Good Gifts

Heeeeeeey fam! I’m a little giddy because I just had a birthday. I love birthdays because… what’s not to love. The bar for celebrating is pretty low – you didn’t do any of the heavy pushing, you just turned up and everyone made the biggest fuss. And they do so every year as long as you keep turning up. Fantastic. The turning up part is the key.
Here’s a little confession, two days before my birthday I had a completely irrational fear I might not make it to the day. I do have an irrational fear slash fascination with aneurysms but that’s beside the point. I stayed up past midnight on the eve, so that just in case there’d be symmetry with the numbers.
I give thanks for waking up every day but there was extra gratitude on December 2nd. With each birthday I marvel at how much more of my mom I see in my face. After fifteen years without her, that takes my breath away and brings me joy. Yes thanks, I’ll take another crease at the eyes.

Obviously this year wasn’t about gathering all the people I love and lapping up the attention. But I did have the most special crew of people – my family. And the celebration was heart swelling. I’ve been pretty vocal about my position on shopping small and local, supporting minority and women owned or ethical and eco-conscious businesses. My family not only gave mad love but made me mad proud. All my gifts were ethical, locally bought and/or supportive of independent businesses. It’s not even about the ‘stuff’ it’s that my stuff supports someone else’s passion/ art/ dreams.
Let’s make each other’s dreams come true!

I am still working on a downloadable list but here are some more entries curated from my favourite things.

CHOCOLATE | COFFEE
Toronto:
Soma Chocolates,
SOUL chocolates
The Sovereign, coffee roasters
Mofer, Ethiopian coffee roasters
Chocosol, stone ground, fair trade, ethical chocolates

NYC:
Abraco Coffee roasters
Kobrick’s coffee roasters

YOGA | AYURVEDA | WELLNESS
Toronto | Canada | most ship to US
Scoria, cork and natural rubber yoga mats, also available in USA
Maraal sustainable mats, cork, vegan suede, silken hemp
Rasa Ayurveda, home made botanicals, mindfully curated items for well being
Ayurveda Rituals, for amazing Ayurvedic treatments like sirodhara and abhyanga by Andrea Oliviera, a Toronto based master practitioner, also her line of homemade botanicals
Living Libations; distillers of the highest grade essential oils, gorgeously crafted potions for use from head to toe. Based in Haliburton ON with a satellite in Venice Beach CA, they’re available online on both sides of the border.
Anarres Apothecary; naturopathic, homeopathic, and aromatherapy products, fair trade and ethical with a selection of fair trade Judaica items. Located in Toronto but shipping options on website.
iloveisola; magical mystical hand crafted malas, each is a healing work of art.

PRETTY THINGS TO WEAR OR GIVE
Love Only NYC, boutique with expertly curated selection of unique small global brands; two locations East Village and Williamsburg
Gracemade, ethical, sustainable, classic and cozy
LinguaNigra, it’s art masquerading as jewelry

I’ll be back with my pick of booksellers and the results of my Etsy deep dive.
Til then, be well and shop well.