Discover more from All's Well by Nadine Zylberberg
I’ll start off by saying this: There are so many gift guides out there. For every kind of mom, from every kind of publication or website. What I present in this here gift guide are things I find special. Different. And slightly unique. I scoured the Internet because it’s what I love to do—and because my sister-in-law Steph asked me if I had any gift ideas for Mother’s Day this year. I’ve emerged with some 90+ things I think are interesting. Of course, now, I can’t get any of them for my own mom, seeing as how she reads these posts start to finish (thank you, btw). So if you have any ideas for me, well, I’m all ears.
A second note, and something I think about often when these holidays come around: ‘Mom’ can mean so many different things to so many different people. I know you know this. So from here on out, when I say ‘moms,’ I mean biological moms, step-moms, adoptive moms, new moms, godmothers, coaches, mentors, teachers… all of the nurturing and motherly ones. I celebrate you and, my goodness, I’m in awe of you. To my own mom (biological, mentor, best friend): I love you to the moon and back.
**One other quick thing: If you’re getting this by email, it’s a long one—be sure to hit “View entire message” at the bottom to see it all.
Here we go:
Well Fed
Things for the kitchen that she’ll actually enjoy
Appliances worth the counterspace
We begin with a toaster because it’s unexpected (and I want to keep you on your toes!). Also, it’s more than a toaster. By incorporating a steam function, Balmuda’s device ($329) purports to revive bread in just a few minutes, delivering a “crisp exterior and moist interior.” It’s everything we could want in our day-old bready things. Also, it has multiple settings – sandwich bread, pizza, pastry – which makes me think Balmuda has perfected it all. And while we’re overhauling the kitchen here, I’d also recommend the sleek Fellow pour-over electric kettle ($149), which makes coffee-drinking and matcha-making a truly meditative experience. There’s a stove-top version too ($79).
Add a mug | Peter Shire is known for his delightfully splattered ceramic mugs ($80). Much like mom, no two mugs are the same. The blue shade on this wheel-thrown mug ($54), sold by the excellent LA-based Canyon Coffee, is also a special thing to wake up to. And for the mom on the go, Yeti makes a durable version ($30) with a lid.
Fresh from the farm
Richard Christiansen, founder of Chandelier Creative, turned his eclectic Los Angeles home into a garden oasis and called it Flamingo Estate. If you live in the area, a CSA Organic Farmbox (from $25) subscription makes a nice gift—even nicer if you cook mom dinner from its contents. But there are other gems that ship nationwide: like these insanely beautiful tortillas ($30; to round out with a bottle of good garlic and rosemary-infused olive oil, $38) or soil cover crop for the mom with a green thumb ($20).
A colorful kitchen
For the mom who likes making banana bread, pie, or brisket ($45-155). Great Jones’ line of products makes me smile. I don’t know if it’s the colors, the names, or the font, but the brand is clearly in the business of bringing more joy into the kitchen.
Add a cookbook | Molly Baz, of Bon Appétit YouTube fame, launches her new cookbook ($25)—and set of colorful aprons—tomorrow. For the mom who’s still willing to learn, this one feels right; it also comes with QR-code-enabled videos, which feel fresh in the cookbook realm. (Plus, the palette goes perfectly with Great Jones.) Another cookbook idea hot off the press: 110 comfort food recipes ($23) by Julia Turshen. Read her Grub Street food diary for some background; she considers matzoh brei comfort food too, so I think we would get along. And I can’t leave off East by Meera Sodha ($25), one of the best cookbooks in recent memory and a gift from my mom.
Cook like a pro
On the kitchen front, there’s a slew of devices that unexpectedly make cooking so much easier: like this hand-powered food chopper ($15; imagine never cutting up an onion again) or the Microplane zester ($16; because when an item is synonymous with the brand, you know it’s good). Make it interesting by pairing it with some great-quality spices from Diaspora Co. (trio starting at $27).
Gather round the table
Sometimes, the best way into someone’s heart is through their stomach. That’s why Goldbelly never fails. The website brings together some of the best food purveyors across the country and delivers their goods anywhere. For this particular occasion, there’s always the classic Russ & Daughters NY spread ($179). Or a heart-shaped cheesecake ($70) from Junior’s if you want to make your love really obvious. Or a dozen colorful bagels ($79) for a Dr. Suess-esque Sunday morning breakfast. And I don’t think you can go wrong with cupcakes and cookies ($65) from Back in the Day, a famous husband-and-wife-run Savannah, Georgia, bakery. The country’s culinary best is at your fingertips!
Well Worn
For the mom who dresses up or dresses down—but always dresses well
A button-up shirt for not-so-buttoned-up days
I maintain that the perfect button-up is hard to find. But the UK-based brand With Nothing Underneath comes as close as possible. These shirts are boyfriend-cut and made with quality materials (poplin year-round, linen for summer, £85-95). The company was founded by ex-Vogue editor Pip Durell and I appreciate that she’s stuck with a limited selection of products. She knows button-ups and she does them well. Just don’t forget the import duties! Pro-tip: You can get these monogrammed in a really tasteful way; plus, one guy even got his wife’s wedding bouquet embroidered onto the collar. Swoon.
Very, very, very soft things
There was a New York Times feature on Barefoot Dreams not too long ago, with the sub-header: “How one $180 microfiber blanket and its spinoffs came to swaddle a nation.” Color me intrigued. I remember seeing the blanket and accompanying robe on Chrissy Teigen’s Instagram Story, where she proclaimed them to be the softest things ever. And what momma doesn’t want soft? I’m partial to the Unisex Robe ($99), the Throw Blanket ($147), and the CozyChic Socks ($15). On the subject of socks, these Eddie Bauer ones ($9) might be the softest ones I’ve encountered thus far.
Not not a robe
There’s a great SNL sketch from last holiday season poking fun at the idea that moms always get gifted robes—and only robes. But robes are undeniably cozy, so we can’t steer away from them completely. Instead, we upgrade. The Offhours Homecoat ($295) is more akin to a wearable duvet, appropriately categorized on the brand’s site as “inactive-wear.” It’s like donning a big marshmallow with pockets. And the cut and color are fashionable in the lounge-y magazine ad kind of way.
Don’t call it a scarf, it’s a Kashmir shawl
A scarf is another one of those things we think all moms want. That may not be true, but I’d argue otherwise when it comes to an Andraab scarf. This brand is near and dear to my heart; I discovered it while walking through a hotel in Mumbai and proceeded to buy a few as family gifts because I had to share the find. It’s one of those things that impart such a sense of place and of tradition. I’m partial to this silk-weave versatile one ($650) and the simple embroidery of this classic one ($452). But this one ($560) that boasts a small embroidered flower feels particularly special for the occasion at hand.
Matching Meghan Markle
You know a brand makes something good when it’s meant for expectant mothers, but you, someone who doesn’t fall into that category, want it too. I first learned about Hatch from fashionable friends who swore by the walkabout jumper ($258); turns out, founder Ariane Goldman created Hatch as a source of clothing that can take moms from pre-pregnancy to post. And it’s since garnered a pretty high-profile clientele. As a gift for new mothers, I love this nurse-to-errands onesie ($248) in Hatch’s fourth trimester collection. Separately, this MAMA necklace ($100) by designer Chari Cuthbert is a good one. Maybe pair it with this ice roller ($13), which is incredibly refreshing, even more so in the summer months.
Like mother, like child
Sometimes you just want to match your kid, and there are only so many years you can get away with it before they resist the premise. There are a few brands out there that are making this possible—even as a non-mom, I’m interested in the adult versions. There are some cute sets at Little Occasion ($32-47), where everything is currently 20% off. If you prefer matching PJs for the whole family, Hanna Andersson (from $42) has you covered. Also, Maisonette has great tie-dye hoodies (mom + kid; from $125) and Kule has t-shirts that will make you smile (mom + kid; from $55). As we head into summer, Birkenstock Arizonas for momma and child (from $60) are also a safe bet.
Two words: more joy
I don’t know, I just like what this sweatshirt ($150) says. Plain and simple and much-needed. More joy please. Also comes in bucket hat ($100), yoga mat ($120), and (since sold-out) door mat.
I heart you so
On the subject of joy, there are a lot of heart pendants out there that feel like the embodiment of love and warmth. This is one of them ($395) by Aurelia Demark. For the time being, each pendant is being shipped with a complementary color cord (as seen above). This pricier black onyx one ($2,500) is a stunner too, with 100% of profits going to the NAACP.
Let your hair down—or up
Though I’m not a mom, I’ve discovered that a classic mom move is to pull one’s hair back using a pencil. Or a rubber band. Or whatever else is available on the kitchen counter. Enter the Deborah Pagani hair pin ($90). It’s as easy to use as said everyday items, but it’s a touch more refined. Just enough to feel put together without having to put much thought into it. It also comes in silver, black, and rose gold.
Well Groomed
The skincare worth gifting
May Lindstrom beauty balm
There’s skincare, and then there’s luxury skincare—the kind you wouldn’t really buy yourself, but how nice would it be… May Lindstrom falls into that category for me. Her Blue Cocoon ($180) is a beauty balm that starts off solid and melts onto the skin like a luxurious face oil. The packaging feels special, too.
Body oil for mutha
It only seems appropriate to add MUTHA products to the list: it’s got her in the name! Hope Smith has developed a line of oils and creams that have the female body, the mother’s body, in mind. I’m currently coveting both the body oil ($104) and body butter ($95). And 5% of sales go to midwife and nurse education programs, a double-win. On the moisturizing front, I also love the Kate McLeod body stones (from $38), which are solid moisturizers that melt upon contact with your skin; they come wrapped in muslin cloth and in a bamboo canister that you can keep refilling with subsequent body stones. For a no-nonsense alternative to all this, look to Bio-Oil (from $13), which counts the Kardashians among its fans.
Hermès for the bathroom counter
I don’t know if these lipsticks ($72) are particularly special, formulation-wise, but I’m certain that I have never seen more beautiful packaging. Again, this is something mom probably wouldn’t buy for herself—I wouldn’t either—but it elevates an everyday routine, and so why not do that for someone who gives so much of herself every day. Plus, it’s probably the most affordable item on this entire website. Hermès also just launched a silky blush ($77) in eight shades, if that’s more your speed; the accompanying brush ($100) feels like an object to showcase.
One Striiike (beauty box)
If the whole skincare-makeup-self-care space is just too much for you, Striiike—an LA-based salon owned by three sisters—started up its own beauty box a few months back. Unlike the ones that offer a few samples and one full-sized product here and there (Allure, Ipsy, etc.), the Streicher sisters put a lot of thought and care into their seasonal boxes, which contain only full-sized products and trinkets ($200; $175 with subscription). I’ve discovered some cool new things from brands I never would’ve known about before. Like this exfoliating tool by Dehiya, this dewy glow serum mist by 107 Beauty, and this peppermint temple rub by Cucchio (plus those Eddie Bauer socks I mentioned earlier). If momma likes the element of discovery, this one’s for her.
Skincare on wheels
Maybe the uncertainty of a beauty box doesn’t sit right. That’s where Violet Grey steps in with its thoughtful gift sets. Violet Grey, based in LA, has possibly the best curation of skincare and makeup out there. The idea is that everything they sell is top-of-the-line, so don’t overthink it. For the mom who lives out of her car, elevate the mundane experience with this set of essentials ($220). Comes with Byredo hand sani, clean deodorant, dry shampoo, and more. Or, for a personal touch, browse the site and make your own kit!
Bat your lashes
Everything Jenna Lyons touches is instantly cool, which means her latest endeavor, Love Seen, is just that. They’re fake lashes, which don’t sound like the sexiest gift, but they’re also the thing one hardly ever splurges on. So do it for her. Take the quiz and up her lash game. Better yet, get a set for each of you (from $20). The more masks become a part of our daily lives, the more attention is brought to our eyes, so this one feels very appropriate for 2021.
Hair under control
File this one under: Things you don’t realize you need until you have them. The original waffle Aquis hair wrap ($22) dries hair so quickly, leaving it much softer than it would otherwise be. I’ve had mine for years now and dread getting out of the shower without it. This next product sort of works under the same title, but it’s for body hair… Oui the People makes possible the chicest razor ($75) I’ve ever seen. It’s single-blade and rose gold with a weighty handle; the product often sells out but seems to restock almost monthly.
Well Traveled
For the moms itching to travel again
Make packing easier
Is it just me or do all moms know how to pack? They just make it work, no matter what the given parameters, dress code, or duffel size. Paravel sells these multifunctional packing cubes (made of up-cycled plastic bottles, +1 for the environment) in six colors, with the option to monogram (from $65). They’re also available for shoes (from $45) because being an adult means not throwing dirty sneakers into a suitcase willy nilly.
A packable hat
You know when you end up at the beach and wish you had a sun hat, so you visit the nearest tourist shop and overpay for a poor-quality floppy one you’ll probably never use again? No? Well, it happens, and it’s all avoidable if you just get the kind of hat you want to bring along with you in the first place. My favorite at the moment is from Vancouver-based brand Bohème ($92)—it’s wide-brimmed, moldable, and unfussy. A beautiful raffia option ($217) is available from Janessa Leoné and here’s a fun visor by Eugenia Kim ($295) if you’re looking for something unexpected. This Reinhard Plank flat-top one is giving me Key West vibes ($200), and Cuyana’s version ($95) incorporates elements of the Panama hat. And the latest obsession of mine is this tie-bye bucket hat ($320) by Gabriela Hearst.
Better than a postcard
So if she’s not quite ready to travel again just yet, bring the destinations home. A bottle of mitsuboshi soy sauce ($31) doesn’t seem that special—until you realize that its maker, Horikawaya Nomura, has been making this soy sauce for over 300 years. I’m guessing the recipe works. Alternatively, you can have a loaf of Poilâne bread (from €36), customized with more bread on top, delivered to her home. For further appreciation of Poilâne, may I direct you to this New Yorker piece about the French baking dynasty?
Travel keepsakes
Ok, ok, not everything is about food. If you want a gift that lasts longer than a boule of bread, I have a few ideas: first up is this embroidered clutch by Olympia Le-Tan ($904). The designer often goes for book covers as her motifs, but this one pays homage to Braniff International Airways (R.I.P.) and the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. This travel book about the Amalfi Coast ($95), by Assouline, is as pretty as a Le-Tan clutch, but made for the coffee table. Browse the entire series, it does not disappoint. Note: These are available for pre-order and ship out May 10. Lastly, if mom likes to play games, this travel backgammon set ($195), made in Turkey out of leather, is perfect for trips. Roll it up and it occupies virtually no space.
The gift of fresh pow
That’s what they call it, right? This one requires a bit of advance planning. If you have any shot of making it to a mountain with snow over the next year, Epic Passes are 20% off right now (from $323). They’ll get you access to ski resorts all over the country, and it’s a much better option than buying them full-price at the base of the mountain. Now you just need her to buy the plane tickets…
Well Lived
A little bit of everything
A bouquet to last forever
Hear me out. Flowers wither, even with proper care. And plastic flowers are trying too hard to be the real thing, so they fall short. Could felt flowers be the solution to our floral woes? I first saw them in a Lovevery kit for toddlers, and they looked fun. But when I found this bouquet (from $24) on Food52, presumably for grown-ups, I started to think that maybe we were onto something. Felt blooms for this Mother’s Day that will last until the next; it might just be brilliant. Worst case, it ends up in the kids’ toy box, which isn’t the worst thing. [Another alternative to finicky fresh flowers: a dried bouquet (from $55), delivered to her door.]
Music everywhere
If your mom is anything like my mom, music has to be on at all times. Preferably loud. And preferably songs she can dance to. Sonos is coming out with a new portable speaker, the Roam ($169), that’s waterproof and has excellent battery life. Which means it can follow her into the kitchen, into the garden, and on walks around the neighborhood. If you already have home Sonos, you’ll know how seamless and compatible the system is. It may not arrive in time for Mother’s Day, but you can pre-order now and let her know that good music, anywhere, is on its way!
A very big bag
I’m back on my Instagram bullsh*t with two targeted ads for Very Big Bags, which, to me, scream mom. They seemingly fit it all, while still looking chic. The ads I was served were for State’s Wellington Cabana Tote ($145) and Kendall Condrad’s Xarraca in Organic Hemp ($350), both of which feel summery and casual. And I’ll add in Clare V’s Giant Trop in Washed Denim ($175), which I found all on my own, thank you very much. (Pro-tip: You can monogram it, too.) And with this one ($65), for the francophiles out there, 30% of purchase price goes to Every Mother Counts.
Just when you thought you’d seen every sneaker…
Nike’s Go FlyEase shoe ($120, out April 30) is as seamless as it gets. You can slip into them hands-free because the entire heel hinges open; as you step in, it closes into place. It feels both practical and wildly futuristic, and incredibly effective when you don’t even have a minute to tie your shoes.
Some of us aren’t ready for that kind of sneaker disruption, though. On the regular sneaker front, I have an idea too. I never fully got on board the All Birds train, but I’ve always envied the comfort that they seemed to provide its wearers. I think I found an alternative in Rothy’s Lace Up sneaker ($165). It’s a good everyday shoe for when you don’t want to think about shoes. And while I have all the time in the world to think about shoes, I hear most moms do not.
Drink up!
Ahh, the gift of hydration—with the little militant nudge of when to be hydrating (from $25). It’s a practical gift, but who would be mad to get a good water bottle? The millennial mom might prefer this Glossier x Nalgene collab ($15) and for the goop-y among us, there’s a water bottle with amethyst, rose quartz, and clear quartz in it ($78). Those with limited space or good pockets might like memobottle’s slim rectangular design ($36), or for the fashion set, Prada even makes one ($105). For everyone else, there’s HydroFlask (with its fantastic lifetime warranty, from $30) and its 1,000 color/size variations.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t shout out my mother’s favorite H2O additive, Sakara’s Beauty Water ($39). Just a few drops alkalizes any water and, in my highly non-scientific opinion, it also improves the flavor.
Water you like to look at
Here’s another instance of elevating the mundane. If your mom is the kind of lady who always has a cup of water by her bedside, kick it up a notch with this hand-blown bedside carafe and tumbler ($210). Food52 has another hand-blown glass option ($118), and here’s a third ($75). Do you notice a theme here? We all just need to drink more water.
Upgrade her workout
It’s kind of the Great Jones of working out—which is to say, it makes an otherwise mundane activity feel exciting and, dare I say, joyful. Bala became well-known for its weighted bangles (available in so many colors). But the company has since come out with a power ring, a beam, and bars (from $40). In other words, weights in different shapes. Get a set of these and refresh her at-home workout set-up. OR, opt for a small trampoline ($80) for a cardio boost, which, chances are, she’ll never buy for herself.
A pharmacy in your pocket
My Saje pocket pharmacy ($65) goes everywhere I do. It comes with five roll-on essential oils in a convenient zip-around pack. My favorites are Peppermint Halo for headaches, Gutzy after eating too much, and Stress Release when I need to chill. While we’re on the subject of herbs, a brand called Peekay caught my eye (tbh, I think Gwyneth Paltrow was hawking one of the tinctures in a video). There’s something for every ailment: cold & flu, digestion, irritated throat (from $30). It reminds me of my mom’s natural remedy arsenal growing up: Tiger Balm for headaches and zinc tablets for the sniffles.
Not another candle
Costa Brazil makes delicious-smelling body oil, but if your mom is the spiritual and natural type, the brand’s Resina de Breu makes for a gift she’s surely never received before ($145). As the stone burns, its woodsy aroma helps melt away anxieties. Alone, it looks like a lump of coal. But it comes with a pretty metal tin for safekeeping and a ceramic tray to handle debris. Another non-candle-but-in-the-same-ballpark option? This good-looking diffuser from Tom Dixon, which comes in Air, Fire, Water, and Earth ($141).
In your words
No matter what you get her, I can guarantee the thing she’ll want most is a card. E. Frances ($5) is one of my favorite places online for quality ones that tug at the heartstrings a little. Or shop local: We love Greenwich Letterpress (from $5) in New York City. Get your favorite and make it your own.
I’m still not convinced…
Your mom is one-of-a-kind, so you want her gift to be one-of-a-kind, too. Naturally. This might require a bit of digging on your part, but I’ll get you started. 1st Dibs is an online marketplace with a massive selection of antique and one-off pieces; prices can get ridiculous, but it’s fun to browse. Here’s a zany Seletti mirror ($380) and hybrid plate ($50), a limited-edition scarf ($699), a modern vase ($465), a Deborah Kass “Oy” print ($3,600) that resonates with this daughter of a Jewish mother, and a fancy mahjong set ($2,775). Also, this David Shrigley print ($5,970) is every toddler speaking to every mother, no? (Wish it were on a postcard, realistically.) If you like the thrill of the hunt, dive in.
And to shout out to a few makers that you won’t find just anywhere… Liz Montague and Sofia Warren are masterful cartoonists (Coby commissioned Sofia for engagement cartoons that now hang on our walls), Miriam Merenfeld makes customized necklaces (from $140), and Katie Kimmel will immortalize your dog on a vase (from $275). Find artists you love and reach out—maybe they’re open to creating something special for someone special.
I procrastinated—help!
If it’s May 8 and you haven’t listened to anything I’ve said, do not despair. Give the gift of movies with a subscription to the Criterion Channel (from $11). Use her Amazon Prime account to get a solid eye mask ($17) shipped fast. Sign her up for unlimited yoga classes (from $120) through Alo Movies or nudge her towards a meditation practice (even just 5 minutes!) with a year of Headspace (from $13). Plant trees in her honor with One Tree Planted ($1 = 1 tree). DIY a mother’s day card. Show your love the best way you know how. She deserves it.