wife or what topic you would like us to focus on. The giveaway is open until January 12, 2012 at 11:59 am CT.

Usual giveaway rules are: One entry per person. The winner will be chosen at random using a random integer generator. Your information is confidential and used for this giveaway only. Multiple entries will be deleted. Winner who does not respond within 2 days of our announcement via email will be dismissed in favor of another winner. Restaurant.com certificates are valid in U.S.A only.

*see our description of our made-up but so appropriate B(l)oomers™ term.

The Gift Giving Advisory Board (GGAB for short) is announcing our top holiday gift recommendations of 2011! Our board members have been working hard the entire year to seek out the most meaningful, unique and one-of-a-kind gift ideas and have compiled them into our sponsored, but oh-so-highly-curated, 2011 Holiday Gift Guide.

The expert advisory board members of the GGAB include the well-known women and editors WickedlyChic.com, TheGiftInsider.com, TheSucculentWife.com and MissMalaprop.com. We KNOW gifts. We live and breathe gifts every day and that’s why we are here to help you find the perfect thing for everyone on your shopping list. You are a just a little bit of browsing and a few clicks away from an easy, stress-free and happy holiday shopping season.

The Gift Giving Advisory Board is pleased to present the first edition of its Hostess Gift Guide, a carefully edited guide presented by our expert members which include the women of WickedlyChic.com, TheGiftInsider.com, MissMalaprop.com and us, here at TheSucculentWife.com. What do you really need to know about us? It’s that we KNOW gifts. We live and breathe gifts every day. And so, in this sponsored gift guide, we have pooled our know-how to bring you this very selective guide of some of the most interesting, meaningful gift ideas around. And with the flurry of invitations that are sure to come with the upcoming holiday season, these gift ideas that will surely have you appear as the perfect guest (and of course, if you want to take it to the next level, here are some tips on that). The businesses that were invited to join have in common the unique vision and passion of their founders, designers and creators.

I know that I’ve mentioned that my mother-in-law is a breast cancer survivor. I know how passionate she is about the fight to end cancer, because even as a very, very private person, she is very open about being a 6th year breast cancer survivor, she wears lots of pink and supports cancer research in a multitude of ways.

So, when I found out about Save the ta-tas Pink Hair Project, it seemed like a fun way to do my part to show my support – literally.

You can too! If you are on Facebook (and even if you are not), getting pink hair is a great way to SHOW that you support Breast Cancer Research by making a donation (from .99 cents to $100.00) to help fight cancer. It’s not really pink hair, but just a photo effect, so you can fully commit to the cause without committing to the hair color.

Simply go to Save the ta-tas, upload a picture of yourself, make a donation in the amount of your choice and, within 48 hours, they will send the picture back with you sporting pink hair. You will then have a new profile picture for Facebook or your other favorite social media channel.

Let’s see how many pink rinses we can get on Facebook and let’s save our ta-tas!

Thankfully as this business model evolves, many DOTD newcomers have become more creative to get noticed, offering deals in  super niche areas. Some of these caught our attention:

HOME & GIFTS
	If you are remotely interested in home décor, you have most probably already registered with OneKingsLane.com, the site that started it all with furniture & accessories deals. Amazingly well curated, if you have a taste and a budget for luxury, this site will allow you to – eventually – furnish your home from top to bottom at prices that make the “Veranda” look more attainable (sometimes up to 70% off).
	JossandMain.com also offers deals on goods for the home. We love their selection of items that we never would have found on our own. Lighting, rugs, tabletop, kitchen ware, wall art, gift items… You will eventually find it here.
	Fab.com focuses on contemporary design. Quirky design too. Which is what makes it so much fun to discover new, unknown-to-us brands to delight us. Dishware, handcrafted gift items (jewelry too), prints and home and architectural accents…  The modernist in you will love the discoveries and the deals.
	The Foundary proposes limited-time sale of home essentials – up to 70% off retail – from established and emerging designers. Great gift items, conversation pieces and finishing touches for the home.
	OpenSkyoffers limited-time deals curated by celebrities in the categories of Design, Food, Health and Style. Cynthia Rowley, Bobby Flay, Ming Tsai and Carole Alt are a few of the celebrities who propose some of their favorite lifestyle items at a discount.
CAUSES
	And now, don’t you also need some original artwork on the walls. And do a little good while buying art too. The artSUMO.com site features under-appreciated artists from the developing world with one new painting being displayed every day. Though this is not a “deal” site per se, the original international pieces are available at very affordable prices: “Art Sumo delivers original, creative paintings from developing countries to art lovers in North America at low costs, while providing artists with sustainable revenue”.
	We wrote about Philanthroper.com earlier this year. But we love this site and definitely think it’s worth another mention. For as little as $1, you can donate to a variety of local and global causes. We think that for what your $1 will do, this is probably the most rewarding “deal” site on this list!
SPORTS
	Sports tickets are a natural product for DOTD offerings and CrowdSeats.com has provided a solution (and an opportunity) for this type of perishable goods, providing subscribers with the chance to save 50 to 90% off on yet unsold tickets. Great for the rabid sports fans.
	PlanetGear.com uniquely focuses on the active lifestyle, offering limited-time deals on everything from outdoor and sports gear, apparel and accessories. They are also members of the 1% for the Planet program.
WINE
	From Woot.com, the grand-daddy of the DOTD concept. With Wine.Woot.com, they have branched out into wines some time ago and offers oenophiles a new deal to consider every day. This is not a wine club. Buy when you see something you like. Follow the related community discussions to find out more about particular wine and winery of the day.
BUSINESS SERVICES
	MarketSharing.com deals in the business services area. Need a logo, bookkeeping services, SEO services for your website or a virtual assistant to help you take care of things… at a discount? Useful stuff for the small business owner.

PS: Keep in mind that membership is required to access the sales. Membership is free and you can unsubscribe at any time. Go for it!

Being Canadian and living in the United States, it amazes me that there are so many differences in our foods. I understand that some things are different since Canada has a marked British legacy, as it only gained full autonomy from the U.K. in 1982. Add the fact the we have a strong French influence too, this makes some of dishes uniquely Canadian, such as, Tourtière. That said, I feel that our palates are not that dissimilar. So I do not understand why some companies, such as Frito Lays and Kraft, have products that I can only get in Canada, whereas all the products from the U.S. can be found in Canada. Why is that? You can guess that I was happy to discover two great sites, CanadaOnly and CanadianFavourites (make sure you use the Canadian spelling, with a “u”) to purchase all of my homeland foods (this sounds so far away) instead of waiting a whole year between visits to fill up on my favourites.

Kid’s Favourites (and most Adults!)

	All Dressed Lays Potato Chips – All my kids (and husband) love the All Dressed potato chips. The seasoning is all the potato chip flavours combined (barbeque, salt and vinegar, sour and onion, etc). Now this may not sound good but trust me, they always turn out to be everyone’s favourite flavour! I, however prefer Dill Pickle, but there is also Ketchup, Fries n Gravy, and Roast Chicken (yes, you read it right!). You can find all these interesting flavours on Canadian Favourites.
	Crispers Crackers – Kraft Canada makes a great baked cracker called Crispers. They come in the potato chips seasoning and, yes, our favourites are Dill Pickle and All Dressed. They are lower in calories than chips and are just as satisfying. Buy them on Canadian Favourites also.
	Thrills Gum –  Thrills gum is a little purple rectangular that is a true Canadian symbol (forget about the beaver and maple leaf). Yes, they taste like soap but you can’t call yourself a Canadian if you don’t go through a stage of it being your gum of choice. Buy them from Canada Only.
	Cadbury and Nestle Chocolate Bars – One of Canadians most famous chocolate candies are the Smarties. This is the American’s counterpart to the M&Ms. Only a Smartie/M&M connoisseur can taste the subtle distinction in the candy coating. Take the taste test and buy from Canadian Favourites.
	Wagon Wheels – Dare makes these original chocolate covered marshmallow sandwiches. My son always brings boxes of these or Whippets, the other Dare cookie that is similar but smaller, home for him and his friends. Buy on Canadian Favourites.

Let’s Party the Canadian Way!

Bloody Caesar – One of the more popular Canadian cocktail is the Bloody Caesar. The perfect drink for morning, noon or night (love how flexible it is that way!). It is basically a Bloody Mary but made with Clamato Juice instead of Tomato Juice. Clamato is not as thick as tomato juice and I find it far more refreshing. I had always thought that Clamato Juice was strickly Canadian, because no one seems to know what it is in the States. Little did I know that it was created in 1969 in California for its Latino market. It only became Canadians’ cocktail of choice when Clamato was used as the main ingredient in the Bloody Caesar that was invented by Walter Chell the same year Clamato hit the shelves in California.

Here is the recipe for a perfect BLOODY CAESAR

Clamato Juice

2 oz (or however strong you want it) vodka

lemon juice

worchester sauce

tobasco sauce

pepper

Clamato Rim Salt (you can also use celery salt)

 

Take lemon slice and rub around rim of highball glass. Rub rim in a small plate of Clamato Rim Salt or celery salt. Add ice and the rest of ingredients. I can usually find Clamato Juice at my local grocer but I usually have to wipe off the dust (not a big seller) and the Rim Salt can be bought from Canadian Favourites.

Garnish with anything pickled.

Other Canadian favourites you ask?

	I discovered these great Cocktail Stirrers by Sable and Rosenfeld. The perfect complement for the Bloody Caesar. Sable and Rosenfeld also carries the best tipsy olives (soaked in vermouth or gin) for the finishing touch in a classic martini. You may also buy them at Gourmet at Home.
	Seasoning for Beer Can Chicken – Gourmet du Village has created the foolproof Beer Can Chicken seasonings; blackened cajun, maple chipotle and classic, for up to three chickens per can. All you need to do is supply the beer (Canadian preferably). If you have never had Beer Can Chicken you are missing out on the moistest chicken ever and these Beer Can spices add such a wonderful essence to the flavour. You can find these and other Gourmet du Village on Amazon.
	BeerShmeer Grilling Sauce – In keeping with this trend featuring alcohol, these BeerShmeer sauces, marinades, glazes and rubs are made with Canadian beer (which are also uniquely different to American beer). As with the Beer Can Chicken these sauces tenderize the meat while cooking and the different spices makes one’s mouth water with their wonderful aromas. Buy on Canadian Favourites.
	Diana Sauce – This is my go-to barbeque sauce which is available pretty well everywhere in Ontario, Canada. I am not a huge hickory fan and, although Diana Sauce does have a Smokehouse flavour, their Original is the perfect taste of sweet and spicy. I usually bring a few bottles back with me each time I return home. They also can be found on Canadian Favourites.
	Poutine – Originally a French Canadian delicacy Poutines are now known for being all of Canada’s preferred comfort food.  These artery clogging french fries are topped with cheese curds and covered with gravy. The gravy melts the cheese curds and each french fry is topped with ooey gooey goodness. Say yum!  The gravy is what makes the dish specifically Poutine. You can buy the spiced gravy from Big Poutine, but I have also used Campbell’s Consomme soup thickened with corn starch, in a pinch. If you cannot find cheese curds, shredded cheese can work. It is definitely worth a try – at least once.
	Marco Zanier Pasta – These European pastas are the most gorgeous pastas I have ever seen. With a simple olive oil, garlic and Parmesan dressing, this pasta turns an effortless meal into a beautiful presentation. Although they can be found in Canada I have never seen them here in the States but you can find them online here.
	Fountain of Health Hummus and Baba Gannouj – By far the best Hummus and Baba Gannouj I have ever tasted. I love the creamy texture that is not too thick. The Artichoke and Spinach Hummus Cocktail is one of my favourites. I was thrilled to see them stocked in my local grocers when I returned home to Southern California. Check your local Ralphs or Kroger supermarkets to see if they carry them. If they don’t ASK for them to be carried!
	Fondue au Chocolat – Love, love this chocolate fondue! The different choices of chocolate can be heated right in the beautiful crock that it comes in. Cut up fruit and all the makings for a S’more and your guests will be wowed. The left over chocolate can be stored in the original container although we never had this happen. Buy from iGourmet.
	Bernardin Freezer Jam – Freezer jam is very popular in Canada. With the berry season being so short, they take advantage of preserving the fruit to be enjoyed all year round. It is so easy to make and store. Plus, it contains half the amount of sugar then regular homemade jams.  Buy on Amazon.

It is no surprise when I have to shed a few kilos when I return home to the States, but hey it is so worth it! To our Canadian readers, did I miss anything? To our American readers, Bon Appetit, eh!

	Mystery Party Kits: From High School Mystery to Fairy Tale Mystery, Dramatic Fanatic has party kits perfect for both boys and girls that are between 8 – 13 years of age. Before the party, your child will send their guests (minimum 8 players) Character Cards along with the invitation. Guests arrive as their character. Once the crime is disclosed each player acts out the scenes that are loaded with clues, evidence and details on whodunit. Once everything is acted out, each child gets a Crime Report to fill out on who they think did it and why. The Host announces who did it (which is a surprise to them also) and how. The whole Mystery takes between one to two hours depending on the age of the players and how much the guests enjoy acting. The whole party kit is downloaded directly from their website for $34.95.
	Posh Party Box: Whether you want to invite the girls over for a spa day or your tween/teen wants a sleepover party for her birthday, Posh Party Box have all you need to make the event memorable and easy with everything  in one beautifully packaged large box filled with high quality keepsake party goods. Visit PoshPartyBox for their complete Party Box selection.
	Kids Party Packages: This Esty artist has created adorable themed and styled party packages for up to eight children. Check out her selection on her PartyPops Etsy site for up to $116.00.
	Baking Party Kits: Does your child like to help you cook? Then host a party in the kitchen. Start off with each guest making their own pizza with these great Pizza Party Kits and complete the party with a sweet treat that they can bake themselves (with a little help from the Master Chef). These two kits and more are available from Sassafras for between $14.95 – $24.95.
	Swinxs: Move over Wii. The Swinxs outdoor game console ( it can also be used indoors) is perfect to get the party started. Up to ten children (ages 5 and up) can play Swinxs at one time by wearing the bright colored wristbands. It is these bands that communicate with the Swinxs console and other players. Games, downloadable for free from the computer, are as simple tag games, obstacle courses and ball games, so everyone gets in the action. Parents can sit back and relax while Swinxs entertains the party goers. Buy on Amazon for $150.00,  which includes ten preloaded games, four colored wristbands, adapter and USB cable. This video shows the game in action.
	Surprize Ball: Although this is not a party kit, the Surprize Ball is definitely the highlight of any party. Perfect for all age groups, Tops Malibu’s Surprize Ball are fun for everyone. Children and adults alike love unwrapping the layers of paper until a prize is reached. Once they get the prize, they pass the ball to the next person to unwrap to the next surprise. Each person, up to 10, is guaranteed to take something home at the end of the party. TOPS Malibu can also custom make one for you if you have more than 10 guests. This is a great alternative to a pinata. Check out Tops Malibu’s whole line.
	Complete Party Kits: We know that Party City is the go-to destination for any party needs but who knew that they would make it so simple by offering complete party sets. Whether it is for birthdays, New Year’s Eve or family reunions Party City has a complete party kit just for your occasion and at affordable prices.
	Party Themes: ACME Party Box Company has party themed decor for children’s parties as well as adult parties. All their products are either reusable, recyclable or biodegradable, from their bamboo dinner ware to their organic linens. Their motto is “Party. Rinse. Repeat.” Check out their irresistible assortment of Party Theme Boxes here for between $95.00 – $290.00.
	Fairy Wishes and More: Fairy wishes can come true with Meri Meri. This party pack will make any little girl feel special. But boys do not have to feel left out (or you). Check out the entire range of partyware at Meri Meri.
	IndieFlix: We have mentioned IndieFlix before and here we mention them again as simply we could not write about party kits without including them. Pick a theme, add some refreshments and munchies and host your very own film festival. Perfect for sleepovers, birthday parties or girls-night-in. Check out all their genres at IndieFlix.
	Concert in Your Home: Host a Dinner and Song party for your  friends to listen and engage with an up-and-coming artist to perform in your own home or backyard. How cool is this! Typically guests will pay a donation of $10.00 and up and the host provides a place for the artist to sleep. The host also provides adult drinks and food (hence the name dinner and song) for their guests. Think special birthday party or just a chance for you and your friends and neighbors to get together and listen to some great music. For details on how to host a Dinner and Song evening in your area head to their website here.

In addition, here are some great resource sites for further party ideas:

The Party Dress: For invitations and custom party planning advise.

Hostess with the Mostess: A bounty of gorgeous themed entertaining landscapes are featured in this blog.

Catch My Party: Features photos of “real life” parties and great ideas plus a list of vendors.

Kara’s Party Ideas: A blog featuring party themes of every kind.

Bird’s Party: A blog featuring great ideas and tutorials and a shop with themed party printables.

And if you still need inspiration, Tara Riceberg, our resident Party Expert, has also given great tips here and here and here in her regular monthly articles. You can also visit Tara’s website here.

We love pictures so please send us some of your party pics if you would like us to post them!

Lost and unclaimed luggage? Someone mistakenly walking away with my suitcase at the carousel? That’s just not in our plans this summer. There is nothing like a lost bag (invariably, the one containing all the essentials) to ruin a vacation. So, as I was preparing our family for our summer getaway, I came across some very cool luggage tags to help us find and even track our luggage. I thought you might find these finds useful too. There is here something for  the young, the classic, the chic and the techno travelers:

	Flashing LED Lights: Find your luggage fast with this flashing LED luggage tag. It contains 16 different combinations of colors that you can set. It is motion sensitive so it will only light up when surrounded by the activity of the luggage carousel. Buy from Amazon for about $15.99.
	Humorous: Nothing relieves the stress of travel than a little humor. So why not make someone’s day by bringing a smile to their face as they spy your luggage tag. In fact you may want to let your bag go around a few times just to see people’s reactions. OK, maybe not, but at least you will know this bag is yours. Buy from Inventive Travelware for $4.75.
	Personalized: The airlines insist on  having our name and address on our bags, so why not make it classy and have a sturdy brass tag made with all our pertinent information on it. Buy from The Stationary Studio for $55.00 for two (BTW, great wedding gift for honeymooners).
	Tracking ID Tag: Victorinox has designed a luggage tag which, upon registering with them, has a tracking number that is activated. If lost and found by a good Samaritan, they would call the international number and your bag will be delivered to you free of charge. The ultra durable steel cable and protective metal cover keeps tag safely attached to luggage. Perfect for a briefcase also. Although carried by department stores such as Macy’s, check Swiss Army website for a listing of stores near you.  Sells for $20.00.
	IdentiGrip: This convenient three-in-one is the perfect solutions to 1) cushion your hand while toting your bag, 2) identify your bag quickly on the carousel with the bring and bold designs and 3) keep your address information handy. Buy for the Container Store for $4.99.
	Wireless Keychain Luggage Finder: As you walk towards the luggage carousel simply activate your keychain remote and, when you are at least 90 ft from your luggage, the keychain will flash, sound and vibrate as you get closer. It works in the same way as the game of you-are-getting-warmer. Buy from Amazon for about $19.95.
And for the younger travelers:
	Personalized: Make them feel all grown up with their own personalized name tags for both girls and boys. Buy on Amazon for around $15.00 for a set of two.
	Teens and Tweens: These funky luggage tags by Shagwear will make her feel like she is already a seasoned traveler. Buy on Amazon for about $10.00.

And let’s add FoundIt to the list. Though not ID tags per se, the FoundIt lost item retrieval system is a perfect complement when traveling, very useful to label any item (keys, phones, laptops, cameras…) with a FoundIt retrieval code. See what we wrote about it here.

Bon voyage.