It’s a party. It’s a weekend at a pal’s. It’s a teacher. A podmate. A playmate’s mom. It’s a spot on the shopping list that calls for a lot of panache but maybe not so much scratch.
Poke around tiny Pome, a girly boutique in Denver’s Old South Gaylord shopping district (1018 S. Gaylord St., 303-722-2900), and you’ll find things like a tiny travel candle packaged in a little muslin bag, a pair of elf-shoe candles and a hot-chocolate kit that includes red vintage cups and some yummy cocoa mix. Bouquets of vintage Christmas ornaments, hand-wired by Willa Fuller ($35 for small, $85 for large), really stand out in Kate Feinsod’s 6-month old shop, but if you need something more holiday neutral, pick the antique Jadite refrigerator dish ($25) and head next door to Devil’s Food Bakery for some sweets to fill it.
At Bliss Inc., a sprawling store open for a year just east of the Pearl Street mall in Boulder (1643 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-443-0355), pass by the easy choices, like Vance Kitira and Illume candles, fireplace matches in decorative boxes, white iron napkin rings and botanical print vases, and go straight to the retro-chic aprons (about $30) your hostess can use to cover her party dress.
It’s fitting that the best parts of the itty-bitty French Flat in the Tennyson Street shopping district in the Berkeley neighborhood (3903 Tennyson St., 720-941-9309) are the little things, like twig-shaped tapers ($6.50 each) and pairs of clove-scented candles ($10.50) and, from the flower cooler, Paris Pots, tiny bouquets with a petite price ($10-15) that can sit nicely on an entry hall table, or perk up a small dining table.
Four blocks up Tennyson, you’ll find Zelda’s, the go-to spot for gifts with a Western flair (4321 Tennyson St., 303-458-1561), including chile-infused chocolates shaped like stars, boots and horseshoes ($5.25). If it’s your job to bring the appetizer, bring a sleek bone and turquoise cheese knife ($12), or a silvery Nambe-style salsa dish and matching scoop ($35), too.
Dezi Gellman’s Old South Pearl boutique Polka Dots (1577 S. Pearl St., 303-282-4307) just celebrated its first anniversary so the tiny shop is stocked full of out-of-the ordinary gifts for gals. We’re partial to the handbags handmade by Dezi herself.
Plume (66 S. Broadway, 303-282-0705) has been around for a few years, but proprietor Kerry McCullough keeps it fresh with vintage and new items, including a set of vintage gold-rimmed glass dessert plates, hand painted with fruits ($14.95 a pair), and a cylindrical glass candle holder with room for three votives ($19.95). Pair that with hen-and-chick-style votive candles ($8 for six) and your holiday gift is good to go.
– Dana Coffield
