This holiday season instead of doing a traditional gift guide, I’ve reached out to my favorite local shop owners to learn what they recommend giving. The retailers stock their respective stores with gorgeous clothing, covetable home goods, sensational spirits, and delicious eats, so naturally they have a knack for selecting the perfect gift. I came up with a list of 10 quintessential SF personalities, from the gentleman farmer to the Color Factory girl, and asked the curator what they would give each unique type. Now through Christmas, I’ll be sharing their gift guides.
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Jay Jeffers and Michael Purdy are one of San Francisco’s most stylish power couples. Jeffers is a sought after interior designer and Purdy is the creative director and buyer for Jeffers namesake boutique, Jay Jeffers The Store. The duo frequently host fabulous parties at their shop, which also serves as a studio for Jeffers interiors business. When not at their country house in St. Helena, the handsome couple is often seen out and about town at high profile events. Jeffers and Purdy are also committed to making the world a better place—both participated in the AIDS/Lifecycle 2017 ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles raising more than $60,000. Oh and on their wishlist? A vintage 1962 Mercedes 190 SL with a soft convertible top lovingly restored to perfection by Porter Felton. As tastemakers, they know plenty about selecting the ideal gift. Here, in their own words, is their gift guide for every SF personality.
The Lady Who Launched: We love this “strike gold” series of desk accessories ($28) from Kate Spade, each piece is inscribed with inspired sayings like “make it stick” or “keep it together” to push the lady entrepreneur just a little closer to achieving her startup goals.
The Hoodied Tech Bro: No sense in trying to buy this guy the newest cool gadget because if we know him well enough, he already bought it for himself. Why not buy him something you’re sure he will need? With more and more of our male friends paying attention to fashion, a subscription to Stitch Fix might just open his eyes to something beyond the hoodie and get him on the path to his own signature style.
The Fabulous Couple: We are thrilled that the Meraki Market is now open just a block from our shop and is filled with hundreds of gorgeous delicacies. What better gift for the cool couple than a customized gift basket of treats from the coolest new culinary spot in the Tenderloin? Gather from a wondrous assortment of cheeses, spreads, sauces, oils and spices.
The Cool Mom: A “Super Duper” facial ($219) with local skincare guru Angelina Umansky, owner of Spa Radiance. Angelina has been keeping our skin in tip top shape for years. An appointment with her is tough to come by, but if you get in she will not only pamper you to no end, you will leave with a glowing complexion and also an invaluable education about your skin and how to take the best care of it at home.
The Wine Country Escapists: Two bottles of our Napa Valley Reserve 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon in a customized wooden gift box. This wine is only made available for members and not sold anywhere at retail. This is the perfect gift for anyone that loves a big bold cab that they simply cannot get their hands on without a membership! Hell we can also arrange a tour of the property and caves.
The Budding Mixologist: With the craze of customized ice at almost every groovy San Francisco bar these days, we’ve given these as gifts to several of our favorite budding mixologists. W&P makes a great set of sturdy silicone ice trays ($74) in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. To take those rocks to the next level, insert a cube into the ice ball maker ($300) and turn it into a perfect sphere.
The Restaurant Hound: One of the hottest foodie tickets in town is a seat at Christopher Kostow’s table for one of his “12 Days of Christmas” dinners ($275/per person). Each year three-Michelin starred Kostow and his team at The Restaurant at Meadowood host influential chefs from around the globe for 12 nights of unique menu collaborations. It is a dining experience that will never be replicated and is always full of surprises.
The Gentleman Farmer: Anyone who works with their hands in the ground needs a little pampering and repair. We love this hand repairing balm from Nancy Boy ($18) in Hayes Valley. Made from Japanese kumazasa bamboo, it will hydrate even the toughest of hands without leaving you a greasy mess. It is also a very very reasonably priced at $18 compared to some other makers that sell it for around $80 an ounce.
The Interior Aesthete: The “Milli” lamp by Jay Jeffers for Arteriors ($885) is a gorgeous addition to any interior and would more than please even the most astute lover of design this holiday season.
The Color Factory Girl: Anyone who loves color would die to get something from the Alexandra Von Furstenberg “Fearless” collection of neon acrylic home accessories ($340). Our current favorites are the placemats, napkin rings or place card holders. They are all available at Jay Jeffers The Store.
Check out the other gift guides in this series!
Hero Shop’s Emily Holt
