You know that friend of yours who always upstages the $10 bottle of wine you pull out of your purse when she shows up at parties with the most adorable, clever little trinket wrapped perfectly in a colorful vintage gift bag? Well that smug bitch probably has been shopping at Lula Mae for years now. It's a small Pasadena shop filled to the brim with all the things you didn't know you wanted to give someone. Bacon-flavored lip balm? Yes, please. Oversized bottles of retro chic bubble bath? I'll take two. They have something for every party, shower and anniversary in your calendar, as well as the delicate gift wrap and clever card to tie everything together into a whimsical present that you can honestly say took barely any effort at all. Could you get out of Lula Mae with an entire year's worth of party favors in 15 minutes? Probably, but browsing is so enjoyable that I encourage you to stay for much longer. And don't forget to pick up a few gifts for yourself, because you're that smug bitch now, and you deserve it. 100 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena; (626) 304-9996, lulamae.com.

—Nora Crutcher