Photo: Courtesy of Motif

Staying with a friend this weekend and want to bring her something with a bit more pizazz than a bottle of wine or bouquet of flowers? Pick up one of these beauty finds and you may find yourself invited back again and again.

Motif Hand Wash: These liquid soaps—wrapped with vibrant designs—are so gorgeous she'll never guess you paid less than $5 for each.

Kat Burki Body Cream: Give an eco-conscious host something that's green and looks nice on her vanity table. Plus, this lotion comes in a beautiful, printed box that doesn't require wrapping.

Acqua Di Parma Leather Purse Spray: This purse-sized fragrance is a bit pricey, but for the friend who's letting you stay free of charge at her beach retreat or lake house is saving on hotel costs. And trust me, it smells as luxurious as it looks. Wrapped in leather, this bottle features a sliding pump that can be tucked in so it won't leak all over your friend's handbag.

Going anywhere special this holiday weekend? What are you bringing your host?

Keeping reading:

5 more unforgettable hostess gifts
14 gifts that give back (for under $100)

What would it take to change your life for the better? It may be less than you think—we’ve got mini-makeovers to help you upgrade everything from your workout to your weekend. #19: A sweet way to enjoy leafy nutritious veggies.

Photo: Gregor Halenda

Whether you're a lettuce freak or salad-phobe, you'll want to try blending greens into your next fruit smoothie. Tossing in a large handful of spinach, kale, collards, Swiss chard, parsley, or romaine along with fruit and milk makes for an emerald-flecked glass of liquid sunshine, full of chlorophyll, fiber, and nutrients. Trust us, the fruit is a master of disguise—you won't even taste the greens.

For recipes go to greenmonstermovement.com.

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Photo: Best Life

Every week or so, we'll be asking Best Life experts for advice on diet and exercise, ways to get better rest and strategies to live a little younger.

Q: What's the best way to weigh yourself?

A: We brought our FAQ's about BMI, body comp, and pounds to two Best Life nutritionists, Stephanie Clarke, M.S., R.D. and Willow Jarosh, M.S., R.D. Before jumping on that scale, read their list of weight dos and don’ts.

Do understand what your numbers mean.

Weight isn't the only measurement that matters, but it's one of the most widely-used guidelines for assessing personal health (and for determining which countries have the highest obesity rates). Clarke and Jarosh use the Best Life formula to generate what they call "an average healthy weight." For women, start with 100 pounds and add 5 pounds for every inch over 5 feet. Expand this to include a 15% window (plus and minus) to account for different body types. So a healthy weight for a woman who is 5'5" would be within the range of 107 to 144 pounds. The Centers for Disease Control uses body mass index, or BMI, to determine that the healthy weight range for a woman who is 5'5" tall is 111 to 150 pounds. (use the CDC's calculator to see where you fit in).

Photo: Thinkstock

Finding a partner in crime when it comes to navigating your love life can be challenging. Girlfriends tend to be over-supportive ("I think he's really into you—it's only been a month since your last date. Give him time to call."). Mom and dad can be overprotective and judgmental ("Independent consultant is a fancy way to say unemployed."). And then...there's grandma—a wealth of knowledge and experience, and someone who's already landed a man once.

Which is exactly why Kayli Stollak, 24, turned to her Granny Gail, 75, when she decided to jump into the online dating scene in New York City—especially since Granny (who lives over 1500 miles away in South Florida) is playing the digital dating game herself. As Stollak says, "She's a 24-hour cocktail party full of jokes, gossip, and advice." To record their triumphs (and low points), which they discuss almost daily over the phone, Stollak started a blog "Granny Is My Wingman."

Next: Find out more about this unexpected tag team and get their best advice for finding love online.

Photo: Thinkstock

Trailers for the new television series, Pan Am, make air travel look like a glamorous adventure—where the stewardesses' clothing stays perfectly pressed and the passengers seem generally cheerful and relaxed. These days? Different story. No matter what you encounter once you get up in the air, these products will help you relax at 35,000 feet and look more refreshed when you de-plane.

Next: 5 products that will turn your seat into a spa

What would it take to change your life for the better? It may be less than you think—we’ve got mini-makeovers to help you upgrade everything from your workout to your weekend. #18: Three readers share the traditions that help them savor time with family.

Photo: Thinkstock

"For Friday dinners, I had a vase stuffed with folded Post-it notes, each with a conversation topic on it, like 'What do you love most about the person sitting next to you?' When my kids were young, we'd all pick one and take turns answering. Mixed in were bonus coupons for a kid's-choice meal or free ice cream." —Lisa Rowsell, 45, Falmouth, Massachusetts
           
"It's so easy to crowd the calendar with activities, but last year we decided not to enroll our son in anything on weekends. Instead, we have Explorers Day—we take turns picking a destination. We bike or drive with grandparents, which feels leisurely because we're not racing back for other things on the schedule."  —Anne Medved, 33, Boston
           
"Deciding which movie to watch as a group used to take forever. Now my sisters and I play a game we call 3-2-1. One of us picks three movies to watch, the next narrows it down to two options, and the last person makes the final choice. It's a fun bonding game—and now no more bickering if the movie is lousy."  —Jamie Spitz, 24, New York City

Tell us: What's your favorite way to create quality time with your family?

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Photo: Thinkstock

Gluten-free cookies can be downright disgusting--crumbly, pasty, smelling faintly of beans--but they can also be delicious. To separate from the so-so from the oh-so-tasty, we selflessly sampled more than 70 varieties to bring you our favorites.

Best Chocolate Chip: Get Fresh Bakehouse Chocolate Chip
When Jeff Robbin's daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease, he decided to try his hand at gluten-free baking. After three years of research, his New Jersey team fired up its ovens and started cranking out batches of hefty cookies in flavors like Butterscotch Walnut and Oatmeal Plus (with white-chocolate chips, walnuts and dried cranberries). The classic chocolate chip--huge hunks of chocolate laced through buttery, sweet dough--was a runaway winner in our taste test.

Best Oatmeal: Whole Foods Nutmeal Raisin
Imagine the flavors of an oatmeal-raisin cookie--brown sugar, chewy raisins, almonds and cinnamon--minus the actual oats. We were suspect at first, too, but Whole Foods pulls it off with these dense, fist-sized sweets that are safe for people who avoid oats in their diet. The grocery chain offers a line of 30-plus baked goods out of its dedicated gluten-free bakehouse in North Carolina, but our testers fell hard for these ("scrumptious," "addictive") cookies.

What would it take to change your life for the better? It may be less than you think—we’ve got mini-makeovers to help you upgrade everything from your workout to your weekend. #17: If you never want to hear the words "Please enter your password then press pound" again, we have a solution.

Photo: Thinkstock

The last time you dialed in and listened to a voice mail was... when, again? Delete the hassle of message retrieval with Google's free voice mail service. After a quick setup, it automatically transcribes incoming messages and sends them to you as e-mails or text messages. Do a quick read and get on with your life.

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