Gifting Along Upper State, the Digital Globe, and Beyond
The holiday cards are (hopefully) in the mail and the easy gifts have been checked off, wrapped, and lovingly crammed under the tree. But what to do about those harder-to-gift people in your life? Well, here are some options. Happy hunting.
Books are the gift that keeps giving. A literary favorite can be read until the pages wear as thin as the tissue paper the typographical gift was wrapped in. And really, is there anything more quaint than the community bookstore? Neatly piled stacks of books where an aged staff sits quietly behind a counter. Occasionally a neighborhood author will come by in the evening and read to a beleaguered audience with juice and cookies sitting on a table nearby. Well, Chaucer’s may be the community bookstore, but it is hardly considered quaint as its over 150,000 titles can attest. Both local and international authors have come in to host readings and signings at this Upper State store. They offer unparalleled customer service with a friendly staff that will help guide you through the rows of tomes, or can order any books that may unexpectedly not appear on their bustling shelves. Chaucer’s is a true gem of the community and beloved by all who visit it. It’s more than just books. And puzzles. And games. And gifts. It’s community. And it’s this all-encompassing quality that has kept this local mainstay around for over 50 years.
The Furniture Gallery by Mattress Mike is not one of those bait-and-switch outfits. You won’t walk into a discouraging, sloppily assembled little shop with a couple easy chairs and a crooked-looking armoire. This place is indeed a Furniture Gallery with a 55,000 square foot showroom. The scale is what hits you first. Actually, what hits you first is a greeter, right inside the entry. Human, not algorithmic. Can you believe it? “Oh yeah, okay; I get it. That’s where the hard-selling starts, huh?” Easy there, understandably jaded shopper. The greeter just wants to say “hi,” with meaning! This is just the first of The Furniture Gallery by Mattress Mike’spleasant surprises. The second, as I was saying before rudely interrupting myself, is the scale of the place. You half expect to see the Space Shuttle parked in a discreet section of the store. The place is like a NASA hangar, but tastefully appointed with … um … just about anything you can imagine in the “furniture” realm, and repped by that full array of recognizably rock-solid brands that meet you at every price point without sacrificing a whit of quality. What follows is a sentence fragment. Mattresses, bookcases, ottomans, recliners, sofas, dining room tables, hutches, media consoles, ceiling lights, nightstands, loveseats, bar stools, and a partridge in a pear tree – this is but a fraction of what you will find there. General Manager and COO Garret Gustason roams “the floor” like a knowledgeable friend and loves puncturing the wary customer’s fear of a hovering salesperson. “It’s my favorite thing,” Garret says, “when I walk up to a customer and their guard’s up. I say, ‘…if you have any questions, grab me.’ The moment I actually step away, they go, ‘um…wait a minute…!’ I love that moment.”
Alright, we’ve got the ottoman for Papa Joe from Mattress Mike but we’re still looking for the vintage Victorian trinket box for Aunt Sue, some white gold jewelry for Cousin Jess, and I don’t know what for her brother, “Mr. Hard-to-Buy-for” Jeff. Well, don’t move the car because Miss Daisy’s Consignment and Auction House is right next door to The Furniture Gallery and is a one stop shop for all and any of those unique pieces you need.
What started off as a foray into senior downsizing and relocation, has led to a bustling consignment business, auction house, and occasional event center that revolves around this near dizzying array of furniture, houseware, textiles, lighting, and oh so much more. Started by Glenn Novack in 2016, Miss Daisy’s later joined forces with Mattress Mike to create a unique blend of new and consignment offerings under one massive, massive roof.
“Oh no, grandma, not another t-shirt…” It’s something that no gifting grandparent wants to hear. Well, up-level your garment giving to that precocious (and rather ungrateful) 30-something with Esbee Montecito. This homespun clothing company weaves together Supima cotton with Montecito style in a series of men’s clothes that fits the year-round beach weather. The range of crew and long sleeve shirts and sweaters come in such aptly named colors as “Mesa Fog” gray or “Olive Mill” green. With a selection of hats to boot, Esbee can bring garmented glee in a gift. Esbee is available online or they hand deliver the same day to local Santa Barbara residents, stores, and hotel guests. It’s the kind of casual-but-luxury company that suits Montecito and will have those whipper-snappers jumping with joy atop the wrapping paper and proclaiming it’s their new favorite shirt, squealing, “It’s perfect!” As Esbee puts it themselves: “We’re chasing perfection, not trends.”
Picture it. You’re at the new art opening. A mysterious person enters, framed in light as the cold, dark night whips around them in the doorway. With a flick of the wrist, they snap off their shades as their eyes pierce the room around them. “Why are they wearing sunglasses at night?” You may ask. It doesn’t matter. They are the master of the room.
Or maybe you’re driving along CVR in the newest model of your favorite car. At the stop sign you look over to see a group of teens donning some rad patterns and the most modern parachute pants you’ve ever seen. Slowly, the group lowers their hip specs in perfect synchronicity to gaze at your ride in awe.
Or maybe you’re just a bespectacled scientist looking warily over the rim of your glasses – you see it clearly now… the answer that will remedy the world’s imminent end is right there on the screen.
You think that it’s the person making these iconic moments possible? No, it’s glasses that are the real heroes here. And without this crucial accessory, none of these scenes would look right.
Well, see. This is where SALT Optics comes in play. This premium eyewear company makes art for the eyes and a great gift for the classy, cool persons (or budding scientist) in your life. The proprietary lenses use optical-grade glass, CR-39 materials, and Japanese polarizing technology, which are then wrapped in frames made with acetate from Takiron Rowland, a century-old Japanese factory. From aviators to rounds, these shades come in all of the shapes and hues to ensure one looks Top Gun cool at any time and place.
The rolling hills of Tuscany… an ancient tale about star-crossed lovers… the heart-broken maiden whose tears fill a grotto which trickles into the roots of a grove of enchanted olive trees on the ruins of a 10th-century castle. With each harvest, the tear-soaked fruits’ first pressings bring forth the liquid gold that has been nourishing civilizations for millennia. It’s the kind of story that should be made into a movie.
Well, Robert Zemeckis knows a thing or two about that. And he actually knows a bit about olive oil as well. The legendary filmmaker and Montecito local, captures this golden tale in each bottle of his Z Family Grotto Olive Oil – made from the olive trees of those very storied Tuscan hills. Whether a cinephile, an epicurean, or both, a bottle of this Extra Virgin Olive Oil can make a perfect gift from the Zemeckis family to yours. An autographed bottle is even available by request. As ole Robert puts it: “The first press of olive oil is like great cinema; it transcends.”
The holidays are often a time of travel. Whether it is jumping in the car to go see the in-laws or hopping on a plane with the whole family to head off to some international destination – the winter break often offers a chance to leave the comfort of one’s home and enter the exhilarating, life-changing process known as “travel.” Some people like gifts, other people live for this simple T-word that can be packed with so much adventure. Just take it from local travel guru himself, Rick Steves. In fact, on Friday, February 21, 2025, at the Arlington, you will be able to take a lot more than just that from the beloved host of the wayfaring show, Travel with Rick Steves.
Hosted by TV Santa Barbara, this evening will not only feature Rick’s stories on the joys of international travel – the gathering will also second as a 50th anniversary celebration of TVSB. Pick up a pair of tickets as a gift for your favorite travel buddy. It can be a fitting follow up after the holiday travels, or a way to live vicariously through the stories of this galivanting globetrotter.
Phew… okay it’s done… the holiday shopping is complete. The kids have been pacified with eggnog, cookies, and threats about the Naughty List. You’ve put Santa’s simple double-checking to shame as you’ve spreadsheeted, cross-referenced, and plotted the family tree with the perfect gifts for each limb (honestly, that portly amateur could learn a thing or two from you). That’s it – it’s time for a drink.
Fortunately, San Ysidro Ranch has you covered. So pull up to The Ranch and stroll past the 60,000 twinkling lights to The Speakeasy at Plow & Angel – where the space has been decked out with over 2,500 ornaments and a festive drink list to top it off. It’s the kind of festive spectacle that landed San Ysidro Ranch on Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List for 2025. Relax in the embrace of a Spiced Old Fashioned while surrounded by the relaxing roar of a fire and the hum of musicians in holiday attire. The Grinch can wash away any holiday worries with its wisps of mint, cacao, and coconut adorned by a candy cane topper. Yes, sit back with an SYR Eggnog. Soak in the enchanting ambiance of The Speakeasy and take a deep breath. The holidays are about to happen.
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