Local Valentine’s Gift Guide
Now that you know what Philly’s Ten Most Romantic Meals are, it’s time to start worrying about your Valentine’s gift. Here’s eight local shops and businesses definitely worth hitting up:
FOR YOUR FELLA …
If your beau isn’t afraid to rock a little pink, right now Duke & Winston is taking 20 percent off their entire selection of refined, yet appropriately festive pink and red menswear, both in store and online (promo-code: ILUVDUKE). For the more dapper of dudes, consider one of the brand’s gentleman polo ($65) and signature logo tie, in your choice of burgundy or pink ($68). For the more laidback dresser, there’s always their signature red hat ($22) and pink “Long Live Duke” tee ($32). (633 N. Second St.)
As long as you get the team right, you can never really go wrong with cool, vintage-inspired sports apparel and accessories. Hint: the Flyers and Sixers are both in the midst of their seasons. (1201 Chestnut St.)
Lingerie is over-rated. If you really want to get your man’s attention, how about sprucing up your vajay vajay with gemstones or hot pink dye? No, seriously—the chic, organic Old City salon is currently has four different V-Day specials going on, the two most interesting being their “Bedazzled Brazilians” ($85) and “Hot Pink Bikini Color” ($50, $95+ with Brazilian). Should you want to do something far less extreme for yourself they’re also offering a one-hour facial and complimentary blow-out for $100 dollars as well as a 30 minute scalp treatment and custom oil blend for just $37 dollars. (55 N. Third St.)
FOR YOUR LADY…
Rather than going to a department store and picking out some cheap, generic piece of jewelry, you’re gal is much more likely to appreciate a one-of-a-kind, handmade adornment. Though any of owner/designer, Sarah Lewis’ creations will do, you should definitely consider Adorn’s new Love Potion Necklace ($38), a tiny faceted, heart-shaped glass vial which holds a few drops of essential oil—your choice of lavender, rose, or jasmine. As an additional incentive, if you stop by the boutique any day before V-Day, you’ll save 10 percent. Meanwhile, if you shop online before Feb. 12, you can save 20 percent with the discount code: LOVE. (1314 Frankford Ave.)
The gift of pampering never goes out of style, and nor will your lady’s mane should you give her a gift card to Philly’s award-winning, cutting-edge salon. Their services start at just $25 dollars and range from blowouts and restorative treatments to makeup application and brow shaping. (258 S. 11th St.)
Arcadia Boutique
Though typically, men should not be trusted to pick out women’s attire, Arcadia’s sales associates will be more than willing to help you out. This is just a preview of the eco-friendly, V-Day appropriate fashions they have in store. (No Libs: 819 N. Second St. Rittenhouse: 265 S. 20th St.)
FOR HIM OR HER…
If they have a home, then TPF has the perfect gift—whether it’s a a mid-century sofa, an Indian Navi blanket, a set of Victorian tin cups or the 1940s kiss letterpress postcard set that you see above. Seriously, they have more truly unique home goods, décor and accessories than you can even imagine. (376 Shurs Ln., Building A)
In addition to their selection of rare designer shoes, the Fabric Row boutique has all sorts of lovely gifts and accessories, both for him and her. Even better, starting next Monday, several of those gifts and accessories will be 15 percent off including, handmade wallets from Cheap Monday and Patrick Michael, Betsy & Iya earrings and Lisa B. unisex socks, which have a hint of cashmere. (727 S. Fourth St.)
Local Gifts For That Special Someone
Boyfriend/Hubby…
The Philly Package, $72 / Duke & Winston, 633 N. Second St.
Yards Soap Box, $21 / Duross & Langel, 117 S. 13th St.
611 Men’s Luxe Life Navy Plaid Flannel, $76 / 611’s Pop-Up Showroom at Liberties Walk, 1024 N. Third St.
Do Your Best Pennant, $36 / Three Potato Four, 376 Shurs Lane, Building A
Girlfriend/Wife…
Adorn Signature Crystal Necklace, $128 / Adorn Boutique, 1314 Frankford Ave.
1-Hour Massage/Mani Pedi, $100 / b2 Salon, 777 S. Broad St.
Pink & Pepper Booties, $89.95 / South Moon Under, 1731 Chestnut St.
Monogrammed Wine Stopper, $22 / C Wonder, King of Prussia Mall, 160 N. Gulph Rd.
Local Gifts For Your Folks
Mother…
Nashelle Identity Necklace, $58 / Verde, 108 S. 13th St.
Voluspa Scented Candle, $40 / Town Home Jewelry & Boutique, 1616 Walnut St.
Labradorite Drop Earrings, $68 / Adorn Boutique, 1314 Frankford Ave.
Chloe Beige Oversized Embellished Sunglasses, $149 / Kembrel, 1822 Chestnut St.
Father…
Duke & Winston Preppy Package, $135 / Duke & Winston, 633 N. Second St.
Rustic Table Lamp, $179 / Gourmet of Olde City, 26 N. Third St.
Di Bruno Bros. Pasta, Sauce, & Cheese Set Grande, $99 / Di Bruno Bros., 1730 Chestnut St. & 930 S. Ninth St.
Philadelphia Woodworks Gift Certificate (Any Amount) / Philadelphia Woodworks, 4901 Umbria St.
What To Do This Weekend
If the selection of vintage clothing, accessories and housewares available on their Etsy shop is any indication, you’re definitely going to want to get your ass over to Fishtown at some point this weekend where the local founders of Snowbird Vintage will be temporarily occupying the entire space just above Adorn Boutique. These ladies clearly have a good eye for vintage fashion. Most of the items fall into either the “super-trendy” category or “stunningly classic” category. Personally, I’m really digging this 1970s wine-colored floor-length dress with crochet detailing. It’s like classy-Bohemian. Best of all, there’s even more awesome items downstairs. Friday, 11am-8pm. Daily through Sun/16. Free. Adorn Boutique, 1314 Frankford Ave.
If you missed Crafty Balboa last weekend, this may be the closest craft event to it. More than 15 local artisans and craftspeople will be in attendance selling an array of fine handmade jewelry and vintage treasures, including those of SquidWhale Designs, Dahling Accessories and MADEBYHANK. Oh, and you can even get a portrait of yourself sitting on the moon. That alone makes it worth the trip. Saturday, 12-6pm. Free. 1241 Carpenter St.
While you may never be able to enjoy Christmas with the same unbridled enthusiasm that you did as a child, why not at least try? Plop down on Santa’s lap, decorate cookies, marvel at an array of shinny seasonal arts and crafts, rock out to your favorite Christmas song with Frosty and maybe even partake in a little holiday treasure hunting. If this all sounds incredibly embarrassing, then offer to babysit a niece or nephew and relive your youth through them. Saturday, 11am-2pm. Sister Cities Park, Logan Square, 18th & Ben Franklin Pkwy.
You didn’t think the holiday season was going to go by without a GO WEST craft extravaganza, did ya? Regardless of who it is that you need to crossed off your list, chances are one of the 40 local vendors at this year’s event will have the ideal gift—one that you probably would have never thought of yourself. For instance, how about a cozy hand knitted or crocheted winter accessory for your bestie living in Chicago? Or how about a clever screen-printed tee for you’re little bro? Saturday, 11am-4pm. Free. The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St.
Once again, Three Sirens Boutique is partnering with Nawrocki Fitness for a special shopping event, this time with a portion of the proceeds helping to benefit Moss Rehab. In addition to accessories and handbags by Urban Expressions and apparel from RD Style and Press, befittingly, the boutique will be bringing along their selection of Hardtail workout gear as well. RVSP to the Facebook event or bring your student ID and you’ll receive an additional 10 percent off. Sunday, 12-5pm. Free. Nawrocki Fitness, 1500 Locust St.
What To Do This Weekend
SATURDAY
Crafty Balboa Holiday: With more than 60 local art vendors in attendance, everyone on your list should be covered. If you’re shopping for your sister or mom, check out Penelope Rakov’s colorful blown jewelry and the sophisticated yet quirky textiles and wares of Kaye Rachelle Designs. For the men in your life, consider one of Recycled Rowhouse’s revamped pieces of furniture or the folklore-inspired books and prints of Huldra Press. This year’s event will also feature two fun new additions: a holiday-themed photo booth and a live print-your-own-wrapping-paper demo from South Philly’s mobile art studio, ColorWheels. Be one of first 50 shoppers to arrive and you’ll even score a free goodie bag. 11am. Free. SS Neumann Goretti High School, 1736 S. Tenth St.
Holiday Second Saturday: Before and/or after you hit up Crafty Balboa, be sure to stick around and wander through the neighborhood, as there will be all sorts of festivities going down. From 1-3pm, follow the holly jolly tunes of strolling musicians as they make their way up and down East Passyunk Avenue and stop by the Alphabet Garden (1631 EPA) to get your photo taken with Santa. Meanwhile, Sermania Jewelry (1719 EPA) will be slashing prices on their selection of bling and from 6-10pm., Nice Things…Handmade (1731 EPA) will host its 3rd Annual Ornament Show. Last but not least, grab a beer at Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar (1200 EPA) where Traveling Wares will be presenting an art and craft show to help raise money for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Various times and locations.
DIY Christmas Gift Workshop: Save yourself some cash and get a little crafty as a group of skilled artists and crafters show you how to make everything from ornaments and homemade vanilla extract to a homemade clock and wreath. Some gifts may cost a few bucks, others are free. 12-4pm. $0-$10. Circle of Hope, 1115 S. Broad St.
Book Paper Scissors: Put down your Kindles and iPad for one afternoon and join the Philadelphia Center for Books in celebrating both old-school and contemporary book arts, printmaking and paper crafts. An array of vendors will be setting up shop inside the Free Library for this annual book fair, selling hundreds of affordable paper-based creations—everything from zines and origami to paper sculpture and jewelry. Meanwhile, guests of all ages have a chance to explore these art forms themselves during one of two free workshops. 10am. Free. Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St.
SUNDAY
Rejoice Craft Event: Tis the season to recycle and reuse! The skilled craftsmen (and craftsladies?) of Handmade Philly will be leading a workshop all afternoon, guiding the not-so-crafty in making their very own gifts and decoration. Not only will you be getting their advice and assistance free of charge, but all necessary supplies will be included. The Resource Center, a nonprofit center championing the creative reuse of various discarded materials, will have plenty of affordable, reclaimed materials for sale. Oh, and to top it all off, Philadelphia Brewing Co. will be bringing along some refreshments. 12-5pm. Free. The Resource Exchange, 2829 Cedar St.
Punk Rock Flea Market: Ah yes, the shopping event I’ve waited all year for. At this point, I probably don’t need to say very much about R5’s Productions’ annual shopping extravaganza considering how insane the turn out is. Though I swear they say this every year, supposedly this is going to be their “biggest one yet!” with over three hundred tables of anything and everything your heart could possibly desire. Personally, I find the best deals are with the miscellaneous personal vendors selling their unwanted items. Seriously, who sells a perfectly good pair of kitten heel shoes for $3? 10am-5pm. $3. The Punk Rock Flea Market-Dome, 461 N. Ninth St.
Sculpere Burn Workshop & Jewelry Sale: Looking to shed a few more lbs before Christmas, but still have some shopping to do? No worries, local designer and owner of Adorn Boutique, Sarah Lewis is going to help you kill two birds with one stone. Discover the Sculpere Burn, an intense full body workout that speeds up your heart rate ballet and slows it down with intervals of yoga, before heading downstairs and rewarding yourself with complimentary mimosas and 30 percent off the boutique’s amazing selection of handcrafted jewelry, accessories, clothing and gifts. 12-2pm. Free. Adorn Boutique, 1314 Frankford Ave.
Schuylkill Center’s Winterfest: Do a little shopping and a little crafting. A total of 25 local eco-artists will be onsite selling lovely gifts while other artists will be leading several different workshops throughout the day should you want to your own. Your options: a wreath, ornaments, cards/stationary, recycled art and jewelry. Starting at 6 p.m., you’ll even have a chance to do a little star gazing as you roast marshmallows on a campfire. 2-8pm. Free. Schuylkill Center, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road.
Cyber Monday Deals
And the post-Thanksgiving sales continue…
Concrete Polish: Splurge on one of designer Angela Monaco’s stunning jewels before midnight and you’ll save 15 percent off. This deal can be redeemed online (code: TURKEYLOVE) or in-store. Either way, be sure to RSVP to the sale’s Facebook event page as you will then receive a special gift with your purchase in addition to free gift-wrapping. (716 N. Third St.)
South Moon Under: Shop online and take 20 percent off everything using the code CYBER20. You’ll also receive free shipping.
Adorn Boutique: Till midnight tonight, Sarah Lewis is offering 30 percent off her entire selection of jewelry. You can either stop by her tiny Fishtown treasure chest or shop online (code: cybermonday). (1314 Frankford Ave.)
Express: Save 40 percent on everything site-wide and receive free shipping.
Kembrel: Receive 40 percent off either in stores or online with the checkout code KEMCYBER. (1822 Chestnut St. & 1219 Locust St.)
Urban Outfitters: Today is the final day the retailer will be slashing prices on hundreds of items in stores and online. The deals vary.
Victoria’s Secret: Today only, receive two “Secret Rewards Cards” with any online purchase of $10 or more. Just enter the code MONDAY at checkout and the secret bonus reward will be added to your order once the code is applied.
Steve Madden: Get free shipping and 30 percent off site-wide with the code HOLIDAYS30.
Sephora: For a limited time, you can score a free mystery gift with any online purchase with the code UNDERWRAPS. This gift is a little black bag containing a secret assortment of their favorite holiday beauty items.
Art Star: Enter code CyberMon at checkout and save 15 percent off your total, excluding the cost of shipping.
Threadless.com: Tons of items site-wide are on sale today only including a selection of tees for $9.99 while over 200 prints and canvases are now 25 percent off. Spend $49 or more for free shipping.
Joan Shepp: Today is your last day to save 20 percent on any of Shepp’s designer coats. And while I would highly recommend going to her fabulous Rittenhouse boutique, you can shop online (code: COATS20). (1616 Walnut St.)
Paper Source: In addition to select sales on an array of holiday gifts, including 25 percent off custom stamps, online shoppers who spend over $75 will get free shipping today only using the code THANKS75 at checkout.
Charlotte Russe: In addition to taking 20-50 percent off everything sitewide, shoppers who spend $50 or more will receive $10 off their purchase and free shipping.
Macy’s: Enjoy various deals on items site-wide including an extra 25-40 percent off clearance items. At checkout, you’ll receive an additional 15 percent off your purchase using the promo code CYBER as well as free shipping if your order is $75 or more.
Shop Local and Save Friday-Monday
As you begin to devise a game plan for the official kick-off of the holiday shopping season, there’s three key things you should keep in mind:
#1.) The deals do not just begin and end on Black Friday. The next day you’ve got Small Business Saturday followed by Cyber Monday.
#2.) Most stores have extended hours thus allowing shoppers more flexibility.
#3.) Philly’s awesome independent shops and boutiques need your money far more than Target or Macy’s.
That said, here’s several local sales you can look forward to this weekend…
**UPDATED**
Joan Shepp: Save 20 percent on all coats now through Monday in stores and online (code: COATS20). (1616 Walnut St.)
South Moon Under: All this weekend, take an additional 25 percent off all sale merchandise in store and online (code: BLACK25). Spend over $150 and you can save another 20 percent (code: HOLIDAY20) (1731 Chestnut St.)
Arcadia Boutique: As part if their “Black on Black Sale,” on Friday, the eco-friendly retailer will be taking 30 percent off every item of black clothing as well as an additional 20 percent off everything else. This 20 percent off deal will then run through Sunday at both their Rittenhouse and NoLibs locations as well as online using the checkout code: TURKEY. (265 S. 20th St. & 819 N. Second St.)
Rocker’s Closet: Take 10 percent off everything in the store (except independent artist items) from 9am-8:30pm. They will also be officially launching their online store at midnight on Friday. (818 S. Fourth St.)
Adorn Boutique: On Friday and Saturday, Sarah Lewis is not only extending the hours at her tiny Fishtown treasure chest (11am-9pm), but she’ll be taking 20 percent off the boutique’s entire selection of jewelry and wrapping it for free. On Monday, online shoppers can save 30 percent on their purchase (code: cybermonday) from 6 a.m. till midnight. (1314 Frankford Ave.)
Smak Parlour: All this weekend, the Old City boutique is partnering with Toys For Tots and for every toy shoppers drop off, they will donate a pair of super-cute children’s gloves. Shoppers who spend $40 dollars will also get a free pair of equally cute, adult-size gloves. If that’s not enough, the ladies will serve you apple cider and ginger snaps as you shop before carefully wrapping your purchases in pink cupcake and pastry for free. (219 Market St.)
BUS STOP: In addition to keeping their doors open late (11am-8:30pm) the boutique will be serving up
Black Velvet cocktails and offering customers 20 percent off their entire autumn/winter styles of black and brow boots. (727 S. Fourth St.)
Lakshmi Hair Studio: Get 15 percent off all products plus a free gift during their Black Friday Blowout. (21 N. Second St.)
Concrete Polish: Anytime between Friday morning and next Monday at midnight is the perfect time for you splurge on one of designer Angela Monaco’s stunning jewels as they will all be 15 percent off. This deal can be redeemed online (code: TURKEYLOVE) or in-store. Either way, be sure to RSVP to the sale’s Facebook event page as you will then receive a special gift with your purchase. (716 N. Third St.)
Third Street Habit: Save 40 percent on the entire Isabel Marant Etolie Collection now through the end of Saturday. (153 N. Third St.)
Kembrel: Although a bit confusing, Kembrel is offering shoppers savings all three days, both online and in stores. Friday: 40 percent off from 6am-11am (code: KEMBLK6) then 30 percent off from 11am-9pm (code: KEMBLK11). Saturday: 30 percent off all day (code: KEMSMLBIZ). Monday: 40 percent off (code: KEMCYBER). (1822 Chestnut St. & 1219 Locust St.)
Knit Wit: Get 20 percent off your entire in-store purchase on Friday. (1729 Chestnut St.)
SA VA: Shop before 1 p.m. today and save 30 percent off your entire SA VA label purchase or receive 15 percent off from 1-8pm. (1700 Sansom St.)
Expect a roundup of more holiday shopping events going on this weekend on Friday.