Michele StuevenFrom pans to plates, snacks to SmorgasMart, and a sweet touch of Tahitian Gold, here are some sweet and entertaining gift ideas for the holidays.
The new Our Place in Venice on Abbot Kinney, designed by Mythology and Ringo Studio, features the brand’s mission-driven kitchenware that took the market by storm with its Always Pan. The store is a shopper’s dream, with recycled ceramic tile surfaces, lime wash walls and bright colors. The selection of products is displayed with a museum-like feel and sculptural displays. A back deck with a long tablescape showcases the brand’s new tableware. Other items like the Perfect Pot from the Selena Gomez collection, as well as Black Friday deals are also available on the website.
Smorgasburg opens on the Sunday after Thanksgiving with all the popular food vendors, as well as the launch of the annual holiday market. There will be the regular holiday market shopping aisle as well as a new Holiday Food Gift SmorgasMART, featuring food-related gifts like specialty popcorn tins from Buttery Popcorn, Holiday themed trays of chili covered candies from Lula’s Goodies, Japanese knives from Kirei Knives, and more. It also will feature pop-up shops from some of LA’s best curators, like Carla’s Fresh Market,who will be bringing an assortment of gifting goodies every week. Just inside the gates of Smorgasburg, the Holiday Market is free to enter and is open every Sunday between Nov. 27 and Dec. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Build a Board Box (Courtesy The Gourmandise School)
The Gourmandise School at Santa Monica Place will offer curated gift sets in addition to its full schedule of festive cooking and baking classes this holiday season. The gift sets feature locally sourced products like chocolate and other home items. Gift set options include the “Locally Sweet” with local honey and display pot, “A Toast to Hollywood” with the tools and guidebook for classic movie cocktails, and the “Chef in Training” to prepare young, aspiring chefs and more. Fun classes to gift include a long list of signature courses and workshops featuring various cuisines, techniques, baking and pastry classes.
Prosperity Market founders Kara Still and Carmen Dianne have curated four special holiday collections – Flavor, Snack, Self Care, and Produce – featuring some of their favorite local Black-owned businesses. The order option launches on Prosperity Market’s website on Black Friday, Nov. 25, and closes Dec. 15. Local delivery (fee applies) and pick-up will be available on Dec. 17. For more holiday shopping opportunities, Prosperity Market will host an in-person pop-up on Dec. 3 at the Original Farmers Market. Items include Ghanaian umami pepper sauce from Gloria’s Shito, dairy free cream cheese from Misha’s Kind Foods, artisan mango, blueberry and strawberry lemonade preserves from Happi Jams, “Testimony” seasoning from My Daddys Recipes – “Testimony” seasoning and sauces from Got Damn Sauce (choice of mumbo sauce and lemon pepper hot sauce.)
Prosperity Market gift set (Asha Mone)
The L.A.-based Tahitian Gold Company is a vanilla lover’s dream, offering everything from vanilla sugar, whole beans, ground beans, extract, a variety of the hard-to-find vanilla paste and even vanilla salt. It’s not cheap, but a little goes a long way. Or, start off with an explorer gift pack that includes 3 oz of Tahitian Vanilla Sea Salt, 4 fl oz of Three-Bean Blend Whole Vanilla Bean Paste, two Tahitian Select Vanilla Beans, 8 fl oz of Tahitian Select Pure Vanilla Extract, and 6 oz of Tahitian Vanilla Sugar. Add a tablespoon of the sugar to your cranberry sauce — it’s like pixie dust.
Always a winner: One of our all-time favorite farmers market vendors, Arnett Farms, has a delightful selection of produce-inspired gifts including their pie-in-a-jar fillings like cherry, apple and peach, as well as their butters including pistachio and gingerbread almond. There’s also an assortment of jams including peach bourbon, Meyer lemon ginger marmalade, mission fig with orange zest, tangerine with chili flakes and strawberry lavender. Mix and match and make your own personalized gift box. Available online and at the Mar Vista, Culver City, Sherman Oaks, Calabasas, Playa Vista, Hollywood, Studio City, Larchmont Village and Manhattan Beach farmers markets.
Small vanilla gift box (Courtesy Tahitian Gold Co.)
For exclusive Italian products you won’t find anywhere else, head over to Giadzy. Meticulously curated by celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, the selection includes meal kits for pasta night, a La Dolce Vita box of goodies, spices, holiday cookies, sweets, condiments, olive oils and other products with recipes on how to use them.
You can never go wrong with a gift card. This year, North Italia will offer a limited time promotion where those who purchase $100 worth of holiday gift cards will receive a complimentary $20 bonus card. Purchases can be split between multiple gift cards adding up to $100 (i.e., buy five $20 holiday gift cards or two $50 holiday gift cards for a $20 bonus card). The cards are available online and in-store from now through Dec. 3 at all restaurants. Bonus cards will be active immediately after purchase and redeemable through Jan. 31.
NORMS is partnering with Make-A-Wish’s local Greater Los Angeles, Orange County and Inland Empire chapters for a special gift card promotion available now through the remainder of the year. Purchase $50 in NORMS gift cards and get a $10 bonus card. Purchase $30 in gift cards and get a $5 bonus card, plus, $1 from every gift card sold will be donated to Make-A-Wish. Cards are available online and in-store from now through Dec. 31 at all restaurants across Southern California and bonus cards will be valid from Jan. 1 through Feb. 5.
Now through Dec. 31 purchase a $25 Juice It Up! gift card in-store and get a $5 bonus card and a free small classic smoothie. The bonus card is valid for in-store redemption only.
Arnett Farms at the Culver City Farmers Market (Michele Stueven)
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