Here we go with another LOCAL GIFT GUIDE! For this one we're taking you to Lula's Pantry in Rockport, MA. Lula's has been a favorite of ours for years now. They carry an ever-changing selection of carefully curated items that you can't find elsewhere. It's one of those stores where you can find products that have stories behind them - we love that. For you all, we stopped in and did a walk-through the store with Brett to find to pull out a number of gift options that are fair-trade, made-in-USA and/or local. Here are the details about each one:
DERMOND PETERSON Octopus Table Runner - $165
Block printed by hand in Milwaukee these runners are made by 2 sisters, Sandra Dermond and Susan Peterson. Thieir prints are created using environmentally sensitive, water-based inks that are free of solvents, lead and heavy-metals.
ALISON EVANS Oyster Series Plate and Bowl - $72 + $48
AE Ceramics are made in Yarmouth, Maine. Alison's work is hand-molded and hand-glazed making each piece unique. This series from her studio (Lula's carries more shapes and sizes if you're interested) really looks like it was pulled out of the ocean.
RYAN FLYNN Exotic Wood Trivet - $38
Ryan is a local woodworker who builds these beautiful trivets out of exotic woods. Their simple design and high quality materials make them a gift that will be used for years. They come in multiple colors that come from the actual wood - no dyes here.
WRF LAB Medium Mug - $28
West River Field is run by artist, Nobuhito Nishigawara. All the products produced by the studio are hand crafted in Orange County, California. We love this mug - its simple design and perfect proportions make it the current favorite mug in the house.
P.S. Lula's has a number of different pieces from WRF and they're all a similarly simple and clean aesthetic.
AJIRI Rooibos Tea - $9.95
OK, this one really gets us - talk about a story behind a product... Ajiri teas are created on a co-op where the profits from the sale of the tea go directly to the education of orphaned children. Each box of tea is covered with a label handcrafted by a woman in Kenya and is made from dried bark taken from banana trees. They cut out each piece of the design by hand and glue them onto handmade paper - every box is different. Oh, and the tea is great - we've been drinking it for a while now.
FLAT ROCK FARM Maple Syrup - $24
It's wood-fired and made in small batches - what more can you ask of a maple syrup?
BONNIE'S JAMS Nuts & Honey - $14.95
Perfect served with a nice cheese, these made-in-Cambridge treats are delicious and feel like your grandmother just pulled them off her shelf from last canning season. She's known for her jams but we like these preserved nuts to pull out when we have guests drop by.
TAZA Peppermint Stick - $5.95
You already know we're big fans of Taza. Meg prefers a darker chocolate but time and Asher love this 60% bar with peppermint mixed in for the holidays.
So drop into Lula's next time you're on the North Shore and tell them we sent you. They'll help you find all the local, made in USA and fair trade options you're looking for and you can know you're supporting a real gem of a local shop.