2011 ‘Buy Local’ Holiday Shopping: Day 13 – Wild Things

Wild Things has been on Lexington Avenue at the corner of Ashland for over 20 years, and is a staple in the community for one-of-a-kind artisan jewelry and other fine crafts, including wraps, scarves, hats, bags, and even pottery. 

Owners Stephanie Robb and Karol Kirberger have on display their own handmade jewelry designs, as well as a wide selection of other local artisan-made jewelry, ranging from kiln fired enamel jewelry, gemstone jewelry, and jewelry made from recycled glass. 

Local artists the store carries include Roycroft Renaissance Master Artisan Dayna Banka-Slon, Einat Agmon, Ed Reily, Donna Sturges and Amanda Beaulieu.

In a word: earrings. There is truly something for anyone in this store when it comes to dressing up your ears. From long, dangly feathers to simple gemstones, you can find a pair for any occasion, any style. Earrings are priced at $28 and up.

And what better gift to accompany a pair of earrings than a handmade wood jewelry box. The store carries these boxes designed by local artisan Ray Stephens, who hand makes these boxes from different woods–some recycled–including maple and cedar. Each drawer is lined with felt, and each piece is unique. Prices range from $60-180.

As a side note–and another unique gift idea–would be to buy tickets for the Road Less Traveled Productions upcoming performance of “The Big Knife,” starring Alec Baldwin on January 27, 2012 at UB’s Center for the Arts. For $20, you can buy a t-shirt proclaiming “Alec Baldwin Loves Me”–designed locally by Block Club–and receive a $20 coupon for a pair of tickets to the event. Shirts are available for purchase at Wild Things and Second Chic in the city, Ace Flag in Depew, Alexandra and Village Artisans in Williamsville, and Alexandra in Ellicottville. All proceeds from the sale of the shirts will benefit Road Less Traveled Productions. For more information, or for tickets, visit www.alecbaldwinreturns.com. 

 

If it’s the holidays, The Place is indeed the place to be for THE holiday drink in town. Yes, folks, this one is an alcoholic beverage, so be sure to stop in when you feel it’s an appropriate time of day or evening to give The Place’s most famous drink–the Tom & Jerry–a taste. For those unfamiliar with what this holiday concoction entails, here’s the breakdown: brandy, rum, confectioner’s sugar, eggs (separated, beaten and folded back in), vanilla, nutmeg, and hot water. If I’m missing something, you’ll have to pop in and ask for the recipe yourself. But the result is hot, frothy holiday cheer in a Santa mug (see picture). 

On an average night, The Place will crank out about 500 of these warm and fuzzy cocktails. It’s a real treat, and a holiday tradition if there ever was one. But you can only get them during the holidays, starting the day before Thanksgiving. This year–and, mind you, each year the end date is arbitrary–The Place’s last day for serving up Tom & Jerry’s is Monday, January 9.