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One-Of-A-Kind Holiday Gifts

October 26, 2006

Contact Information:
Name: Lindsey Brown
Phone: 713-437-5275
Email: lbrown@ghcvb.org

Looking for the perfect gift for someone who has it all? Houston has the remedy for every holiday shopper’s headache. While six million shoppers flock to The Galleria each holiday season, Houston is also home to a variety of unique shops, galleries and more.

Exceptional Shops
The Asher Gallery, within the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, serves as a retail showcase for the work of internationally acclaimed and emerging artists in all craft media, giving visitors an opportunity to touch, handle and own objects created by many of the artists featured in the Craft Center's exhibitions. New inventory arrives daily, so the Asher Gallery is a perfect excuse to stop by the Craft Center. The Holiday Craft Celebration, featuring unique pieces and creative crafts created by more than thirty local artists, takes place Dec. 2-3.

For more than 35 years, the Karamu Gallery at the Shrine of the Black Madonna Cultural Center and Bookstore has been showcasing the exquisite works of some of the world's most talented artists. They have one of the most extensive collections of authentic museum-quality art from people of color in Africa, the Caribbean, North America and South America. Karamu Art Gallery also features art and sculptures from renowned African-American artists such as Ernie Barnes, Carl Owens, and Brenda Joysmith.

The Museum Shop at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston offers a diverse selection of books, periodicals, and exhibition catalogues related to contemporary art, as well as a wide array of unusual gifts, including artist and designer-made jewelry and educational toys and games for children.

Buy a Chloe Dao original at LOT 8. Dao, Project Runway’s Season 2 winner, sells her own designs, as well as Single, Dress, Abaco and Li Li Rose, plenty of accessories and shoes and a men’s line called Adam’s Apple.

Have a custom handbag designed by Alexandra Knight, designer to the stars. Knight's hometown, appointment-only showroom is one of only two venues in the country where clients can customize their bags by choosing shape, color and style. Most recently, Best Actress winner Hilary Swank carried an Alexandra Knight black Liberty clutch to the Oscars.

Shop for ROYAL finds at the Children's Museum of Houston Gift Shop. Rated one of the top two children's museums in the country, the CMH Gift Shop was a "must see" destination when the Queen of Norway visited Houston in 2005. She loved the felt finger puppets and purchased them for her grandchildren.

Wild Gift Ideas
Have a picture painted by one of Houston Zoo’s Picassos. Both elephants and orangutans are particularly artistic.

Holiday Hallmarks
More than 1,000 antique and contemporary quilts, original cloth dolls and wearable art are on display at the George R. Brown Convention Center during the International Quilt Festival Nov 2-5, 2006. There are hundreds of booths to shop for quilts, supplies and crafts, as well as classes from beginner to expert levels.

Houston Ballet Guild’s Nutcracker Market has become an annual tradition to kick off the holiday season. This shopping extravaganza, held at Reliant Center Nov. 9-12, features holiday decorations, food, clothing, jewelry and even furniture.

Tantalizing Treats
Give your aspiring chef a day behind the scenes with Brennan's of Houston’s culinary masters. The Chef for a Day program teaches all the tricks of the trade, culminating with the dinner your special someone has helped create. If you’d rather send a taste of Brennan’s to your loved ones, their world-famous pralines can be shipped all over the world.

Cooked slow with just the right amount of sweetness and plenty of pecans, Goode Company’s famous Texas pecan pie has long been a Houston holiday tradition. The pie, along with Goode’s mouth-watering barbecue sauce can be purchased from the Goode Company Barbecue Hall of Flame, an online catalog of Goode gifts and cooking accessories.

For the beer connoisseur on your list, send beer steins or mugs from Houston’s own St. Arnold Brewery. Tie-dyed shirts, hats and even a bicycle jersey are also available for purchase. Stop by the brewery on a Saturday afternoon for a tour of the facility and two tasty glasses of beer.

Haak Vineyards and Winery is the only winery located between Galveston and Houston. The award-winning wine and wine gift baskets are available for purchase online or at the winery.

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