While it’s not gift giving season yet, there’s always some gifting occasion for which many of us are ill-prepared.
High-end Mixology: Beautifully made (“by hand and breath”) Malfatti rocks glasses mix well with exquisite bar tools: a wood muddler, acacia and gold bottle opener, a copper cocktail set, a linen tea towel and a lil collection of recipes perfectly sized to sit on the bar cart. $210, Olive and Rose Studio (check for hours), 537 Fourth Street, Suite B, Santa Rosa, oliveandrosestudio.com
For the Lucky Kitchen: Peruvian salt, French soap and salt, and Sonoma honey. Sounds like dreamy elements to add to the kitchen. Add to that a pretty wood honey dipper and Sunday Suppers cookbook for recipe and ritual inspiration. $130, Olive and Rose Studio (check for hours), 537 Fourth Street, Suite B, Santa Rosa, oliveandrosestudio.com
Big Bottom Boom: The biscuit mix and honey kit mix that’s famous for being outstanding—and loved by Oprah—is being pared with Big Bottom’s cookbook. $40, Big Bottom Market, 16228 Main Street, Guerneville, 707-604-7295, bigbottommarket.com
California Vibes: California Folk soy candles come in “Earth” or “Surf” scents with a gemstone on top. Handmade in “very small batches” in Sonoma County. $24.00, Hello Penngrove, 10101 Main Street, Penngrove, 707-665-5759, thecaliforniafolk.com
For the Love of Cheese: French-made stainless and wood cheese knives with a Moroccan-made walnut cheese board are essential tools for a pro-cheese kitchen. $100, Chateau Sonoma, 23588 Arnold Dr., Sonoma, 707-935-8553, chateausonoma.com
Double Duty Wine Carrier: This Sonoma USA double wine bottle carrier is a perfect match for someone’s love of reds (or whites or rosés) and love of green (it’s made from upcycled banners). Hand cut and sewn in a Santa Rosa studio. $24.50, Sonoma USA, Santa Rosa, sonoma-USA.com
Birder’s Basics: This red-tailed hawk flour sack towel is screen printed with over 100 different native California birds. The detailed graphic design is the work of Sonoma County-based artist Alice Frost. $16, Alice Frost Studio, alicefroststudio.com
Peace-Seeking and Potions: McEvoy Ranch’s ODE beauty line partners with yogini-street artist Amanada Giacomi to bring you the 10,000 Buddhas beauty kit. The kit includes bath salts, oils and toners plus a ritual candle and ritual making guide. Scents featured are lavender, chamomile, rosemary, sage and lemon. $68, McEvoy Ranch, 5935 Red Hill Rd., Petaluma, 707-769-4138, mcevoyranch.com
Cap-Tastic Gifts: These Santa Rosa-made caps by Thread Revival capture Santa Rosa-made sentiments that really work well all over the place. Opera House Collective, 145 Kentucky St., Petaluma, 707-774-6576, facebook.com/Operahousecollective
Sustainable Stars: Designed locally and sourced abroad, this organic fair trade “Orion” scarf is block-printed with stars. Made by hand in India. $88.00, Indigenous Organic and Fair Trade Fashion, 110 A Petaluma Blvd. N, Petaluma, 800-664-9410, indigenous.com
Handmade Helper: Every kitchen needs a good wooden spoon so why not a handmade beauty? Available in pine, walnut or locust wood. Hardwood spoons for all your stirring needs! Pine wood is bright, locust wood the tanned in between, and walnut is the beautiful dark wood. Maker James Foske says, “These spoons are so soft you won’t want to let go.” $20 and up, 3627 Main Street, Occidental, handgoodsoccidental.com
California Cleanin’: Locally-made soaps from milk from a Santa Rosa goat farm. This golden state shaped gift basket hold soaps of many scents, each inspired by different regions: San Francisco Fog, Cloverdale Citrus, Highway One Wildflowers. $45, The Goat Farm, 1200 Ludwig Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-495-8235, goatfarmsoap.com
Give the Gift of Sock Game: The forces of fashion have deemed it a time to put some flair on your feet. Give the latest in foot fashion by offering the classic novelty sock. Now available in more styles than ever. Sonoma’s Socks on the Square has wall to wall sock options from marijuana to James Madison and all the junk foods, sports and unicorns in between. If you can’t find it here, the person you’re shopping for doesn’t exist. Socks on the Square, 450 First St. E, Sonoma, 707-996-1413, socksonthesquare.com
Old Sonoma Superlatives: A gift box starring longtime Sonoma stars, Gun Bun wines, Vella Mezzo Secco cheese, plus McEvoy Ranch’s tapenade and more. $131, Gundlach Bundschu Winery, 2000 Denmark St., Sonoma, 707-938-5277, gunbun.com
Learned in Leather: Adelle Stoll takes her leather and wool sculpting skills to home design. Each glass vase is encased in leather shaped into Stoll’s signature modern forms.
$58.00, Adelle Stoll, 6780 McKinley St. #140, Sebastopol, adellestoll.com
For the Love of Earth: A gift basket with Kleen Kanteen vessels, poppy seeds, socks and other low-to-no-waste finds for the nature lover. Complete with a little Giant Sequoia sprout for hugging and cleaning the air. Hello Penngrove, 101 Main Street, Penngrove,707- 665-5759, hellopenngrove.com
While it’s not gift giving season yet, there’s always some gifting occasion for which many of us are ill-prepared. When that birthday or visit or dinner party pops up, we’re often left wondering, “What were all those good gift ideas I’ve recently discovered but forgotten?” Here’s a collection of wonderful gift items from Sonoma stores well-stocked with unique treasures—click through the above gallery for details.
