How many times have you been invited to someone’s home, and you’ve brought along a bottle of wine? We’ve done that. A lot. And I don’t know the first thing about wine. I really don’t. And that’s rather sad, when you consider that my uncle ran a Napa Valley Vineyard. And now owns a successful ’boutique’ wine shop in Sonoma. In fact, he supplied all of the wine for my wedding. Because my father? Who was footing the bill? Well, suffice it to say that not just any wine was going to do. He is a bit of a snob…

But then there’s me. This is the extent of what I know of wine: red? It goes with meat. And pasta? And it’ll give you a headache. White? Um, fish? I think?

So let’s just say that the consummate host or hostess gift? Not so good, coming from me. Now, if you want a good liquor? We’ll show up with some Grey Goose. And if it’s beer you prefer? Have that covered, too. But wine? No.

So last week, when I received a really lovely package from Peacock Republic, it occurred to me as I was opening it in front of my friends that I should encourage them to look away. Because I was not sharing.

The scent that wafted out? Delicious. Chai tea, lemongrass, lavender. The packaging? Infinitely chic. There is nothing more satisfying than having a gorgeous bottle of liquid soap next to your kitchen or bathroom sink. Really, seems a little nit-picky, but I want everything in my home to be gorgeous. Including my soap.

But… even better than gorgeous? It’s good for you. They use only good, clean ingredients. You know, ‘green.’ Nothing weird in this soap. And it’s luxurious. And it’s… the perfect hostess gift. And you don’t even have to wrap it. These little bars of heaven are wrapped up in the most lovely paper and ribbon. And I absolutely adore the paper: it has wildflower seeds embedded in it. Just drop the wrapper in a container of some sort with soil, and water. Pea and I? We’re doing some container ‘gardening’ with these little pieces of paper this weekend. And the bottles? Are beautifully designed.

The next time you go to someone’s home and want to take along a little something? Any one of these soaps would be a gracious hostess gift. Amidst all those bottles of wine on the counter, these soaps will stand out.

So, the bars of soap were promptly swiped by Pea, who put them in all of the bathtubs in the house. She then went back to all of the bathtubs that were not her bathtub, and took them back. I later found them lined up on the side of her tub. The kid knows what she likes, and she likes pretty things that smell good. I’d really like at least one of those bars back, but I have about as much luck of that happening as I do of my two friends returning the two bottles of liquid soap that they swiped.

The site promises more good things to come in the future. Like stuff for kids. I love stuff for kids.