Know you want to get something super fun and original for a friend, family or co-worker, but not sure exactly what they want? You can’t go wrong with a gift card from Entrez! Open House. Your card recipient will be psyched to wander around this Oakland wonderland, finding gorgeous housewares, and clever accessories from brands like Alessi, Koziol, and Oakland’s Jenny Hurth. There are items that fit every budget, and the cards are available online in $20, $50, and $100 denominations.

Give your Oakland-lovin’ girlfriend a yellow babydoll Tee that sports her pride and flatters her figure for $19. Lots of other Oakland tees and hoodies for men and women available on the Got Oakland? website.

One of our favorites, and a great gift for Oakland-lovers, this guide is perfect for people who want to travel sustainably, and those who love to explore the true soul of cities, not just the typical tourist spots. The first in the sustainable travel series by GrassRoutes Travel. Available for $16.95 on the Oakland Pride store and in lots of local stores around the city.

We still have a few left, so if you’re looking for a gift for the little Oakland cutie in your life, consider our own Oakland Cutie t-shirts. Available in 12-18 mos, 2T and 4T for $20 on the Oakland Pride store. All proceeds support Oakland Unwrapped’s community development efforts.

If you’ve spent any time walking around in Oakland, chances are you’ve seen and coveted the classic Product of Oakland t-shirts. Cyrus Pishdad is the local graphic artist behind these shirts and we are happy to announce he has a whole line of fun Oakland-focused shirts on his new Got Oakland? site on our marketplace. We are really impressed with the quality of his work and goods (In fact, we had Cyrus print the Oakland Cutie T-shirts for Oakland Unwrapped!). His goods range from “I love Oakland” babydoll T-shirts to our personal favorite, the Oaktown Cranes Zipped Hoodie (An amazing deal at $30.50!). And if you need something special, Cyrus does custom printing and embroidery, too. Check ‘em out on the Got Oakland? website! Also see these t-shirts and hoodies in the flesh this Friday at our gift fair (see below!).

…remember the huge impact you can have on our community, economy, and environment by shopping with Oakland’s local indie stores. Need to remind yourself why? Read here.

We’re doing our best to make it easy for you to get everything you need in Oakland, in the neighborhoods as well as online. So, here are a few quick ideas for easy local shopping:

1) Shop Online at Oakland Unwrapped! (obvious, we know). We’ve got jewelry, baby clothes, Oakland books and t-shirts, cute hats, and more. http://oaklandunwrapped.com

2) Shop in Oakland’s 40+ Neighborhoods. There are tons of new and classic gift stores, clothing boutiques, baby clothing stores, furniture and houseware stores, and more. Check out our newsletter archives for ideas and the Shop Oakland website to search by neighborhood, store type, and product.

3) Buy from Oakland Artists and Artisans - Check out the stores at ProArts Gallery, Oakland Museum of CA, as well as the Oakland Artisan Marketplace (Fridays and Sunday) and the Art Murmur galleries for inspiring ideas and much more fun than you’d have at a mall; Rock Paper Scissors, afterglow, Industrielle, and Blankspace Gallery all have affordable locally-made gifts.

4) Get Gift Certificates from Restaurants that serve locally-grown foods. Get ideas from the Community Alliance with Family Farmers and Edible East Bay magazine.

5) Attend Indie Shopping Fairs and Neighborhood Events - events are a festive way to eat, shop, and socialize at the same time. Start with the Pro Arts Gallery Artisan Faire this weekend. Fri. Nov 23- Sun. Nov 25, 12 - 6pm. 550 2nd St.

Oakland Unwrapped! seeks a bunch of fun Oakland-loving volunteers for the next month. We’re especially interested in those who want to help market Oakland’s indie businesses and artists to compete with the big chain stores this holiday season. We have many ideas, press contacts, list serves, and more — we just need some fun, passionate, creative people to execute! For more information, check out our listing on Volunteer Match here. If you would prefer to help out by donating to our cause (Remember, Oakland Unwrapped! is a non-profit), you can donate here. Thanks!

Check out this great segment on Bay Area Backroads guided by Oakland author Serena Bartlett. On the show, Serena introduces area viewers to some free fun and green activities in our lovely city. Tips include a gorgeous hike, free cheese and olive oil tastings, an amazing little-known Temescal resource, and free art classes. Intrigued? Click the photo or link above to watch the 3-minute spot online. And if you haven’t picked it up yet, you can buy her Oakland Eco-Travel Guide here.

When was the last time you checked out NovoMetro.com? NovoMetro is the future of on-line journalism in Oakland and we’re psyched that they are putting all of their heart and soul into our city. Their Beta site is up and running and there will be a massive site overhaul very soon.

The founders of NovoMetro have mad love for Oakland and it shows. NovoMetro is more than just a place for cutting-edge Oakland news; they give readers the opportunity to share their own stories as well as update old articles in the archives. With its unique content and up-to-date info about what to do and where to go in Oakland, this is one of the few sites we check out daily.

In November, keep your eyes peeled for NovoMetro’s newest venture: a pocket magazine (yes, real paper), so you can carry some of those NovoMetro Oakland insights and tips wherever you go!

Our very own Oakland Cutie T-Shirts — exclusively available on Oakland Unwrapped! — were recently selected as Oakland Magazine’s “Best Way to Show Local Spirit.” These shirts are the perfect gift for next week’s baby shower or for those just getting into the groove of pre-school. Order it today ($20) and it will be sent to you via Priority Mail tomorrow.

Once again, Oakland Unwrapped! will be celebrating at the Art & Soul Festival in downtown Oakland. While tasting all of the yummy Oakland treats in the Oakland’s Own section in the Federal Building Courtyard, stop by our booth and say “Hi.”

We’ll show website demos and videos, play tunes from Oakland musicians, and raffle off some of the great products that we sell on the site. If you’re lucky, you’ll score some tasty treats from La Borinquena - Oakland Indie Pillar Award winner! September 1, 2 & 3, 2007, 11am-6pm, $10 at door; $5 Youth 13-18; 12 & under free. Learn more about the Art and Soul Festival and the Oakland’s Own Festival at http://www.artandsouloakland.com.

Check out the new links on the right side of this email to see lots of great Oakland resources, including the Oakland Goods blog by Jessica Bess Hilberman. Jessica is a kindred spirit whose eagle eyes find new fashion hot spots, houseware boutiques, and generally positive new developments in Oakland. We’ll make sure you hear more from her in the future. This photo is from a recent entry of hers about Mizaan Boutique in the Laurel district. Check out www.oaklandgoods.com for more goodies!

Everybody who is anybody knows and loves Oaklandish and what they stand for. They continue to update their line of t-shirts, hoodies and other fun silkscreened apparel. A must-have for Oakland lovers. Check ‘em out a local shop like AC Clothing and Bags, in their mobile ops unit, or online at http://www.oaklandish.com/shop/. Also check out their site for upcoming events in 2007!

Nathan & Co. is full of modern treasures for the home and body, including quirky items such as a salt shaker that shakes itself, a bath plug with an origami boat attached to it, and more traditional fare such as great smelling candles and cookbooks from favorite local restaurants like Dona Tomas, Bay Wolf, and Cesar. For anyone wanting to show their Oakland pride, I hella heart Oakland t-shirts run $20 for the men’s version and $24 for the more fitted women’s style. 3820 Piedmont Ave 10:30-7 M-Th 10:30-9 Friday, 10:30-5:30 Saturday 510 428 9638

There are three great gift shows this weekend featuring independent artists and designers! Click the links below for more information about each event.

1) afterglow boutique, in Temescal, will host a dozen designers on Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 7. Oakland Unwrapped! will be there all day on Sunday.

2) I {heart} Independent is hosting its first gift sale at Pro Arts in Jack London Square on Saturday from 11 to 4. Unwrapped will be here on Saturday.
3) Montclair Artists Group’s holiday art sale is Saturday and Sunday from 11-4.

Also see our complete printable list of Oakland holiday gift events this month.

Come check out the fabulous and creative clothing, jewelry, bags and accessories by local Oakland designers at *afterglow* in Temescal on December 9th and 10th!

afterglow is a boutique, design studio, and gallery owned and operated by Amy Cools, whose own funky and fresh fashions are sweatshop-free and made in Oakland. The designers featured at afterglow and at the Oakland Independent Designer Holiday Show share Cools’ commitment to promoting quality, creativity and independence in clothing design.

4233 Telegraph Ave., Sat. & Sun. Dec 9th & 10th, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, (510) 654-7514, amy@acclothingandbags.com
www.acclothingandbags.com

by Erika Mailman
$14.95
Of course, I’m a bit of an Oakland nerd, so I couldn’t wait to pick a copy of Oakland’s Neighborhoods. I was happy I did. Through the book, Erica Mailman and contributors celebrate not only Oakland the place, but also the people. The stories, poems, facts and photographs touch on all of the complexities of Oakland: race relations, family memories, Lake Merritt, the sounds and smells of daily life in the city, and the stories behind some of our city’s most interesting buildings. You’ll also learn the history behind the neighborhoods, how and when they were annexed, and who originally settled there. It playfully bounces between past and present, prose and poetry as it moves from chapter to chapter, keeping it fresh and keeping readers on our toes. Pick it up at one of Oakland’s independent bookstores!