I've been living my new core value of when you go shopping - why not go shopping loco! That means this year I'm not going to do my shopping at the mall. I'm going to Ballard, right in my own hood where I know I can find all the right kinds of unique, local made gifts.
Like at Damsalfly. Here I found the best prices for groovy boutique items. I took my friend Scott in there and said "Pick out anything you want." Of course this is a women's boutique shop and there's only one men's rack, but I knew that anything he found for his birthday present would cost around $50. So it was.
Or how about Ella Mon? Now here is a women's boutique shop that carries Farinaz, one of my favorite local designers. AND they happened to have a sale rack on the day I went inside. I found a tux jacket for Julie that is to die for. It was a bargain. The women that work there are incredibly helpful, kind, patient. Go there.
If you want to get your hair cut for a great price, there's Rudy's. If you are hungry there's Bastille or any number of great restaurants. On Ballard Avenue, you can find/have tea, weird toys, stoves, green materials, new and used clothing...up and down the street.
It's all in that one little, NYC style hood. But it's not just Ballard, find out what your neighborhood has to offer. Then offer something back. For Thanksgiving we volunteered with ElderFriends. That was amazing to spend a few hours with a lonely elder person on that holiday. Sure it made me miss my parents, but hey, they're gone. I better find some new ones.
Don't get me wrong, I'm big on travel and I love holiday vacations. But this year, we're staying home, because just like the song says, there's no place like home for the holidays. To all of you who helped to make this year great at Up your Creative Genius, thank you and I hope to see you around town!
(At Swanson's with the REAL REINDEER!)
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