San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Gifts sent by mail can brighten the holiday season
This year’s holiday season might seem like a big déjà vu, as people continue to stay closer to home and limit gatherings to smaller, family-only affairs. But sending a gift in the mail or via online delivery is a great way to let those you love know that you are thinking about them.
From favorite foods and wine that speak of Northern California, to gifts that remind them of past travels (a Las Vegas adventure, anyone?), there are so many delightful options to add extra cheer this year.
Just be sure to order early, as in, right away. With chain supply concerns, slowed down mail service and shipping delays, you’ll want to add in as much time for delivery as you can. art gallery, exhibit space and working studio located in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset district, displaying the work of a diverse group of Bay Area artists. You can purchase all kinds of unique art, commission a custom piece and even get custom printing on photo paper, canvas and archival papers like cotton rag and bamboo. Buy at www.thegreat highway.com.
We love our California wine, but sometimes, it’s interesting to try something different. Share this limited-edition gift of 12 international, 187ml bottles of wine in a mix of red and white wines, plus a bottle of bubbly. Sourced from top winemakers around the globe including Spain, Italy, France and beyond, highlights include a fine Bordeaux, Rioja, Pinot Grigio, Argentine Malbec, a 95-point Super Tuscan and an elegant Rosé from Provence. You can include a personalized message on the card inside the package, too. Buy at www.laith waites.com.
Contemporary men like statement jewelry, expressing their artistic side. This sleek, rock-n-roll
Director of Product Marketing Gabe.Chavez@hearst.com
Clockwise from top: The Carmel Plaza decorated for the holidays (Credit: CarmelCalifornia.com); the Aileron Estates Take Flight Experience pairs wine with flights (Credit: Bob McClenahan); Bib & Tucker 6-year Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is available to ship (Credit: Bib & Tucker); Migration Wine Tasting and Barkuterie Experience offers snacks for dogs (Credit: Migration Wine); and the Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square celebrated its opening celebration with a community skate on Nov. 3. (Credit: Brontë Wittpenn / The Chronicle)
ring is handmade from design sketch to final polishing in Oakland, presenting a slimmer, angular version of a classic signet ring for a more masculine feel. Choose sterling silver ($70), or the more bohemian, eye-catching brass ($50). Gift cards are available, too. Buy at www.marisamason.com.
Oprah’s “Favorite Things” were announced this month, and this Napa Valley bakery’s English Muffins made the list for the fourth time. If you’ve ever devoured one, you know why they get international glory — bakery owners Karen Mitchell and daughter, Sarah Mitchell Hansen, use a proprietary focaccia bread dough, dusted in cornmeal and griddled in clarified butter to give the golden brown treasures an exquisite crunchy exterior with a moist and fluffy middle like none other. This year, the muffins ship with a jar of homemade strawberry jam included. Are you drooling yet? Buy at www.themodelbakery.com.
It’s like a Sin City vacation, at home. Las Vegas’ oldest steakhouse was a favorite of Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra, and the 63-year-old, family-owned institution was recently taken over by next generation kin, Amanda Signorelli. She is a tech wizard, and has introduced an e-commerce site where you can order everything from prime filet mignon to twicebaked potatoes (just no tuxedo servers or flaming desserts). Treat friends and family to a sumptuous dinner delivered to their doorstep, like this set of two 30-day wet-aged steaks (we like sharing one ribeye and one filet), housemade Mâitre d’Hôtel butter and jus, Sergio’s famous seasoning and, because this is the tech era, a Spotify playlist for dining ambiance. Buy at www.goldensteersteak company.com.
Do good this holiday by gifting a tax-deductible contribution in your recipient’s name, to this nonprofit organization created by Lindsay and Michael Tusk, who own San Francisco restaurants Cotogna, Verjus and the acclaimed Quince. The money supports local, independent food and farming systems and their workforce, bolstering their economic viability and reinforcing the restaurant, farming and consumer community. Buy at www.feed thefuture.org.
Restaurants and their staff suffered horribly during the pandemic shutdown. This beautiful tome showcases 36 recipes from 30 of Napa wine country’s most popular restaurants, including Cindy Pawlcyn’s Mustards Grill, Christopher Kostow’s The Charter Oak, plus more casual, locally beloved recipes like Bounty Hunter’s Beer Can Chicken. Put together by Napa-based writer Jess Lander, each recipe is paired with a Napa Valley wine selected by Master Sommelier Desmond Echavarrie. Every sales sends 75% of the proceeds to Napa Valley restaurant workers and 25% to the Feed Napa Now nonprofit. Buy at www.napavalleycookbook.com.
One silver lining of the lockdown was that we rediscovered simple joys like coloring books. Even adults found happiness in working with crayons. We also ventured out more to open spaces, like parks. In this brilliant work of art, Chico artist Wyatt Hersey shares his love of biology, birding, fishing and public lands. Printed on premium matte paper, the book features stunningly detailed sketches of a dozen parks across the U.S. Proceeds support the National Parks Conservation Association and their mission to protect public lands, so they are preserved for generations to come. Buy at www.parks project.us/products/our-nationalparks-coloring-book.