Gift Giving Made Easy with Thoughtfully | Gifting Stories for the Tequila and Champagne Lovers

Gifts, special occasions and parties have always gone hand in hand. I don’t know about you, but it’s always a bit of a challenge trying to find the perfect present for one specific occasion. A lot of times I get caught up in the presentation of the gift rather than the gift itself. Well, what if that changed? What if a gift was more of an experience rather than a one time unwrapping and admiring session?

I recently discovered Thoughtfully gifting stories, unique boxes that offer an experience to the person you’re gifting it to! I’m seriously obsessed. They have a box for every occasion, whether it’s for a birthday, a celebration, a housewarming gift, a thank you, or just fun surprises. The best thing about the boxes is that they come with so many goodies! My favorite thing about giving presents to my friends and family is watching them unwrap several gifts, not just one. These boxes make it so incredibly easy because there’s multiple gifts in one! They turn a simple gift into a story.

As a champagne and tequila enthusiast, two of my favorite Thoughtfully boxes are the Party Props and Pops Box (for champagne lovers) and the Tequila Cantina Box (for tequila lovers).

Tequila Cantina Box

The Tequila Cantina Story: Fresh lime aroma. Handmade ceramic tequila bottles filled with pure joy from the next door village distillery. The sound of waves and hungry seagulls. A salty breeze eases the heat of the day. In the distance, the blinking lights of fishermen at work in the deep dark sea. Neon glows at a bamboo bar on a Mexican beach. Black ceramic bowls with herbs spiced salt. A small transistor is playing Buena Vista Social Club. Once again I realize that there’s so much more to a meal than just good food.

It’s the essence of a good tequila shot! It comes with everything from the bar: a cutting board, 4 shot glasses, a ceramic knife, ceramic salt-dipping plates, pink himalyan salt, lime salt, sweetened salt and chili salt… just add the lime!

The colors of the items in this box make it so fun and is a truly satisfying gift for any tequila lover – this box is a one stop shop for them!

Party Props and Pops Box

The Party Props and Pops Story: A night of good times and glamour. Corks are flying, bubbling cheers and the most beautiful ladies with laced gloves and feathered hats disembark from long, black limousines. Gold, confetti and glasses clinking. For a night, we celebrate life and act on our most secretive dreams. So, close your eyes and re-live the days of glamour and good times--put on the masks, hooray for the props--and let the party begin!

This box is for any party lover! Open the box and you’re already prepared to party. It includes polka dot coasters, confetti poppers, rock candy stirrer sticks, set of six photo props and four gold leaf plated champagne flutes. 

Thoughtfully makes it so easy now to choose the perfect gift for that special someone. From gift sets for champagne and tequila lovers to cookie lovers to hangover kits, Thoughtfully literally has it all! I think I may have to order one of every kind of box!

Laurel Hardware's New Mexican-Themed Mezcal Bar | A Mezcal Lover's Paradise

One of my favorite restaurants in LA, Laurel Hardware has officially launched its New Mexican-themed Mezcal Bar! As one of West Hollywood's all time favorite restaurants since 2012, Laurel Hardware has expanded beyond their incredible farm-to-table cuisine and lavish cocktails to a sophisticated and swanky Mezcal Bar.

It's located at the front of the restaurant behind an intriguing curtain, leading to the gorgeous private room featuring comfy velvet chairs, dim mood lighting, and a prohibition-style bar. The Mezcal Bar boasts a sexy speakeasy vibe and its clear that the co-owners, Dean McKillen and Phil Howard wanted to develop an intricate, unique aesthetic that could only be found at Laurel Hardware.

For those that are unfamiliar with Mezcal, it's a distilled spirit that can be produced from many varieties of Agave plants. It is produced in several different states in Mexico, the most prominent being in Oaxaca. 

I got the chance to try out the Mezcal Bar the other day and was so impressed. As a former NYC resident, I am totally familiar with (and a huge fan of) speakeasies, mezcal bars, and any type of venue that offers a very exclusive, one-of-a-kind experience. There are very few speakeasy bars in LA, and it's refreshing to finally have one in the neighborhood that truly does the ambiance, the food and the drinks right.

The Mezcal Bar features seasonal mezcal-infused cocktails and contemporary Mexican cuisine. The handcrafted menu items include mouthwatering guacamole with pomegranate seeds (my favorite), Chilled Lobster Tostada, and Tuna Crudo to name a few. 

The cocktails are next level and will be a new obsession for any serious cocktail or mezcal lover! I was able to try a few, and just with a few sips I could tell how carefully crafted and designed these cocktails to bring out the delicious notes of mezcal and aromatic ingredients. 

My favorite was the Lupita, consisting of Rums of Jamaica & St. Croix, Lemon, Vanilla and Fresh Pineapple. I also loved the Lila Downs, with La Nina Mezcal Espadin, Casamigos Blanco Tequila, Absinthe, and Rosemary Mint Foam. These are the definitions of serious cocktails! Not only were the cocktails mixed to perfection, but their presentation was up to par with the potent, swanky characteristics of the drinks themselves. 

Being able to enjoy these divine cocktails in such a luxurious space provides the ultimate destination for a local, elegant night out. Between lounging in the bar's plush chairs amongst vintage mirrors, hand-carved wood floors with Italian-imported marble inlay, and Art Deco-inspired ambiance, in addition to providing top quality Mexican f&b, the venue truly takes you into another realm that you can't get anywhere else other than Laurel Hardware.

Photography by: EDLT Photography