Hip, Hip Hooray!

Announcing Our Newest Arrival...

The Baby Department--Now at Clever Girl

Little Alison McMillan, niece and Clever Girl

SO MANY of you have asked us not to forget the youngest, freshest, newest Clever Girls (and boys) and we have listened! We've brought in the cutest, cuddliest and most clever things a wee one could ever want. Books, bibs, custom blankets, snuggly stuffed animals, dish sets, puzzles, games and more, are now available at Clever Girl.

Alison and her friend, Teddy

Clever Girl is also the area's exclusive store for Chewbeads; you may have seen them recently on Martha Stewart, or in American Baby Magazine. These super clever necklaces are one of our most popular items in the Baby Department. They make the perfect gift for a Mom to enjoy and keep the little ones occupied! These are a "must have" at any baby shower; and a great idea with Mother's Day just around the corner...

Chewbead fans, Kim & Milly

Lore of Daffodils

Come and let us seek together

Springtime lore of daffodils

Giving to the golden weather

Greeting on the sun warmed hills

Ours shall be moon-rise stealing

Through the birch ivory white

~L.M. Montgomery

Spring is in the air.  Hooray, Hooray.

Daffodils for everyone...

All the Right Ingredients

This just in...something new and fresh for Spring.  Clever Girl now has a delicious assortment of whiteware that's perfect for everyday or entertaining.  Wonderfully smooth, our new collection is dishwasher and microwave safe.  We love the over-sized white bowl for pastas or a big tossed salad; and the square platters are perfect for serving up appetizers and tasty nibbles.  To feed a crowd, consider the lovely {and generously sized} chip & dip bowl, and when it's time for Easter brunch, you'll be glad to have an extra stack of fresh white plates on hand.  

Be sure and check out our new PANTRY section too; there are lots of tasty items awaiting your discovery.  We have gourmet jams and jellies, flat-bread crackers, yummy salsas, amazing dip kits and decadent chocolate sauces. These are a great treat for the family, and surely a welcome departure from the standard bottle of wine for the hostess...  Bon weekend, Clever Girls.

O is for Oscar

The Oscars are here! It's time for Hollywood to give us her most glamorous night, and for the stars to dazzle in their beautiful gowns and shining jewels.  Growing up, the Academy Awards were one of the few nights I was allowed to stay up late and watch television.  Mind you that this was long before the VCR or DVD players brought films right into our living rooms, and there were no "Hollywood News Shows" to keep us updated anything and everything in the movie biz.  Perhaps that's why it was such a special event--there was a bit of "peeking behind the curtain" back then and live television meant anything could happen.  

For a while, I used to try and see most of the films, and was quite competitive about picking the winners.  {Click Here for the 2011 Ballot.} This year I have seen a grand total of ZERO of the nominated films, but it won't keep me from tuning in for every moment.....

If you are in need of a tasty treat for an Oscar party, try these delicious (and easy) Artichoke Balls.  Clever Girl Lynn has made these for years, and they are a guaranteed hit!  Make plenty--they go fast...

Lynn's Artichoke Balls

2-Cloves Garlic, crushed

2 T. Olive Oil

1-14oz can Artichoke Hearts, drained and mashed

2 Eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 C. Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Saute garlic in oil.  Add artichokes and egg.  Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add cheese and 1/2 of the bread crumbs.  Roll into balls using 1 tsp. of the mixture for each ball.  Roll in remaining breadcrumbs.  Chill until firm.  Makes 2-3 dozen.  Everybody loves these!

One last thing: For even more terrific party food ideas, check out one of our best-selling cookbooks, The I Love Trader Joe's Party Cookbook.  We sell out of this one every time--makes a great hostess gift, too!

Waiting for Westminster

Take note all of you dog-loving Clever Girls!  The 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is February 14th & 15th.  Time to tune in and watch with your favorite four legged friends.  For the TV schedule {Click Here} And, to add to the excitement, there are six brand-new breeds that will debut this year including the Redbone Coonhound, Leonberger and the Boykin Spaniel.

The 2008 Best In Show winner "Uno" won my heart, and every Beagle aspires to follow in his footsteps.  {My Gracie could have been a contender, but I didn't want to push her into the spotlight.}  But who will walk away with the prize this year?  I hear the Terriers will take it this time, "Dodger" and "Adam" are the Las Vegas favorites.  {Click Here}  So whip up a big batch of popcorn, and cheer on your favorites...and may the best dog win.

Sweets for the Sweet...

Happy Valentine's Day!

{Don't forget your sweetie this Monday, the 14th}

Is there someone that you're a little "sweet" on this year?   Need something a little more than a Hallmark Card, but less than a diamond ring (Although, what's wrong with that?  Really?  Not a thing.)  Here's the solution: Our fabulous Toffee To Go.  

Cute packaging? Check.  Celebrity endorsement?  Check.  (If you count Oprah and Colin Cowie)  Super-duper tasty?  Check!  This is absolutely the best.  A darling pink box, tied with a satin ribbon contains this simply scrumptious treat.  Perfect for your sweetie, a friend or as a hostess gift...  A very happy Valentine's Day to you all!

Shopping Up A Storm

Winter in New York

As the snow falls and the winds howl through Chicago, your intrepid Clever Girl is in the Big Apple shopping up a bit of a storm herself.  There are oodles and oodles of amazing things that we can't wait to share with you--some of it's already on its way...  Many are brand new lines we've found--that will be exclusive to us--and you are going to love them!  Plus fabulous new things from our current favorites.  One example: We got a special sneak peek of the latest Nest candles, and the Spring Peony smells heavenly in a pale, soft pink, and will be a great compliment to the Bamboo, Orange Blossom and others that you already adore.

  

For now it's off to dinner at Rosie O'Grady's. {click here}  Tomorrow I hope to have time for at least a quick dash to The Whitney to see the Hopper exhibit. {click here}  So hunker down and stay tuned for updates and future posts on all the WONDERFUL things that we have coming soon to Clever Girl.

Curiosity Case...

New at Clever Girl this week is The Case of Clever Curiosities.  What is that, you ask?  Well...it's a display case full of tiny treasures, tidbits and trifles that we have gathered in our travels.  Odd bits of this-and-that: vintage items,  jewelry, display pieces, postcards and general fun stuff.  It's all one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-seen-again-merchandise, and it's pretty cool!

Curiosity may have killed the cat {or at least gotten him into a bit of a pickle now and again} but we promise only good things will come from our little case of curiosities.  You never know what divine little item is going to catch your eye.  Be sure to come in for a peek soon........

Winter is here...

Yes, 'tis true: winter is here.  Cold, ice, snow and gray days are here to stay for awhile.  So here are a few random things you'll surely want to do...

First, and of most pressing importance, check out our Clever Girl Winter Sale.  We're making way for all sorts of great, new goodies, and have taken markdowns on clothing, jewelry and home goods.  Shop NOW for the best selection of sizes and colors, and find some warm and wonderful items you'll want to wear yet this winter. There will still be many days to wear a snuggly sweater!  

Next.....Take in a good movie.  In a theater.  With popcorn!  Several Clever Girl's have seen The Black Swan, and must advise against it.  Happily, The King's Speech sounds much better, so that's our recommendation for winter viewing...

Explore a fun new treat in our book, Cake Pops, and see how simple it really is to make these darling and tasty goodies.  Easy, step-by-step instructions and tons of helpful pictures will have you cranking out these petite pops in no time.  Clever ideas for decoration will make this your new favorite thing to do with the kids.

Finally, avoid the worst of the winter snow and ice, and curl up with some of our sophisticated Hot Chocolate.

Stonewall Kitchen delivers the BEST ever. We searched high and low to find a truly, good, grown-up version; and this is it--hands down.  Make a cup of this cocoa, turn on your favorite music and start reading all of those wonderful books you got for Christmas.  Happy Winter everyone!