Last Chance for Xmas Shopping in the Hudson Valley!

  |  December 18, 2014
fiberflame

Greetings Upstater Friends and Fans!

Well, I lied…

Ok, I didn’t really lie but I said I’d be giving you a wrap of all things to sip and guzzle in Kingston in this week’s column and that was my intention, but then I thought… hmmm, one more weekend of pre-Xmas shopping left. I should focus on where and what are the best last-minute gifties for you and yours. So that’s what we’re talking about now and beloved Kingston will be there after December 25. In fact, after Xmas, you’ll really need a drink and maybe a new place to feast as you wash that holiday right outta your hair, so that’s an even better plan.

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. It’s less than a week before Xmas (or the onslaught of end-of-season parties) and you are out of ideas. What to bring, what to give… relax! I got you covered.

Fiberflamestudioshow

This Friday, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., you’d cover a lot of bases to get your sweet selves over to Fiberflame Studio, located at 1776 Route 212 in Saugerties. The lovely ladies there are offering a truly magnificent Sharon London Vintage & Design and Cat Rocks Jewelry trunk show. Sharon makes some of the most gorgeous lady frocks around, using original textiles and limited edition reclaimed fabrics in incredibly flattering styles for all bodies, and Cat Cooke’s baubles are nothing short of big, bold and beeyootiful! They’ll be teamed up with master baker Mor Pipman of Much Mor Breads and Desserts (she’s a mad genius — you could move in to one of her gingerbread houses!), and in a few hours, you could wrap up holiday shopping in one fell swoop. (Fiberflame itself has a fantabulous gift shop too!)

willlyttle

Sharp-eyed locals and tourists alike have spied Will Lyttle’s amazing pen-and-ink woodland whimsical drawings in local newspapers and tucked into shops around Woodstock and Saugerties for years; Will had an adorable habit of leaving them, like a calling card, wherever he went. Now he’s got a book. Meet the uber talented Will (AKA Thorneater Comics) at The Golden Notebook in Woodstock on Friday, where he’ll be signing and drawing from 5 p.m. onward. Hey Brooklynites, I’m talkin’ to YOU!!! A Will original will make you the talk of the ‘burg!

fruitionbar

It’s not the holidaze without chocolate, in my book, and you can cover your bases in two delicious ways. Fruition Chocolate Works, at 3091 Route 28 in Shokan is one of less than a dozen bean-to-bar chocolatiers in the country. In addition to winning a zillion medals at various U.S. competitions, Fruition has been named one of the “Top 10 chocolatiers in North America,” by Dessert Professional, so you know they are serious about their sweets. This the place to go for the gourmand in your life… someone who appreciates small-batch, craft chocolate and the well curated assortment of confections (personally, keep me away from the Brown Butter Milk Chocolate bar… or else plan on buying me a new wardrobe in 2015).

krause

For those seeking a more playful chocolate experience, you couldn’t do better than Krause’s, a third-generation chocolatier with more treats in store than Willy Wonka. Located at 41 South Partition Street in Saugerties, this 80+ year-old family business is a delightful nod to simpler times, with fantastic brittles, novelty shapes and custom-molded chocolate treats, all hand-dipped or hand-poured. (And again, please, no more hazelnut truffles for me. Consider me cut off.)

As Wilma and Betty used to say… chaaaaaaarge it! See you next week!

About Abbe Aronson

Abbe Aronson is the grande dame of PR, marketing, media, event planning and “artful schmoozing” here in the Hudson Valley. AbbeDoesIt.com for more of her hijinks!

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