Let those pipers pipe, let the calling birds do their thang, and what’s a partridge doing in a pear tree anyway? No matter which holidays you celebrate, there’s no doubt that amid the wintery mess is a whole lot of hustle and bustle. Instead of curling up by the fire with some hot chocolate, why not fill up a martini glass instead? You have moved up to the grown-ups table, haven’t you?

The newest in the family, Absolut 100™, is sure to kick your drink up a notch, yet still keep it smooth going down. Just take it easy, that “100″ stands for 100 proof, and this isn’t a crime drama. It’s simply a serious drink. Whether out on the town or playing bartender at home, these recipes from Absolut™ will be sure to keep the chill out and the laughter rolling. Read on: liquid mistletoe, a ginger infusion, and a touch of the tropics await.

This spiked tea sounds like it could be the last cure for the common cold on top of being a delicious happy hour choice. The Hot NoChado combines ginger, green tea, and lemon with Absolut 100™ for a refreshing twist on a good old cup of tea.

Hot NoChado
1 part Ginger-infused ABSOLUT™ 100*
1/2 part Zen Green Tea Liqueur
3 parts hot green tea
1/2 lemon (squeezed)

Brew the tea to desired strength. Add ginger-infused ABSOLUT™ 100* and lemon juice. Serve in a stylish mug, and garnish with a lemon wedge.

*To make the ginger-infused ABSOLUT™ 100, bake half cup of ginger (wrapped in tin foil) for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow the baked ginger to soak in the vodka for at least one day.

Served this holiday season at Aspen, 30 W. 22nd Street, 212-645-5040.

Bring a summer dessert tradition to your martini glass this winter. The Key Lime Martini, with its blend of pineapple juice, Midori, lime, and graham cracker rim to boot, will put a pie in your glass and a little sunshine in the atmosphere, just don’t expect to get a dose vitamin D to come with it.

Key Lime Martini
2 parts Absolut™ Vanilla
1 part Midori
1/2 part pineapple juice
1/2 part sweet lime juice

Combine all ingredients over ice, and shake vigorously.
Strain into a graham cracker-rimmed martini glass, and garnish with a lime slice.

Served this holiday season at David Burke at Bloomingdale’s, 159 E. 59th Street, 212-705-3800.

Ah, mistletoe. It can be a blessing or a curse, depending on who’s beneath it. Save yourself the heartache and put your lips to the Absolut Blissletoe instead. It turns a screwdriver into a thing of the past, with its blue curcao twist. Plus, it’s green. How festive. I’ll take two.

Absolut Blissletoe
1 1/2 parts Absolut™ 100
1 part Orange Juice
Splash Blue Curacao

Combine first two ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Add a splash of Blue Curacao.
Garnish with an orange slice and lime peel.

Served this holiday season at Marquee New York, 298 10th Avenue, 646-473-0202.

In a Absolut world, anything’s possible. So, what’ll it be this holiday season?

It’s officially upon us: the season to eat, drink and be merry. But really – how will you survive the awkward conversations with crazy Uncle Stu or the fuchsia-lipsticked flutter of kisses from moth-ball-scented Grandma Josie without an emphasis on the “drink”?

So, with your sanity in mind, here is some alcohol-laden armor to tote to the required family gatherings or to mix up for your entertaining endeavors:

• 360 Vodka Ecotini

2 oz. 360 Vodka
2 oz. Green Tea
Sweetened with Green Tea Liqueur
Shake with cracked ice and strain into martini glass and garnish with a mint sprig.

This cocktail packs a double-conversational punch: not only is the mint-green hue festive to the max, but 360 Vodka is quadruple-distilled through an earth-friendly process (even the bottle’s labels are made with 100% post-consumer paper) – eco-friendly and delicious? Your mother will be so proud!

• Soy Nog

1 quart Soy Milk
6 oz. Mori-Nu silken style tofu, extra firm
6 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup Amaretto, Southern Comfort, brandy or alcohol of choice
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Chill before serving. Yields 5 cups.

Who says the dairy-free lot can’t take a walk on the wild side? Test your friends’ and relatives’ taste buds with Chef Beverly Lynn Bennett’s better-than-the-original version. They’ll be shocked when you tell them they’ve just gone au naturale.

• Alhambra Royale

1 1/2 oz cognac
1 cup hot chocolate
1 orange peel
1 tbsp whipped cream
Add orange peel to hot chocolate. Add warm cognac into cup of hot chocolate. Stir well and top with whipped cream.

Tired of the usual spiced ciders, booze-laden coffees and mulled wines? The first-rate folks at thatsthespirit.com have created a positively delish take on the toasty after-dinner drink. If the chummy pairing of chocolate and orange doesn’t warm you up, the kick of cognac should do it!

Hey, if you don’t walk away from this year’s familial & entertaining obligations with your dignity, at least you’ll be sportin’ a righteous buzz – holiday style!

Women snatching items out of each other’s hands. Clawing at each other to get the last $19 cashmere sweater on the rack. Waiting in lines longer than the cafeteria line in high school just to get your hands on a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress at a quarter of the price. Sound familiar? You must have attended a sample sale.

Sample sale madness!

But now there’s a way to shop sample sales right from your very own home! No muss, no fuss, and no crazy ladies screaming at you because you took the Rock & Republic jeans they were eyeing. How on earth can you do it? By simply logging into HauteLook.com, of course.

HauteLook is seriously the world’s answer to sample sale shopping. Tons of designers are featured – each by itself for 48-72 hours – and prices are shockingly amazing. You can find deals of up to 75 percent off retail prices on all the brands you’ve been eyeing at Barneys, such as Miguelina, LaROK, and Development by Erica Davies! All pieces are from the current season so you’ll look totally hip and trendy every time you buy.

Examples of how great the prices can be? At the last sale, featuring YA-YA, a cute cropped blazer was only $76.25 (down from over $300), a gorgeous floral-patterned silk dress was $103.75 (slashed from over $400) and a stunning leather peacoat was $200 (originally $800!). But shopping early is definitely key, as coveted items tend to sell out rather quickly.

Signing up not only gets you access to the sales, but to behind-the-scenes designer videos, backstage fashion show footage and designer interviews. So you can really brush up on your fashion knowledge and feel better about yourself while shopping!

Interested? Sign up immediately and get access to tons of great upcoming sales. Next up is Genetic Denim (January 8), followed by the soon-to-be-scheduled Robert Rodriguez, Miguelina, Jovovich-Hawk and Habitual.

And best of all, for every friend you invite to the site, HauteLook will credit your account with $10 after they make their first purchase! Getting paid to shop? Now that’s worth looking into.

It takes a minor miracle to pull me onto the blustery, sub-zero streets at night, but when I received an invitation to the art event Bazel Shmazel (the title being a play on the alternative nature of the gathering, as much of the art world is currently celebrating at Miami’s Art Basel) my interest was picqued.

When I learned that there would be an open bar, free appetizers, and artwork – by the likes of Ross Bleckner, Mitch Epstein, Jonathan Seliger, Barbara Takenaga, Michael Bevilacqua and David Moreno – sold at below-market prices, my miracle was delivered. Throw in the fact that 100% of the proceeds would benefit the Aids Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA), I had a reason to feel all warm and fuzzy inside – even if the weather that bombarded me during my commute was anything but.

As I approached the Cedar Lake Theater in Chelsea’s trendy art district, I could hear the party buzzing. The venue – a large, brick-walled room with a huge chandelier in the middle – was lit with blue and red lights (I’d later find out that it’s the former studio of photography uber-goddess Annie Leibowitz…a typical New York moment, as it seems everything – and everyone – at these events is connected).

The scene unfolded to the tune of hip-hop beats spun by a DJ perched at the side of the room. Many guests assembled at a fully-stocked, circular, neon-white-lit bar in the center of the space, noshing on munchies like chicken skewers and veggies and dip whilst sipping cocktails. I immediately defrosted with a glass of champagne, and headed toward the back to take in the art displayed unassumingly on easels and table tops.

It was an impressive collection of 20 works ranging from painting to photography to sculpture. I was shocked at the pricing – items varied from $100 to $1000 – a rare bargain for anyone in the know (many of these artists command up to ten times that price in a gallery).

This holiday, show your girls some love by giving them an extra special gift. After all, they’ve been there through the break-ups, memorable girl’s night outs and most importantly, sharing juicy gossip about who’s doing who in the office. So open up those wallets and give her the best present money can buy. If you have no idea what that item should be or you don’t know what to get the friend that has everything, then don’t worry, I gotcha’ covered. Check out my gift ideas that are perfect for all your gal pals.

In-The-City BFF

This BCBG Max Azria Mesh Clutch will be a great addition to her collection of handbags. This retro-inspired bag in two-tone golden mesh design, will look great with her New Year’s Eve attire and perfect for the all those night outs. Shown in navy, also available in gold on www.Saks.com.

A girl’s second best friend is shoes. These boots will make her fall in love and ask Santa for a pair in every available color. These Guess Kamilia Ankle Boots have 4” stiletto heel, zip closure, pointed toe and are very, very sexy. Shown in black, also available in dark brown at www.Guess.com.

Out-of-The-City BFF

Perfect for those girlies that can’t always frequent the best spa’s in the city, she’ll get the experience at home with the Bliss Simply The Zest, Lemon + Sage Spa in a Box Set. The set includes lemon + sage body scrub, body butter and high intensity hand cream. Available at www.Drugstore.com.

Get together for that much needed cocktail and catch up on all the latest gossip with this Stirrings Chocolate Peppermintini Gift Set. This gift set contains Chocolate Peppermintini mixer and Chocolate Peppermintini Rimmer Brand Cocktail Garnish. Available at www.Stirrings.com.

Tis’ the season for giving! But the giving doesn’t always come so easily when the gift has to be perfect. But don’t fret just yet; BeautyNewsNYC has searched high and low to bring you these great gifts for your boyfriend (or fiancé, or husband, or the guy you want to be your boyfriend…), whether he is in the city or out!

For the iPod-toting city gent, warm up his heart and his ears with these Ear Warmer Headphones from Hammacher Schlemmer. The sleek design has three layers of all-weather protection with a high-quality pair of mini speakers will keep his body temp elevated and his jogging tunes rockin’ for $34.95! Visit www.hammacher.com.

Source: Hammacher.com

This gift is sure to get your man sweating! Guys can’t resist anything sports related, so why not try a private rock-climbing lesson for you and your man at the Chelsea Piers Field House? $110 for an hour; call 212.336.6500 to make an appointment.

For the men outside the city:

Do you hate it when date night and game night collide? Well is a gift for him and you. With Brookstone’s SportsCast Wireless Football Scoreboard, your man can get up-to-date game stats on every NFL team without ruining the mood. It’s $99 (without the batteries) and totally worth it. Visit www.brookstone.com.

Source: Brookstone.com

No one likes a stinky stud! Keep your BF super spiff with Burt’s Bees Natural Men’s Skincare Collection Cologne. This crisp, woodsy scent contains lemon, orange, fir and rosemary essential oils. (You probably don’t need to mention that to him.) $25; Visit www.burtsbees.com.

With champagne and chocolate truffles in hand and a gift certificate to beauty haven Space NK tucked securely in my purse, what more could a girl ask for? I browsed the pristine flagship on SoHo’s Greene Street, chatted with store employees and found the lucky eye shadow that made it home with me that night – all in celebration of the recently launched beauty site, TotalBeauty.com. A refined approach to beauty was the philosophy of Kristen Nelson Thibeault, VP of Business Development for the site. “Good beauty can be found in nooks and crannies, not just drugstores,” she said.

TotalBeauty.com

Total Beauty is a gal’s unconditionally unbiased and supportive beauty consultant. The site’s “Beauty Scout” uses your budget and beauty quips to streamline searches, presenting the best products for you. Say you’re obsessed with an out-of-your-budget product at Barney’s; the “Beauty Scout” will find affordable alternatives. That’s certainly something to celebrate.

Thibeault, who hosted the shopping extravaganza, said her goal was to showcase fantastic things in beauty. The “Product Library” does just that by providing beauty aficionados with product reviews spanning mass-market, prestige, salon and spa products. Of the 40,000 plus products reviewed on the site, 240 brands are among Space NK’s eclectic and coveted merchandise, such as Laura Mercier, Chantecaille and Nars – the crowd favorite. Thibeault calls the flagship “one of the most interesting things in New York.” The cozy atmosphere of holiday floral arrangements and soft lighting invites you to linger over the various little worlds of beauty care ranging from men’s products to organic bath and body lines.

Source: Spacenk.com Caption: Space.NK.apothecary

Even when most of the event attendees had long claimed their coats and gift bags, I was still mulling over which Nars nail color to choose – creamy opaque white or brilliant neon pink. Be sure to treat yourself to the beauty experience awaiting you at both Space NK and www.TotalBeauty.com. I promise that you won’t get the same results in the drugstore beauty aisle.

Holiday stress getting you frazzled? Feeling like the gift shopping experience is a jungle experience? Then take a little time out on the weekend to hang out with the real animals, and see how they truly enjoy getting their Christmas presents. Weekends in December at the Central Park Zoo features special feeding schedules.

Watch as polar bears Gus and Ida tear open their presents, featuring yummy peanut butter. Instead of decorating, the snow monkeys do the exact opposite. They un-decorate trees strewn with cranberries, apples, and oranges. You can also count on the red pandas hoping that Santa brings them some delicious bamboo.

Watch your favorite zoo critters unwrap and devour their holiday gifts during the annual Presents to the Animals events each weekend in December through Sunday 12/23.

Presents to the Animals Feeding Schedules
Polar bears: 1:00 pm
Snow monkeys: 10:30 am
Red pandas: 1:30 pm
Rain Forest residents: Throughout the day

The Central Park Zoo is located at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
Open 365 days a year.
Current Hours (November-March): Daily 10 am to 4.30 pm
For further information about the Central Park Zoo, please call 212-439-6500.

If you ever wanted to be a stuntwoman or unite with a long lost friend, Glamour magazine and Tommy Hilfiger might just make it happen for you. They have teamed up to celebrate the launch of Hilfiger’s newest fragrance launch, Dreaming, and women’s deepest desires, giving you the chance to “have your biggest dream come true and made into a documentary.” Glamour Reel Docs, steaming from the magazine’s short film series, Glamour Reel Moments, gives three women a chance to realize their dream and capture it in a doc directed by a notable female filmmaker. How’s that for girl power?

And guess who’s actually going to be there…Hilfiger himself, along with Glamour’s Executive Editor-at-large, Suze Yalof Schwartz, will interview those with the dream for the screen. Visit www.glamalert.com/dreamingcontest for more information.

WHAT: GLAMOUR REEL DOCS
WHEN: Thursday, December 13, 2007, 12-2pm and 4-6pm
WHERE: Trump Plaza at 60th Street & Broadway (look for the Tommy Hilfiger Dreaming tent)

If someone told you that your face needed a power-wash, you’d probably be insulted. Mais non mes amies…not when they say it with a French accent!

French artist Antoinette Crowne has a great love for texture. Texture in art and texture in skin care. When she discovered the revolutionary Aqua Rejuvenation technology, which she tells me changed the texture of her own skin, she put her art on hold to bring the treatment and signature machines to fortunate American women. Her first stop? The Big Apple.

I visited Antoinette to experience this “power washing” facial, as I have indelicately dubbed the treatment. Not knowing what to expect, I immediately felt at ease in her clearly capable hands. Antoinette has logged countless hours (and plenty of frequent flyer miles) jetting between NYC and Paris, where she keeps herself on the very cutting edge when it comes to using Aqua Rejuvenation.

Aqua Rejuvenation is a therapeutic facial that uses something called hydrodynamics to rid skin of toxins while infusing vitamins and antioxidants to help fight free radicals. The treatment starts with a micro-dermabrasion process that utilizes powdered organic olive pits instead of harsh and potentially hazardous aluminum oxide. This first phase is necessary to exfoliate the corneal layer of the skin. The second phase uses micro-jets and sterile water, along with a vacuum, to open the pores, increase circulation and enhance collagen production. It feels different from anything else I’ve experienced so far as facials go.

The third phase also uses water. Here’s the part that reminds me of being power-washed. Using a pressurized tube equivalent to 18+ bars, water that is blended with vitamins and anti oxidants (no chemicals, no preservatives) is literally infused into the skin. Their studies show that this moisturizing and anti-aging cocktail is delivered all the way down to the papillary dermis – five times deeper than any other known technology, with the exception of mesotherapy. Aqua Rejuvenation has been FDA approved and is non-invasive.

Immediate results that I experienced were smaller pores, healthy glow to my skin, and a real feeling of my skin being hydrated (which in this city, with all its irritants, is almost impossible). I am going back for more treatments, because I understand that the longer term results should include anti-aging and reduction in hyper pigmentation (from all of the lovely hours I spent frying myself du soleil).

With all this talk about my lovely post-power-washed skin, you’re probably wanting to know how you can get in on the action, n’est ce-que pas? Well, darlings…do I have a scoop for you.

Antoinette is graciously offering $100 off of your first treatment. You need only telephone for an appointment and mention that you learned about Aqua Rejuvenation from Beauty News. Her office is located at 220 Madison Ave (btwn 36th and 37th) and her number is 631-767-7764.