Portland Monthly's 2015 Gift Guide
Image: Jessica Lawson
For the swing cuff in her Dea Dia line of handcrafted jewelry, Brooklyn transplant Jessica Lawson uses hand-crushed pyrite druzy to accent a simple brass bracelet. $60 at Tender Loving Empire
Image: Mike Novak
Friends who really care give the gift of local vinyl. This year, opt for The Decemberists’ What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World, Sleater-Kinney’s No Cities to Love, El Vy’s Return to the Moon, Pure Bathing Culture’s Pray for Rain, or Pfarmers’ Gunnera. $17–22 at Music Millennium
Image: T Project
Pick up- one of the T Project’s small-batch organic teas—like the Marrakesh Express, with Mediterranean spices and Oregon peppermint and spearmint—in a pretty canister for connoisseurs. $22 at T Project
Image: Mike Novak
Furniture maker Elliot Stith uses sustainably harvested western maple and Oregon walnut for his wooden serving slabs—complete with a handy recessed dish for nuts or olives. $105–250 at elliotstithfinewoodworking.com
Image: Woolrich
Woolrich’s Chalet Socks are the perfect hybrid of slipper and sock: cozy knit wool epitomizes comfort while rubber footpads prevent any unwanted slippage. $70 at Animal Traffic
Image: Mike Novak
For its latest release, local bitters company Bitter Housewife teams up with Bull Run Distillery, using Bull Run’s American Whiskey as the base for a barrel-aged cocktail complement. $22 at New Seasons
Image: Shinola
Shinola just opened its first Oregon outpost in West Burnside’s Blackbox building: a fitting home for its famed line of leather accessories, including the dapper Runwell Coin Edge Watch. $600–800 at Shinola
Image: April Brimer
Hillsboro ceramicist April Brimer sculpts each one of her whimsical Pursuits of Happiness gemstone pitchers and accompanying teacups by hand, allowing slight imperfections to underscore the charm. Pitcher $150, cups $48 each at Backtalk
Image: Mike Novak
Have a Dudeist in your life? They’ll appreciate this classic Pendleton muffler featuring the jacquard weave that appeared on Jeff Bridges’s iconic sweater in The Big Lebowski. $70 at Pendleton
Image: Caravan Pacific
Reflect the glow of that special someone with Caravan Pacific’s handcrafted Sullivan table lamp, made from matte stoneware with a linen shade and deep mahogany or walnut accents. $185 at Red Sail
Image: Mike Novak
With its an eye-popping sequence of 150 infographic maps—charting everything from racial diversity to security camera locations, ghost sightings, and breweries arranged by bitterness—Portlandness: A Cultural Atlas should be required reading for newcomers and natives alike. $25 at Powell’s
Ara takes the standard backpack into luxury territory with sumptuous leather, hand-braided straps, and multiple interior compartments. $530 at West End Select Shop
Image: Kept Goods
Banish the unsightly packaging from the kitchen counter and embrace sleek, slip-cast stoneware storage vessels from Kept Goods—they keep ingredients handy but pleasantly hidden. $60–75
at keptgoods.com
