Cover Story

Taste Buds

Events Calendar

December 2007

by Meg Krugel

© Copyright ColorsNW Magazine

The longer you know someone, the more difficult it becomes to reinvent the gift-giving wheel each time the holiday season rolls around. The same can be said for having new friends. In many ways, that first gift sets the tone for what may become years of gift exchange between you and your new companion.

Having trouble finding just that ‘perfect gift’ for your (pick one) eco-minded / spiritual / four-legged / literary / art-loving / friend of color? Our annual Ethnic Gift Guide hopes to steer you on course with a bevy of local and non-local, minority-owned and inspired, just-plain-unique gift ideas.

          Local Stores             Online Shopping            Local Gifts

Stores to Explore: Local Shopping

For the Eclectic Dresser
Marie Haggin Designs
Carrying quite possibly the most beautiful transformation from stone to pendant we’ve seen, this African American-owned jewelry design business offers accessories for the home and body made of luxurious polished stones. Kent designer and company owner Debbie Haggin uses semi-precious gems to create sweeping, colorful and hand-crafted jewelry ensembles. This necklace is made of turquoise, coral and yellow jade.

Marie Haggin
Titusville Station Mall
205 1st Avenue
Kent, Washington  98031
253/859-9769
www.mariehaggin.com

For the Home-Inspired
Chocolate Dreamzzz
This two-woman home interior venture delivers ethnic crafts to transform your home into a mini oasis of color and culture. Self taught artisans Tonette Winston and Ramona Harris create hand painted throw pillows, king size pillow cases, hand painted glassware, wall art and fabric afro buds. As the artists will tell you, each item is created with a feeling of joy and happiness, and thus, the hope is that by having these items around, they will feed your soul.

Retail Location:
Happy Delusions
924 S. 3rd St.
Renton, Wa 98057
425/255-6078
www.chocolatedreamzzz.com

For the Intellectually Curious
Afrikan Marketplace and Book Center
Books, cards, gifts and African instruments - collectively known as THE black bookstore in Tacoma.

Tue. - Sat., 12 p.m.-7 p.m.
1314 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Tacoma, WA 98405
253/572-8186

For the Diverse Dog
Inu Treats
Tina and Dan Garrido were enjoying some homemade dumplings one evening when the expression of their Lab/Rottweiler mix “Otis” caught their eyes. The yearning on his face (we all know the look) gave the Garridos a decidedly smart impetus to begin hand-crafting Asian-inspired treats for Otis, and many more dogs around Seattle. Today, the couple’s partnership has ballooned across the city, where Inu Treats are sold at farmers markets and 11 local pet stores. Favorite canine flavors include “Paw Stickers,” “Nori Bones,” and “Poochi Mochi.” Inu means, of course, ‘dog’ in Japanese. Visit website for complete list of retail locations.

 http://www.inutreats.com

Let Your Fingers do the Walking: Online Shopping

For the Survivor
WeSpeakLoudly (local)
A Seattle health education company specializing in wellness products, programs, and partnerships created to help women of color achieve and maintain optimal well-being. Products available include a book titled “WHOLE” (Women Healing Ourselves with Loving Energy), designed for “sistahs all over the country mastering self-care tools,” as well as WHOLE journals and spoken word CDs for women rebuilding life after breast cancer.

www.wespeakloudly.com

For the Young Bookworm
Lee & Low Books
An independent children's book publisher specializing in multicultural themes, Lee & Low is a Chinese-American owned company that takes pride in nurturing up-and-coming artists and authors of color. "When we started the company, there was a lot of interest in multicultural books," says Tom Low, "but most of the titles were folktales about exotic people from distant lands. We felt strongly that it was important to have books with a contemporary setting that reflects how we live today."

Lee & Low Books
212/779-4400
http://leeandlow.com

For the Fashion Conscious
Wear Adinkra
Online clothing boutique featuring simple tees dressed up with artistically beautiful, culturally relevant “Adinkra” symbols, the language of the Akan of West Africa. Owned and operated by Celeste Williams, a Board Certified gynecologist in North Carolina, this thoughtful clothing company seeks to enlighten individuals of inner strength, and enhance a collective respect for a global community through symbols prevalent in the Ghanaian way of life.

www.wearadinkra.com

For the Boss who Cares
Heroes Catering (local)
In the spirit of ‘what goes around comes around,’ plan your holiday company party with food ordered from Heroes Catering, a local nonprofit social enterprise that helps individuals transition from rehabilitation to independent living. Heroes’ Sandwich Artists join the organization after completing a yearlong recovery program, and receive job training, relationship skills, accountability analysis, and most important, self confidence. Each Heroes Box Lunch comes complete with a gourmet sandwich, chips, fruit bowl, condiments, bottled water, and quite possibly the most delicious wedge of peanut buttery-chocolately crispy goodness – ever.

Heroes
PO Box 4280
Seattle, WA 98194
206/223-1712
www.heroessubs.com

Gifts on the Go: Local Unique Grabs

For the Spiritually Fit
GURU 2008 Men's Yoga Calendar
Calendar composed of stunning, graceful photography capturing the strength of men performing mind and body exercises. Taking what most people know about yoga to a completely new level, this calendar features local male “models” of all ethnicities, who are yoga instructors, personal trainers, weight lifters and even a Buddhist teacher. Partial proceeds from calendar sales support The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors. $11.95.

www.mekosun.com

For the Daily Activist
Book: In Their Footsteps - Inspirational Reflections on Black History
Celebrate Black History Month all year long with Local African American author Daryl Grigsby, who has compiled daily reflections on the lives and struggles of 366 persons of African descent. Grigsby, of St. Therese Parish in Seattle, looks at how the broad span of black history, and our knowledge of key figures (Nelson Mandela, Barbara Jordan, Jacob Lawrence, Nina Simone, Jomo Kenyatta and hundreds more), have been the model for the ways we identify with race and justice. A necessary companion for any civil rights activist. $14.95 new.

Available at:
Life Enrichment Bookstore
5620 Rainier Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98118
206/722-1700

For the Organized Cutie
Maluhia Designs
Adorable, funky, and tidy – these sturdy little bags crafted by a local Kent woman of Pacific Islander descent are sure to please at least one or two gift recipients on your list. Since 2005, Maluhia Designs has been producing quality garment and tote bags targeted for Hawaiian and Tahitian dancers, and recently grew to include handbags for everyday use. The bags are hand sewn, made of imported Kawaii (cute) Japanese fabrics, and come in no shortage of shapes and sizes. Purchase a Maluhia bag at an upcoming Swank Seattle Show (Dec. 8 and Dec. 15), and stash with a few small treats. Or, don’t stash – the bags are treats unto themselves.

http://maluhia22.blogspot.com
maluhia22@gmail.com

For the Sweet Tooth
Friday's Gourmet Cookies
It’s a booming little sweet enterprise by local African American baker Deborah Tuggle, now on the brink of becoming an international cookie phenomenon. Here’s a hint: Tuggle’s three signature flavors (Friday’s Original – white and milk chocolate chips with pecans; the Olympic – white chocolate, cranberry, and coconut; and the Rainier – oatmeal, white chocolate and blueberries) are signature flavors for a reason. Delicious.

www.fridayscookies.com, or to order your holiday batch: 253/779-4242

For the Indulgent
Olympus Spa - gift packages
Offering a full range of relaxation treatments, including massages, spa wraps, and Asian-style body scrubs, this popular Korean-owned spa in Lakewood is the perfect way to give the gift of "Ahhhh..."

8615 S. Tacoma Way
Lakewood, WA 98499
253/588-3355

3815 196th St. SW
Lynnwood, WA 98036
425/697-3000