Holiday Hospitality through Shopping The Hospitable Place by Colby Smith NOV E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 71 As the holidays approach we think of entertaining, holiday shopping, the company of friends and family. Stressful? Or enjoyable? It is all in how you approach it. Create a fun adventure for yourself to prepare for visitors. Or share an excursion with them for overview of the unique community in which you live. Both can make any holiday visit lively and memorable. Here are a few of my favorite treasures for food and gifts to make the holidays an adventure. The Oxbow Market in Napa is the perfect place to start our excursion with a cup of Ritual Coffee. Both the coffee and the mix of artisan shops are crafted for a boost of energy to start off the day. Enjoy the mix of tasty resources for food delights for entertaining and the gift consignments. Next wander over the Napa River on the First Street bridge to enjoy some wonderful shops. West End Napa always seems to have the perfect gift or a little treat for myself. Elizabeth and Katherine have an elegant collection of locally made decorative items to embellish the style of your presentation. Right across the street is the Gordon Huether Gallery, with glistening glass art that is extraordinarily beautiful, wonderfully functional and totally irresistible. Another local artisan showcase is Grand Hand, wonderful for original functional art in clay, fiber, jewelry and more. Their eclectic selection of treasures comes at a comfortable range of prices. Moving up the Valley, the oh-so-charming town of Yountville’s Festival of Lights (ongoing throughout the holidays) is a sparkling backdrop to illuminate the holiday spirit. Their historic V Marketplace 1870 is filled with 16 diverse and alluring shops. The very trendy Sisters is upstairs with clothing for both women and men, as well as jewelry, shoes and boots. Peruse the latest styles that you can confidently give as gifts to your young, trendy friends. . . or perhaps as a little reward for yourself for the hard work of all this shopping. Speaking of men, those challenging friends/loves that I find so hard to buy for, Kane, on the first floor, makes it easy. They have great casual men’s clothing that will make your men look even more handsome. Kohler Chocolates is another one of those shops I can’t leave without indulging in a little something for myself and for those sweet items that garner rave reviews from my guests. Bring home their scrumptious almond bark and beautifully decorated truffles to spread out on a board for an after-dinner sugar treat. It is by far the best chocolateria in all of Napa County and beyond. Want to take a little Napa Valley home with you? The Mars Lasar Gallery has picturesque photography that will sustain the memory of the seasonal vistas of Napa. St. Helena brings me back to simpler times with a typical main street. . . Aha, but this is a very special Main Street. Shops with locally harvested olive oil, like St. Helena Olive Oil Company with oils, balsamic vinegars, herbs and rubs, gift combinations all harvested locally. Or enjoy the Napa Soap Company with their ecofriendly, beautifully aromatic soaps and other bath and body indulgences, all made locally. If you catch them on the right day you can watch the soaps being made. Now with all this exploring, this just might be the time to stop into Model Bakery for a latte and a pastry, salad or sandwich. Refortified, walk the street for all the variety it has to offer. Don’t miss Amelia Claire for clothing, shoes and boots, one of my favorites. Rene, the owner, has a wonderful sense of style and offers well-priced fashion statements. One other shop that is full of wonderful gift items is Findings. They have a vast and creative selection to choose from. I have been able to do a big chunk of my holiday shopping just in that one shop of very affordable and fun options. It’s always a pleasure to share places that I think will entertain, and I hope this inspires you to do more exploration on your own. Colby Smith is the Founder and Executive Director of CANVAS (the Concierge Alliance of Napa Valley & Sonoma). Her passion is customer service and strengthening the hospitality relationships and education in Wine Country. Enjoy your holiday experience! Oxbow Market, 610 1st St., Napa: www,oxbowpublicmarket.com West End Napa , 1460 First St., Napa Gordon Huether Galery , 1465 First St., Napa The Grand Hand, 1136 Main St., Napa V Marketplace , 6525 Washington St., Yountville • Sisters, Yountville • Kane, Yountville • Kohler ’s Chocolates , Yountville • Mars Lasar Galery , Yountville St. Helena Olive Oil, 1351 Main St., St. Helena Model Bakery , 1357 Main St., St. Helena Napa Soap Company , 651 Main St., St. Helena Amelia Claire, 1230 Main St., St. Helena Findings, 1269 Main St., St. Helena
NVLife_NovDec_2013
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