Master the Art of Unique Gift Giving Part I

I try my very best to personalize and pick out thoughtful gifts any chance I get. Hey I love gift cards as much as the next person, but there also is a time and place to go out of your way to pick that unique and thoughtful gift. Luckily, I’ve mastered the art (I think!) of knowing the right places in the Claremont Village to pick out a whimsical, humorous, or personalized gift. In fact, there’s so many options I had to make this a two-part series! If you’re in need of buying a unique gift that will stand out from the rest, stop by these Claremont Village locations.

Heirloom. This small shop in the heart of Claremont Village is my top choice for whimsical gifts that are fun, hip, unique, and humorous. As you walk inside, you’ll find a section to your left dedicated to Claremont gifts like coasters, candles, shirts, bags, cups, jewelry, and so much more. They even have an entire section selling items for your fur babies! So, if you know a new pet owner, Heirloom will have the perfect gift for celebrating that occasion. They also sell coasters that feature band albums, sports teams, and movie covers. I have to admit I have about 6 of them because I couldn’t resist getting coasters that feature my favorite albums from The Smiths, David Bowie, Sam Cooke, Depeche Mode, and The Cure. Towards the back of the shop they have a pretty large book selection on various topics like cooking, drink recipes, traveling, and more. Their card section is the only place I go to get any sort of greeting card. My favorite items in Heirloom are gifts to bring to parties like funny napkins, glass markers, kitchen accessories, and bar-ware. There are so many unique gift ideas I can write a whole post about it, but you’ll just have to check it out for yourself.

Rio De Ojas. This place is a total gem in the village. It’s a Mexican boutique selling a variety of items that make exciting and unique gifts. Before walking inside, be sure to admire and appreciate the exterior brick building that’s surrounded by trees, wrapped in vines, and accented by stringed lights and potted plants. As you walk in you’ll see unique cultural jewelry, Mexican folk art, and the cutest Dia De Los Muertos and Frida items. There are tons of candles, lights for your patio (even the chili lights!), Spanish tiles, trinkets, and other home decor perfect for birthdays, Mothers Day, housewarmings, or stocking stuffers. As you head towards the back of the store are cultural glassware, patio accessories and food items like chilis, bitters, sauces, and spreads. During my last visit I scored some Peruvian Bitters which is an essential ingredient for a Pisco Sour. If you’ve never been, you’re in for a real treat!

Norens Nursery. To find the perfect gift for the plant lover in your life, you need to go to Norens Nursery in the heart of the Claremont Village. They carry a large selection of outdoor plants, succulent gardens, air plants, plant wreaths, plant accessories, vintage furniture, pottery, and so much more! You can even build your own fairy garden in a potted plant making the perfect customized gift. They have the cutest little accessories to decorate your garden; it’s hard not to be smitten by this charming nursery. Every time I happen upon Norens Nursery while walking on Bonita Avenue, I always walk in to take a gander to take in the lush plants, running water fountains, and vintage furniture.

Jasmine. Ok I may be a bit biased about how much I love Jasmine boutique because, my youngest sister’s name is Jasmine. But I digress! Jasmine is a women’s and jewelry boutique that sells the cutest and most luxurious pjs (yes, luxurious!). They have a wide selection of fabulous jewelry and sell aromatic lotions and bath items. Their robes and slippers are ultra-plush making them irresistible to take your lounge wear to the next level. Their staff is the most friendly in the village and when I pop in, they treat me like a long lost friend. I appreciate that level of effort and honestly, it keeps me coming back! Be sure to tell the staff at Jasmine you’re purchasing a gift because they’ll wrap that thing up like it’s a birthday celebration, Christmas, and New Year’s combined! They go the extra mile with the gift wrapping just to give it that nice touch for your special someone. Not too long ago I purchased a plushy robe from Jasmine for my friend’s birthday and she went nuts over it and uses it every chance she gets. It made me look like the “Friend of the Year'' but I owe it to the lovely staff at Jasmine who helped me pick it out and wrap it beautifully.

The Grove Home. The Grove Home is an excellent place if you want to get gifts that promote positivity and good energy like salts, stones, rocks, crystals, incense, sage, and candles. It’s certainly the place I go to stock up on incense since they have quite a large selection! They also have cutesy home items like door mats, pottery, knickknacks, succulents, and so much more. The best find I came was a handmade waterproof birdhouse made of organic wool as a Christmas present to my good friend and it was an absolute hit! Visit The Grove Home if you’d like to get a little something for a housewarming, someone’s office, or a birthday.

Ready for round 2? Check out Master the Art of Unique Gift Giving Part II for more places in Claremont to buy a one-of-a-kind gift.

What unique gift finds in Claremont made a lasting impression on that special someone in your life? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

Thanks for reading and toodaloo for now!

Photography Credits: All photos were taken by the author of this blog.