Red Envelopes and Gingerbread

UPDATE: I found a VIRITUAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE for those non-bakers in the group. The blog Allsorts has a link to it. Here's that link.

This is two posts in one because I got a gift for "someone" from Red Envelope but they don't know yet and it's PERFECT. The hint is the title.

Because I shopped w/Red Envelope I got this email I'm sharing w/you all:

Thank you for recently choosing to shop with us. As a thank you, we would like to extend our Friends + Family discount to you. SAVE 20% ON ALL GIFTS NOW THROUGH DECEMBER 14. Enter FRIEND2007 in the promotion field or click through this email for automatic savings. Happy Holidays from Red Envelope!

Enjoy and shop fun!

There are gingerbread houses going up all over the place. Want to go see the edible edifices? having Hansel & Gretel nightmares? cliff's notes: They eat the witch's house and she kidnaps them and something about putting her in the oven and something about bread crumbs. The important part is eating the house.


Here are a few places to go brought to us by the letters X.M.A. and S. and also our friends at UrbanBaby Daily NYC:


Annual Church Street School Gingerbread House Decorating Workshops
Kids from 2 to 92 can decorate their own secret recipe gingerbread house with sugarplums galore. These magical houses are almost too pretty to eat, but you won't be able to resist. Inquire about the special adult workshops.
When: Dec. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 & 16; Saturdays 2:15pm & 4pm; Sundays 11am, 1pm & 3pm;
[Cost]: $95 per house (includes everything).
Where: Church Street School for Music and Art, 74 Warren St. (bet. Greenwich & West Broadway), 212-571-7290, churchstreetschool.org.


Gingerbread Adventures
Taste, touch and smell the spices and other ingredients that comprise these elaborate kid-sized gingerbread houses dreamed up by the pros. The confectionary creations include kid-sized gingerbread house to explore.
When: Through 1/13/08; Weekdays 1:30-5:30pm, Weekends 10am-5:30pm.
Where: The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx River Parkway & Fordham Road, Bronx, NY, 718-817-8700, nybg.org.

Animal House
Chelsea Market hosts the 5th annual Gingerbread Homes for Animals pastry exhibit, featuring animal-inspired edible gingerbread dwellings created by leading pastry chefs. A portion of funds raised (through donations and the sale of aprons and pins) goes to the Picasso Veterinary Fund.
When: Dec. 8, 9, 15 & 16, 10am-6pm;
[Cost]: Free.
Where: Chelsea Market, 75 9th Ave. (bet. 15th & 16th St.), 917-239-9229, rational-animal.org .


Soutine
Pick up a holiday gingerbread kit at this UWS pastry shop. Depending on how crafty you feel, choose an assembled, ready-to-decorate house, a DIY version to build or try it from scratch.
When: Open Mon.-Fri. 8am-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm.
Where: 104 West 70th St. (bet. Columbus & Broadway), 212-496-1450, soutine.com.


There is also a gingerbread house show at the Mariott Marquis. Info from NYMag.
Find the info here. Also note (from the comments) that "the houses can be found on the hotel's 8th floor, and will be on display for the next two weeks."


Definitely go check it out. Here's a preview from the link above: