Around Town

The Ultimate Around Town 2011 Gift Guide

Around Town Laura has the ideas, now you've just got to get out there and shop.

I've spent the last six weeks telling you about great gift ideas from around town. But let's face it, if you still need to shop at this point, there's no way you can read through all those columns. Never fear; I'm here to help. I've summed it up for you by gift recipient. The only way I could make it any easier is if I did the shopping for you (and as much as I love you, dear reader, that isn't happening). Need more? Here's the link to all the columns: > Complete Top 10 Gift Guides

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Top 10 Gift Ideas: Fine Wine from Cose Di Lusso

The holiday series wraps up with the gift of fine wine.

It's that time of year when Tony Bonheim at Cose di Lusso hears, "So I want to buy some wine as a gift and this is all I know ..." No problem. "We can work with almost no information and still find the perfect wine gift for you to give," Bonheim said. "Two facts — your budget and red or white — is enough to get us started." Just knowing a person's food preferences — are they a spicy food fan? chocoholic? love sushi? — can help pinpoint that special bottle of wine. And with bottles starting at $11, Cose di Lusso can fit any budget. "You should be able to drink good wine every day," Bonheim said. Cose di Lusso's prices cover a full range, from high end, unique and "quite special" wines to its "Dirty Dozen," which are 12 value-oriented wines …

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Around Town

Top 10 Gift Ideas: The Funky Frog

The downtown resale shop offers a list of gift ideas.

The Funky Frog is a resale shop, but did you know they sell new merchandise too? Owner Renee Perkins showed me both the new and the used gift ideas the Frog has to offer. Perkins put on her thinking cap (which looked suspiciously like a skunk) and shared these holiday favorites: Around Town Laura is delivering holiday gift ideas to you in an ongoing series. Click on the links to read about Top 10 lists from:   

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Around Town

Top 10 Gift Ideas: Catching Fireflies

This store has something for everyone. Really: I Double-Dutch-Dare you to NOT find the gift you need in this store.

Catching Fireflies has been part of the downtown Rochester scenery for five and a half years.  I can't help but wonder how many gifts (with complimentary wrapping) have been purchased in that time. It's got to be a lot, because this store has something for everyone. If you're stuck on a gift, I highly recommend you stop by. I doubt you'll walk out empty-handed. (Note: Patch cannot be held responsible for freelance writers' Double-Dutch-Dares.) Store manager Dena Gillespie has worked at Rochester's Catching Fireflies since Day 1, so she knows her store. Here's her Top 10 list, with bonus ideas in the photo gallery. Gillespie took a break from her Top Elf duties to share these Christmas memories: Around Town Laura is delivering holiday gift …

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Around Town

Top 10 Gift Ideas: Firebrick Gallery

If locally-made, one-of-a-kind gifts are what you're looking for, check out Firebrick's Top 10 list.

Everything in Firebrick Gallery is made in Michigan, most by local artists.  If giving the mitten some love is a priority in your holiday shopping, look no further than this Top 10 list provided by Firebrick owner, Christine Laikind. Laikind gave me 10 ideas, but it was easy to find even more. Check out the photo gallery for pictures from the list and some bonus ideas, too. With artists busy at work in the studio portion of Firebrick, Laikind shared her holiday favorites: Around Town Laura is delivering holiday gift ideas to you in an ongoing series. Click on the links to read about Top 10 lists from: The Silk Worm, Green Baby, Froggy's Toy Stop, Simply the Best and Talulah Belle. 

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Around Town

Top 10 Gift Ideas: Talulah Belle

As the holiday comes closer, the Around Town gift guides continue. This one takes a closer look at a favorite downtown boutique.

Sometimes you want to go shopping with the girls but busy schedules don't permit. Let me recommend Talulah Belle, the pretty yellow place on Third Street. Not only is the store full of great gifts and gorgeous clothing (holiday party, anyone?), but sales associate Pam Valko and owner Amy Fonville will make you feel like you're spending the afternoon with your besties. Fonville knows her merchandise and shared her list with me. Although she gave me 10 ideas, the store has much more than that. Check out my photo gallery for more things that I found irresistible.  Standing next to one of the most unusual and colorful Christmas trees I've ever seen (and I'd expect nothing less at Talulah Belle), Fonville and Valko shared some Christmas …

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Laura Cassar

9:29 am on Friday, December 9, 2011

All apparel is 20 percent off through this weekend at Talulah Belle!   more ›

Around Town

Top 10 Gift Ideas: Simply the Best $10 Boutique

We're still shopping around downtown Rochester; here's what we found this week.

Holiday shopping doesn't have to break your budget. Downtown's Simply the Best $10 Boutique has a ton of cute stuff and it's all priced to make even the biggest scrooge smile. Store manager Tracey Ladd walked me through their list. Ladd shared these personal holiday favorites: Around Town Laura is delivering holiday gift ideas to you in an ongoing series. Read here about The Silk Worm's Top 10, read here about Green Baby and here about Froggy's Toy Stop. Which store should she check out next? Post a suggestion in the comments or let Laura know by email.

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Around Town

For the Holidays, Shop Local, Support the Small Biz, Buy Michigan

This summer Around Town Laura explored the many made-in-Michigan options available around Rochester. They look pretty good for the holidays too.

While Around Town Laura is recovering from massive turkey consumption, we're re-running this favorite column about buying Michigan — feel free to take notes to take with you when shopping in Rochester tomorrow for Small Business Saturday. The holiday season is the perfect time to support our local economy by "Buying Michigan." And downtown Rochester has something Michigan-made for every member of your family, from dad to dog and everyone in between.  I shopped around town for Michigan-made items, and here's what I found. It's chilled and frosty and brewed right here in Rochester. Show Dad and Michigan some love with a six-pack of Rochester Mills Beer Co.'s Cornerstone India Pale Ale. Manager Heidi Wahl told me the IPA is its No. 1 seller …

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Top 10 Gift Ideas: Froggy's Toy Stop

From penguins and turtles to tickle monsters, this downtown shop has your toy wish lists covered.

Our Around Town Top 10 Gifts series continues today with a trip to Froggy's Toy Stop for the kids on your list. Froggy's owner Geoff Lytle is the father of three young boys, so he knows his toys. Lytle helped guide me through this list: Surrounded by floor-to-ceiling toys, Lytle shared these holiday favorites with me: Around Town Laura is delivering holiday gift ideas to you in an ongoing series. Read here about The Silk Worm's Top 10, read here about Green Baby. Which store should she check out next? Post a suggestion in the comments or let Laura know by email.

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Around Town

Top 10 Gift Ideas: Green Baby

The downtown shop delivers a holiday gift list and a Made in the USA sale this weekend.

Today and Saturday, Green Baby on Main Street is hosting a Made in the USA Event. "Our customers come in and ask for it," store manager, Christine Nugent said. "People want organic goods made in the USA, and that's what we're giving them." Even better, they're giving it at sale prices. As part of the event, all items made in the USA will be 30 percent off. The items will be called out with American flags on display. "About 30 percent of our store is American-made product so it will be great to see all those flags," Nugent said. In addition to the sale, the event will also host special guests. On Wednesday I launched my holiday gift ideas series with 10 ideas from The Silk Worm. Today we turn the Around Town spotlight on Green Baby. Nugent …

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Laura Cassar

3:45 pm on Saturday, December 3, 2011

The pink dump trucks are back! Race cars too!   more ›