Please join us, our employees, our families and friends, in a Christmas wish for peace on earth, goodwill towards men. No matter your faith, station, nationality or color, we’re joined in this season of renewal, of hope and blessing.
Keep your outfit together.
We all have suits and matching outfits that we love, but may not always wear together. Sometimes you wear the skirt or pants with a different blouse, or the jacket with your favorite jeans and a fitted blouse or even a dress. Even though you don’t wear them together, you should always wash or dry clean matching pieces together to make certain that a slight color loss doesn’t give you two pieces that almost match.
The gift of clean.
Yes, this is a shameless plug for shirts, sweaters and suits — cleaned and pressed to crisp perfection — with a gift certificate from us. We custom-make gift certificates in a size to fit every budget and recipient. Dry cleaning and laundry is something everyone needs throughout the year. Everyone from the garbage man to the up and coming executive will appreciate a little cleaning this Christmas.
Snuggle up for winter.
Days are short, nights are cold. To get the most relaxing and refreshing sleep, start by cleaning your mattress with your vacuum, baking soda and your favorite essential oil. Lavender, chamomile, sandalwood or geranium are classic, add 20 drops to a box of baking soda, mix well and massage into the mattress. Wait an hour or so before vacuuming up all the baking soda. The mixture helps lift soil, remove mite debris and freshen while wicking away moisture. Now add freshly laundered linens and you’re ready for some dream time. Our professional laundry service is perfect for duvet covers and comforters, quilts and blankets.
Three things men do wrong.
You may be the sharpest stick in the room, but these three signs of sloppy dressing will undercut your image every time. Start with your shirt – it should fit snugly across the shoulder with sleeves hitting midwrist and no extra baggage in the shirt body. Sagging pants are so 90’s. Your pants should sit at your natural waist, an inch and a half above your hipbones. A belt, and good tailoring, will keep your pants up where they belong. Casual pants should rest neatly at your ankles. Formal suit pants should barely rest on your shoes, tailors call it a half-break. Trim, crisp and tailored always beats blousy, crumpled or saggy.
The gender politics of buttons.
Why left handed buttons for women? In Victorian times, right handed maids did most of the buttoning for fashionable women. Left-handed buttons indicated wealth (you had enough to pay a maid to do the tedious work). As with everything, there’s an answer on the Internet. By the time sewing machines and patterns became popular in the 1850’s, right over left buttoning for women’s wear became standard, likely for economic reasons more than male-domineering political ones. We’re not even going to start thinking about how zippers and Velcro could have influenced women’s rights. We clean ‘em all, and no matter what direction, if your button is missing, we’re going to replace it. Without charge.
Nothing tricky, please.
We hear about miracle stain removers every day. Everything from Coca-Cola and WD-40 to hairspray and meat tenderizer is recommended in tabloids, blogs, Facebook and late-night TV. Here’s the real secret: nothing works better for stain removal than the stain removal expert at work here. There’s so much we can do to help, but most do-it-yourself tricks only make a mess worse by spreading the stain, bleeding fabric color or weakening fibers and finish. Our best recommendation: blot the stain with a clean white cloth, and then bring it to us pronto. Our gravy/red wine/cranberry stain department is standing by.
Give thanks.
We all have so much, and today the luckiest of us are blessed with family and friends, enjoying the bounties of love, of sharing laughter and a memorable meal. We’re reminded of the Estonian proverb, “Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.” No matter your Thanksgiving traditions, from holding hands during grace to serving the meal at half time, we send our warmest thoughts and prayers. And sincere appreciation for your friendship and support. Thank You.
Thanksgiving traditions.
Our parents, and theirs, celebrated the family gathering with blessings, centerpieces, games and recipes that turn a sumptuous meal into a treasured family tradition. Real Simple shares seven favorites ranging from a vegan organic tofu pumpkin pie to Garrison Keillor shares tips to prevent “crying in the cranberries” and concentrating on the thankfulness. If you think traditions are not vital to the “proper” celebration,try switching from turkey to ham, from Parker House to potato rolls. Brothers, sisters, in-laws and children will let you know what’s required.
Pre-stain prevention.
Every hostess knows better than crying over spilt milk, red wine or giblet gravy. Spills happen. People can be clumsy and kids get excited. That’s part of the life we’re celebrating next week. The best plan is spill prevention. Set the kids’ table with wipe-clean placemats. Use non-drip candles. A table runner can help contain the inevitable drips and drops from green bean casseroles and cranberry chutneys. Be prepared with a small stack of clean, white kitchen towels to blot spills when they happen. Not rub, wipe nor scrub. Take a deep breath; refresh your optimistic smile and blot. When the feast is over and the guests have gone home, bring us the stains and we’ll do our magic.
