PDD Gift Guide 2009
By brian on Nov 23, 2009 in For Sale, Recommendations
The time to spend money we don’t really have is upon us. So why not give that money from the future to our friends and neighbors?
With that sentiment in mind, the folks at Perfect Duluth Day have compiled a selection of locally produced goods and services to add to your shopping list. Click on the pics below for details about each item.
This fabulous showcase is by no means comprehensive, of course. We at PDD would like you to contribute to it through the comments. If you know of a local something special for that special someone, let it be known.
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- Chico Bon Bon
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- Family Photos
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- WooHer Romantic Concierge
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- Sailing on the Hjordis
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- Cheese and Sausage
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- Dog Treats
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- Epicurean Cutting Boards
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- Chester Creek Kid’s Keyboard
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- Agreed! Game
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- Tim Kaiser Gizmo
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- Kenspeckle Letterpress
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- Growlers o’ Beer
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- Taconite Jewelry
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- Fashions by Cut Loose Creations
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- Connolly’s Tom And Jerry Batter
DVDs from homegrown filmmakers 4 Track Films -- email sales@4trackfilms.com or go to http://www.4trackfilms.com!
Photos are an awesome grandparent gift. Aaron Molina (moeview.com) and Ariel Katzmark (akatzmarkphotography.com) have both done really nice work for our family.
I would love a gift of teas and such from Duluth botanicals (dandelionrevolution.com)
There must be some Duluth-based Etsy shops, too. Links, anyone?
Don’t forget the essential cocktail attire from Rachel Hart’s Apron Elegance:
apron-elegance.com
Here’s a shameless self promotion:
Everything is on sale at X-Comm online, your one-stop shop for Duluth History--up to 66% off!
And X-comm and Duluth’s Holy Cow! Press will be teaming up for a book sale at the Spiritual Deli on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 12 -- 4. Seven local authors will be signing books and we’ll be serving refreshments as well. Prices cut up to 66% off--many titles just $5--and if you spend just $20 on X-comm products, I’ll give you a free Art Print or a copy of “Greetings from the Arrowhead: North Shore & Canoe Country.”
More details at http://www.x-communication.org/xcomm/sales/HolyXcomm.html
Alakef (dotcom) has lots of fresh, locally roasted (right down the hill on Superior Street in the old Bridgeman’s/Kolar building) caffeinated wonderfulness for you to give, as well! We’ve even got a bunch of gift boxes just for the holidaze to make shopping easier!
If it were any fresher, it’d still be on the tree…
Alakef Coffee Roasters also make chocolate-covered espresso beans. Yummy.
Get yourself some doodles from the likes of musician Steve Earle. (That’s his doodle above, from his stop in Bayfield this past summer.)
The folks at Big Top Chautauqua asked visiting artists like Earle to contribute their scribblings for an auction, which starts on Friday, Nov. 20 at 5:30 p.m. and runs for 10-days on eBay. The proceeds all go to benefit Big Top Chautauqua.
There’s doodles by Keb’ Mo’, Joan Baez, Suzanne Vega and even a collaboration between the Indigo Girls and Brandi Carlile.
In addition to the artwork, dozens of signed posters from the past season will be available for bidding.
Pictures and links to all the items going to auction are available on the Big Top Chautauqua Web site.
@ paul: don’t forget the Manitou River Blend…concocted by me…
This is an awesome post! Almost every locally owned store has gift certificates or gift cards, too. Perfect gifts to give the Wal-mart shopper in your family to encourage them in a positive way to shop locally. Keep up all of the fantastic suggestions!
Northern Waters Smokehaus
*News!!!
Took 1st place in Armandino Batali’s Salumi Salami Challenge in Seattle, a national competition.
Need I say more?
Big deal … I win a salami challenge every morning. BuddaBing! Sheezow! Really though, these guys make a dynamite salami.
The Club Saratoga sells camouflage T-shirts. I think it’s so people can get out of there without being seen.
Seriously though, there are camouflage T-shirts with the Club Saratoga logo in a display case near the entrance. If you’re planning a Saturday of intense holiday shopping, the best way to chill out afterward is Jazz at the ‘Toga, from 3 to 7 p.m. And you can pick up a camouflage tee while you’re there.
Made in Minnesota Gift Guide from Minnesota 20/20
Wear-a-Knit in Cloquet makes custom knit winter hats, beanies, scarves, mittens, earbands and stadium blankets.
Quit buying stuff, perhaps:
Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank
Animal Allies Humane Society
Electronic Freedom Foundation
Or something more of your recipient’s flavor.
Following Adam’s lead … anyone can buy me a Tom & Jerry at Carmody. Anytime…
C-freak deserves it. She bought me one last night. They were the first two Tom & Jerry’s of the season at Carmody, so we were told. Strangely, the container of batter was almost empty. I like to imagine Eddie Gleeson is eating it straight from the container when no one’s looking.
This might be stretching the word “local” a bit, but …
Based on a recent post, I know many PDD readers dig the Replacements, so it bears mentioning that The Replacements: All Over but the Shouting: An Oral History, by Jim Walsh, was recently released by Voyageur Press of Osceola, Wis.
To make up for the moderately local suggestion, I’ll throw in an ultra-local suggestion:
Mere Mortals is the latest from local rawk stars Cars & Trucks. Buy the album at the Electric Fetus or whatever tracks you desire on the band’s MySpace.
Local native Erik Pearson has a nice art/gift selection at http://www.cafepress.com/ErikPearson.
I’m totally rawkin’ the surly reindeer this year.
I’m going to assume that Zra is referring to a seasonal beer from the Surly Brewing Co. of Brooklyn Center, Minn.
If not, I’m sure he’ll be in the newspaper soon, between the exercise ball slasher and the deer carcass molester.
I think he means the PDD holiday shirt with Brian Barber’s artwork, which is also a part of the link to this post over on the sidebar over there. Yonder.
Doh! It turns out I’ll be rawkin’ the surly reindeer myself this year. How embarrassing.
For 4 years my husband and I produced a Duluth calendar. For the last few years we switched to non-dated items -- including Duluth notepads, bookmarks and notepads. We have 5 different lift bridge pads available and this summer added 6 new Northland nature with Lake Superior or North Shore on the pads.
Earlier this month we added a Duluth Matching Game -- Lift Bridge edition with 15 pairs of Lift Bridge pictures. Good simple game. Find the pairs. These will be for sale as the two upcoming local art & gift fairs that I organize -- the Get it Local fair at the Peace Church, 1111 N. 11th Ave. E., Dec. 5 from 10 to 3 p.m., and at the Dec. 8 Get Great Stuff evening gift fair at Duluth Congregational Church, 3833 E. Superior St., 4:30 to 8:30. About 35 local artists will be participating in each fair (only 5 overlap in both fair -- so do visit each fair).
The Get it Local fair also has local nonprofits including Mentor Duluth, Friends of the Duluth Library, Community Action Duluth, Humane Society of Douglas County and several others.
Consumable gifts will also be for sale -- wreaths, chocolates and new this year will be a Make It area with Bohemia Arts leading kids activities from 10 to noon, Dye a Silk Scarf from 12 to 1 and Learn to Felt from 1 to 2 p.m.
Info on the fairs and the Duluth items are at wendyupnorth.com. Thanks for supporting local artists.
P.S. I’m also showing the Lakeside History video I made this Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) at 2 p.m. at the Lakeside Lester Park Community Club at 54th Ave. E. and Tioga. Free.
@ Paul: surly reindeer…a’la Brian Barber graphic tee…
I named him Lou Bataglia, and he was really pissed about having to work on Christmas.
Thanks for this discussion!
My mom and I spend time today shopping on Superior Street and in the DeWitt Seitz building. I was reminded how many great little shops there are in Duluth and had so many gift ideas.
Two and Company in the DeWitt Seitz building had a lot of nice stuff.
Duluthian vintage shopper extraordinaire Kate Lindello has a great Etsy shop. Visit her blog with highlights from the shop at
hellovictory.blogspot.com
Thank you much for the “gem” comment about “Agreed the Tournament Game of Inspirational Wisdom.” The magic happens when played with friends and family. Nice over a beer too. All the help to share this win/win game with the world is very much appreciated.
That meat market looks awesome.
If you’ve got the ching: Loll Designs
Commission your very own work of art!
http://www.whitneysaurer.com
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is selling State Park Gift Cards. They can be used for campground fees, rustic camper cabins, vehicle permits, equipment rentals, gift shop items and so on.
Two more music options: 1) Beaner’s Central is selling the past three volumes of “One Week Live” wrapped together in a bow for ten bucks. Available on the counter next to the register. 2) The new Moors & McCumber disc is available on JamesMoors.com and at the Electric Fetus.
A new giclee print.