Customers of Lori Shifter, proprietor of The Silver Lady are already aware that the shop carries a wide-range of fabulous jewelry. For those who are unfamiliar with The Silver Lady, which has been located at 4736 McPherson for 10 years, Lori handpicked several items to feature here including a dramatic Squash Blossom necklace, third from left, $775. Other gift suggestions offered are, from left, lovely pearl earrings, $148, and matching pearl necklace, $360. Filigree earrings, third from left, are $88, and a simple cubic zirconia necklace is $68. Striking rings are available in lemon quartz, $495, blue topaz, $525, or peridot, $490. Far right, a "Lucy Knot" necklace on green multi-cord leather chain is $565. Lori's dry wit is offered free.
The Silver Lady, 4736 McPherson, Holiday Hours: Mon. to Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-4, (314) 367-7587.
Before describing gift suggestions from Left Bank Books, shown in the photographs above and below, here is an important public service announcement: Left Bank Books offers free gift wrapping and same day delivery for in-stock items, $5, within the city limits (top that Amazon! And no drones either!). Orders must be in by 2 p.m. for same day delivery. LBB offers personal shopping too!
Fantabulous manager Wintaye (Wintai) Gebru (just spend 5 minutes with her & you'll know what I mean) pulled together the following: From top left above, Plenty More, $35, by Yotam Ottolinghi (author of cult favorite Jerusalem); All the Light We Cannot See, $27, by Anthony Doerr; and local author Carol Shepley's St. Louis, An Illustrated Timeline, $36. Wintaye added, "We're wild about anything St. Louis around here!"
Second row from left -for children- Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, by Mac Barnette, $16.99; John Lahr's Tennessee Williams, $39.95, chosen because Williams lived in the CWE (immortalized by the bust outside Grigon on what is known as Writer's Corner), and Lahr's book won the William Flannery O'Connor prize; The Short and Tragic life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs, $27, amazing, though tragic story; and Japanese author Haruki Marakam's The Strange Library 107, $18, described by Wintaye as "complicated, dreamlike, written by a master-magician," suitable for teens on up.
It was news to me that Left Bank Books started its own publishing house, "Mixed Messages Press," and chose A Wedding Song for Poorer People by Alfred DePew, $16.95. for its first publication. And finally, lower left above, a great family game for all ages, The Storymatic Rememory, A Lifetime of Memories in One Little Box, $23.95. It's suggested as wonderful for writers too, as the game helps stimulate the imagination…just ask several of the writers on LBB's staff! They love it!
In the children's section from left, Ryan Nusbrekol's The St. Louis Night Before Christmas, $12; 50th Anniversary edition of The Giving Tree, $16.99; Once Upon an Alphabet, $26.99, by Oliver Jeffries, described as "complex and beautiful stories created for each letter"; Pete the Christmas Cat, $16; Shh! We Have a Plan, $15.99, by Chris Haughton, a funny read-aloud book for toddlers on up. Front, My First Book of Girl Power, $9.99, a visually striking book for girls (and boys) ages 1 to adult (big girls love this book, and why not?).
At top above, Animalium, a gorgeous first encyclopedia for children written by Jenny Broom and illustrated by Katie Scott, $35.
One of many fabulous illustrations found in Animalium, above.
Left Bank Books, 399 N. Euclid, Holiday Hours: 10 to 10 every day, 10 to 6 December 24, closed December 25, (314) 367-6731.
Poke around the eclectic Shelton Davis Antiques at 4724 McPherson for a while and you're bound to find many unusual gifts, including a rams-horn candle holder, $295, above.
Or you might spot this lovely gold English cup and saucer, $100.
In the shop's lower level there is a large collection of vintage ornaments priced from $2 to $5. Proprietors Jon Davis and Dan Shelton collect ornaments year 'round and put them out during the holiday season. The holiday stag pillow, above, is $35.
Shelton Davis Antiques, 3724 McPherson, Mon. to Sat. 10 to 5, Sun. 10 to 4, (314) 361-2610.
Indie Mats' proprietors and CWEnders Emma Hand and Brooke Williams have set up shop in The Vino Gallery, 4701 McPherson. They've put together kits to chronicle Baby's First Year in photographs, see above. The kits, packed with twelve frameless mats and imaginative labels, etc. normally sell for $77, but are available to readers of this blog for $60. Mention the blog when you stop by.
Indie Mats' decorative frames are available individually too, $9 to $15. Packages of photo-ready Gift Tags and Ornaments are $18 (for readers of this blog $11, in store only). The sets include 5 "coins" and 6 "window tags," which make 3 front-and-back or 6 single-sided tags.
Indie Mats, 4701 McPherson, Mon. to Sat. from approximately 9 to 3.
CWEnder Wade Crowder has popped up again running The Sample Sale, also inside The Vino Gallery. The pop-up, which occupies half of the shop space (Indie Mats is in here too) is stocked with great felt hats, $10, and many, many scarves, $15 to 20. Gloves and mittens were in short supply when I was there recently, but Wade was expecting a new shipment tout de suite!
The Sample Sale at The Vino Gallery, 4701 McPherson, Tues. to Thurs. Noon to 8 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun. Noon to 6 p.m.
Gift books at Centro Modern Furnishings are displayed alongside the designer's furniture, including Castiglioni's Mezzadro stool designed in 1957, $990.00. The seat is available in aluminum, orange, red, yellow, white and black. The book published by Phaidon, $59.95, is a complete catalog spanning architecture and product design & includes well-known designs for Zanotta, Artemide and Alessi. Other books on display are The Contemporary Garden, $29.95, and The Design Book, $19.95, filled with examples of objects that have shaped our society.
Shiro Kuramata's Storage Tower, designed in 1970, is $3825. The photo shows Kuramata's book with Essays and Writings by Phaidon, $150.
Centro carries designer Tom Dixon products including a set of 5 hand-formed bowls made of single sheets of copper, $195, which makes them amazingly light. The handsome bowls are food-safe.
Dixon's oversized statement-worthy salt and pepper mills, above, are $75 and $85. The turned white marble mortar with brass unlacquered pestle, $239, makes mine look like its poor cousin. What a gift!
To shed light on a subject anywhere, Centro carries LED FLOS "OK" lamps that attach to the ceiling and then plug into an outlet The lamps are also dimmable, $695.
Centro Modern Furnishings, 4727 McPherson, (314) 454-0111.
Be sure to vote for your favorite holiday windows while you are out shopping! It only takes a minute to fill out the ballot. I'll be posting photographs of the windows over the next couple of days. And more gift suggestions next!