{giveaway: encyclopedia of the exquisite}

Not quite winter here yet, but the holiday season is here with scarlet and crimson abound. Poinsettias are popping up and deep maroon velvet ribbons woven into trees, soon to be tying up Christmas gifts. Meanwhile, I’m dreaming of a red Christmas with an exquisite red gown or a perfectly painted red lip.

encyclopedia of the exquisite

And, speaking of exquisite…

I present to you the first of the holiday giveaways. The lovely folks at Random House have decided to give one of you lovely readers a copy of The Encyclopedia of the Exquisite to keep for yourself or to gift this holiday season. {And, there might be a litle something extra…} Instead of random selection, we’ve decided to have some fun with this one.

To enter:

Come up with your own exquisite encyclopedic entry and list it in the comments section. I’ll pick a few favorites and feature them in a post. The best entry wins!

The contest closes December 07, 2010. Winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Bonne Chance!

1. marion cotillard by ellen von unwerth, 2. raquel zimmerman for vogue brazil 3. & 4. courtesy of random house

14 thoughts on “{giveaway: encyclopedia of the exquisite}

  1. Love this contest! This book has been on my wishlist ever since I heard about it! Here’s my entry:

    Cupcakes: Originally called “Queen’s cakes,” the cupcake has been popular since the 18th century, due to the convenience of the personal serving size and ability to satisfy the cravings of many without the hassle of making 100 differently flavored cakes. Traditionally adorned with nuts and lemon zest, the modern cupcake can be found in the company of any combination of exquisite ingredients. Sprinkles, colored frostings, fancy baking cups and surprise fillings add a sense of fun and whimsy to the cupcake, making it truly fit for a queen.

  2. Saint Lucia Day: 13th of December. A Swedish tradition to celebrate the coming of Christmas and the return of the light in honour of Saint Lucia. Traditionally celebrated with a parade of young girls and boys dressed in white and with candles. The Lucia Bride is the head of the procession carrying a evergreen wreath with candles in her hair. The procession sings a song about Lucia and the light in dark times, and reminds people of the coming of Spring and charity.

    I thought we needed a little seasonal exquisite encyclopedic entry here in the lack of light, at least here in Scandinavia..

  3. I think “new office supplies” would be a good theme for an entry. I’m not a very good writer, but somebody more skilled would probably be able to make a nice writeup about big vs. small office supply stores, the smell of new paper/erasers/pencils, and the possibilities embodied in a clean, fresh notebook.

    Thanks for the chance to win!

    –Liza

    ejm6x (at) yahoo (dot) com

  4. another interesting entry would be the histroy of parfum in france. it played a very big role in the everyday lives of simple parisians to great political personas throughout it’s history! and what i find even more interesting are the various collections of perfume bottles, some were real works of art!

  5. Shalom

    English has no equal to this Hebrew gift of a word. Arabic offers a cognate in salaam, and Ethiopian salem. Used casually as both a greeting and a farewell, Shalom means something like peace, completeness, well-being. It derives from the Hebrew word shalam, meaning to be safe or complete in and with oneself, and in relationship to one’s community. In Jewish and Christian theology, this one word embodies the wholeness and sense of order and safety humans long for, and perhaps more importantly, the direction in which history is moving. The promises of hope in the Torah call God the God of Shalom, and the promised Messiah the Prince of Shalom. Both Jewish and Christian theology teach that the world is not as it should be, that while we live we are haunted by a broken Shalom, but that one day every hole will be filled, every fracture healed, and every broken thing restored. Ultimate justice and healing come through a Messiah bearing Shalom. As Jewish friends casually bid one another Shalom as they meet and Shalom as they part, they hope aloud for the ideal for which each human strives. Peace. Wholeness. Shalom.

  6. My exquisite encyclopedia entry would have to be for vintage earrings. There is just something delicious and gorgeous about a pair of old earrings; even the clip-on style as many seem to be have a playing-dress-up kind of whimsy and charm. I love the vibrancy of a nice pair of vintage earrings, and the history behind them. When where they made? What type of person has worn them? My mind can get wander easily from there. Perhaps that is strange, finding fancy in something like that…but then, if I didn’t, I might not so appreciate and adore vintage earrings.

  7. HOLIDAY … as defined by Style Maniac:
    gold, glimmer, sequins
    and fire
    gleaming gifts, glittery gowns, sparkly blogs and
    objects of desire
    brimming wine, soft snow, dinners with family, cocktails with friends
    and most of all
    laughter

    ***
    {p.s.that first red dress is beyond fabulous … and I have lipstick on my mind, too}

  8. I love red and if I don’t choose a red dress for this holiday season, I will certainly make the best of my Chanel red lipstick. 🙂

  9. Bubble Bath: An indulgence for the body, the mind, and the soul. Relax in a bathtub and enjoy the luscious scents and soothing foam that surrounds you. You can practically feel all of the day’s worries melting away into the water and running down the drain after your bath has come to an end. For only pennies you can enjoy your own private oasis, without ever leaving your home.

  10. In my opinion, the most exquisite and beautiful word in any language belongs in this encyclopedia…”Mamihlapinatapai”

    Hard to translate and equally hard to describe, it is claimed to describe “a look shared by two people with each wishing that the other will initiate something that they both desire but which neither one wants to start.”
    The word is from the Yaghan language, spoken in Chile, and the Guiness World Book describes it as the “most succinct word.”

    Perhaps it is a precursor to love at first sight, and perhaps not…whatever it may be, this word touches an intensity of human emotion that is incredibly electric and deep.

  11. Wow. That book isn’t called exquisite for nothing.

    My entry would be something along the lines of Carrie’s wardrobe. It is the wardrobe of dreams, and holds some pretty amazing outfits. I’m not a huge SATC fan…. don’t shoot me…. but there’s something magical about those scenes where Carrie walks into her closet and you want to be able to touch all those items too! We can all dream eh!

    xx

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