Gift Ideas

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:13:00 -0700

There are so many rules to gift giving in the world, it’s impossible to keep up without Miss Manners giant hardback book. But we know one simple rule that applies across the board: Don’t forget Mother’s Day. Be it the woman who gave birth to you, one who raised you, or just a mom you know that’s making it work each day, these ladies deserve some extra love.

Take a tour of our gift ideas to lavish moms with a little extra treat to say thanks for all they do.

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Trophy Case: March's Best PDX Stuff

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:55:00 -0800

Slide Show: Trophy Case | March's Best PDX Stuff

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:51:00 -0800

From a plywood camera to a new outdoors magazine, here's what Portland's making.

Two New Local Chocolatiers

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:00:00 -0800

The Sweetheart Box from Marushka Chocolates packs fifteen handcrafted chocolates into one sweet package.

Sweet! The next wave of the Portland Chocolate Revolution has crashed onto the scene just in time for Valentine's Day. Say hello to Marushka Chocolates and Roll Chocolates, two new confectionary companies handcrafting top-shelf treats from local ingredients (along with the requisite eye towards sustainability).

Marushka Chocolates

Who Makes 'Em: After seven years of traditional confectionary production at Pix Patisserie, pastry chef Leila Ellis launched her line of ethically-sourced, sophisticated chocolates boasting grown-up flavor combinations in December 2012. Her specialty is delicately molded chocolate—made from single-origin Chocolate Cordillera from Columbia, a company that creates direct relationships with cocoa farmers and their communities—encasing adventurous seasonal fillings.

The Line-Up: Gorgeous collections of chocolates in chic eco-friendly packaging, with flavor combos like Black Currant Caramel, Jasmine Pearl Tea, Coffee Cardamom, and spicy Salt & Pepper Caramel (made with Thai bird chilis and red chili flakes). Also look for Marushka's Love Bars filled with luscious caramel fillings—think cognac caramel with vanilla fleur de sel and beer caramel made with Hair of the Dog's Adam beer).

Where You'll Find 'Em: Marushka's online pop-up shop is located at marushkachocolates.com, and you can sign up for their mailing list to find out when the shop is open for new orders. The shop is now open for Valentine's Day pre-orders, so get on it! Ellis also takes custom orders at 503-752-9350.

Roll Chocolates

Who Makes 'Em: With a shared love of skateboarding and a shared dream of owning their own sweet shop, Heidi Kreis and Melissa Ballantyne launched a line of dreamy seasonal bon bons at the Lake Oswego Farmers Market in May of 2011. The pair use top-shelf Valrhona chocolate to craft their handmade confections, and have teamed up with Portland artisans like Jacobsen Salt Co. to infuse their treats with local flavors.

The Line-Up: Roll's current short-and-sweet list of chocolate offerings includes Dark Chocolate Walnut, Dulce de Leche Mocha, Coffee Caramel, Black Hawaiian Sea Salt Caramel, Cardamom Caramel, and their best seller, the Jacobsen Sea Salt Caramel. The flavors shift with the seasons—think local berries, spirits, and tropical treats when the weather's right.

Where You'll Find 'Em: Roll Chocolates are regulars at the Lake Oswego Farmers Market, and can also be found at CorksCru, Goose Hollow Gardens, the Adrift Hotel in Long Beach, Washington, and all Made in Oregon shop locations. Follow the Roll gals on their Facebook page for updated info about special events and pop-up shops.

Still looking for a locally-powered Valentine's Day gift for your sweetheart? Both Marushka and Roll Chocolates can be found in the jam-packed gift baskets from KitchenCru—along with treats from Mr. Happy Confectionary Delights, Oregon Bark, and Sterling Cookies—available here.

Trophy Case: February's Best PDX Stuff

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:58:00 -0800

Local textile designer Rio Wrenn hand-dyes lingerie for her RAW brand. For her latest line and a Valentine’s-timed showcase, she branches into loungewear inspired by dance and yoga. Live showcase Feb 7 at Secret Society; rawtextiles.com

Image: Courtesy Raw Textiles

Slide Show: Trophy Case | February's Best PDX Stuff

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:55:00 -0800

50 Gifts Under $50

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:56:00 -0800

With only 15 days to go, shopping is slipping from fun to frenzied mode. Keep calm; we’ve rounded up 50 perfect gifts that are by local makers, from local shops or just scream “Portland.”

The best part? They’re all under $50.

Top Picks for Arty Holiday Shopping

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:18:00 -0800

Socks get holes, iPods break, sweaters rarely fit, and toasters are rarely cool. What then can you give that’s unique, memorable, and capable of bringing joy for years to come? Art, of course! (And crafts). It’s the perfect gift: it shows thought, creativity, and support for the artists and makers who labor to bring beauty, texture, and color to our lives that would be downright black and white without it.

There’s a plethora of splendid places to buy art this time of year, whether you’re searching for high-end prints, gorgeous artist books, or, yes, hand-knit socks (holes are more fashionable when they’re in one of a kinds). Here’re some of the stores and fairs where you’ll find PoMo editors doing their holiday hunting, in addition to our annual gift guide.

Also consider: season subscriptions to your favorite theater or dance company = gifts that give all year!

PoMo’s the Geek's Guide to Gifts
Portland is a city of geeks. And we don’t mean that as an insult. Our obsession with everything from smoked ice to custom-built bikes has created some of the country’s most cutting-edge restaurants and celebrated designers—and a citizenship that craves such craftsmanship. Embrace the fascination this year, and indulge your most beloved geek with one of these local gifts.

Give Good Gift Pop Up Shop, the Portland Bazaar, and Crafty Wonderland
This weekend the stars align with a trifecta of local shopping events that give harried shoppers a reprieve with dozens of the best local goods all within a half-mile of each other. PoMo’s Shoptalk blog has more on all three, and At Home focuses specifically on the Portland Bazaar (a definite stop for Culturephile—you'll see us wrestling At Home over Kinetic's windup walking cardboard Elephant kit).

At Home also offers a guide to the West End's pop up shops, including Boys Fort and Tinselbox.

Prints for PICA
Every year since 2003, the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art has brought together over 100 artists to its pop-up printmaking shop for a day of artmaking and creative exchange. The result is hundreds of original works by Portland’s best artists, ranging from the well known to the just starting out, available for sale with all benefits going to PICA. The quality of the work is matched by the atmosphere, where shoppers can interact with the artists while mingling with drinks and live music.

Ampersand

Portland’s New Boutique Bookstores
Borders and Barnes and Noble might be closing across the nation, but there's a new breed of highly curated, independent bookstores cropping up in Portland—stores that feel like galleries and that treat books as objects to be handled, collected, displayed, and gifted. Read our Culturephile article about the stores and view a slideshow of favorite things—things that would make perfect gifts—from the owners of Ampersand, Division Leap, Monograph, and Reading Frenzy.

Three of these stores and a slew of other small stores and presses will also be selling their rare books, vintage photos, publications, and more at the Publication Fair on Saturday, Dec. 16.

Shopping for Culture
Often overlooked, museum gift stores are one-stop shops to find smart, beautiful gifts while supporting some of our best cultural institutions. PoMo’s At Home blog has a roundup of Portland’s best, along with a more detailed story about the Museum of Contemporary Craft’s newly redesigned Gallery Store.

For more about Portland arts, visit PoMo's Arts & Entertainment Calendar, stream content with an RSS feed, sign up for our weekly On The Town Newsletter, or follow us on Twitter @PoMoArt.

Trophy Case: December's Best Local Stuff

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:18:00 -0800

WEAR THIS Stone & Honey’s looped fall necklaces, earrings, and bracelets count early-modernist craft jewelry, weaving, and textile techniques among key influences. “I wanted to reflect my own sense of style,” says Teresa Robinson, whose previous work featured harder angles, “and keep work fun and exciting.” stoneandhoney.com

Image: Courtesy Stone & Honey

Slide Show: Trophy Case | December's Best Local Stuff

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 12:55:00 -0800

A guide to Portland's coolest products and ideas