Mother’s Day often means panicking about gifts last minute but we’ve got a few great choices ranging from budget-minded to super extravagant! It’s a good idea to ask mom what she wants first (just my opinion) so that you are not too off base–but then again, if you want to buy Mom something so luxurious that she would never think of buying it for herself, go for it.
If Mom has a sweet tooth, you can never go wrong with too quality European chocolate. La Maison Du Chocolat is positively the highest end chocolate that France has to offer and American choco-fanatics just cannot get enough of it. It turns up on the top of the best of lists on every major foodie website. Go to www.maisonduchocolat.com to see all the Mother’s Day choices but if you are in or near Manhattan, get the full Maison Du Chocolat experiences at one of their stores. I cannot walk into their store at 79th and Madison without trying something new or checking out their pastries and coffees in the back. In terms of Mother’s Day boxes, the “hatboxes” are the most luxurious at about $250 and feature a great diversity of chocolates both dark and milk (with a few oddball items like candied chestnuts to spice things up). I am working on the larger of the two praline collections being offered (about $80) as well as the champagne truffles which are actually a constant in the preboxed collection. The champagne truffles are large, super filling and satisfying so the box lasts longer than the mixed piece boxes (just in my opinion, anyway). The official name is actually Fine Champagne Truffles (30 Pieces) and is an unforgettable collection that is a little over a half pound for $62. For more information or to order any of the Mother’s Day products, go to www.maisonduchocolat.com.
When you want to pull out all the stops and buy Mom a super memorable piece of jewelry–one that she will want to wear everyday and not just keep locked away for special occasion–we can’t think of any accessory more lovely than the multi-stone stretchy bracelets by Picchiotti, now available at Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus. Picchiotti is a brand that is legendary in the jewelry business–in the past, this multi generational jewelry company sold stones to the likes of Graff and Harry Winston and sold individual pieces directly. Now they just made their foray into the world’s most famous American luxury stores and I was lucky enough to go meet with Filippo Picchiotti and get the inside scoop on his family’s incredible legacy. I was able to try on a lot of the Picchiotti rings and bracelets right at their counter and everything had so much fire that I had to almost put sunglasses on. Models were walking around the Bergdorf jewelry department wearing multiple rings from the Xpandable Collection. I was especially in awe of the bracelets because they save you the hassle of having to clip a small closure at the back of the wrist. The Picchiottis are the first jewelers to ever make expandable pieces in 18 K and platinum and they must be seen in person to be believed. The mixed diamond, sapphire and ruby rings start at $25,000. The bracelets pictured above mix diamonds with semi precious stones like turquoise and start at a similar price point. You can see their entire collection at www.picchiotti.it. 
For the mom who is hair obsessed, nothing can beat the Revair which as the name might suggest, dries your hair by sucking the water out of it. This cuts drying time by at least a half and also gives a better straightening effect than a flat iron–all while protecting hair from split ends. As we all know, heat is tremendously damaging to hair so when you remove it from the drying or styling equation, your hair looks much thicker and healthier. The Revair is priced at about $415 and you can learn more about it on its official site, www.myrevair.com. The site shows that this revolutionary dryer has hundreds of five star reviews from users, so be sure to check those out.
Organic ingredient-based masks are more popular than ever and heading the brigade of the latest and greatest single use masks is MASK Skincare. I recently went to a party celebrating the line at a love old loft on the top floor of 305 Bleecker Street and actually ran into some of the more famous users of this product including Farrah Abraham of 90 Day Fiancé and Theresa Del Guidice of Real Housewives Of New Jersey. You get a box of three masks for $30 and there are several types to choice from. Right now I am using the antioxidants, Aloe, Vitamin C and Jackfruit based MASK Hydrating & Brightening CBD Sheet Mask. It promises skin luminosity and certainly delivered. Many different skin issues are address with this all mask line and you can discover them in detail at www.maskskincare.com.
Flowers are a must on Mother’s Day and The Bouqs Company has many beautiful bouquets starting at only $40. I am particularly fond of Wild For U pictured above–since it is succulent based, it will last a long time and the flowers in the bouquet are all of hearty varieties. You get alstroemeria, solidago and aster in this bouquet giving a look that is both rustic and refined. The aster are delivered as buds so it takes a while for them to open and gives mom something to look forward to. First time purchasers at www.bouqs.com get 15 per cent off and the discount link comes up right away before you even sign up for an account or order. All orders can be made larger for additional fees if you really want to make a big, bold statement for Mother’s Day!
Devocion Coffee not only has three cafes in Manhattan and Brooklyn but they also roast their own beans that go from their farm to roaster in only 10 days. We are currently enjoying some of the bags of green coffee they they sell online and in the Devocion cafes right now but we think that if Mom us a coffee afficionado you should take her in for a cup and maybe purchase some beans for her to take home. Food critics have been going crazy for this brand for quite some time now, some going as far as “Devocion has the freshest cup of coffee in town.” For more info on Devocion’s rustic looking cafes and their beans, go to www.devocion.com. Pictured above is their Flat Iron location at 25 East 20th Street. When you enter the site, a five dollar off coupon automatically pops up. If you stop in to a Devocion Coffee shop, be sure to try the La Paz coffee which includes hints of vanilla and lavender and is considered Devocion’s most elite coffee!
I would venture to say that no travel company of any kind gives you heavier discounts on all the must-see sites of New York City than CityPASS. (They actually make booklets of passes for numerous American towns but I have personally only used the NYC booklet–and I am totally amazed at every place I get to visit even though I have lived in Manhattan 33 years now!) CityPASS has been a staple for many travelers for more than 20 years now and the current 2019 New York CityPASS gets you $226 worth of sightseeing for only $132 per adult purchaser (youth ages 6-17 pay only $108). The list of NYC attractions this year is remarkable and includes the Empire State Building (which gives you the bonus of being able to return the same night for free), the American Museum Of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum Of Art, Top Of The Rock, ferry access to Statue Of Liberty & Ellis Island and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Each CityPASS booklet is good for nine consecutive days. If you wish, you can get booklet in an email rather than traditional form. No doubt that Mother’s Day would be super-memorable if you took Mom to some of her favorite NYC sites! To order, go to www.citypass.com.
I fell in love with the super-comfy All You Are Robe at a recent multi-brand press event given by Lucid Communications. This 100 per cent French Terry robe is so soft-the fabric feels like sweatshirt material–and seems to not wrinkle. It looks chic even if you put it on over clothing and best of all, it has fitted sleeves so you do not have to worry about loose robe sleeves that often get caught on things or make it difficult to do everyday activities like cooking. It is super durable and well worth the $125. Mom will be super happy to have a robe that looks this chic that also has a built in belt that does not fall out of loops. We guarantee that it will be a go-to piece for her. For more info, go to www.allyouare.ca.
Candles are always a budget-friendly item and I recently fell in love with the Fable Soap Co. Lavender Soy Candle. Fable candles are made in California in very small batches, insuring a perfectly shaped 100 per cent soy candle that burns clean for 40 plus hours. The fragrance is created with 100% natural essential oils of French and English Lavender. You will find this natural scent to be super calming but it also helps aid cold, flu, asthma, migraines and other ailments. Fable Soap Co. has other great scented candles (all of which have 100 per scent American cotton wicks) but don’t forget to check out their huge variety of natural soaps, all of which smell like freshly picked herbs and flowers. For more info, go to www.fablesoapco.com.
Want an out of the ordinary activity to do with Mom on Mother’s Day? The lovely Roof at Park South (125 East 27th Street) will host a class called Bouquets & Rose this Mother’s Day, May 12th at 4 PM, where you can learn to confidently create your own beautiful arrangements while you sip rose! This is a truly hands-on floral design class with world class florist Rachel Cho. She will cover everything from what tools to use for creating arrangements to what qualities and flaws to look for when buying flowers. You will also learn basic design techniques to create arrangements in your own home. The class includes a welcome glass of rose and a bouquet. Tickets are $85 per person and can be booked by visiting https://www.roofatparksouth.com/store/event/bouquets-rose. Be sure to check out the phenomenally unique drinks (some served in large teapots) and first class bar eats (like glazed ribs and truffle fries) while you’re at The Roof. If Mom is enthralled with great views of Lower Manhattan, this is the place to catch ’em! The Roof at Park South is a wide open space with a couple of pretty fireplaces and couches and you can just chill–it’s a no rush type of place even though it’s always one of New York’s hottest spring and summer spots (it just opened for its sixth season). For general info or to make reservations, visit www.roofatparksouth.com.
If your Mom loves a great view of the East River keep in mind that there is no better view available than sitting at a table in the front of Hole In The Wall’s floor to ceiling windows. Looked at 626 First Avenue in the American Copper Building, you can see the 34th Street ferry station just across the street as well as unbelievable views of Queens. Most of the staff is Australian and moved to New York just to work here so they strive to make the food and service as stellar as possible. One of my favorite dishes is one of the simplest–Murray’s buratta with local tomatoes and basil oil. I recommend anything made with their amazing Wagyu beef as well–as the old saying goes, “it’s like buttah”! Hole In The Wall has quality signature cocktails with a whole lot of natural flash included (think sprigs of fresh herbs, lots of edible flowers and lots of mixed berries at the bottom of the glass). This friendly place will definitely become your next regular “hang”! For more info, go to www.holeinthewallnyc.com. (They also have a FiDi location but this is the one with the best view–and it’s brand spankin’ new!)
If your mom is like me, she is always looking for ways to get her youthful energy back. TRU Niagen has been receiving rave reviews across the internet and it works by providing the body with NAD, an essential building block during energy production. (Most adults’ NAD levels have been diminished by half once they reach 50.) There is no greater gift that restored energy which results in a greater interest in everyday things and always wanting to do everything with the attitude of a young person. TRU Niagen is an all-natural vegetarian formula whose superstar ingredient is Vitamin B3, which naturally gives off energy and is a basic building block for cell health. TRU Niagen had three safety notifications from the FDA (which is considered the “gold standard” of supplement safety), has been thoroughly tested in blind trials and has no known side effects. If you read reviews online, you can see that people are experiencing unexpected benefits like lower blood pressure and relief from arthritis and other age-related diseases that cause aches and pains. Users take two tablets each morning with or without food, and the price without a subscription is a reasonable $40 per month (the prices goes as low as $30 per month with a one-year subscription). For more info, go to www.truniagen.com.
