What better way to make the most of the Holidays than by exploring the Bay’s bounty of wonderful shopping experiences? Editor-at-Large Mary Swift charts your course
Published: November, 2004
Alameda
Rosenblum Wine Cellars
is a great place to enjoy the day or visit while holiday shopping. It is always fun to go to the source. Rosenblum Cellars, located next door to the Alameda ferry docks, is where grapes are crushed and wine is bottled. There are picnic tables outside for sunny days and a cozy tasting room upstairs where fine Rosenblum wines can be enjoye any day. Rosenblum Zinfandels have won numerous awards, but there are many other selections available to taste.
Rosenblum is hosting an open house November 13 & 14. Taste over 50 wines, enjoy live music, and feast on a variety of munchies for only $20. Take advantage of special discounts on their wide array of wines and take home a souvenir Riedel glass.
Tasting is complimentary at the Rosenblum Tasting Room, which is open daily from 11-6pm. There are all kinds of great wines for holiday gifts or for pouring at holiday parties. Special gift packs have been assembled to make shopping easy, and shipping is available to most states.
The Little Gallery Behind the Blue Door
2900 Main Street, Alameda, CA
Join the festivities at the “First Friday” artist reception at the Open Arts Gallery, “The Little Gallery Behind the Blue Door”. Featured for the First Friday showing is artist is painter and sculptor, Ginny Parsons who will exhibit her landscape paintings assembled with wax and metal.
Additional artists; Holly Wallace of Ruby Glass, handblown glass & functional art, Margaret Fago, watercolorist, original & archival prints, Nan Gray, Leah Max Designs, handcrafted jewelry & beautiful things.
It was nearly accidental that all the artists at the Little Gallery are women. These amazingly talented ladies do not show in many venues. Their artistry is quite worth the trip. Gifts purchased for self or for the holidays are unique and will never be seen in Macy’s. Nan Gray started the shop as a place to make her beautiful beaded creations and custom ordered jewelry. Nan invited her friends to help fill the walls and it has been a story of growing success ever since
The Little Gallery Behind the Blue Door, is located in the same building as, and behind on the south side of Rosenblum Cellars. From the Alameda Ferry dock simply go across the Ferry dock parking lot, walk around the side of the building on the south side. Pass by the 15 foot Wine cask and between the green buildings. Across that parking area is an entrance to a stairway, but don’t go up. The blue door is in the landing. It is across the parking area from the soon to open “Hello Wines” located in the big blue building. If driving, off of Main Street just before the ferry parking lot, enter where the sign points to Rosenblum, then follow the directions above and look for the flags and twinkling lights.
Show Dates 11/5 -11/28 - by appointment 510-395-1139
The Little Gallery will be a participant in the Rosenblum Cellars Nov. open house.
Oakland
Ironworks and Alameda’s Whales and Friends carry many unique gifts, from nautical themes, boat models, a delightful display of blown glass, many lovely artisan jewelry pieces, to ethnic gift displays of a variety of cultures. A humorous new line offers scrap metal welded into sculptures of comical pelicans, dogs, roosters, and more. There is a fluffily dressed tree topper kicking up her heels with a holiday display all around her. They say they have a gift to please anyone on your list.
San Francisco
Ferry Market Plaza has many choices for Holiday Shoppers. Our own Bay Crossings Store has books about cool things to do in the San Francisco Bay Area, maps and guides for hikers, bikers, and those who drive, and tickets for those taking the ferry. Many stores in the renovated Ferry Building offer anything to do with food, including great restaurants like The Slanted Door. As a jump-off location for shopping by Ferry around the Bay, the only hard part will be leaving the beautiful Ferry Market Plaza.
Sausalito
Mark Reuben Historical Photo Gallery, Beauty of California Gallery on Princess Street in Sausalito, plus their shop in Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, offer prints from the past and the present, from small to large enough to cover a wall. Mark’s collection of photos spans more than 100 years of historical events, golden sports moments, movie stars, and scenic wonders. His Beauty of California collection showcases his breadth of work of California’s natural wonders. There’s a gift here for anyone on your list
Tiburon
Tails of Tiburon’s highly anticipated opening has arrived. Tails of Tiburon is an up-scale store for pet lovers everywhere. Chula the Chihuahua, a store visitor on opening night, looked marvelous as she modeled various outfits including silk brocade jackets with a faux fur collar to keep her warm. Tails opened on the last night of ‘Party on Main Street’ and was the talk of the party. The bakery creations of dog biscuits (human grade) and treats attracted a great deal of attention, as did the stylish Donald Pliner dog accessories.
Owner Nicole Grey moved to Tiburon with her husband James, an emergency medicine physician, a year ago. The 3-year-old Bandit, their 5lb Papillion, was Nicole’s inspiration for the store and is the official ‘Paw’prioter of Tails of Tiburon. Nicole with 18 years in retail and a career in home interior design brings extensive experience and a highly informed sense of style to provide a store with tasteful options for dogs and cats of all sizes.
If a pet owner or if anyone on your holiday gift list has pets, the sweet boutique shop Tails of Tiburon, located at 34 Main Street in Tiburon, is the COOLIST.
(415) 789-1301
