The Napanista Gift Guide 2019
You guys! There are only 16 shopping days until Christmas! Yikes, where did the time go? I always wait until after Thanksgiving for holiday prep (decorations, toffee making, holiday cards) but since this year Thanksgiving was so late, we lost a solid week! I can’t keep up! If you are in the same boat, maybe this year’s Napanista-approved holiday shopping guide will help you! Please refer to last year’s list for some ideas too… I am sure I will be adding to this one, as I feel there are treasures out there just waiting to be discovered! Feel free to message me with your tips and suggestions (napanista@me.com). Just a note about this list…some items are local, some are not, but all are cool and 100% Napanista Approved!
For the Entertainer
1) Gabriel Glas
I discovered these a while back and fell in love with the beautiful design and the idea of one glass for every varietal. Yes, I know it is almost heresy but this glass really is special and we now use this glass exclusively at home for everything from bubbles to cab. Of course, if you do a side by side taste test of a really good cab in a specially designed Riedel cab glass and put that next to the same wine in the Gabriel Glas, even I would probably say there was a difference in the taste. However, to me, the advantage of storage savings in the bar cupboard outweigh the slight difference in taste. The price point of $30 a glass means that these are expensive, but I justify it by calculating that I am getting three glasses in one! A few wineries in the valley have switched to these glasses as well for their tasting rooms, so it must not be that big of a difference? These are available online, at Hudson Market (Oxbow), and at Close Du Val (we got a six pack there and did a tasting at the same time!)
2) A very special cheese board
This personalized board was given to me as a hostess gift, and I love it so much. Lately I have really started appreciating the art of the cheese board -not to just throw a bunch of cheese and charcuterie randomly, but to take more care. I am still learning. I hope to master it, but it is very much like composing a painting, or like flower arranging. It is all about the balance, the colors, the textures and the composition. The board is your canvas! Here are some ideas: 1) a personalized board 2) an extra long board for the length of the table 3) and antique style board, these are available at Vintage Home on Main Street in St. Helena
For the Gourmand: A care basket of Napa goodies
Limited Edition with Cover Artwork by Kelleen Sullivan
This is a repeat from last year! I have a few of my favorite things that I like to put together in a bag or basket of goodies. First of all, a 6 pack of Model Bakery muffins. They made Oprah’s holiday list two years in a row and yes, they are that good. Get them fresh at The Model Bakery and pick up a jar of local orange marmalade from Hudson Greens & Goods. Model Bakery muffins are now available at Whole Foods in Napa as well! Add a bag of Napa’s best granola by Local Eden (also at Hudson) - any variety but I am especially fond of the peanut butter maple and the macadamia coconut ginger. Then you can throw in some chocolates or a bottle of cabernet sauvignon chocolate sauce from Anette’s, a bottle of bubbles from Schramsberg, local olive oil, and top it off with a sleeve of Thomas Keller caramel sandwich cookies (you will have to make a trip to Yountville to Bouchon bakery for these but avoid going on a weekend if at all possible unless you like meeting people in line). Let’s add one more thing to this beautiful care package - a wonderful coffee table book, Wine Country Women, highlighting the amazing women of Napa Valley!
For the Wine Enthusiast who is also a Conservationist
We love the wines from Okapi Wines. It is a tiny winery tucked into the valley floor, Oak Knoll District, producing some lovely wines in a very limited quantity. The 100% estate grown cabs and red blends come from the property’s Jungle Love Vineyard-I just really love that name- and have been winning all kinds of medals. Sauv Blanc and a limited quantity of rosés are also in the portfolio. Here's the really awesome bonus: a portion of proceeds from the purchase of these wines go towards the Okapi Conservation Project, an endangered species in the Republic of Congo. The Okapi is a really cute animal that is zebra/giraffe-ish, so by drinking or gifting this wine, you are doing a good thing for wildlife conservation! They do a beautiful gift wrap for the holidays, or you can opt for the personalized wooden box (though if you are in a time crunch, maybe save this for a big milestone birthday gift!)
For the one who needs some pampering in her life…
1) I guess everybody needs a little pampering at this time of year, and with all the parties and outings during the holidays, this might be just the thing. First of all, a gift certificate to Whirlwind - the blow dry bar in downtown Napa. If it were me, I would sure appreciate a punch card of 5 blow outs, and a make up session by Shanel (she is truly an artist!).
2 A pampering package by Liv & Grace Skincare. I recently got hooked on these skin care products, and I just need the world to know about them! They are wonderful, and from a Napa local, Cindy O’Brien, a “holistic aesthetician”. My friends and I especially love her Super Seed Oil that rivals the Vintner’s Daughter oil, at a more competitive price. Yumminess for your skin! For the holidays there is a really good deal for a mini travel pack of the Super Seed Oil, Rescue Hydrate moisturizer, and Goat Milk Hydrator - usually $99 but now $79. Snag that and get in on this before Goop discovers it and tells the world about it, and it won’t be our little secret anymore.
For the Early Adopter
Two gizmos for the gadget lover!
1) First of all, the big cooking trend is no longer the Instant or the Air Fryer…make room for the Su Vide! I have the Anova bluetooth enabled. Its easy and fun and the best part is that it takes up very little space. Skip this part if you are already a Su Vide wiz. This is how it works..let’s use steak as an example, though salmon, chicken or any protein can be used. You put each filet into a plastic ziplock (you can add a little salt and pepper or seasoning), fill a pot or any vessel with water - they sell clear ones online and that is what I have because I like to see the food cooking. Then you drop you little packages of steak into the water so they are submerged. Next, you stick the Anova so that the bottom is submerged in the pot and set the temperature using the app (or on the gadget itself). Next, the Anova will circulate the water and heat it to a certain temperature as per the guide on the app. For example, 2 tenderloin steaks will be held at 124 degrees for 45 minutes. This process cooks the meat safely while keeping all the juices sealed in. It is pretty miraculous and it is how most of the steak you get served in a restaurant is so juicy. Once the 45 minutes are up, you remove the filets from the bags, and then you can quickly sear your steaks for that yummy caramelized flavor.
2) Now for another essential gadget. How about the new LED teeth whitening trend? Well, after some years of coffee drinking and red wine, I have climbed on that bandwagon and I have found a product that I like a lot! It is by Primal Life Organics, which means it does not use bad chemicals or peroxide. I don’t know exactly how the technology works, but I can tell you that I do see a difference! It just plugs right into your phone, and you use it for 15 minutes a day, at first for 4 times a week and then as needed. It doesn’t hurt at all, and I have very sensitive gums.
A better gift for the whole family… nicer than matching PJS’s
I discovered Sabah leather slippers at last year’s St Helena Winter’s Market, and really loved the idea of them. Leather slippers, in a rainbow of colors, each made by an artisan from one family of craftsmen in Southeast Turkey. They are meant to be worn barefoot and mold to the shape of your foot over time, and the more you wear them, the better they feel. A few months ago they opened a shop in San Francisco but you can also find them online. Here is my word of warning though…sizing can be a little tricky. Their brochure advises to get your shoes snug because they will loosen up with wear- but that didn’t do me any favors and I initially got one size too small! It also may be personal preference, but I suggest you size up. I wear an 8 to 81/2 which is usually a European 39, but I went with the size 40 after being very unhappy with the 39’s. Luckily my friend was happy to buy the 39’s off of me, as these slippers are not cheap…but they will last for years!
