In my many years as an assistant I have been tasked to come up with gifts that are unique and make an impression. It all started with a boss that went on a retreat and connected with a man whose personal philosophy was driven by the story of Don Quixote and some pilgrimage to La Mancha . She told me all about her "break through" she experienced because of this man, and how she wanted to honor his philosophy with a gift. She asked me to find something "windmill-y" or inspirational or from La Mancha-- oh, and I need a few options by noon. It was 11:02.
I was 25. I lived at home, I hadn't traveled, I hadn't really done anything notable in my life, except one thing; I knew how to shop. The internet was just starting to go main stream. At the time, I thought I was pretty hot stuff knowing about eBay.
As I typed in Don Quixote into the search field, I wondered who would have La Mancha related merchandise. Surprisingly, quite a few people. So I had options on her desk at 11:25. Three days later, we mailed out a wooden Don with a fawning note. My boss was delighted and thought I was so clever. Me, I discovered the joy of spending other people's money, especially wealthy people's money.
Here is a list of my go to places for impression-making gift giving:
Gumps -- San Francisco based. www.gumps.com
Home gifts, desk related, stationery.
Where the SF elite register for their weddings. Where hipsters who made some internet money go to upgrade their newly purchased SoMa loft with their freshly minted money.
The Paris Market & Brocante -- Savannah, GA based http://www.theparismarket.com
Home gifts, strange items, bath products, medical specimens-- really.
It is like walking into the attic of your old southern aunt who traveled in her youth and now tends to hoard.
The Red Flower - New York based http://www.redflower.com
Organic -- key in these green times-- candles and bath products.
Still a bit undiscovered, which raises its cache. As soon as Oprah finds out about this place, everyone will order here.
Bubbles - old college haunt that has delighted more than a few Los Angelistas
http://www.bubbles-arcata.com/
Hippy, dippy, and everything that is right with small batch bath products. The essential oils are combined to make scents that stay on your skin and in your memory banks. Special shout out for the Rain scent. Humboldt County knows its pot and its rain. No, Bubbles doesn't make THC or hemp scented products.
Cupcakes are a go to item. Here are my bi-coastal favs:
http://www.cupcakecafe-nyc.com
Cupcakes topped with icing flowers so pretty they can bring a tear to your eye. They deliver in Manhattan.
http://www.susiecakesla.com/
The first cupcake place to put icing inside the cupcake. Also, they do holiday themed cupcakes-- Halloween cupcakes that would make those smug stay-at-home-moms shut up about their organic locally farmed slowcooked bananazucchinicarrot bread contribution to the school bake sale.
My newest find is The Mindful Nest
www.mindfulnest.com
Two shops in one; a local artisan collective whose pieces have a unique sense of humor and style along with a bath products shop in the back called klean. Klean's founder concocts her magical soaps, candles, and home fragrances with names like Beach House, Winter Spirit and Sea.
OK and one more goody. Need to send champagne for a great opening weekend box office? Going to your buddy's house for dinner and want to take a bottle that doesn't break the bank. When in the market for wines, stogies, chocolate, and booze--call up my little gem, Red Carpet Wine in Glendale. You get A+ service, access to some of the best pricing in the basin and they ship everywhere. I like their website, but call for best service. And seriously, you don't need a G4 to afford to shop there, they have some of my favorite bargain wines.
www.redcarpetwine.com
Happy shopping with your or someone else's money!
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