This post is a sponsored collaboration between American Express and Gothamist staff.
In this series, we asked some real go-getters to tell us who's on their list and what they're getting—with all picks coming from the Membership Rewards® catalog from American Express.
Does your family have any strange/unusual/funny traditions during the holidays, or did you growing up? Now that all of my siblings are grown and most of us with families, we've changed the traditions a bit. When it's my turn to be in charge of the holidays, I check us all into a hotel where we get spa treatments, the kids can swim in the indoor pool, and we order room service and choose one room for a "movie night."
We like the Ritz Carlton at Tysons Corner because it's also connected to the mall, so anyone who wants to take advantage of the day after Christmas sales can easily do it without driving. I've poured a mimosa into a coffee cup from the hotel and joined them... once.
What's one thing in the holiday dinner spread that's 100% non-negotiable? My mother makes amazing crab cakes with a korean twist...I think it's kimchee that's mixed in, but I'm not even sure.
Is there a movie that rings in the holidays more for you than any other? One of my closest friends is actress Amy Smart and her flick Just Friends has become like our go-to holiday movie. I mean what's not to love? It's hilarious, she's adorable and Ryan Reynolds really rounds it out.
And now, Danny's picks!
1. Trisha Cole, VP of Wagstaff Worldwide. "When you flip through the pages of Naturally, Danny Seo, probably 50% of the stories are Trisha's clients. No joke. She's one of the best travel and restaurant publicists I know and I trust her instincts and taste. She goes all over the world, so I think a fun passport cover makes a nice little stocking stuffer. If I had unlimited points, I'd throw in a roundtrip first class ticket to anywhere in the world... but, who do I look like? Oprah? The cover will have to do."
2. Kathy Delgado, Owner of Vintageweave. "Kathy owns the French vintage/antiques shop Vintageweave where she lets me borrow all of her really expensive plates and tableware for food shoots in LA for my magazine. She really doesn't need anything...until I saw on Facebook that her housekeeper tossed out her crock pot she needed for a dinner party. So, this is perfect."
3. Rich Pedine, Publicist. "Rich cracks me up because not only is he an amazing publicist, but he also has sung on the Academy Awards as part of a backup choir. But what I love about him is he used his PR savvy to know exactly where the camera blocking would be and figured out how to get the most camera time on the Oscar telecast. How can you not love that? I think this Movado watch is very much him: timeless, classic, nice shot of green color on the face. I would tie this to a bottle of wine..."
4. Kerry Washington, Actress. "Who doesn't love Kerry? Like, really. She has been the biggest supporter and advocate for all things Danny for like 10 years, so she definitely wins the prize for nicest gift. Stella McCartney FLAWLESSLY marries style with sustainability, so this bag seems like the right fit for Kerry. Actually, for her dog Josie. I see her dog riding around in this bag like the Princess she is."
5. Maggie Dumais, Agent. "You gotta love a woman who eats bread. And you gotta love a mom who still makes dinners from scratch for her family despite being one of the busiest agents in Hollywood. So, I'm gonna save her some time and give her this tough as nails and sexy looking Breville breadmaker. I know it's not the Topanga way of making it by hand, but this is pretty darn close."
6. Amy Smart, Actress. "People who think I'm super green have not met Amy Smart. This girl makes me feel like an SUV-driving-whale-hunting-veal-eating guy when I'm with her. But I love her and she loves the planet... and, well, this little pop up garden center seems like the perfect gift for her. And you know what Amy Smart would do with this? She'd grow organic catnip. And not for her cats. But for cats at a shelter. Where she hand delivers it in organic muslin sacks she stitched together using a sewing machine that is powered by hopes, dreams and wishes."
So who's on your list this year? Use Membership Rewards points that go toward the things your friends and family really want. As an eligible American Express Card Member, you can use #PointsForPresents!
