Unique LA: Spring 2011

So excited for this! I've gone the past two years and have had so much fun each time! Unique LA is held downtown at the California Market Center. The miniscule cost of $10 gets you a full day of entertainment, arts, crafts, shopping and free drinks provided by IZZE! There's awesome food there too. I tried my very first avocado popsicle last year which turned out to be surprisingly tasty. If you decide to go Saturday, May 7th you can get or make something special for Mom, because Mother's Day is that Sunday! How perfect is that?

Vendors Shown: Wolfum, Sass & Peril, Stacey Winters, Homako, Graf & Lantz

Unique LA : December 11 & 12

The largest independent design show in th US is back! Unique LA was so fun last time I went and I'm thrilled to go back again! It will even better this time around because I get to knock out most of my Christmas Shopping... "Unique" is the special quality we're a looking for in gifts this holiday season- so I'm totally excited to go back and see what I find!

Admission includes:

• Free drinks & a hosted bar (IZZE, Honest Tea, Dry Soda, Function, and cocktails by ROOT)

• Unlimited re-entry for both days

• Your very own collectible tote bag, exclusive to each show…

The Holiday artist is secret for now, but the Spring tote was designed

by LA graphic designer Keith Scharwath! Sweet.

• Free eco workshops and cool handmade activities all weekend, brought to you

by Your Daily Thread , 826LA and Common Thread Studio.

• Family/Kids creativity zone and seating area

• Access to giveaways and door prizes all weekend long

• Souvenir copy of the Vendor Directory + Mini Magazine

Boy Oh Boy!

I don't know about you, but I often dread shopping for boys! I think it has something to do with the fact that they seldom enjoy shopping for themselves! They buy what they need, and save for what they want- rarely treating themselves to something outside of the box... which is usually what gift-giving is all about! Now that the holidays are here, it's time to start thinking about what we can get for those lovely lads in our lives that they don't already own! (We're trying to think beyond the wristwatch and aftershave plan.) I've collected a few shops to share with you that have a unique selection of men's merch. There are also great product/gadget stores out there that you might want to peruse from time to time as they change on the daily: { NOTCOT, A+R Store, The Spoon Sisters, Design Spotter, SuperMarket and Poketo Art } just to name a few. And here are some awesome menswear shops that might get him to think twice about that same jacket he's been wearing since the 8th grade...