Trendspotting

When it comes to hues, red is par for the holiday-dressing course: red bows, dresses, sweaters — often (and sometimes unfortunately) paired with green. We love the festive feel, but we do firmly believe that there's a chicer way to do it. The proof is all right here — a pack of celebrities and street-style standouts (more on that below!) who've made the case for just a pop of the statement color. It's the real-life evidence of that a-little-goes-a-long-way adage, not to mention a seasonal, but less literal interpretation of the holiday dress code that you can apply to your everyday (not just your party) ensembles. Take a page form Diane Kruger's styling manual and perk up an easy white and black palette with a pop of red on your sunglasses, or take the high-wattage hue to a pair of statement heels. And, if you're looking to really get in the spirit of things, you don't have to commit to a red dress for your Chrismukkah festivities — just add a touch of holiday cheer with a ladylike clutch and coordinating pumps.

See how the street-style crowd styles the look and get more of our tips — it's all after the break.

Remember last year's big bottled-juice trend? Well, it appears to be moving beyond juice bars and into cocktail bars. At an increasing number of venues across the country, health junkies and boozehounds have a place to convene and enjoy their gin with fresh-pressed ginger.

At Soaked in Manhattan's Mondrian SoHo, guests can lounge on the rooftop with "orchard to bar" cocktails, such as the 100 Mile Margarita, made with apple, pear, pineapple, and wheatgrass juice. LA's Parisian-themed cocktail lounge Pour Vous offers a new take on carrot juice with pear eau de vie, and Verveine Velay Jaune.

We had a chance to sample the trend here in San Francisco at Nectar Wine Lounge, which has recently launched a juice-centric brunch with Thrive juicery. In lieu of mimosas and Bellinis, customers can choose between Day at the Spa (apple, cucumber, fennel, and mint), Pink Pearl (strawberry, pineapple, pear, mint), and True Blood (red beets and navel orange), all with Baron de Seillac sparkling wine. "It's a fun way to offer the benefits of fresh-pressed juices and the already well-known benefits of wine consumption," owner Chris Potter told us.

What do you think of the trend? Could you see yourself getting behind, say, a kale margarita anytime soon?

Roasted bone marrow, the affordable luxury food item, has been experiencing a surge at restaurants. Normally, I can't resist the cheese plate on a dinner menu, but recently, I'm forgoing the brie for gelatinous, roasted bone marrow, slathered generously atop crusty bread. One of the most famous preparations of roasted bone marrow is at St. John restaurant in London, where the medallions are topped with parsley, capers, and lemon juice to cut through the fatty richness. Anthony Bourdain claimed it used to be his "death row meal."

However, chefs are breaking away from the traditional pairings and serving bone marrow with unique, unusual accompaniments. Recently at Saxon + Parole in NYC, the bone marrow was glazed in miso and served with an olive marmalade, lightening the dish with its briny and citrusy flavors. Wolfgang Puck's Cut restaurant in Las Vegas serves a bone marrow flan with mushroom marmalade and a parsley salad. In San Francisco, Marlowe restaurant serves bone marrow with salsa verde to give it a zesty freshness.

Some still serve bone marrow in two-inch medallion pieces with a small spoon to scoop the inside, but lately, I'm seeing bone marrow cut lengthwise and roasted open face. I prefer this preparation, which allows the bone marrow to develop a caramelized, slightly crunchy crust. What is the strangest way you've eaten bone marrow lately?

While li hing mui (and not li kung hi, as I've embarrassingly and incorrectly called it for weeks) may be foreign to most American palates, it's as popular in Hawaii as dried chiles are in Mexico. Hawaiians sprinkle the sour, plum-based powder, pronounced lee-hing-moo-ee, on just about any snack food: dried mangos, gummy bears, and even dried squid. And, despite it typically turning up on convenience-store treats, it even has a place in fine dining. Contributing editor Sara Yoo encountered (and couldn't get enough of) the zingy powder at Alan Wong's Amasia in Maui, where the chef prepared a tomato and cucumber salad, drizzled with li hing mui dressing and a sprinkling of rare Kauai sea salt.

Keep reading to find out how it fared on our unaccustomed palates.

Ever heard of the kouign-amann? If you haven't, you will soon.

This pastry emerged out of obscurity last Fall to make a splash at various spots in San Francisco. But given its rapid growth over the past year, it's likely it'll be in bakeshops across the country sooner rather than later.

The kouign-amann (pronounced "queen a-mahn") hails from Brittany, France; think of it as a cross between a croissant and a palmier, with layer after layer of buttery, flaky pastry on the inside, yet caramelized with ever-so-slightly-burnt sugar on the outside. Our favorite thus far, which comes from Oakland's Starter Bakery, also comes in a chocolate version and a seasonal fruit version in addition to the classic rendition.

The Breton pastry's hit California big time — it's available at Starbucks-owned La Boulange locations, as well as Whole Foods Markets in Northern California and at Thomas Keller's Bouchon in Beverly Hills. But it's also big in Salt Lake City, where bakery Les Madeleines has been serving the KG since 2004. In New York, it's a big sell at Bouley and Dominique Ansel; in Chicago, at Floriole and Alliance Bakery; and even in cities like Seattle and Indianapolis. Both the pastry and the name are (quite literally) a mouthful, but this is no doubt a trend that's going to continue to grow. Have you had one yet?

Photos: Anna Monette Roberts