CITY NOTES
CURATED BY PATRICIA GREENE ISEN
December Gift Guide 2024
Welcome to the annual December City Notes Gift Guide!
Here's to an amazing upcoming 2025!
I will be back to you with CityNotes for February.
Happy ( almost) December!
I have decided to send this out before December 1st so you can enjoy your holiday shopping early and possibly take advantage of any black friday opportunities!
This years December CityNotes Gift Guide includes gifts for the :
Cook
Wellness Minded
Tech Lover
Home Design Enthusiast
Ceramic Artists
A Design Focused Table
Mens
and the Dog Lover
There are so many gifts that I love! I am particularly excited about all of the ceramics and the ceramic artisans. For those of you who know me...you know I am completely obsessed with ceramics. I love a ceramic artist. For years, I travelled with my dear friend Keith at Anthropologie, we were always on the hunt for new and interesting artists all over the world.
I am also completely proud AND ADORE the incense from BVOY. The incense and vessels are my go to gift for all this holiday season!
And lastly, I am blown away with the assortment Zara Home has... I LOVE those wonki dishes!
ENJOY the Guide!
Have fun!!
I hope you have a beautiful holiday!
Please be safe!
I have decided to send this out before December 1st so you can enjoy your holiday shopping early and possibly take advantage of any black friday opportunities!
This years December CityNotes Gift Guide includes gifts for the :
Cook
Wellness Minded
Tech Lover
Home Design Enthusiast
Ceramic Artists
A Design Focused Table
Mens
and the Dog Lover
There are so many gifts that I love! I am particularly excited about all of the ceramics and the ceramic artisans. For those of you who know me...you know I am completely obsessed with ceramics. I love a ceramic artist. For years, I travelled with my dear friend Keith at Anthropologie, we were always on the hunt for new and interesting artists all over the world.
I am also completely proud AND ADORE the incense from BVOY. The incense and vessels are my go to gift for all this holiday season!
And lastly, I am blown away with the assortment Zara Home has... I LOVE those wonki dishes!
ENJOY the Guide!
Have fun!!
I hope you have a beautiful holiday!
Please be safe!
Much Love to you & your families,
xoxoxoxox
Patty
Here's to an amazing upcoming 2025!
I will be back to you with CityNotes for February.
Gifts for the Cook
Veark Oven Nits
MERCI
Veark Oven Mits
A pair of long sleeve heat mittens in either brown or a light-grey baker's version. Both patina great over time so don't be afraid to put them to use.
Veark Oven Mits
A pair of long sleeve heat mittens in either brown or a light-grey baker's version. Both patina great over time so don't be afraid to put them to use.
These heat mittens provide protection up to 300 degrees Celicius / 572 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure your safety when handling hot items from the oven, pots and pans from the stove or when doing work on the grill.
The mittens have extra padding on the palm and an extra long sleeve to protect your arms against burns from the oven edges.
Cafe Celia Cookbook
Phaidon
Cafe Celia Cookbook
At Café Cecilia you will find some of the absolute best cooking in London.
The debut cookbook from rising star Irish chef Max Rocha and his hugely popular East London restaurant, Café CeciliaCafé Cecilia is a beloved neighborhood restaurant serving simple Irish and European inspired food, that has become not only a foodie haven.
It is chef Max Rocha’s first restaurant, and he takes inspiration from what’s in season; the cooking of his mother, Odette; and the food he grew up with in Ireland.
Cafe Celia Cookbook
At Café Cecilia you will find some of the absolute best cooking in London.
The debut cookbook from rising star Irish chef Max Rocha and his hugely popular East London restaurant, Café CeciliaCafé Cecilia is a beloved neighborhood restaurant serving simple Irish and European inspired food, that has become not only a foodie haven.
It is chef Max Rocha’s first restaurant, and he takes inspiration from what’s in season; the cooking of his mother, Odette; and the food he grew up with in Ireland.
Silver Coffee Pot
MERCIKnidustrie Coffee Pot
KnIndustrie was founded in 2011 in Italy. Passionate about design, the company develops innovative and cutting-edge cookware collections with the help of the best Italian designers. The products are simple to use and have a clean design that you want to show off at the table.
Lady Anne is a coffee maker with a classic and elegant design.
Made of multi-curved aluminum, this splendid coffee maker is inspired by 18th century coffee sets.
Very Dirty Dish Towel
Love & Honour
The drink of the moment.
Original whimsical hand painted water colour design on a super soft linen tea-towel. Perfect for drying glassware, just as lovely in a frame.
The towel is made in Europe with the highest quality stonewashed linen. These linens have a beautifully soft hand feel.
- Made in Lithuania
Original whimsical hand painted water colour design on a super soft linen tea-towel. Perfect for drying glassware, just as lovely in a frame.
The towel is made in Europe with the highest quality stonewashed linen. These linens have a beautifully soft hand feel.
- Made in Lithuania
Gifts that promote wellness
FireLight Infrared Sauna
Sauna Space
This genius infrared sauna is easy to set up—and dismantle—yourself. And, of course, it fits into tighter spaces than a traditional sauna might. The sauna’s heating panel has four levels of intensity and adjustable height, so you can tailor each session to your preferences. And you can install it on any indoor flooring: The heat generated from sauna does not heat up surroundings outside the enclosure to any significant degree. Just make sure you place it somewhere controlled for humidity (that means a garage, enclosed porch, or other space subject to outdoor humidity is off-limits).
Hinoki Incense and Artist Incense Holders
BVOY
I am so proud our son , Charles Isen who has created BVOY Incense - Best version of Yourself. His natural Hinoki incense, has been crafted by hand on Japan’s Incense Island, Awaji. He has designed the incense to ground your senses and bring you into the present moment.
He also partnered with 5 artisans based in the USA for the incense vessels.
Body Balance Magnets
GOOP
Like ear seeds for your whole body, WTHN’s body magnets stimulate traditional acupressure points. The kit comes with a short and simple guide to placement: They’re magnetized, so they play in the world of electromagnetic fields, too.
Cooling Eye Mask
MERCI
Heating and cooling eye mask
Hot and cold therapy
Filled with organic flaxseed and French lavender
Hot: relieves dry eyes, migraines, aids in falling asleep
Cold: reduces puffiness and congestion in the eyes, diminishes the appearance of dark circles
Hot: 50 seconds in the microwave at 600W
Cold: 2 hours in the freezer
Gifts for the tech lover
Mage Bluetooth Speaker
MERCI
Mage See-Through Bluetooth speaker, made from durable ABS with a textured finish, promises both durability and style.
Connect your favorite devices via Bluetooth and enjoy crystal-clear sound quality.
3/4 hours of battery life with the ability to recharge via USB-C cable.
Connect your favorite devices via Bluetooth and enjoy crystal-clear sound quality.
3/4 hours of battery life with the ability to recharge via USB-C cable.
Migo Pro Projector
XGIMI
MoGo 2's 400 ISO lumens, integrated D65 color temperature standard, and 90% DCI-P3 color gamut offer a cinematic big-screen experience with bright, colorful images.
Plug and Play: Let MoGo 2 do the work for you.
Plug and Play: Let MoGo 2 do the work for you.
Marshall Willem II Portable Speaker
Marshall
Willen II’s lightweight design and mighty sound mean you can make any setting come alive. It’s dust and waterproof, making it ready for life on the road.
17+ hours of portable playtime. Reliable playtime from a single charge.
Gifts for the Home Design Enthusiast
Metal Rattan Lounger
ZARA HOME
The chicest chaise for indoor or covered outdoor living!
Woven Chair with Metal Structure x Collagerie
ZARA HOME
Chair with a colored metal structure and a multicolored woven seat, back and armrests.
Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood founded Collagerie after a solid track record in the fashion industry. They offer a careful selection of fashion, beauty, home and lifestyle products, highlighted by their creative approach and sophisticated aesthetic.
Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood founded Collagerie after a solid track record in the fashion industry. They offer a careful selection of fashion, beauty, home and lifestyle products, highlighted by their creative approach and sophisticated aesthetic.
Barebones Folding Outdoor Camping Chair
ZARA HOME
Folding camping chair made of birch wood, suitable for outdoor use thanks to its transparent layer with a satin finish.
Inspired by old folding chairs that were historically used indoors, this folding chair made of birch wood, stainless steel and copper is reinvented for outdoor use.
Gifts for the Ceramic Artist Enthusiast
Rebekah Miles Sunflower Pitcher
MERCI
Rebekah Miles grew up on the family avocado ranch in Carpinteria, California. In 2016, she returned to the ranch and now owns her own art studio. She creates ceramic pieces that she considers contemporary heirlooms, drawing inspiration from the beauty of her environment and incorporating self-designed motifs. Her technique, mainly self-taught, involves crafting each piece from clay and molds.
Heron Platter
Rebekah Miles in Nicky Kehoe
(not online)
The Nicky Kehoe stores in LA and NYC stores have been carrying Rebekah Miles collection of new ceramics from the Ojai, CA based ceramicist. This fall capsule draws inspiration from the natural world and features a charming assortment of horses, petunias, boars and acorns.
You will need to go into the store to purchase. Not online.
You will need to go into the store to purchase. Not online.
Hylton Nel's "Champagne for My Real Friends"
Hylton Nel is an artist my friend Keith Johnson introduced me to over 18 years ago. For Nel the medium of clay is a means to give his ideas form. The actual making of the form is seldom a challenge; his concern always remains with the idea or impulse that prompted him to realise the form. Over the course of more than 50 years working with clay and glazes, he has invented a visual language that is distinctly his own.
He lives on the outskirts of Calitzdorp, a small town in the Klein Karoo.
​​​​​​​
This year enormous statues were reproduced for the Dior runway show. He is brilliant!
​​​​​​​
This year enormous statues were reproduced for the Dior runway show. He is brilliant!
Andrea Shemlit Kashanipour Candlesticks
Askceramic or Nicky Kehoe
Kashanipour creates original and revival novelty ware in clay. She blends tradition from the past, and re-imagines it for present day.
Most of her artwork is under eight inches tall and everything is completely handmade and hand built.
Gifts for the Design Focused Table
Ceramic Tableware With Polka Dot Edge
ZARA HOME
I dont know about you but I adore this tabletop which is made of ceramics with an irregular finish and polka dot detail around the edge.
Borosilicate Glass Cream Pitcher
ZARA HOME
Clear borosilicate glass milk jug with a raised design.
Borosilicate glass is very resistant to high temperatures and abrupt temperature changes.
Mini Steel Salt and Pepper Shaker Set
ZARA HOME
Cylindrical steel salt and pepper shaker set in mini size.
Landy Rokoto Jug
MERCI
Landy Rakoto is a French ceramicist living in Brissac-Quincé in Anjou, where she established her studio in late 2021 after beginning her journey in Berlin. Her work with clay is an introspective practice, focused on the repetition of gestures and the pursuit of beauty in everyday life. She explores rustic, brutalist, and classic forms, while favoring organic textures and bold shapes. Passionate about functional objects, she is committed to sustainability and the poetry of craftsmanship.
Gifts for Men
Pentax 17
B & H Photo
​​​​​​​A new film camera in the age of digital, the Pentax 17 is a 35mm half-frame film camera built from the ground up. This point-and-shoot is the first launch from Ricoh Imaging/Pentax's Film Project initiative. Compact film camera with fixed focal length, designed to capture half-size photographs.
In addition to the distinctive image quality created only by a film camera, this new model provides users with the fun and excitement of manual camera operation unique to film photography, such as manual film winding using the film advance lever, and manual focus-range setting with the zone-focus system.
In addition to the distinctive image quality created only by a film camera, this new model provides users with the fun and excitement of manual camera operation unique to film photography, such as manual film winding using the film advance lever, and manual focus-range setting with the zone-focus system.
Ulysse Mini Leather Folder
HERMES
I love this gift! I have bought this for my husband and other friends.
Writing is a theme beloved by Hermès. Created in 2002, the Ulysse cover pays tribute to the most famous adventurer and is simple to use with its snap closure. Its supple leather can accommodate different types of refills - white, colored or lined pages. Adapted to each age or occasion, the cover becomes a notebook or drawing book and, slipped into a bag, allows words to travel in style. Refills are NOT included.
Writing is a theme beloved by Hermès. Created in 2002, the Ulysse cover pays tribute to the most famous adventurer and is simple to use with its snap closure. Its supple leather can accommodate different types of refills - white, colored or lined pages. Adapted to each age or occasion, the cover becomes a notebook or drawing book and, slipped into a bag, allows words to travel in style. Refills are NOT included.
Avedon Glasses
P. Johnson
Handmade in Veneto, Italy
Dark Havana brown acetate frames with yellow tint lenses
Avedon - When it comes to the aesthetic definition of American style and culture through photography, there is no more important individual than Richard Avedon.
Avedon was scarcely seen without his glasses and it is those that inspired these frames. Intense, pensive, intellectual, and cool all at once.
Portable Barbecue
ZARA HOME
Portable camping barbecue suitable for outdoor use with a grill, steel structure and legs. Folds easily to become a practical case with latch fastening and a handle at the top for easy transport and storage.
Jet Boots Prime
THEREBODY
Accelerate recovery and reduce muscle soreness to help maximize athletic performance with these new compression boots from Therabody. these are wireless, lightweight, and easy to transport . Just slip them on, set your treatment preferences for time and pressure, and the whole set fills with air to enhance circulation in your legs.
Gifts for the Dog
Pet Food Bowls with Stands
ZARA HOME
Enameled pet food bowl with legs and a mango wood stand
Dog Multi-Way Multipurpose Strap
ZARA HOME
Multi-way dog lead with several hooks and leather details.
