At Home in Hoboken: 5 Holiday Hosting Essentials

Baby it's Cold Outside...

The City has been hit with some of the coldest weather of the Season this December, so why not host a Holiday party with your closest friends in your swanky Hoboken Pad! It's not too late to RING IN THE SEASON with the perfect at-home Holiday Party!

So, here's your To-Do List, make sure to CHECK IT TWICE!

1. Send out the Invites

Spice up the guest list with a diverse group of friends. Don't invite existing friends who already know each other. Invite people who you think might be interested in meeting the others in your inner circle, because nothing feels better than creating new friendships!

Paperlessport.com allows you to send unique and individually designed graphics to send out to your esteemed guest list online!

2. Spice up the Entertainment

Whether you hire a professional DJ, a three-string quartet, or score the ultimate Holiday Soundtrack, the right music is CRUCIAL! Some sound advice for my Hoboken collegetes, don't forget to send out an homage to Hoboken's, Frank Sinatra. "The Voice" is sure to set the mood for all of your guests.

3. Stock the Bar

There's nothing better than ringing in the Holiday Season with some superior Bubbly!

Sparrow Wine and Liquors, located at convenient downtown and uptown Hoboken locations, are stocked with some of the best and most interesting spirits in town.

Don't forget to spike the egg nog and garnish your martini's with some green.

For more hints, check out including the egg-white cocktail featured at Details.com with expert advice from some of the most affluent bartenders in the country.

And FYI, in case I'm invited to the party, I love a tall glass of bubbly Veuve Champagne, please!

4. Hire the Help

Your Holiday Party isn't the time to showcase your culinary genius! Don't get stuck in the kitchen and miss out on all the fun! If you have the funding to hire the white-glove service, it's ideal to hire a bartender and a catering team to serve your highly esteemed guests!

Here's a List of the Best Caterers in Town:

The Hoboken Gourmet Company

The catering company has created delicious Christmas and New Year's catering menus filled with delicious bites!

Located at 423 Washington Street

Anthony David's Gourmet Specialties

This cozy hole in the wall, located at 953 Bloomfield street, hosts a unique, but ever so enticing menu of traditional samplings- and their crab cakes are out of this world!

Cucharamama

Unbeknown to many Hoboken residents, Cucharamama is a South American eatery located at 233 Clinton Street, but its also one of my favorite spots to dine in Hoboken. Get South American cooking straight from their wood-burning ovens to the comfort of your home this Holiday Season. The restaurant can also supply a full service staff for you and your guests.

5. Don't Forget to Decorate!

Trim the tree, take out the white linen, light the votive candles, and turn on the LED Christmas lights. Nothing is more essential than treating your guests to some sparkling eye candy this Holiday Season. Whether you are going for a chic Winter Wonderland look with silver and white tones or a heartwarming home with warm wreaths and mistletoe, nothing is more important than creating a memorable atmosphere that your guests will never forget!

For more tips on Holiday decorating check out Colin Cowie's essential guide to preparing your home this Holiday Season.

This isn't your mandatory office holiday party, this is a Hoboken house party! So, when preparing your Holiday Party this Season, be sure to make it an event your loved ones will never forget. Good luck and let's ring the Holiday Season in with some style!

The Hoboken Commuter's Ultimate Wish List: The 10 Coolest Gifts to Give (and Get) this Holiday Season

This Holiday Season, give your friends and family something they could really use to ensure that they're connected, comfortable, and caffinated in their 2011 PATH travels! From cool gadgets to commuting essentials, I'm here to break down the ultimate list in commuter gift giving this Holiday Season!

I'm making the list, be sure to check it twice to ensure your Hoboken commuter opens the perfect gift!

1. Eliminate the Unnecessary PATH Noise: The Ultimate Headphones

These days, you can't get on a PATH train without seeing everyone with the white Apple

earphones. But, let's face it, they fall out of your ears so easily and the sound quality isn't that great right? Don't look over-the-top with those huge headphones for that crisp sound quality, check out the new Etymotic customized ear phones! The $100 dollar price tag include a trip to your local audiologist so they can tailor the bud earphones to each individual aural canal. Three weeks later, you receive these state-of-the-art headphones at your doorstep.

Check out the bespoke headphones at etymotic.com $100

2. Rise & Shine: The Coolest State of the Art Alarm Clock for your Hoboken Pad

Let's face it, how many times has your phone died in the middle of the night and you've missed your alarm for work in the

morning? Nothing is more important to jump-starting your day than waking up on time for your commute. It's time to invest in an alarm clock, but let's keep it cool and stylish, shall we?

Details.com breaks down the ultimate "4 Clocks that Rock". My favorite,

The LA 73 Dolmen LCD Clock Radio by Lexon, $150 at lexonusa.com, featurin

g a earth-friendly bamboo casing with LCD Screen and Ipod adapter to wake up to your favorite tunes!

3. No Excuses: The Powermat Wireless Battery Charger

Never run out of battery power on your wireless de

vice again! This is perfect for the on-the-go Hoboken commuter. Get the wireless charging mat and receiver for your IPhone, IPod, Blackberry, and other wireless devices. The device attaches to the back of the phone and charges the phone instantaneously!

Starting at 39.99 at Powermat.com

4. Bring Your Friends and Family to Work Day: Digital Photo Travel Mug

Turn the traditional coffee mug into a something sentimental. Instead of keeping your loved one's pictures stuffed in the wallet for keepsake, keep them out on your coffee mug. This way, there's something to remind you of something besides your daily commute and a long day at the office!

Remember, like your Facebook account, you'll want to keep the partying pictures to a minimum.

Don't forget to stuff the stocking with starbucks gift card for extra measure.

Available for $24.99 at Thinkgeek.com

5. Don't be Shy! Get Minty Fresh with Colgate Wisp

There's nothing more uncomfortable than entering an early business meeting with that morning coffee breath. I always find myself running out of gum or mints at the most inconvenient times. Wisp can be used without water and actually cleans teeth, unlike gum or mints, and leave your breath smelling minty fresh! (Also great for nights out).

As Colgate puts it, "Don't get caught without it!"

Available at Drugstore Nationwide $8 for a 16 Pack

6. Men, Time to Tech-Up Your Style withThe USB Cufflinks

Carrying your heavy laptop into the City is nothing short of a pain in the neck, literally. Guys, can now whip out any file with the flick of a wrist! Make Fashion Functional: these stylish cufflinks carry a portable USB card with 2GB capacity for storing files. This is a neat way to breed the blazer cufflink and the USB card to make one techie Holiday Gift!

Available at Cufflinks.com for $195

7. The Ultimate Tech Consol for Work... and Play: The Apple IPad

This is perhaps the most popular gift to give (and get) this Holiday Season. With the ability to upload magazines, newspapers, books, music and videos, it's perfect for all-in-one, on-the-go entertainment on the PATH or buy the stand and create the perfect at-home entert

ainment consol. Why not punch the PATH Advisories website in as a homepage to keep your fellow PATH rider well connected into the New Year.

Starting at $499 at Apple.com

8. Ladies, Here's A Treat for the Feet: The Compact Dr. Scholl's Fast Flats

From personal experience, there is nothing worse than treading the long walk to and from work in those fashionably high heels. Yes, they are stunning and make your legs look amazing, but they are just so impractical! So, don't be the female commuter who pairs a pencil skirt with dingy gym sneakers. Ladies, please pick up these stylish (and inexpensive) fast flats for your girlfriends. They are comfortable, compact, and durable

$12.99 Available at Walmart and Wallgreens locations

9. Send them on a Virtual Trip to The Islands: Bob Marley's Legend (Remastered)

When your fellow commuter can't escape the winter blues this Holiday season, nothing is better than a PATH trip with Bob Marley - load up their ipod or ipad with these great mood-lifting tracks!

Available for 7.99 on ITunes Legend Remastered Because

Nothing makes you feel like you're on the beach with a Corona like "Is This Love"

10. THE ULTIMATE GIFT: The Unlimited PATH Smartlink Card

Wouldn't it be nice if we found a lifetime unlimited PATH Smartlink card under the tree this Christmas? If only Santa were that generous! Give your fellow commuter the gift you know they'll use in 2011. Jump start their New Year Travels with a

Smartlink gives riders more bang for their hard earned bucks! If you're constantly going in and out of the City like I am, you know this pays off.

One Month pass for only $54 at pathsmartlinkcard.com.

After that, your friend can easily refill online from the comfort of their home or office without waiting on the hectic line at the MTA machines.

A View from the East River

In honor of the Brooklyn band, Atomic Tom, who blew up on Youtube for turning the B train into a rock show on their IPhone's, I was inspired to do something I've never done before- venture into Brooklyn! I had the pleasure of meeting the talented hipsters at the Kenneth Cole Reaction event at Macy's Herald Square in collaboration with Details Magazine, my personal office space, and decided to see what the fuss was all about!

While nothing beats the pristine skyline view from Hoboken's Waterfront for local residents, but dare I ask, how much must our eyes exhaust the view of the Hudson River?

This is why on one beautiful Sunday morning I decided to take the World Trade Center PATH to the pedestrian walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. I must admit I got the idea from the quite endearing scene in the Sex and the City movie where Miranda and Steve share a reuniting embrace. Yet, beyond my cinematic curiosity, it is always great to discover new sites for jogging and sightseeing on a weekend afternoons.

That being said, immediately upon entering the World Trade Center area, signs lead you to a quick and easy route to the Brooklyn Bridge. Along the way, you will be pleased to find some architecturally and historically stimulating New York buildings such as the New York Court House, New York's Municipal Building and New York's City Hall.

Upon entering the Bridge, one can immediately spot the legendary archways that define the adjacent borough. While enjoying my walk, and quickly realizing to stay to my right as pushy bikers swipe by, one can immediately spot the cultural meeting-ground between the two boroughs. Walking Eastbound, we have our plaid-clad Brooklyn Hipsters amongst the fanny-clad international tourists while walking Westbound are our easy to spot, oh-so-stylish Manhattan residents.

As I make it to the center of the bridge, I come to appreciate one of the greatest views for sightseeing. Looking to the South, I see the South Street Seaport, Ellis Island, The Statue of Liberty, and helicopters as they make their steady landing into Manhattan's JRB Heliport. Looking toward the city are some of the most Stellar views of Manhattan, but more primarily, I am focused on discovering the unfamiliar. Upon entering the Brooklyn entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge, I see views of the world famous Watermark tower, the Brooklyn Bridge Park, or even The River Cafe.

After a long walk, I shared one of my favorite Sunday brunch at Ulysses' on Manhattan's Stone Street, a hop, skip, and a jump from The Brooklyn Bridge's Manhattan entrance.

Despite a lack of direct train service on weekend travel into the PATH's World Trade Center Station, the trip is worth the change in scenery, the great people-watching opportunities, and some incredible views of New York's most coveted landmarks.

Although I didn't make into Brooklyn today, I've discovered a site that will guide you once you've reached the Brooklyn terrain: please check out ugoigo.com for the complete list!

For more information on the great cultural and architectural history of this fascinating New York Landmark, please click here.