My Favorite Things: Ruthie Sommers

Ruthie's adorable daughter Eloise with Bear and Lilah

I will forever be grateful to the wonderfully talented Ruthie Sommers. Way back when, in the summer of 2007, a little unknown blogger had this idea of profiling stylish industry icons and tastemakers on her blog. At the time only a few hundred people read All the Best and no one knew of Ronda Carman, until Girl About Town Rita Konig did a blog post on the domino Daily Dose.

Lucky for me Rita, Ruthie, Susanna Salk and Schuyler Samperton all graciously agreed to interviews - and as they say, the rest is history. Thank you Ruthie, I wish you and yours all the very best!


My favorite gift to give this year?
A bouquet of paperwhite bulbs and one soft light compact fluorescent light bulb tied with raffia), nature and nurture!

My favorite gift to receive?
A personal visit from friends or donations to charities made in my name. I don’t want a thing this year. Well, maybe, Rosetta Stone French lessons on tape...

My favorite way to celebrate the holidays?
Small dressy dinner parties with friends, listening to holidays songs in the morning with my once a year hazelnut coffee and cream, fires, dancing with Eloise on my marble floor to Santa tunes, coffee cake, shrimp and grits on Christmas eve and adorning my dogs with silly red bows for parties.

My favorite current books?
I have a new favorite book every week…any holiday book, Albert Pinto classics, Carolyn Roehm. I also like How to be Lovely: The Audrey Hepburn Way of Life—yes, I know, this sounds so cheesy but it is a great reminder about how to listen to others more and talk less about ourselves.

My favorite luxury in life?
This is it—being asked for my opinion, having a job, having two legs that allow me to play tennis, a healthy child, parents still living and a home to live in.

My favorite holiday song?
Ode to Joy. Is this a holiday song? Regardless, it always makes me cry.

My favorite party clothes?
I am a bad shopper, so anything my stylist friends make me wear or give me—thanks Lee and Kent!

My favorite cookie?
Any cookie at someone else's house…they always taste better for some reason!

My favorite cities?
Paris on Christmas day, NYC any time before Christmas day, anywhere in Virginia for all of December.

My favorite places to shop?
Target for toys, Hollyhock in Los Angeles for gifts, Leontine Linens and any USED bookstore.

My favorite movie to watch again and again?
How the Grinch Stole Christmas.