Miniature Mouse's 2024 Holiday Gift Guide Day 2

For Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Nov 26, 2024

Day 2- For Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

You know that common saying: “The days are long but the years are short”? I think about that quote often, because I assumed it was an old adage by Marie Antoinette or Marie Curie or Marie Callender. It has the mouth feel of someone who has lived numerous days and many years thus having earned the truth about their respective lengths. It simply had to belong to one of the antique Maries.

Turns out it was coined by Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project. I’ve met Gretchen. We had her on Armchair Expert last year. She was a joyful delight and seemingly quite young. I found this odd. I wondered if the old Maries were posthumously resentful at Gretchen for posing as old/knowledgable like them. So, I decided to look up the death ages of Antoinette, Curie and Callendar. Marie Antoinette died at 37. MY AGE. This old Marie was a young Marie all along. Gretchen has 20 years on her and therefore is objectively knowledgable on the topic. I suppose all of this is exactly what Gretchen meant when she spoke her wise words into existence… time is f*cked. Every day is followed by another and we fill each one with mundane items. As we do, they might as well be pretty to look at. For the people putting one foot in front of the other, here is your guide:

1) Officine Universelle Buly Handle Comb

I believe i’ve recommended products from this French pharmacy on previous guides, and I’ll never stop. The combs are particularly gorgeous. They have many styles and colors, but all will make you say (regretfully) “oh la la”.

2) Métier Wash Bag

Around the Fourth of July this year, I spoke about Hermés bags on a Fact Check (on my podcast Armchair Expert) and there was a slew of comments that followed about my unrelatability and my repugnant obsession with fancy pants. I wish I could say I read them, laughed and shook it off- but I did not. I cried. You know how Spiderman got stung by that bee and it hurt so bad he cried but then he gained immunity/resilience and started his own ant farm? That’s what is happening here. And so I present a $600 toiletry bag.

3) Helvetica Japanese Ballpoint Pen from Top Drawer (pair with John Derian "Composition Ledger" Wallpaper Collection Notebook

Have you been in a situation where someone refers to a pen as “having a nice weight to it”? It’s an impossible sentence to respond to. As someone who has tried and failed, take it from me- you can’t win. You can only get even. *Extra Credit for pairing with the gorgeous John Derian notebook, but the pen is very nice on its own.

4) Comme Si Yves Trio Socks

Just like this gift guide, socks are back. We aren’t trying to hide them anymore. This is a blessing to all of you who’ve spent the day walking from uptown to downtown in NYC in search of a very specific martini recommended to you by Alison Roman while your “no show” sock sits half way around your foot. You arrive blistered and bleeding and hour and a half later to bar that is closed for a special event. To all y’all- I see you and I got you.

5) RŌZ Mini Holiday Essentials Kit

I use every RŌZ product and I have never been happier with the state of my hair. The shampoo, conditioner, santa lucia styling oil, and milk hair serum are hero products. Most brands only have one hero product. This is because when heroes are forced to share the spotlight they almost always turn into anti-heroes. Exhibit A- the east coast/ west coast hip hop rivalry. Exhibit B- the purple teletubby. But Mara Roszak (celebrity hair stylist to Emma Stone, Zoë Saldaña and all the hotties ) has pulled off the impossible and her entire line is filled with winners. The travel minis are a great gift, because it’s annoying to buy travel sized items for yourself, but you always wish you had them when you’re On The Road (bcc Jack Kerouac).