Under the Weather

Summer colds are the worst and now I have one...aarrrgh! For me, it's a minimum of 3 weeks with a cold. Just have to grin and bear it! All the cold medicine in the world won't make it go away. Best part though - an excuse for lots of tea and ice cream! (ya know, to soothe the sore throat)

Summer Blast

Last night we had our Summer Blast Party here at Nicolino's. It was a nice night for fun, food and savings. We had some specials and discounts and customers were treated to hand massages while they nibbled on fruit kabobs, dips, chips and brownies . Frozen wine-a-ritas and cosmos were also served.

Everything seemed smooth on the outside, but I must confess there were a few behind-the-scene mishaps. Seems no matter how much you plan, life has a way of living on its own. I'll share a few with you...

I wanted to serve brownies that night...the Barefoot Contessa brand that we carry in the store. I've made them many times before and they are absolutely decadent. This time though (ya know, when it really counts), they came out of the oven sort of burnt and crumbly. Not good! I said a few things I can't print here...but with a little research, I discovered I only used one egg instead of two. BIG MISTAKE!

Lesson learned: next time get all the ingredients in front of you and check before you start. Oh well, they were gone by the end of the night...funny though, not one person asked for the recipe!

Second, we have these wine-a-ritas (frozen drinks almost like a sangria) that were a big hit at our open house last year. So I thought let's add the cosmopolitan frozen drink from the same company as a second choice. I mixed the recipe fine and I thought we could just put them out in a thermos pump and make it self-serve. BIG MISTAKE! Didn't realize it until it was too late, but the liquid was coming through and all the slushy ice was stuck. Had to go to plan B - but it was a little late by then.

Lesson learned: Always test drive a new plan.

All in all it was a fun night!

A New Look

As we continue to evolve...

This year brought CHANGE...and with it, lots more fashion accessories, jewelry, handbags, wall art, inspirational frames, serving trays and baby gifts. Brand new product lines at the shop include:


Eric Decitus and Dolly Mama greeting cards (lots of humor)




Lolita's hand-painted wine and martini glasses - wide collection of themed glasses...queen, princess, flip flop, Who needs a Man, 50 & Fabulous, Birthday Girl, just to name a few. There are dozens more to choose from.

Eyewear (readers)

Switchflops (changeable flip flops) - these are so cool. Available in a flip flops, wedge or heel. Then you have fun choosing all the different tops that are interchangeable. You get a whole new look in seconds! There's about 50 different tops available and that number is growing.

How about these adorable snuggle duffle bags. Perfect for little ones to pack up all their treasures and really get excited about visiting grandma! There's Tippy Toad, Smurtle Turtle and Pluto Pig. All three styles are sooooo cute!

Naked Bee (lotions, shampoos, lip balms and cuticle salves) - organic, all natural ingredients...all of the good stuff and none of the bad stuff!

At the same time, we said goodbye to kitchen tools, cookware, bakeware, everyday glasses and yankee candles. Our commitment to fresh, new and unique products means we must weed out items carried by the big box stores - once they are there...well frankly, they are no longer special.


Change is bittersweet, and there are some who will be disappointed not to find items we once carried. But for most, change is expected. Change makes us grow. We let go of the past and look to the future.

And so here at Nicolino's we grow, we change, we evolve...always, we hope, for the better.