Dazzle2013sm

is for holiday s !

The Holidays Come Early at The Heights.

Here’s one special gift you don’t have to wait for the holidays to enjoy.

Receive up to $1,000 for Moving Expenses & One Month’s Free Rent when you make a commitment by December 15th.

Living at The Heights is a pleasure you’ll enjoy every day of the year. Explore our senior living community, tucked away on a 43-acre park-like setting, overlooking the downtown skyline and Avon Mountain.

Everything from boutiques to breathtaking views and fine dining are a mere stroll away. Our state-of-the-art Wellness Center and full calendar of social activities keep our residents inspired to live life to the fullest.

Come explore all The Heights has to offer! Join us for our Open House and Luncheon: November 27th, November 30th and December 14th. Starting at 10:45 a.m.

To RSVP for upcoming events or for more information call: 860-953-1201

Happy Holidays to you- our very loyal readers and subscribers. To those of you receiving DAZZLE for the first time, and to those of you in Avon and Farmington who receive DAZZLE each holiday season, thank you for welcoming us into your home. (Watch for PALETTE next spring!)

DAZZLE is full of wonderful “wrap-it-and-tie-it-with-a-bow” gift ideas and it also includes a few suggestions for how to give back to the community and/or help those less fortunate this hoilday season. Please consider ALL kinds of gift giving this season!

Thank you for your support and we hope you find time to visit many of our advertisers and featured merchants- and tell them you were DAZZLED!

Looking forward to 2014... Please have a safe, happy and healthy Holiday Season!

Thomas P. HickeyII, Publisher

P.S. Periodically you will receive custom publications from us as a perk for subscribing and as a thank you for your loyalty as a faithful reader.

Dazzle is a WHMedia custom publication. For more information, check us out on www.westhartfordmagazine.com. DAZZLE is published by: WHMedia, Inc. | 998 Farmington Ave., Suite 205, West Hartford, CT 06107 www.westhartfordmagazine.com | office 860-523-1800 ©2013 WHMedia, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without express permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed by writers commissioned for articles published by WH Media, Inc. are not necessarily those of the magazine.

They’ve got Leather in their showroom houses & thousands of fabric samples. re-upholster to recyle and restyle your favorite pieces. Imperial Decorating and upholstery. Quotes available. 41 prescott Street, West Hartford. imperialdecorating.com

Gurgle pots in an array of colors... and they really gurgle, creating smiles around the table!

$39. Pompanoosuc Mills. 21 Brace road, West Hartford. pompy.com

Brahms Mount 100% cotton throws handwoven and featured in Oprah magazine! $235. Pompanoosuc Mills. 21 Brace Road, West Hartford. pompy.com

deck the Hull Ornament: Trim your tree with this chris-craft®-inspired ornament! Made from hand-blown, handpainted glass, this work of art is a festive way to get in the island spirit. Tommy Bahama at Westfarms. $68.

This giraffe is made from eco-friendly 3-ply bamboo with white hour and minute hands and a gold second hand, run by a silent clock motor.

Size: 6” x 15”. $68.00.

Lila Mae: Sustainably Made in the uSA.

Holiday pop up shop at 95 Memorial drive, West Hartford.

unique luminaries by Tabatha Henry, each piece is cast, decorated and fired in her vT studio. $59 to $99.

Pompanoosuc Mills. 21 Brace road, West Hartford. pompy.com

Original Buddha Board. Simply paint with water. $29.99.

Jerry’s Artarama of CT, 1109 New Britain Ave., West Hartford. jerrsartsupplies.com

chandler 4 corners hooked pillows in a variety of charming images and colors. $165.

Pompanoosuc Mills 21 Brace road, West Hartford. pompy.com from $55+

Give memories in the form of family photography gift certificates this season! Studio and on-location sessions available. Sessions begin at $150, with framed wall ar t starting at $375. IRIS Photography, West Hartford center. photoiris.com

These beautiful hand blown Vermont Evergreens reflect candlelight brilliantly, by Simon Pearce. Lux Bond & Green, 46 LaSalle Road, West Hartford. lbgreen.com keep them coming back for more! Giftware department at Monarch Jewelers, 838 Farmington Ave., Farmington. monarchjewelers.com

Why Miss Yourown Party?

Together we have over 25 years of bartending & event experience and offer our services to you for any type of occasion. Along with our staff, we are licensed, T.I.P.S. certified, and fully insured.

John: 203-215-6701 Bob: 860-299-6161 twopourguys@yahoo.com

Hand-crafted guitars by skilled, West Hartford guitar maker, Peter A. Occhineri. See gallery at occhineriguitars.com

decorative papers from around the world. prices vary.

Jerry’s Artarama of CT 1109 New Britain Ave., West Hartford. jerrsartsupplies.com.

Alex Woo MLB red Sox pendants, 16” disco chain in three options. Sterling Silver: $178. 14k yellow gold: $848. With diamonds, 14k white gold: $1048. Lux Bond & Green 46 LaSalle road, West Hartford. lbgreen.com

cufflinks from actual MLB baseballs. Lux Bond & Green 46 LaSalle road, West Hartford. lbgreen.com

princeton SeNSu Solo, the digital brush for touchscreen devices. 5 color options. $24.99 each. Jerry’s Artarama of CT 1109 New Britain Ave., West Hartford. jerrsartsupplies.com.

custom bottled and private label soda available for any event via Avery Soda, or purchase West Hartford’s own label in a selection of your favorite flavors. Available for purchase at Effie’s Place Family Restaurant,91 park road, or Pet Supplies Plus, 2480 Albany Ave. in Bishop’s corner, West Hartford.

uLuX gift kit is an amazing gift, what woman would not want to be pampered with a shampoo and condition system containing crushed Tahitian pearls? $84.00. Blo West Hartford, 71 Memorial road, West Hartford. blomedry.com

Wyndmere essential Oils (to help you unwind from holiday stress!). prices vary. Village Vitality, 982 Farmington Ave. villagevitality.com

Tea sampler packs in a variety of flavors, including Green, Black, White, rooibos, pu-erh, and Oolong. $6.85 each.

The Green Teahouse, 40 Isham road, West Hartford. thegreenteahouse.com

Aveda stress fix line: soaking salts $42, body lotion $30, and rollerball concentrate $24. A line clinically proven to reduce stress. Ecocert-certified organic. Aroma infused with French Lavender, lavandin and clary sage from organic farms. Per Se, 58 Memorial Road, and Matthew Phillips, 68 LaSalle Road, West Hartford. perseaveda.com

Blo West Hartford offers gift cards and any denomination... remember, you’re not cheating on your hairdresser! Blotabs start at $245.00 for a package of 8 blow outs. Blo West Hartford, 71 Memorial road, West Hartford. blomedry.com divine Star Gift from L’Occitane at Westfarms. $182

DETAILING: The complete detailing experience is second to none ... air vents are cleaned, windows washed inside and out, carpets shampooed... you get the idea!

RUSSELL SPEEDER’S FULL SERVICE HAND WASH associates are hired because they are the best. They are friendly, speedy and passionate about customer service. Your visit starts with a hospitable greeting while you determine which service your vehicle requires. Then you are invited to one of the pristine waiting areas while your car is driven to the conveyor belt (no pull chains used here), then they vacuum the inside, wash the exterior by hand, clean the wheels, and dry the car. Then they clean the inside windows, wipe the dash and console and wipe the door jambs!

When you mix CUSTOM CAR WASH equipment with the best cleaners available, the result is a car that is cleaner, shinier and drier than you could ever imagine.

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you can be dressed to the nines with a custom made suit to order! Gift certificates available. Bob deGemmis’ Dressed To The Nines, 1000 Farmington Ave., West Hartford.

Sunglasses by SALT, shown: Lester for men and Hanna for women, $419 each. Available at SIGHT, 17 South Main Street, West Hartford. sight.net

Bordeaux Tote Bag in patent Leather. $295 . Carlo Pazolini at Westfarms.

earrings in 18 karat white gold with diamonds. $6,900. Tiffany & Co. at Westfarms.

Mix and match c & S Style bracelets to create one-of-a kind stacks! Made from semi-precious stones such as fire agate, czech beads, jade and more. Single bracelets start at $50. Bracelets can be found at Silkworm Boutique, SilkwormOnline. com, and Spruce (both of West Hartford center). Find us on Facebook.

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happening...

Get your pandora at BK&Co, 64 LaSalle road, West Harford center.

Snow Angel featured on the bracelet. Also pictured: St. Nick - $50; Winter Mittens - $45; Silver Bells - $50; Tree of Lights - $55.

High Heel Bootie with Bow detail in Leather and patent Leather. $395. Carlo Pazolini at Westfarms.

Peg and Awl’s wonderfully rugged is constructed with waxed canvas, vintage fabric lined-pockets, reclaimed leather straps and closures (from antique gun holsters and saddles,) brass rivets and Sam Browne buttons. $280.00. Lila Mae: Sustainably Made in the uSA. Holi day pop up shop at 95 Memorial Drive, West Hartford.

Bronze Mid Buckle Flat “Soho Boot” with Fur and Suede detail. $325. Carlo Pazolini at Westfarms.

From the IppOLITA rock candy

Gelato collection, 18k Gold Sofia Short Necklace shown with a selection of IppOLITA bracelets. Lux Bond & Green, 46 LaSalle road, West Hartford lbgreen.com

Joseph ribkoff black sheer mesh and fabulous bordeaux matte jersey top. $154.00. BK&Co., 64 LaSalle road, West Hartford. bkcostyle.com

deep Sea charms Necklace. vintage claw, heirloom mollusk charm, quartz, abalone. 22” oxidized recycled silver chain. One of a kind. $430.00. Spruce Home and Garden, 973 Farmington Ave., sprucehomeandgarden.com

The Maharani Wisdom necklace by designer Nina Nguyen. Legend has it turquoise will protect the wearer against negative energy and bring peace. Beautiful turquoise set in sterling clad in 22 karat gold. $1,495. DeRobertis Jewelers, 52 LaSalle road, West Hartford. derobertisjewelers.com

Potted

Gift Plants

Keeping Holiday Plants Looking Their Best Into The New Year

by karla A. dalley

As the song keeps reminding us, ‘it’s the most wonderful time of the year!’ And certainly the time from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day is a time to celebrate with family and friends.

A great way to bring on the holiday season is to bring ‘gift’ or ‘seasonal’ plants into our homes. With very little extra work, these plants can actually become lovely additions to our homes year-round. You simply need to know what conditions these plants like and make sure they have it.

Poinsettias are the biggest sellers in November and December, in fact, they are the most popular houseplant. Because it is native to Mexico, however, it is sensitive to cold, and unfortunately, we buy them in cold weather. When you purchase them, make sure they are wrapped before taking them from the garden center or florist. Exposure to cold will shorten the life of those colorful bracts (what we think of as ‘flowers’ are actually colorful leaf bracts).

Because of their sensitivity, these plants cannot be left in

the car for a few more holiday errands. And once the plant is home, make sure it is not in a drafty place or too near a heat source. If these plants sound demanding, just remember that they are really outdoor tropical shrubs and we’re trying to grow them as houseplants.

To keep these plants happy, keep them in bright light and evenly moist. Do this and these plants will retain those brightly colored leaves for quite some time…often right into spring.

Poinsettias will re-bloom naturally if they are kept in an out of the way place in a cooler room. Try to avoid turning on the lights in that room at night. In the beginning of December, the poinsettia bracts will naturally turn red. Although the plants will not be quite as lush as the ones in the garden centers, there’s a pleasure in knowing how to make a poinsettia re-bloom!

Another holiday plant some have trouble with is the poorly named Christmas Cactus. For one thing, the genus schlumbergera is neither a cactus nor does it naturally bloom at Christmas. It is a succulent, which means it needs a little more water than a cactus. They are native to Brazil, and there, they grow in humid, shady regions in the trees. Our homes are nothing like this so that is why when we take them from a greenhouse they might lose some of their buds. Once home, they are easy to care for if we remember two things: these plants should not dry out completely (they are not cacti), and they should be kept in a shady window.

They can be very long-lived, some folks have them for decades. And in the following years they set their buds in relation to day length and temperature so again, a darker, cooler window is better if you want them to bloom earlier, or a brighter, (but not sunny) warmer one is better if you

want them to bloom later.

Some people don’t decorate with poinsettias or Christmas cacti. There are still many plants available this time of year to enhance the home. Nothing dresses up a table like a phalaenopsis, or moth orchid. This is the second most popular house-plant, and it’s easy to see why. It comes in a lovely variety of pastel colors and will bloom for months.

Phalaenopsis are also tough plants, as is obvious by the fact that they are sold everywhere, often right by the drafty front doors of big box stores. They do not need direct light and they usually only need water once a week, depending on how warm the home is. They will re-bloom easily too. Care is simple. In the summer, put them outside around Memorial Day in a shady spot. Bring them back inside around Labor Day. You’ll find that a new bud spike has formed by then. It’s that simple.

A few other choices for holiday plants can be cyclamen, a bulb-like plant that prefers cool conditions and likes to be watered from the bottom. Norfolk Island Pine, a very longlived houseplant, as long as it doesn’t get too dry, and stephanotis, a fragrant vine with white waxy flowers.

Plants brighten our homes during the dark winter months and with a minimum of care, ‘gift-plants’ need not be disposed of with the wrapping paper. They can remain well into the New Year to bring even more warmth and cheer! n