Holiday Gift Guide
Experience over objects
While waiting at the hair salon the other day, I flipped through one of the mainstream beauty magazines laying in the reception area. Full of holiday gift guides long on corporate brands and disposable kitsch, I was struck by how distasteful I found most of the recommendations. I suppose that’s because I’ve always been after experience more than objects, more interested in the things that help me do (tools, ingredients, instruments) or give me an experience (shows, travel, dinner out). It moved me to make the following alternative gift guide, which reflects both how and where I spent a lot of my time and money this year, and aims to get you or your giftees moving, reading, listening and doing while supporting local, independent businesses and conservation efforts.
Buy music: Purchasing music from an independent artist or a local record store both supports the continued creation of music by real humans while expanding your ear. Support your friends by buying their latest directly, and/or seek out new sounds via platforms such as Bandcamp. Or find rare finds at purveyors of vinyl such as Downhome Music in El Cerrito, CA or Devine Records and Vintage in Martinez, CA, both who also offer gift cards.
Buy tickets to a show: Two Bay Area listening rooms which continually nourish the local music ecosystem — The Lost Church in San Francisco and The Monkey House Theater in Berkeley — will reward you with many opportunities to broaden your musical and theatrical palate. Likewise, Thee Stork Club, the storied watering hole with a nearly 100 year history where I’ll be performing on December 21, has a great bar, dance floor, booth seating and reliably diverse music programming.
Buy books: Buteo Books in San Rafael carries one of the largest selections of birding books in the world! Books Inc. (in Alameda and beyond) has been a steady supporter of local and best-selling authors alike. Cleo’s Books in Oakland offers classes, reading, a large selection of titles and space to linger over them with a beverage or a bite. All offer gift cards and shipping.
Get moving: Buy class packs for in-person yoga/Pilates/classes. Two woman-owned studios I can recommend in Alameda are KIN (née Face/Body Pilates) and Svastha Wellness and Community Hub. Look for analogs of these locally owned, community-fostering spaces in your town.
Make music: I can’t say enough about Women’s Audio Mission, which offers both hands-on training in music engineering, a great staff, and a world-class recording studio.
Become a member of a conservation organization: Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, National Audubon, Oceana are among some of the top national organizations working to support wildlife and wild places. Seek out local chapters (a la Golden Gate Bird Alliance) and organizations (such as Marine Mammal Center) working closer to home.
There’s more I can say about shopping at museums, maker markets, local grocers and art studios, but I’m going to prompt you to search those out near you!