The Christmas Lesson

by Alysa Sullivan, January 12, 2007

For most of my life, I have been a city shopper. City shopping is easy because there are endless options. But, once I moved to this area, I had to work hard to locate essentials such as organic meat and killer boots. Gone were the days of walking out the door and into a world of endless shopping options. I think that upstate shopping is a bit closer to how my grandmother might have shopped. You either head to the butcher for grass-fed beef, or head out in the opposite direction for ridiculously overpriced but fierce jeans. I do, of course, realize that Nana would never have driven 20 miles for an organic chicken or known from killer jeans but it's the same idea. However, to be perfectly honest, when it came time to plan my Christmas shopping, all of my “buy local” intentions flew out the window. I was heading down the Thruway and most of the stops on my list were local only in the sense that they were either in or bordered on New York State. Then fate stepped in. A week and a half before Christmas, I took a fall and badly hurt my knee. Just as I was limping around, my car decided to follow suit. The only remedy for the ailing auto was a part that the mechanic had to order from far-off lands. I was hobbled. I had to simplify my route and put my local dollars where my mouth was. Well, let me tell you, my hometown merchants came through in spades! Here are just a few of the first-rate gifts I found not 15 miles from my front door: At Cocoon (69 Main St., New Paltz) for the avid Food Network fan in my life I found a set of Mario Batali measuring bowls ($14) and a orange silicon basting brush ($11). The silicon won’t melt or lose its shape, nor will it leak chemicals and annoying bristels into your food. My best friend is a rather disorganized mother of three so for her: The MOM AGENDA at Paper Trail (6243 Montgomery Row, Rhinebeck). This 16-month date book has a unique format that organizes each family member's schedule so she can keep Timmy’s tap dancing, Tabitha’s tuba, and Trisha’s tumbling straight. A true chocolate fiend cares nothing about what’s hot, what’s retro or what is oh so very trendy, so for the chocoholic in my life, this Chantal Fondue Set ($60) At The Cheese Plate (Water Street Market, 10 Main St., New Paltz). Rosner Soaps (5 North Front St.,New Paltz) handmade works of bathing art made the perfect stocking stuffers for the older “kids” among us. The soaps are made in small batches from pure, natural ingredients, the scents are alluring and the colors and textures so very pleasing. Happy shopping to you all! You can email me at Theshoppingbag@hvc.rr.com with questions, comments or any “you’ve gotta know about this” kind of tips. Alysa Sullivan learned to be a discerning shopper at an early age, when her taste for quality was outstripped by her measly 25-cent weekly allowance. She is very happy to now be applying her shopping acumen in the hills of the Hudson Valley.