As the COVID-19 situation develops within the California Central Coast, I would like to take a moment to check in. I encourage you to take care of yourself and your loved ones by observing recommendations from public health officials and staying home if you feel unwell. The resiliency of our community relies on the health and well-being of its members, and while the current crisis may have us feeling isolated, there’s a lot we can still do to be good neighbors to one another, support local businesses, and think local first.
Now, more than ever, its more difficult and inconvenient to run to the giant chains to grab holiday gifts for our loved ones, so I put together a local California Central Coast holiday gift guide for 2020. More importantly, our local businesses can use our support more than ever lately. Everything can be purchased online, so you won’t have to worry about exposing yourself to the flu or COVID-19.
Sip and Sail with Folded Hills and the Santa Barbara Sailing Center
I’m a huge advocate for an “experience” when gift giving, so a private cruise for 20 with your personal Folded Hills Wine Steward is right up my alley!
Set sail aboard your very own private catamaran for an afternoon of sun, sea and great wines. This collection includes:
- Two hour private charter, complete with wine tastings and appetizers from up to 20 guests.
- One bottle of 2018 Sparkling Lilly Rosé (so your lucky loved ones have something to unwrap Christmas morning!).
This one-of-a-kind private experience features a private cruise for you and your guests aboard Santa Barbara Sailing Center’s iconic Double Dolphin, with paired appetizers and tasting flights for each guest. You’ll cast off from the Santa Barbara harbor for a two hour excursion, while you sip and mingle with your mates aboard an open-air deck as we sail along the American Riviera.
Give the gift of a lifelong memory by purchasing your private cruise here!
Handmade Macrame Items by Made by Andrea Marie
A handmade macrame wall hanging? Sign. Me. Up. These masterpieces are created by my good friend, Andrea, hence the name…Made by Andrea Marie! Macrame is an ancient art form that has had a resurgence in the last few years adding a natural, bohemian-inspired, minimalist decor element to a home. I can’t emphasize enough how much detail these creations have!
Not only does she create wall hangings, but she also makes plant hangers for your friends with a green thumb AND wine carriers for your wino loved ones! Looking for stocking stuffers? Andrea has you covered with her cute keychains.
Did I mention that she collects the driftwood for the wall hangings along the California Central Coast’s beaches? These are as local as you can get!
See her collection and purchase your masterpiece by clicking here!
Elegant Handmade Jewelry from Perlina Jewelry
Perlina Jewelry is designed for women of all ages. Jeanna uses honest gemstones, freshwater pearls, abalone shells and other materials sourced from mother nature. Her designs easily transition from day to night, which is perfect for the California Central Coast lifestyle.
Perlina Jewelry’s pieces are great for layering, so not only are they elegant, but they’re versatile, trendy, timeless, and chic. Jeanna loves making women feel beautiful and deepening their connections to the natural world through her work.
Find your next favorite piece of jewelry by clicking here!
Stylish Turkish Towel, Rope, and Throw from Riviera Towel Company
First of all, let me just say, if you do decide to visit the Riviera Towel Company storefront, you will feel full happiness completely take over your body! Their colors will leave you craving sherbet ice cream. However, if you don’t feel safe visiting their location, you can easily and conveniently shop online.
Designed in Santa Barbara, Riviera Towel Company’s towels are a blend of traditional classics and modern colors, woven into splendid stripes, diamonds, and chevrons. Turkish Towels are universally recognized as the most sought after fabrics in the world, because Turkish Towels are so much more than colorful textiles woven from the softest sustainable cotton grown on earth. Like a form of DNA, every thread in a Turkish towel holds centuries of technical knowledge handed down over generations, making each design a perfect expression of art and science.
Personally, what I love about my towel is its versatility. Not only do I use it as a beach towel, but I also fold it and use it as a throw on my big comfy white chair in my room! It’s multi-function allows me to use it consistently.
Pick your favorite color and material here!
Equestrian Art from Bettina Norton
Bettina Norton is my favorite equine artist! It’s true — I actually have a lot of her artwork and I’m constantly looking to purchase more. Giving the gift of art is another timeless idea, as people hold on to their pieces for their entire life and build amongst their personal collections.
Bettina’s inspiration comes from her horse, Frankie, a 14 year old chestnut Rocky Mountain horse. They’ve been exploring trails and the ocean together since Frankie was just 4 years old.
Her mediums vary, and typically include charcoal, sumi ink, gold leaf, and acrylic on canvas or paper. You’ll notice that you can buy the original pieces or prints depending on your holiday budget. She also has a “Holiday Shop,” featuring her artwork on coffee mugs, ornaments, card sets, candles, etc!
Select your next piece of timeless art by clicking here!
Decadent Cookies by Lidiya
Mark my word: These cookies will melt in your mouth. I ate 10 in one sitting — Judge me, I don’t even care. These cookies are great for treats around your house OR as sweet gifts for friends and family during the holidays. A portion of each purchase will be donated to the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, a local non-profit organization that provides shelter, meals, and resources to the struggling and homeless population of Santa Barbara County.
One of Lidiya’s favorite holiday memories was the first time her mother taught her how to make these little “triangle” cookies. Once she started making them, they would bake them together every Christmas season. They are the perfect balance of fluffy, buttery, and sweet and leave you popping them in your mouth one after the other.
These are a true labor of love to make, so please place your orders by 4:00pm Sundays – Tuesdays, so Lidiya has time to bake fresh batches and plan deliveries accordingly.
- $16/half pound of cookies — each 1/2 pound is roughly 24 cookies
- $5 for local delivery (Goleta to Carpinteria) or you can arrange to pick them up. She is happy to ship them to you if you live outside of Santa Barbara County.
- Payment will be taken through Venmo (or cash).
Send an email to LidsBakedGoods@gmail.com to place your order.
Beef from Twisselman Ranch
I always struggle finding gifts for men…Mainly because it always seems like men already have everything they need. But, you know what they always want and can never get enough of?
Food.
I’m obviously a big fan of Twisselman Ranch, as I’ve featured them before when I went glamping on their property. Just in case you missed it: The Twisselman family is a sixth or seventh generation working cattle ranch and farming operation in the Carissa Plains. Their family story is fascinating and has a leading-woman character. Five Twisselman brothers arrived in San Francisco bay in the early 1860’s. One of the brothers, Henry, met his wife Lizzie and moved south to San Luis Obispo in the late 1870’s, where they established Chorro Dairy. Half a decade later, Henry passed away from Tuberculosis, so Lizzie and their five children joined her family’s homestead in 1884 to help farm grain and raise livestock. This land is what we call the Twisselman Ranch and now reaches about 80,000 acres. Lizzie is one of the first pioneers of the California frontier!
Guess what? You can purchase high-quality, 100% grass fed, grass finished beef straight from their ranch! They also sell beef jerky, which is an EASY stocking stuffer or gift topper under a big bow. My favorite beef jerky flavors are Cowboy Original and Outlaw Teriyaki, but you can’t go wrong with any flavor.
Please note: Their frozen beef is currently only available for online order and pick-up locally in San Luis Obispo County, California. Exact pick-up location (North or South County) will be arranged upon order completion.
You can also give the gift of “experience,” and send someone a glamping trip at the Twisselman Ranch. Read my write-up here!
Wine from the California Central Coast
Wine is always a great idea if you don’t know what to get someone. Luckily, the California Central Coast has a hundreds, if not thousands, of local wineries to select your favorite varietal from. Below is a short list of my personal favorites, in no particular order:
I hope everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the holidays with their loved ones! Be safe — Be healthy — Be present.
