[ GIFTS ]

For her

Comfort has never been more in style, with the embrace of designer Birkenstocks and sneakers as well as haute sweats. So it's only natural that the trend this season should extend to gift-giving.

[ TRAVEL ]

Everyone can relate to wanting more balance in life. The popularity of juicing, of yoga, of meditation and the spin-lightening chain SoulCycle? Just the latest evidence that many of us continue to seek a certain equilibrium. To find mine, I went to Mii amo in Sedona.

Cultivating the desert

A master French chef finds himself in the Southern California desert, serving Akaushi Wagyu beef to a crowd of diners that includes finicky locals and worldly travelers.

Chef Bruno Lopez is the force behind State Fare Bar & Kitchen, and the Edge restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage.

Flying 'superpremium' on Etihad, Emirates, Air France, more

Rapt in luxury: a selection of extravagant holiday vacation spots

[ STYLE AND DESIGN ]

PRECISION SHOPPING

What to get for the jet-set starlet, the dapper benefactor/philanthropist or the socially conscious tomboy on your holiday list? We've got the goods from some of the coolest stores around town.

Lakers' Nick Young ups his fashion game on Rodeo Drive

ALSO:

Resort collections 2014: Relax and check them out

Simon Miller, snug in denim, looks to fit into the wider fashion world

Heather Taylor sees beauty in the imperfect

Commune Design marks 10 years of handcrafted SoCal cool with a book

Kim Kardashian wears a tame-for-her teal blue satin, asymmetrical gown designed by Cushnie Et Ochs at LACMA Art + Film.

Kate Hudson works old-school Hollywood glam in a soft rose chiffon and twisted tulle Gucci Premiere gown at the 2014 LACMA Art + Film Gala.

January Jones takes on a festive look in a metallic Bottega Veneta dress at the Hammer.

Kate Bosworth was a showstopper in Alexandre Vauthier at the Hammer.

Actress China Chow wraps herself in a Hershey dress -- designed by Jeremy Scott for Moschino -- at LACMA Art + Film.

Best dress parties

Kate Bosworth, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus wow at pre-awards season galas

Holiday ornaments, candles and oils scented with love

This winter, fine jewelry is inspired by nature's wonders

New books offer snapshots of fame, fashion, felines and fantasy

[ ENDPAPER ]

Finding the light to brighten an Easterner's holidays in SoCal

Thanks to the confluence of climate and geography, summoning the spirit of the winter holidays in Southern California can be challenging. If you happen to hail from a postcard-perfect yuletide backdrop such as rural Vermont (as this writer does), the seasonal séance can take on Sisyphean proportions.

It's not the big things you might expect. Snow is as close as Big Bear. O Tannenbaum is just as easily plucked from that empty lot on Doheny as harvested from the back 40. And, thanks to the entertainment industry, our shopping mall Santas are second to none. »