Father's Day is June 21, and Dad Needs a Cartier Pen

Pop's a cool guy, right? So give him a Father's Day gift that he'll use every day – and think of you when he does.

We recommend Cartier's famous Diabolo ballpoints, rollerballs, and fountain pens. A gift of one of these fine writing instruments – with their excellent performance on the page, streamline Art Deco-inspired design, and signature blue cabochon tipped caps – will tell dad how much you appreciate everything he has and continues to do for you.

Several styles and colors are available, starting at $295. One of our favorites is this handsome Diabolo in blue lacquer with platinum accents:

Your choice of ballpoint ($410), rollerball ($455) or fountain pen with 18kt gold nib ($610).

It's also available in black with gold or platinum accents:


These start at $315 for the ballpoint.

If Dad works in the movie or music business, then you're going to want one of Cartier's limited edition Cinema (just out) or Rock & Roll models:

We we offer three Cinema motifs – 35mm film (shown), clapper and "The End" – starting at $670 and in ballpoint only:



Cartier introduced the Rock & Roll pens in 2007. There are only a few left. This beauty with a guitar on the clip is $750.


There are several other music themed designs, as well.

All Cartier pens come in the jeweler's impressive signature red gift box.

We offer these and other Cartier pens by special order only. Please call us at (310) 581-6710 well before Father's Day to avoid disappointment.

We also carry fine pens from other makers, including Dunhill, Delta, Conway Stewart, Visconti, Omas, Porsche, Pelikan, Michel Perchin, and many others.

For more gift ideas, click right here.

The Annals of Luxury: Bling Goes Bust

No doubt wishing that they hadn't spent all that money doing you know what, many rappers and their followers no longer have the cash for flash. Those gaudy necklaces and brazen adornments are too costly, reports the Wall St. Journal.

"The recession is cramping the style of hip-hop artists and wannabes – many of whom are finding it difficult to afford the diamond-encrusted pendants and heavy gold chains they have long used to project an aura of outsized wealth," says the Journal.

Rather than forsake their flamboyant folderol altogether, some celebs are quietly asking their jewelers to use cubic zirconia and less precious metals and stones.

"Hip-hop luminaries with the cash to keep it real are appalled," the Journal adds.

And you think you have problems?

If you want to know who's flush and who's flat broke, read all about it here.

New! Silk Robes by Taryn Rose

Ten years ago Carol took a chance on a pair of shoes by an unknown designer named Taryn Rose. Though they were expensive, Carol bought them because she knew that Nordstrom would stand behind the brand.

Flash forward a decade. She still wears her Taryn Rose loafers, the most comfortable shoes she owns. And they look as if they were designed just yesterday.

Taryn Rose is now a well regarded luxury brand, with boutiques in Beverly Hills and New York and carried by top merchants like Saks, Neiman-Marcus, Harrod's and many others.

We are pleased to report that the designer has just launched a new line of chic robes fashioned from yummy silk charmeuse. These richly colored, two-tone garments (like the one show here in two shades of blue) are reversible.

Inspired by Hollywood screen legends whose names they bear – Rita, Audrey, and Marilyn – these are chic pieces that go from night wear to night club in style when you add a mini skirt or pair of skinny jeans.

Bones & Roses robes are just hitting shops and are a bit hard to find. Can't wait for yours? Call us at (310) 581-6710 and we'll point you in the right direction.

$225. S, M, L. By special order only. Please ask us about colors and styles currently available.

For more gift ideas, click right here.

Miss Whistle, PG, and the Wayward Fax

What brand of tea is the most satisfying regardless of price? For our money, it's PG Tips.

We've been enjoying it daily for 20 years now and still prefer it to all others. The British do, too; it's the most popular tea in England. And it's not expensive at all.

We were introduced to it long ago by our English secretary, the capable, accomplished and good natured Miss Whistle. That is just one of many things for which we will ever be grateful to her.

(Another is the time she cried on the phone to a complete stranger to retrieve a fax that we mistakenly had sent to the wrong party and which would have compromised us had it fallen into unworthy hands. Of course that was the year we got our first fax machine and were unaware of the damage it could inflict–on us. What an unfortunate mess might have resulted were it not for the courageous Miss Whistle! But we digress.)

PG isn't what you call a gourmet product. Britons of all classes consume large amounts of it with regularity. We've tried more expensive teas, but none is as pleasurable or as comforting as dear old PG.

In the U.S. you'll find PG at better markets and wherever British products are sold. (A note of warning: Be sure to check the expiration date on the package for freshness.)

Here are a few pointers for making a good cup of tea:

• For a smooth, full taste start with cold filtered water
  
• Always warm the pot for a short while with some hot water; then throw it out, put your PG in the pot and refill with hot water
• The water you use should be very hot but not boiling; let it come to a full boil; turn off the heat and wait a few seconds before making tea
• Warm your cups, too, with hot water before pouring your tea
• If you take milk, as the British do, warm it in a small pan or the microwave until its scalding but do not let it boil; and never use cold milk from the fridge in your tea; that's a no no!

In case you were wondering, "tips" refers to the fact that only the tips (the top two leaves and bud) of the tea plants are used in the blend. If you must know what the "PG" part stands for, look it up on their website as it's too complicated to explain here. In any case, it's not Procter & Gamble; PG is made by Unilver.

And now, something for the kiddies:

Those Were the Glory Days!

The Cannes festival started on Wednesday night. We look back at the Cannes that was.

...And One More From Cannes Past

Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood at the Cannes Festival in 1962

The Enlightened Traveler: Santa Monica's Main St.

The tourists flock to the Third St. Promenade. Those of us who live in Santa Monica go elsewhere to dine and shop. Main St., for example.

We're pleased to see that the "wrong end" of the avenue (the stretch north of Ocean Park Blvd.) is getting a bit more interesting at last.

This morning we strolled over – with our cousins from Santa Barbara who were under mandatory evacuation orders due to the Jesusita fires – to the new La Grande Orange cafe and enjoyed a splendid breakfast. It was a "soft" opening (invited guests only) intended to give the kitchen and wait staff a trial run. Judging from the tasty food and friendly, efficient service, they don't need any more practice. They should just open the place and brace themselves for the hordes that will descend.
We loved their perfectly timed and presented soft-boiled eggs, wonderful muffins and other baked goods, housemade muesli, and especially their Lemon Skinny, a dinner plate sized crepe-like pancake second only to Musso & Frank's famous flannel cakes, a perennial favorite of ours.
The dining room is spacious and comfortable with a pleasant terrace on two sides. There's also a cozy wine bar featuring a small selection of Santa Barbara labels.

After your meal stop in a few doors further north at Goudas & Vines to inspect their ample array of wines and imported foods, including MarieBelle hot chocolate mix (another favorite), Ravida and other premium olive oils, and a good deal more.

As for La Grande Orange, breakfast is served from 6:30 daily. It's open for lunch and dinner till 11pm weeknights and later on the weekends. Open for business starting Tuesday, May 12.

We'll be back, and often.

La Grande Orange, 2000 Main St., Santa Monica,
(310) 396-9152