Fred and Sali's Serendipitous NYE, Plus My Favorite Teas Countdown

Happy New Year from Mr. & Mrs. Fred and Sali Kimmel (aka Fred and Sally band)

Fred and I are serendipity, kismet, destiny. We met at a corporate Christmas party in 1993 when I had a Japanese TV show, and Fred was an in-house composer for the production company where I recorded my voice-overs. I also had a position where I could bring various CDs to suggest the background music to my directors, none of which were of my own music because I only had demos at the time, save for the opening TV theme song that my boss had magnanimously let me sing. When Fred and I talked at the year end party, he had just heard me sing a jazz standard at karaoke; he, one of the only non-Japanese people in the room, introduced himself to me as a producer. I was pleasantly surprised to find out he was not a video producer but a music producer.

Years later, we followed the threads of 6 degrees of separation from the New Year's Eve when he and I were gigging across the street from each other -- he, performing at Lido's catering hall, and I, singing at Tito Puente restaurant in the Bronx, to the times we simply bumped into each other, once for one of my own show's locations for which he was called in to be interviewed about the NYC music industry, and then, 4 years later, boom; we met again at a Sam Ash Music Store in my hometown, Forest Hills, where I went shopping for a keyboard. This time, he looked properly managerial in a shirt and tie. I gave him my number. He lost it, but got it back from a mutual friend. I joined the band he was in. We fell in love. The rest is history.

So, as you can imagine, New Year's Eve holds a special place in our hearts, like a second anniversary day. Each year at this time of year, we reminisce about New Year's Eve and other gigs we played together since we became inseparable. I like to do something nice with him besides be there for that midnight kiss. This year, I plan on trying out a recipe I found online for Serendipity 3 Frrrozen Hot Chocolate (link to recipe). I even got an ice cream sundae bowl that looks like a trifle bowl to be shared by two, like the Upper East Side restaurant's mascot comic couple, a quirky, curly-haired queen and her beau, the handsome devil himself, are seen sipping from the same glass, lost in each other's puppy dog eyes. If forever puppy love had a taste, it would be the shared glass between lovers at an old-fashioned soda fountain...but please, make mine Serendipity 3.

These days, I try to keep sugar out of my drinks because I eat entirely too much candy. I tend to forgo starchy sweets like cakes to waste all my sweets calories on Albanese Gummi Rings (peach!), confetti almonds, candy canes and occasionally, chocolate, because who can resist? So far, I'm happy drinking my teas without sugar, but the mint chocolate tea I made and mixed with matcha powder, matcha-sencha tea and milk (pictured below in a limited edition 32 fl. oz. Ball Perfect Mason jar) would have tasted way better with sugar.

Here's the short countdown of my favorite teas of 2025:

5. Bigelow Perfect Peach

4. Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion

3. Harney & Sons Chocolate Mint

2. Yamamotoyama Organic Matcha Sencha

1. Chatramue Thai Tea Mix

I like cold brewing peach tea in seltzer to make sugar-free peach soda. Yamamotoyama's Matcha Sencha is even better in the organic version. I think it tastes more like matcha, the deeper green tea, and the color seems more vibrant, too, but maybe I'm just steeping it longer.

Thank you for reading! I hope that after you've digested our love story, you're saying the equivalent of a Japanese phrase that's spoken with gratitude after a meal and doubles as polite euphemism: "gochisou sama deshita," (added on 12/29 at 1:12 PM): a phrase which, in context, is not unlike "Get a room." Fred and I wish you a Happy New Year with love from NYC! 🎉🪩

My original illustration for Fred and Sally's 25th Anniversary

Upcoming music release: "Friendzoned Forever", lead ballad single from Crystal Rhapsody, starts 12/22!

Upcoming music release: "Friendzoned Forever" by singer-songwriter Sali O is being re-released on all major online platforms as the lead ballad single from the new album, Crystal Rhapsody beginning 12/22. It's not the first song that was released as a single from the album, but I feel it's the strongest and most emblematic of my style and work as a singer who accompanies herself on piano/ keyboards. Please add my song to your playlist, and give a shout-out when you do, so I can thank you personally. Happy Holidays!

Santa, Doscher's, and Le Parfait Mason Jar

(L to R) Le Parfait Familia Wiss French Mason jar (24 fl. oz.), Ball Perfect Mason jar (32 fl. oz), Classico Atlas Mason jar (16 fl. oz.)

I'm rehearsing for the purrfect layout for Santa. Traditionally, we here in the States leave milk and cookies out for Santa on Christmas Eve, and he either comes through the chimney or, I imagine, shape shifts to come in, the magical being he is. This year, I'll leave Santa these cute little Italian wedding style favors I made instead. I think he'll probably pass them off to Mrs. Santa, and La Befana, anyway, because I think most guys, like my husband, Fred, who we all know very well by now is also a musician and chocolate aficionado, think of sweets like these sugary confetti almonds as "girl food." All he could say about these delectable delights that I think taste like French macaroons (I've read somewhere that the macaroon originated in Italy), is that they don't have any chocolate in 'em. As I've said before, he loves chocolate a lot! However, he has his limits when it comes to confections.

Le Parfait Familia Wiss French Mason jar

Here's what I discovered this week: After long searches for the ideal, microwavable Mason jar, I came across this Le Parfait French glass jar. It says, "Familia Wiss" under Le Parfait, which most certainly looks like "familiar with," but means "The Wiss family," and "wiss" meaning "screw," as in, a screw jar. It's heavy and large (24 fl. oz. size), with a wide mouth (not standard size) and no shoulders for easy access to all its edges, and the silicone sleeve I bought for the 32 fl. oz. Ball jars fits it perfectly, though a little loosely, making it easy to take on and off. I tested it out by microwaving half a jar of water in it with the sleeve on, and in 2.5 minutes, I was able to make ramen in it. Just don't hold it at the bottom where there's a hole in the silicone sleeve.

Instant ramen noodle soup cooked in a Le Parfait Mason jar

Ball Mason jar fairy lights lantern with silicone sleeve

The sleeve fits tightly on the 32 fl. oz. Ball Mason jar it was designed for, and it just so happens that the white color I got was translucent, so I'm now using one to put a shade on my fairy lights. My Mason jar lamp was already pretty, but now, it's even prettier because it emits a softer light, like a paper lantern, although it's no flimsy thing, but a substantial focal piece. If your hand can fit inside a regular mouth Mason jar like mine, you can leave the battery pack right there, but you might want to use white electrical tape to secure it onto the neck finish (thread) for better control of the switch.

About those Doscher's Hanukkah Candy Canes: They look gorgeous for a display in vivid blue and white. The candy canes are thick, like those old fashioned candy sticks I had at a candy store in Fleischmanns one summer, to almost justify spending $7.50 per box of 5 canes, but they taste like hospitality mints, with that same kind of airy, not-quite-hard texture, making them lightweight to boot. A little more sweetness would have sufficed. It was great fun, but I'm a Spangler and Brach's girl 4 life!

So, now, please let me show you what's on the tray: First, here's the box of Doscher's Hanukkah Candy Canes with the sweetest friendship bracelet I was given this year on top. The beads on it are soft like silicone, colorful and shaped like so many fun things: a radiant heart, dog paws, a smiley face star, a football; then, there's a dangling, shiny metal cross charm.✨️Be careful that no one thinks a bracelet like this is candy. I've seen candies made to resemble charm bracelets lately.

In this corner, I put some charms I made, like my zipper pull of a gold Asclepius snake or an Italian horn, a mini lanyard with a horseshoe charm, a wire-wrapped, crystal-beaded unicorn horn charm or ornament, and 3 cross charms I studded with 4mm Austrian crystal glass rhinestones. The Puritans would frown upon such a display of decadence combined with a religious theme. I also left an Emotional Support Pickle charm there for anyone who needs it. Oh, and speaking of candy, there is candy out there that resembles my unicorn horn, too, specifically the Unicorn Pops, or spiral shaped lollipops. Don't eat my good luck keepsake, though it looks tempting!🦄

In this corner are my bomboniere in that Christmassy, yet generically festive winter unicorn theme that's dreamy and befitting for next year's Chinese horoscope: The Year of the Horse, with hope it'll be the luckiest year, yet, for Salicorns! I even bothered to stud the carousel horse charm on it with 2mm acrylic rhinestones in rainbow colors. I've only made one of these so far.

Last but not least, what's this, you ask? This is how I'll leave milk for Santa: "double-walled," wink, wink. Take it easy this holiday, dear Salicorn. Happy Holidays, and I hope to see you *fly* back here on alicorn wings in time for New Year's Eve!🎉🪩

Holiday Bomboniere with Confetti Almonds

It took a whole day to make these traditional Italian party favors called bomboniere with a non-traditional twist, but here they are, in all their dainty decadence. I've created each one with a unique design, although some, I made in pairs. The theme is generally festive, from Christmas to Hanukkah, Happy New Year to unicorns. I think they turned out okay, except the tulle circle was a bit small to wrap 5 confetti almonds and still have enough tulle left over to create a billowy fan on top, so I added an extra piece of tulle in the middle before I tied the ribbon around the gathered area. After that, I clipped on one of my zipper pull charms through the ribbon knot, and on some of them, I also used tiny double-sided adhesive to add a larger bow, with a piece of unicorn confetti, the kind you use for a table throw, on top.

Confetti Crispo almond on right side

I used two different kinds of almonds: Confetti Crispo, which I find to be of superior quality, and an American brand of thin shell Jordan almonds in pretty pastel colors which tastes more overtly vanillic, varies more in size, and has a shiny surface that the smooth, matte Italian confetti doesn't have. I made a few favors using only Crispo, and a few with the other brand. With the latter, I mixed up the colors a bit, to give them a festive unicorn look.

I started out by spooning 5 almonds inside a small cellophane bag. I discovered that you have to wrap them into as compact and even a shape as possible, so that the weight of the almonds sit in the middle of the tulle circle which will become the bottom part of the favor. Hold the favor in your hand and try to gather the tulle evenly on all sides before you knot the ribbon around it. Once you decide where you want to tie the ribbon, stand the favor up on a flat surface, then tie the ribbon tightly so that the longer, added piece of tulle in the middle doesn't fall out. Once that's done, you can design it any way you want.

When I look at my bomboniere, I remember singing beautiful Italian songs with the Italian wedding band Fred and I used to play in: "Vivo per Lei", "Strani Amori", "Ancora, Ancora, Ancora". I had heard the principal singers in the band, Greg and Maria, sing these songs perfectly on every gig, so, when the time came for me to perform them, I knew I had big shoes to fill. I also remember gigging with the band well into my 8th month of pregnancy, and I'll forever be grateful to them that they kept me working every weekend. Our firstborn, Claudia, is going to receive these favors in a lovely acrylic footed apothecary jar, and after that, well, you know it -- we're going to be counting down to 2026! Before that, I think I'll share what kind of goodies I'm leaving for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. I feel I should leave one for La Befana as well, just in case she stops by.

Holiday Teatime with Italian Confetti

Winter holiday teatime: I'm obsessed with these delicious Italian confections in my Mason jar. ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ Have you ever had these, say, at a wedding reception? Stay tuned, and I'll show you what I'm about to do with them in time for Christmas.