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december super six

"An optimist stays up till midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves."-Bill Vaughn

Good-bye 2011 and hello 2012! I hope all of you are looking forward to all that the new year has to bring. Before bidding adieu to this year and starting 2012 with fresh new ideas and enthusiasm, it's always fun to look back (cue sappy flashback sequence music, please). 2011 was a fabby and fun year at Pink Rickshaw. We loved writing about the newest trends, trying (sometimes successfully) delish recipes, learning about some awesome new lines and websites and of course sharing some favorite things.Thank you so much for reading and your support. 
For December's super six, here are some of my favorite posts from 2011.

 

1. Trend Friend: Statement Nails
2011 brought plenty of interesting fashion and beauty trends. Some that may stick around in 2012 and hopefully some that will go away. The statement nails were amongst my favorite this year and other noteworthy trends were animal silhouette prints, ombre hair, neon and neutrals and statement tribal necklaces.

2. Super Six: April's Royal Edition
Like most of you, I woke up at 4am to watch the fairy tale wedding and am excited to see what Kate, William (and Pippa) are up to next. So it' is probably no surprise that one of this year's fave super sixes is April's which discussed all things royal wedding. Other favorites included June's Flora and Fauna and October's Fall Fashion Must Haves.

3. Oh My Blog: Hair Tutorials

4. Art: Fatakra
This year, we had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing some fabulous peeps doing some awesome things. Amongst the most popular in 2012 was the interview of director/writer Soham Mehta for his short film, Fatakra. If you missed any of them, be sure to check out the interviews with the talented founders behind UK home decor line Plum Chutney, 3 Bees Paperie, fashion rental website Luxemi.com, kids clothing line Ode and dating website Two Mangoes.

pumpkin: recipe two

"Anything is good if it's made of chocolate."-Jo Brand

After all the shopping/wrapping/traveling, it may just officially be time to start enjoying the holidays. For me, the transition from holiday madness to holiday R&R starts with some Christmas baking. So, continuing with the celebration of the great pumpkin, I gave pumpkin swirl brownies a try. The recipe I used was adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe. Pumpkin and chocolate may seem like an odd combination but when combined in these brownies, they are surprisingly tasty. Who would have guessed it? What other fabulous combinations are we missing out on?

You have probably figured out by now, that my brownies did not quite swirl as Martha's and Smitten Kitchen's. So, I'll opt to call my version pumpkin fudge brownies. So, in classic "do as I say and not as I bake", make sure you get your knife all the way to the bottom of the pan when mixing the pumpkin and fudge batter and really give it a good swirl. But honestly if you end up with more of a layered version like mine, they are still delicious brownies. I also added hazelnuts which gave it the perfect crunch and flavor.

Happy baking and may your Christmas be very merry. Happy Holidays!

image source: SD

-SD 

trend: bow blouses and faux fur

"The bow kept taut will quickly break, kept loosely strung, it will serve you when you need it."-Phaedrus

{faux fur vest: Kardashian Kollection c/o Sears, bow blouse: UK Style by French Connection c/o Sears, jeans: Flying Monkey, watch: Fossil, nail color: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Slick Slate}

If you are wrapping up your Christmas shopping (literally), the only bows you are probably thinking of, are the pretty ones you are tying on your gifts. You may also be able to put those mad bow tying skills to use when it comes to your on-trend holiday outfit. So, put down that ribbon and take a small break. It's a trend friend double whammy.

The first noteworthy hot trend that's been huge this season is the bow blouse (you'll also see it called the secretary bow or pussy bow blouse). This is yet another piece that is a nod to the 70's and 80's (when it was worn under the power suit). The look is ladylike, sophisticated and versatile: think cas with wide jeans and work appropriate with a pencil skirt. The blouse is also the perfect contrast to the other trend that you cannot help but notice this winter. Faux fur, people. I had been putting off a faux fur trend post for a while, but this is a trend that is sticking around and I have to admit, over the course of the season, has really grown on me.
Once considered tacky to wear fake fur, it seems this economical and animal friendly version of rocking "fur" is the chic way to go (unless you're looking for hate mail from PETA and a guilty conscience) Faux fur has been huge on the runway the last few years and can be found everywhere from Chloe to affordable collections at Sears. Faux fur, in vest form, is a cozy and chic way to add this trend to your wardrobe without going overboard (read: looking like the abominable snowman). When combined with the feminine bow blouse, the vest is the perfect layer to make the look a little bit more edgy and fun. If you liked my holiday outfit above, whether you're looking for a splurge or a steal, here's how to get the look:

 
 
Chloe Pussy-Bow Silk Blouse (splurge)
Kardashian Kollection Lace Button Up Shirt with Oversized Neck Bow (steal)
UK Style by French Connection Bow Tie blouse (steal, $24.99 in store)
Tibi Bow Detail Blouse 

BB Dakota Ladonna Faux Fur Vest
Kardashian Kollection Cropped Faux Fur Vest (steal, $33.99)
Juicy Couture Belted Faux Fur Gilet
UK Style by French Connection  Faux Fur Vest (steal, $35.99)

image source: SD photographed by the talented RM, Kardashian Kollection and UK Style by French Connection items: sears.com, Chloe blouse/Tibi blouse/Juicy Couture vest: net-a-porter.com, BB Dakota vest: shopbop.com

-SD

No monetary compensation was provided by Sears or Glam Media for this post. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or position of Sears.

boys: gift guide for him

"His blood smells like cologne. His personality is so magnetic, he is unable to carry credit cards. Every time he goes for a swim, dolphins appear. He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it feels. He is..the most interesting man in the world."-Dos Equis ad campaign

With less than one week before Christmas, if you're like us at PR, you've probably left your toughest gift recipients for last. It's quite common: I-have-no-idea-what-to-give-you-so-if-I-wait-until-the-last-minute-I-might-get-an-idea-shopping-itis. For me and many gals I know, this can be common when shopping for the interesting dudes in our lives. Gift purchasing for boys can be quite the daunting task. But before you buy your favorite mister that Forever Lazy from Walgreens on Christmas Eve, there still may be some time to find something just as interesting as him.

The best Dad or Grandpa in the world
1. J.Crew Wool Sweater
It's always nice to update the patriarch's closet with something stylish yet classic and practical.
2. Ugg Ascot Slippers
3. Anish Kapoor illy Expresso cups
The British Indian sculptor well known for Cloud Gate (aka The Bean) in Chicago teamed up with illy to create some very cool expresso cups (the twist from illy's regular expresso cups is that Kapoor added a hole to the saucer and when placed on top of the cup, creates a piece of art for one to ponder) Perfect for the dad that is both a coffee connoisseur and art lover.

Adventurous yet Teckie brother
4. GoPro Hero HD Naked
A wearable digital camera that is for filming all of his snowboarding, skateboarding, mountain biking and other general dangerous activities. And when he's not doing all that, like my lovely brother, he can put it on his dog to capture canine perspective.
5. Celluon Magic Projection Keyboard
To get his virtual keyboard on.

  

Loving Hubby, Fiance or BF
6. Stud Muffin Soap
If your man is constantly complaining about how girly the body wash in the shower is, how about his very own manly smelling soap? It will also remind him every morning you think he's a stud.
7. iRetrofone iPhone base
8. Jack Spade Dough Money Clip
Maybe 2012 is time to clean out his George Costanza wallet and streamline. With this sleek money clip,  he (and you) will know where his dough is.

pumpkin: recipe one

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, then be crowded on a velvet cushion."-Henry David Thoreau

Somewhere around 1670, someone made a delicious pumpkin pie and, well, the rest has been pie history. Every year between October and Christmas we enjoy our pumpkin pies (and the occasional pumpkin spiced latte), but like many of you, I always seem to forget just how versatile this giant orange squash is. Creamy pumpkin and cashew curry anyone? How about starting a cold winter's morning with some pumpkin waffles? Think of the pumpkin as the little black dress of holiday foods. Still not terribly excited? Well, the pilgrims didn't care much for the pumpkin either during their first American winter. Most of them died of scurvy and hunger. Tragic, huh? If only they had known that the pumpkin could have prevented both. Fortunately for the survivors, they had the Indians who later showed them the glory of the pumpkin.  And lucky for you, you have the PR great pumpkin series. So, to prevent both scurvy and hunger, we will pay homage to the pumpkin by kicking off a series of unexpected recipes using the versatile vegetable.

First up is a frozen treat: pumpkin ice cream. You may be asking yourself, "ice cream in the dead of winter?"  Well, I just did not have the heart to put my ice cream maker away until next summer, so thought some seasonal ice cream making would be fun (P.S. Ice cream makers make great Christmas gifts for that kitchen gadget lover on your list).  Also, fall and winter flavored ice cream can be the perfect dessert for holiday meals.  I used this David Lebovitz recipe, which was fairly simple, and it turned out to be a creamy and delightful treat to capture the spirit of pumpkin pie. To complete the dessert, serve the ice cream with some gingerbread cookies. (I served mine with some delicious store bought ones from Whole Foods.  But, if you're in the mood for some Christmas baking, this is a great recipe for gingerbread cookies.)

image source: SD

-SD