Downtown is ripe with gift potential. While River Park Square is always a good choice, be sure to wander farther afield. Whether you explore the skywalks, or venture onto the streets, you're sure to find something to pique your interest. So stop staring at your computer and get downtown. It's gift time.
MOBIUS KIDS PASS
The Mobius Kids Museum provides children with hands-on educational activities. Additionally, there are a number of camps, parties and classes available for members. So get the kid in your life a unique, non-virtual learning experience (maybe you'll learn something too). $7 day pass • Mobius Kids Museum • Lower Level of River Park Square, 808 W. Main
PEPPERMINT BARK CANDY
It's tasty, it's sweet and it's the No. 1 Christmas gift, year after year, at Williams-Sonoma. Sure, the taste is great, but the crunch adds an undeniable appeal. Plus it's the kind of gift from which you will very likely benefit. $25.95 • Williams-Sonoma • River Park Square, 808 W. Main
CLASSY PLATES & CUPS
It's holiday time, and that means food. But what will you put that food on? How about some classic French stoneware? The 17-step firing process creates a distinctive "crackled" pattern and rich color. The dinnerware is chip resistant and dishwasher safe. And it's all made in southern France, so if conversation is lagging, you can always bring that up. $14.95-$29.95 • Williams-Sonoma • River Park Square, 808 W. Main
CABERNET FRANC
Drink and be merry. Whitestone Vineyard and Winery sells a variety of locally made wine, as well as offering an upscale tasting experience. The 2009 Cougar Crest Cabernet Franc comes highly recommended by tasting room manager Rosemary Brasch, and it's highly rated by Wine Spectator. If you become a member (it's free) you get 15 percent off the bottle price. $42 • Whitestone Winery Tasting Room • 8 N. Post, Suite 8.
POTTERY PAINTING
Painting the pottery could be the gift, or the mug you paint could be the gift. Versatility is king. Either way, come to Polka Dot Pottery's downtown location, grab a mug and start painting. It's the price of the piece plus tax, so don't worry about breaking the bank. $5-$55 • Polka Dot Pottery • River Park Square, 808 W. Main.
VANESSA'S VILLAGE HATS
A major fundraiser for the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, Vanessa's Village is a reasonably priced boutique, perfect for stocking stuffers. Their multicolored crocheted hats are inexpensive and warm, and it's always nice to know your money is supporting a good cause. $6 • Vanessa's Village • Skywalk level, 707 W. Main
COFFEE
Coffee, as a gift, is clichéd. But clichés exist for a reason. Nothing is better than fresh coffee beans, especially Thomas Hammer's holiday blend, Bin 7. Half of the appeal is the badass container it comes in. The other half is the rich, exciting taste of the beans. It's a limited seasonal brew, so keep an eye open and snag one (or three). $13 • Thomas Hammer • 601 W. Main
MONKEYBOY BOOKS
This isn't so much one gift as it is an experience. Monkeyboy Books is a hole-in-the-wall used and rare bookshop. It's owned and run by a Gonzaga French instructor, Marina Drake, and her husband. It's the kind of the bookstore you'd read about in a Jeffrey Eugenides novel: cozy yet sophisticated. So check it out, get cultured and buy a gorgeous used or rare tome. Prices vary • Monkeyboy Books • 123 S. Wall ♦
