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.

Super cute accent pillows in a variety of colors from Industrielle, the hot urban chic boutique and gallery on Grand near Broadway. Pillows are by local designer Joom! Available for $35 on the Industrielle website.

Keep the little ones in your life cozy and warm with a cuddle blanket from Mariposa Baby! This pink one ($45) is so soft that many of my friends wish it came in adult size. And there are lots more to choose from on the Mariposa Baby 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 announced Fwrap as one of our newest marketplace members last week, and we can’t let a holiday gift list go by without another mention of these clever eco-friendly gift wrap ideas. Save trees and time by tucking gifts into this beautiful fabric wrap instead of paper! Available on the Fwrap website!

This gorgeous asymmetrical Jade Branch necklace is just one of many playful and compelling original designs at Ear to Ear Jewelry. Each design is unique, made from a variety of materials including precious stones, antique and found charms, leather, silver, and more. Available for $75 on the Ear to Ear Jewelry website.

WineSmarts makes learning about wine as much fun as it is to sip. This elegant game of question and answer cards is a great gift for novices and experts. Perfect complement to a bottle of Cabernet. Available for $10 on the Entrez! Open House website.

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.

 Sound familiar? We featured this fabulous Oakland company last year and are proud to announce that they have joined Oakland Unwrapped Marketplace.

Make your gift giving eco-conscious. Fwrap offers an alternative to buying gift wrap that your gift recipient just ends up throwing away. Instead, these clever and beautifully-designed wraps are meant to be re-used for other gifts and storage. These elegant wraps also make wrapping much easier - no more cutting and taping! They come in several sizes and colors and each one includes a gift tag. Also check out their book covers and notebook covers. Fwraps have been featured in SF Chronicle (yesterday!) and Oakland Magazine, and they are all the rage with Sierra Clubbers. Buy them online at fwraps.com.

Oakland Unwrapped! is very proud to sell the new EcoMetro Guide. It’s a special East Bay green coupon book, business directory, and source of inspiration. Topics and products include:

- Local, seasonal, organic food and restaurants
- Green home building and remodeling products
- Bikes, transit, hybrid cars and biofuels
- Eco fashion and Fair Trade gifts
- Recycling and buying recycled products

You’ll save hundreds of dollars while exploring local businesses with a community or environmental benefit. Find coupons for B Restaurant and Bar, the Food Mill, Chabot Space and Science Center, the Oakland Museum, Amtrak, California Canoe and Kayak, Montano Velo, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Oakland, and many more!

Kelley Designs: A Crochet Boutique specializes in made to order hats, scarves and bags. The company was founded in 2006 by Kelley Nayo and has been generating a following throughout Oakland. These items are created for fashion conscious folks (and their little ones) with unique taste in clothing and accessories. Products are created using only high quality yarns, including merino wool, cashmere, mercerized cotton, and Peruvian Highland Wool.

Every Kelley Design is unique, and each piece is distinguished by the excellent workmanship, quality materials, and stunning colors. We are very proud to sell her goods on oaklandunwrapped.com.

And some breaking news: Kelley just bought and re-opened The Knitting Basket (Yelp!) in Montclair, so be sure to check it out!

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.

This adorable blanket is just one of many new items for sale on the Mariposa Baby website, part of the Oakland Unwrapped! Markeplace.

After having two sweet babies of her own to dress as well as shopping for countless baby showers of stylish friends and family members, Oakland’s Elizabeth Falkner decided that the market needed better options for truly special baby gifts. She knew there must be shoppers like her that did not want to give baby clothes that had boring, clichéd motifs like trains and ducks, or quirky graphics that were clever or cool, but unsuitable for a special gift. Fortunately for all us, she started Mariposa Baby.

Elizabeth designs all of the blankets, bibs, and outfits herself and has it all produced right here in the Bay Area. Gifts come in a free gift box that is made from 100% recycled materials and features a screen-printed butterfly on the top. Available on www.mariposababy.com

Oakland Unwrapped! is thrilled to be working with the talented artists and entrepreneurs at the Cerebral Palsy Center for the Bay Area. The Center is located in Oakland and dedicated to providing services for persons with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities, helping them to achieve their individual goals and aspirations. Oakland Unwrapped! is in the process of creating on-line stores for several entrepreneurs at the center. It won’t be long until you can buy their goods, including books, pottery, shirts and more on oaklandunwrapped.org!

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!

Wish your little guy had a playmate while you’re at work all day? Pride and Pedigree offers just the solution - doggie daycare. You can take him in the morning and pick him up in the evening, knowing that he had lots of personal attention, healthy meals, small play groups, and naps. Owner Kelli Danielsen has an impressive background (more…)

Treat your valentine to a scrumptious catered meal or flight of desserts from Patrice Reynolds at Fiki’s Pudding. Order up a dinner for two with dishes that include vegan caesar salad, ginger butternut squash soup, grilled teriyaki seitan, and more!
Or…Choose 4 desserts from wide variety of choices, including Tartlettes, Truffles, Walnut Chocolate Chip Brownies, or a vegan, organic S’Mores Kit! Yum! Patrice also sells her delicious desserts inside the Food Mill grocery store at 3033 MacArthur Blvd., so you can enjoy her delicious healthy treats year-round!

Patrice Reynolds, Fiki’s Pudding, 510.919.4312, http://www.fikispudding.com

Make your gift giving eco-conscious! Fwrap, a new Oakland company, offers an alternative to buying gift wrap that someone just ends up throwing away. Instead, these clever wraps are meant to be re-used for other gifts and storage. These elegant wraps also make wrapping much easier - no more cutting and taping! They come in several sizes and colors and each one includes a gift tag. Ideal for CDs, books and other small items. Buy them online at fwraps.com

You are not going to believe the incredible chocolates you can get from Cosmic Chocolate, a Temescal-based chocolatier. Their mind-blowing collection includes cocktail-inspired, liquor-infused Cosmic Bombs like the Beaming Buddha: “Limoncello and ginger syrup encased in a dark chocolate truffle shell adorned with coconut flakes.” Are you kidding me?!

Not into liquor? There are many other collections from which to choose. Pictured: A Valentine collection with cinnamon-chili-carmel hearts cozying up to strawberry-and-champagne hearts. Check them out online at www.cosmicchocolate.com. 510.654.2923, muse@cosmicchocolate.com, Tucked behind Doña Tomás at 5002 B Telegraph Ave., Oakland.

One-of-a-Kind, Modern Handcrafted Candles
by Creighton Hurt
$30
These gorgeous candles are the work of Oakand artist Creighton Hurt. Creighton hand makes a wide variety of candles in various colors and scents, from Mango to Jasmine to Eucalyptus. You can find him and his works of art at Jack London Square Market on Sundays, at www.chunkscandles.com, and soon…on Oakland Unwrapped!

Gift Boxes of Sumptuous
Body Lotions and Potions
by The Joys of Life
$45 and up
Look younger, feel healthier, and soothe your soul with natural shea butter products hand made by Joy Shaffer at The Joys of Life. Everything about Joy and her business exudes beauty, health, and integrity. Joy’s natural ingredients are lovingly chosen, stringently tested, and help provide a good living to the women of Ghana and Uganda who process them by hand. Visit Joy at Jack London Square on Sundays and online at thejoysoflife.com.