i have highlighted some wonderful philly finds from some of my very favorite places... and, lucky for me (and you), in this age of "point and click", i don't even leave to leave my chair to (window) shop... (actually, this is more like my shopping list , so shhhhhhh! please do not tell my family!)

 

the only things i have excluded are the "experience" gifts... i often give memberships to our local philadelphia museum of art or a gift certificate for music classes, for small children, but my favorites are specific to philly so, unless you are here, I urge you to look into your own local "experiences" as gifting options... these are great for sharing, together, and will also generally, really, last a whole year!  (now that's a gift!)

 

p.a.d. also specializes in vintage funiture (i have had my eye on a danish modern, teak twin bed for max...) and carries vintage as well as new gifts and decor, cool handmade jewelry and my very favorite handbags, by tano... the pretty, shiny, oversized leather bag that i especially love, love, love is the  "thugs and kisses" and i may even be able to rationalize this purchase, for myself, as my diaper bag from baby#1 is really looking pretty ratty (wink, wink). 

 

oh, and for the guys I also plan on picking up a few of j. fold's "leather flat carriers" (in layman's terms, um, a wallet)... i think the designs, detail and colors of these wallets are fantastic and they could just as easily be given to my dad and brother, without being tossed into the upper right, just forget about it, dresser drawer with the other wallets once gifted....but, really, the packaging and affordability are the final selling points.  i'm a sucker for the cute tins they come in! 

 

so, after much searching, i finally found some equivalent items that will both satisfy his eye for the bright, shiny and slick and my desire to house only toys that don't easily break, make noise or clutter the house with a zillion tiny pieces. 

 

at my favorite local kids store, genes, i found the awesome (and bright), mostly wooden "automoblox" cars and the super cool roommate hippi tipi (a teepee!)  i think he is gonna be truly surprised and very pleased and i also bet that Isadora will "like it, too"!

 

well, they are still the best and are still made by hand with valrhona ganaches  (flavored with local grown mint, honey and raspberries as well as fair traded coffee, ginger and bergamot, among others)  so, what to get everyone else on my list, including myself? chocolate.  It's just a no-brainer.