Already stores are beginning to stock Christmas items. Readers who wish to participate should know that this post is an unabashed effort to steer you away from the strip malls and toward fueling a more local economy and/or supporting smaller businesses. This list reflects my taste, though not always my paycheck(s). Some possibilities may have been accidentally omitted; others were very intentionally omitted.
Crafts, Arts, and the Bazaar
Every year the All Saints Orthodox Church on Scarborough Street holds its Russian Tea Room and Bazaar. It may be too early to consider holiday shopping in early November, but this is an opportunity to find gifts like nesting dolls, jewelery, jewelery boxes, and more. If you’d rather just fill your gullet, there will be blini, vareniki, borscht, and other Russian foods. They typically have tours of the church, though the craft fair and food are located in the basement of the building. This year’s festival goes from November 5th through November 7th. Admission is free and there will be activities for children.
From November 12-14th the Sugarloaf Craft Festival will be back in town. I attended this back in March when they were last here and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of arts and crafts. There will be over 200 artisans from around the country displaying their work at the Connecticut Expo Center. There is a wide range of work — from furniture to wind chimes to olive oil — so people of modest income are not instantly priced out. There will be paper art, baskets, clothing, paintings, ceramics, photography, soap, wall sculptures, food, items for children, and more.
Besides shopping, you can watch craft demonstrations including iron forging and copper spinning. Some of these demonstrations will be interactive.
Check back on Real Hartford as the date of the event draws near, as we will be having a small ticket giveaway.
If you still feel like ogling arts and crafts that weekend, on November 13th and 14th, Hartford will be holding its Open Studio Weekend. This year’s Open Studio Weekend seems…together. Admittedly, I am a sucker for full color glossy brochures which lend the sense of organization to a happening. It gives me confidence that the event will happen, that it’s not just thrown together at the last minute. This year, given the vast number of artists participating in the event, the brochure seems necessary if one is to navigate the weekend’s options with any success. Here is a sampling of the wares that will be on display and for sale: clay jewelery, pottery, handmade books, photography, pastels, acrylics, stenciled and dyed clothing, knits, tiles, beads, Lucite jewelery, silk-screened clothing, fiber, mixed media, book binding, sculpture, wooden bowls, crochet, wire, leather, oil paintings, felted wool, fused glass, mirrors, greeting cards, pencil and watercolor, pen and ink, ceramics, and more. Many of these displays are at ArtSpace, but others are located in other spots like 30 Arbor Street, Billings Forge, and the Institute for Community Research. Besides goods to purchase, there will be jazz, blues, funk, acoustic guitar, salsa, and classical musical performances. There will be dance, poetry, and films to view. To find out exact times and venues, go to the Open Studio Hartford site.
Retail
Hartford Denim Company creates handcrafted jeans and belts, and has a workshop at 75 Pratt Street, Suite 500. Their website has contact info and photos of their products. In the recent Hooker Day Parade they carried yards of denim overhead. Fun people, they are, if a bit irregular, like their hours. I was warned to call ahead (860) 356-6896 to ensure someone would be at the workshop. Their off-the-rack jeans start at $200 and custom jeans begin at $300.
Vice Versa Boutique is located at 419 Main Street near Capitol Avenue. The unfortunate use of tinting on windows makes it appear like the shop is perpetually closed. Vice Versa offers “closet cleanse” services, a phrase reminiscent of the “colon cleanse,” which itself is merely a euphemism for getting rid of one’s crap. Let this cruddy metaphor not discourage you from checking out Vice Versa. They are hosting several fashion events in early November; read the details on their website.
NiRo Couture, boasting of dozens of community affiliations, moved from Asylum Street to 
Pratt Street this past year. Their window displays change weekly, or more frequently. Besides selling clothes one might actually want to wear to those fancy schmancy schmoozy events, they offer beauty consulting. I know, you’re already beautiful just the way you are. But it’s there. And if you’re going to go that route, keep it local.
Sadhna’s Showrooms are near the escalators in 960 Main, the former G. Fox building. Yes, are. They have expanded from one storefront to two within the same building. Here you can find gorgeous scarves, skirts, tops, shoes, and jewelery in vibrant, traffic-stopping colors. There is always something on sale. The staff are friendly and helpful, and seem more interested in building relationships than making a quick sale. For prints, posters, and framing, check out Petrini Frame and Art next to Sadhna’s Showroom.
Stackpole Moore Tryon Tuesday’s, located on the corner of Trumbull and Pratt, has classic styles for men and women. It is expensive and closed on Sunday, but anyone with any taste would have trouble finding nothing in there to drool over. They create window displays that add some serious class to the corner of Trumbull Street, which is otherwise, in my opinion, an unfantastic street to walk along. Sure, there are occupied storefronts, but a lot of the newer architecture makes me cringe. Besides adding interest to the street, SMTT’s has actual Hartford shirts. Not just Hartford shirts, but ones without tired irony or sentimentality emblazoned on the front. It’s great to see civic pride reappearing.
Connecticut Creative Store is a general store, which may seem an unlikely fit in an urban center, and yet, it’s here, beside Colt Park. They sell typical New England items: maple syrup, honey, mustard, jams, and objects emblazoned with the Charter Oak. There are Connecticut logo shirts and books about city parks. You can find the store at 25 Stonington Street. There is free, off-street parking.
If you want to find a gift for someone who lives an active life, support Daily Rider, a local bikemonger. They sell stylish helmets, headlights and tail lights, folding bikes, and cargo bikes; they also do custom wheel building and bicycle repair. Contact them through their website for an appointment or to see where they will be setting up mobile shop next.
To buy a camera, try supporting the Camera Bar, instead of heading straight to a big box store. This shop is right on Asylum Street.
Japanalia Eiko is out in the West End, next to Mo’s Midtown. I probably do not even need to supply the address based on the popularity of the diner, but just in case, Japanalia can be found at 11 Whitney Street. The clothing here is funky, and while attractive, not necessarily a style that every woman can pull off.
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum Shop is accessible without paying admission. They have what one would expect from a gift shop in an art museum: prints, postcards, jewelery, fancy journals, and books.
Old State House has a gift shop featuring t-shirts, books, teas, and such. It’s not just cheap plastic trinkets. [Edited: Learned that they no longer have their gift shop open. Instead, check out the new Hartford Holiday Store on Pratt Street.]
For greeting cards that are handmade, see what La Paloma Sabanera has in stock. They also tend to carry chocolates and other small treats. The artwork on display is often for sale. Currently there are political t-shirts available for purchase.
Connecticut Science Center‘s gift shop is pretty neat. They do have a bin of those cheap plastic trinkets, but most of the shop is better than that. If you’ve been missing School House Rock, this is the place to fulfill that childhood nostalgia.
Experiences
Memberships can be purchased for any number of places, including Real Art Ways, Wadsworth Atheneum, and Connecticut Science Center. Subscriptions to performances at Hartford Stage, TheaterWorks, and Hartford Symphony Orchestra are available. You could get someone a membership to the YMCA, though the recipient might think you’re dropping hints about needing to lose weight, so such a gift might be best reserved for family members who’ll be offended no matter what you get them.
Food and Drink
If there is anyone who would not want to receive one of those white boxes tied up with red-and-white string, I do not need to meet him. There are bakeries up and down Park Street and Franklin Avenue. Go to them. Check out Los Cubanitos, La Estrella, and Abrantes on Park Street. Modern and Mozzicato on Franklin Avenue are equally good in the take-out baked goods territory. First & Last Bakery on Maple Avenue, almost into Wethersfield, is as good at pastries as they are at pizza. Scotts’ Jamaican Bakery has pineapple cake (and other sweets); they are located on Blue Hills Avenue, Albany Avenue, and Main Street.
Another gift option is a card/certificate to a restaurant; you can do even better than that. Have dinner, drinks, dessert, whatever, with the friend and then pick up the tab. Sharing a meal makes it more memorable. Here are a few suggestions for dinner with friends (on you):
The Russell: As much as I love their food, I normally do not recommend them because of the absolute sluggish pace of service. However, in this case, since your appearance there is as much social as it is about eating, the slower service can be overlooked. If you’re looking to actually talk with your friend(s), go earlier than later, as they seem to be cranking the music loud at night now. The food could be described as Caribbean fusion; people who want bland meals best skip this spot. That is not to say that the food is ultra spicy, just that it is flavorful.
Agave Grill: I have found that if I eat the freshly made guacamole, I will not finish my entree. And if I do not finish my entree, that means I can not order churros. If you bring friends, they can help with this dilemma. The Nominvore’s Dilemma.
Coyote Flaco: It’s not trendy. It’s not anywhere near downtown. This is the place to go if you want affordable, good Mexican food in a quieter establishment. They do not need to wow anyone with a thousand varieties of tequila; one can enjoy her food while completely sober.
City Steam Brewery: Great spot for social gatherings. Having taken some very picky eaters there and have heard them rave about it later, I call this a safe bet. I have never felt like the staff tried to rush me out of there, which probably has something to do with the spectacular number of tables. The mixed drinks seem unreasonably expensive, but everything else was priced about average for this kind of establishment.
Feng Asian Bistro: Go when it is cheap. They have a regular happy hour (Monday-Friday 4-6pm) and a late night happy hour which begins at 10 on some days and 11 on others. The downside to the late happy hour is that the regular part of the restaurant is closed and the large screen televisions are hard to escape (what an ambiance killer!) in the bar area. Sweet potato tempura rolls. That’s all you need to know.
Mo’s Midtown: This is ideal for a quick visit, since the volume of customers wanting seats makes it harder to relax for too long. Two people can be well fed for less than fifteen dollars, including tip, and nobody will get snobby about what you show up wearing or if your kid likes to flail in his booster seat.
What about friends who would rather just stay home and split a bottle of wine with you? The Welcome Package Store (on Capitol Avenue across from Heath Street) has cool owners who are not simply trying to make a buck off of residents. This is a regular, no-frills, working class kind of shop. If you’re someone who can distinguish between notes and nose, Spiritus on Asylum might be a better option for you. If you have many friends you are thinking of buying bottles of wine for, let’s say, twelve friends, then you can get a ten percent discount on the purchase. Both of these stores are on bus lines, conveniently.
None of the Above
Check out the Charity Navigator website before donating your money anywhere to make sure that you agree with the way it will be spent. Some local organizations scored surprisingly low. Worrying about the financial end of things can ruin one’s reserve of good will, so perhaps just look around for hands on volunteer opportunities.
