*Dear People I Know in Real Life, You should probably stop here.*
I was at Veggie Grill on Sunday having one of the best dates ever...by myself. It was raining outside, and I sat next to the window with my big ol' sandwich and my holiday to do list and the annual food issue of the New Yorker, trying not to eavesdrop on the not-best-date-ever going on next to me (lots of talk of energy and the yin and the yaaang) and being so, so, so very grateful for my husband and the totally normal way he pronounces yang and the fact that he doesn't do it very often. It turns out that Veggie Grill is having a special right now where you get a free entree when you buy a 30 dollar gift card. I did that. Now I want to do all of my holiday shopping in that fashion. Unfortunately nothing else on this list comes with a free sandwich, but they're all still really, really good:
- Any Oliver Jeffers book. (The 6-year-old penguin lover is partial to Lost and Found
, the 3-year-old with an odd sense of humor can't get enough of Stuck
, our good pals love The Incredible Book Eating Boy
, and I adore them all and am considering giving up my job to become a groupie and follow him on the road. Oh, and he has a new book out that I haven't had the chance to read yet, called This Moose Belongs to Me
. I think the boys are about to get another present.
- Level Naturals Shower Bombs. But really I love everything from this young L.A. based company.
- Space Pod. A mom at the preschool alerted me to these super cool, inexpensive, low-stuff, toys that foster creativity.
- Cheese. I mentioned recently how much I love Miyoko Schinner's new cheese book. The book itself would make a great present, but I'm also planning on aging some wheels of cheddar for a vegan or two on my list.
- A class: I love experience presents and a cocktail crafting class at the Domestic Institute of Technology would be awesome.
- In a similar vein, but way cheaper, I am totally digging Ken Abala and Rosana Nafziger Henderson's, The Lost Arts of Hearth & Home: The Happy Luddite's Guide to Domestic Self-Sufficiency
.
- Your very own Vegan TV Food Network with Everyday Dish TV or Spork Online: The three-year-old and I have spent the last two days on a Spork Marathon. We learned how to make potato chestnut soup while we did the dishes, mini lime cheesecakes while we chilled on the couch, and tropical granola parfaits while we got dinner ready last night. The Goldberg sisters are knowledgeable and likeable teachers and make all sorts of vegan fare super approachable. For a one time fee you get access to all of their classes online, making this a pretty perfect present for your vegan sister-in-law in Sacramento. And am I assuming too much to think that Julie Hasson's Everyday Dish needs no introduction? Her own recipes are great, plus she manages to cull the best vegan recipes from cookbook authors and chefs that come teach classes in her sunny Portland kitchen.
- Vegan Cuts Snack Box. Because who doesn't love getting snacks in the mail?
- Merilee's Simple Handmade Castle Toy. Felix and I are going to make this for Desmond. Don't tell. She also has lots of other great ideas for simple handmade toys on her beautiful, crafty design blog.
- Richard Scarry's Busy Town Board Game
. This is my favorite game for little kids. You work together instead of against each other, and it's not totally irritating if you get roped into playing.
What would you like to add to the list?
