Vitamin Daily

dear vitamin v,

I am a vitamin v subscriber and I have to share with you a little store I found while I was returning from an afternoon meeting.  It's called Scarlet Lingerie & Indulgence (460 Granville Street at Pender, 604-605-0601). I bought the cutest corset-like top and matching panty for under $40. The quality is pretty good and the store has a great selection of expensive and cheap & cheerful. I asked the owner how long they've been opened...only a few weeks. She also told me that they have a shipment of Betsy Johnson coming in soon!!! I feel obligated to let all other savvy Vancouverite women know of my find! 

Cheers,
Cindy 

Dear Cindy,

Merry Christmas to us! We love it. We’re so happy you feel obligated to share your finds. Lets keep the vitamin v flowing. 

Best regards,
Sarah Bancroft
Editor-in-chief 

Has it been too long since you went out to dinner late, ran into a ton of friends, had a decently priced bottle of wine, excellent service, ate humanely raised proteins and walked out the door for $80 per couple? 

Then you haven’t been to Habit yet. 

Brought to you by the restaurateur-and-architect team behind Tangerine, this new spot features a photo wall of a fall forest and paintings of deer and birds on plywood. But we’re not out of the city yet...

Long orange vinyl benches, inventive lighting, and ’70s retro bathroom walls are the backdrop to a casual, fun crowd.  

Sharing is the theme: extra plates and cutlery arrive with mains like the tasty lamb curry shepherd’s pie and buffalo flatiron corn tortilla (both $14). Because we know you want some of his. 

Dress code: Newsboy caps and hot pink touques for men; jeans-in-70s boots and vintage-y blouses for women.   

Habit, 2610 Main St. (at 10th Ave.)
604-877-8582. Open till 1:30 a.m. Dinner only.

www.habitlounge.ca

Can’t handle Mariah Carey and Snoop Dogg hollering “Jingle Bell Rock?” We hear you. Herewith our top five Christmas CD picks, for the office Secret Santa, a romantic Christmas Eve, or for your annual big bash:  

Christmas Remixed
Electronic “chill out” versions of “Jingle Bells,” “White Christmas” and “Frosty the Snowman” sung by classic crooners like Ella Fitzgerald and Bing Crosby (at Caban)

Verve Presents the Very Best of Christmas Jazz
From the people who started the chill out mix craze come more revamped carols from jazz masters like Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane and Oscar Peterson.

A Charlie Brown Christmas
“My Little Drum” and “Christmas Time is Here” will have you running out to buy the saddest looking tree on the lot.

Baby It's Cold Outside
The team at Hear Music offers another pop crowd pleaser with this collection of carols sung by Norah Jones, Nat King Cole and Barbara Streisand. It's a feel-good stocking stuffer that's easy on the ears (at Starbucks).

Diana Krall Christmas Songs
You gotta love the Nanaimo native who just bought a Yaletown penthouse love shack with hubby Elvis Costello. Diana Krall croons the usual seasonal fare—with a few surprises.  

Find these holiday CDs online at www.amazon.ca; www.chapters.ca; or www.starbucks.com. Or visit  Caban, 2912 Granville St.,  604-742-1522, www.caban.com and HMV, 88 Burrard St., 604-669-2289.

They say the best hostess gift you can bring to a dinner party is a healthy wit, and we couldn't agree more. But just in case you want to gild the lily, here are some fab finds for the hostess with the mostest and the host with the most.

1. Packaged in a chic wooden box, a custom selection ($25-$35) of gourmet cheeses, olives, crackers and charcuterie will always get gobbled. At Les Amis du Fromage, 1752 W. Second Ave. 604-732-4218, www.buycheese.com.
   
2. Cheap and chic, Wonderbucks' hot pink or bright green blown glass Christmas ornaments are just $2 each. Buy her half a dozen, and present them in a pretty glass bowl for the table. 909 W. Broadway (and other locations), 604-742-0510, www.wonderbucks.com.
   
3. Simple and beautiful, Kermodi’s paperwhites, presented in stainless steel Indian spice containers ($11) or bamboo steamers ($32.95) are so much chicer than the predictable Pointsetta. Kermodi Modern Plant Decor, at Granville Island Market, this Wednesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 604-215-7738, www.kermodi.com.
   
4. Foodies will love master chocolatier Thomas Haas’ holiday, limited edition wood boxes filled with the most mouthwatering truffles you’ve ever tasted ($15-$35). 998 Harbourside, Suite 128, North Van., 604-924-1847, www.thomashaas.com.
   
5. Wow your non-domestic girlfriends with Marcie’s delicious custom cookies in fancy holiday designs with gorgeous packaging ($24.95 per dozen). www.marcies.ca.
   
6. Avoid listening to holiday muzak by surprising your hostess with Verve’s modern chill out take on seasonal carols ($20). At Caban, 2912 Granville St., 604-742-1522, www.caban.com, www.amazon.ca.
   
7. For the party girl on your holiday circuit, Smart Ass wise cracking, hot pink holiday panties are a must-have. Our fave? The one that reads "ho! ho! ho!" www.getsmartass.com,  www.beautymark.com.
   
8. For the sophisticate, DL & Co Candles ($36) are a luxurious, Victorian-inspired treat she’s sure to fall in love with. Try the Thorn Apple and Lady Rhubarb. At Misch, 960 Granville St., 604-731-1017, www.dlcompany.com.
   
9. Offer them something to enjoy the morning after with Jordan Sturdy’s (yes, Martha’s son) delicious and cleverly packed preserves, chutneys and pickled veggies ($7-$9) from his North Arm Farm. We love the Plumcot. At Martha Sturdy Originals, 3039 Granville St., 604-737-0337, www.marthasturdy.com, www.northarmfarm.com.
   
10. Give the mom on your list the A-list Hollywood treatment with a gift certificate for a Diva Glam make-up session at beautybar ($19). 2142 W. Fourth Ave., 604-733-9000, www.beautybarcosmetics.com.

Do you end up 4-inches short of the perfectly wrapped Christmas gift year after year?  

Stock your wrapping room (we wish) with wholesale priced wrap and ribbon at the upstairs outlet of Mayers Packaging, and you’ll never be short of perfect again. 

A 200-foot roll of thick Tiffany-blue paper that will last years goes for $50.65, with spools of silver tulle to tie it with for just $7.90. 

Clear cellophane bags ($4.30/100) make your gingerbread girls look pro, while plain white chocolate boxes may have you starting a cottage industry with your famous almond rocha recipe.  

Grab a roll of cellophane to make all your hostess gifts look extra festive, and a spool of raffia to tie it all up pretty.

Mayers Packaging, 308 E. Fifth Ave.,
888-291-4095 

View products and order online at www.mayerspackaging.com

1. The blonde wood Modernist dollhouse, complete with modular design, sliding glass walls, a lap pool, and no people. $645.
2. The huge, cheerful, customer bathroom that will easily fit your double Mountain Buggy and 25 shopping bags.
3. Baby skullcaps (with a skull-and-crossbones) in charcoal wool. $30.
4. Vinyl appliqués for the nursery walls (giraffes, spaceships, bright-coloured bubbles) that are entirely removable and reusable, so you can redecorate at will. From $56.
5. Russian wooden nesting dolls that also come in plain wood so you can paint them to look like your own family. Or not. $25.
6. “Dream Baby” onesies with little blue angel wings on the back. $75.
7. Che Guevera tops for the tiny revolutionary. $39.
8. The gorgeous Oeuf infant bouncy chair (a.k.a. mother’s best friend) $145.
9. Crochet sock monkey dolls in bright, soft yarns. From $49.
10. Beautiful, simple baby and toddler clothing by Tea Collection. From $40.

Ok, we said 10, but we just had to mention the infant-seat cut into the cash desk so you can get at your wallet fast. Do these guys think of everything, or what?

Modern Kid, 45 Water St., 604-662-3181. www.modernkid.com

Know a little tot on the go who might be chilly this winter?

The B.C.-made Jellybean Baby KinderCozy is a rain-proof, wind-proof, fleece-lined bunting bag that lines his stroller or car seat so there's no need to pack him in and out of a snowsuit.

Mom will love the sleek look and modern colours (think charcoal lined in lavender, or the deluxe version in Espresso Suede Sherpa).

Not to mention the fact that he'll be so warm and cozy, sleep can't be far behind.

From $68. Find retailers and purchase (with fast delivery) at www.jellybeanbaby.com

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Know a little tot on the go who might be chilly this winter?

The B.C.-made Jellybean Baby KinderCozy is a rain-proof, wind-proof, fleece-lined bunting bag that lines his stroller or car seat so there's no need to pack him in and out of a snowsuit.

Mom will love the sleek look and modern colours (think charcoal lined in lavender, or the deluxe version in Espresso Suede Sherpa).

Not to mention the fact that he'll be so warm and cozy, sleep can't be far behind.

From $68. Find retailers and purchase (with fast delivery) at www.jellybeanbaby.com

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Everyone in the family needs a new pair of pajamas for Christmas. Make it a tradition, and open them on Christmas Eve.

At this little-known upstairs wholesaler near Main Street, you'll find a treasure trove of cotton and flannel styles for everyone on your list.

Get Dad madras plaid, and go for the wacky prints for the kids (like vintage cowboys or flip flops). For the resident Francophile? She'll have the bestselling flannel printed with French poodles and Eiffel Towers, s'il vous plait.

From $106, Gill & Co., 303 W. Seventh Ave., 604-876-3042.

View styles and some fabrics at www.gillco.ca

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Ok, so we've found the perfect roommate gift: Room6 bath products (from $20) that come with customized labels (just $2 extra) that say the recipients name right on them-so there's no confusion as to whose lotion is whose, whatsoever....

Plus check out the new Cove Organic bath line inspired by the natural scents of Deep Cove. A perfect stocking stuffer, so the college student can take a little bit of B.C. back to school with her.

From custom quilts to custom stockings, it's like the chicest Christmas craft sale ever.

Room6, 4389 Gallant Ave, Deep Cove, 604-628-8484. View products at www.room6.com

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