Holiday Shopping Guide

TROLLEY SQUARE

We stopped by a few of our favorite stores at Trolley Square and were treated with some great finds.

Spark

Yes, Spark is full of fantastic fashion, and underwear, and shoes, but they also had a lot of items perfect for gifting to friends.

Rainbow PRIDE SOCKS, by Sock Smith donates a dollar for each pair sold to the Trevor Project, $12 (and sold out online, so get down there and pick them up.) Also, GAY socks by Good Luck Sock for $11.

Spark has a full line of Ballsy products for all those ... intimate cleansing needs. BALL WIPES, BALL WASH, BALLGUARD, SACK SPRAY and, of course, NUT RUB. Prices vary.

For those who have at least one pig friend, (and who doesn’t?), Spark has a very affordable leather PIG MASK, $19, and a great

PIG SHIRT from Knob by Ryan Hill, complete with the signature blue, black and white stripes, for just $24. Throw in a bottle of ... head cleaner and wrap it all up, bondage style.

Sam Wellers

For your friends who love THE NEW YORKER — the magazine, not the defunct restaurant, these holiday cards featuring their infamous cartoons may be the perfect gift. Recycled card and envelope for $4.50.

Put a THE NEW YORKER CALENDAR with it and it is the absolutely perfect gift.

Longtime friends Barack Obama (remember him? Those were the days) and Bruce Springsteen share an intimate and urgent conversation about life, music, and their enduring love of America in RENEGADES: BORN IN THE USA. Featuring more than 350 photographs, exclusive bonus content, and never-before-seen archival material. $50

The Hive Market

A store passionate about providing local businesses, collectors, and artisans a space to promote, share and sell.

PANTRY’S PRETTY IN PINK SEA SALT SOAK is a heavenly combination of Himalayan sea salt, rose and hibiscus petals, and rose geranium essential oil. The Hive Market has many offerings from the shop dedicated to crafting 100% natural daily essentials. Prices vary.

Sadie Nelson is a high school student who created Cosmic Pet Boutique. These OVER- COLLAR BANDAN- NAS come in three sizes as low as $12

9TH&9TH

Have you been to 9th&9th lately? So much more than there was just a few years go. Take an afternoon and walk through the local shops.

Cahoots

Of course we start with Cahoots. We distribute more magazines there than almost any other location in the valley.

And what better gift to start with than one with the name FANFUCKINTASTIC? The 1000-piece puzzle measures 32 x 16.5 inches by Wayne White Each sale from the Fred Artists Series supports independent artists.

CALM YOUR TITS CARD GAME is a titillating pairs game for very silly adults is to win all the cards or be the last tit standing! Players win cards for correctly shouting “Nice tits!” or “Tough tits!”

Celebrate man’s other best friend — the cat — in this delightful gift book for pet lovers, feline fans, and anyone who appreciates cats and the dudes who love them. Alright, who are we kidding? MEN WITH CATS is all about the men, not the cats. $12.95

WELL- TOLD’S 6 OZ. MAP POCKET FLASK is custom-etched with a beautifully detailed map of Salt Lake City. $29.95

Everyone knows that Santa Claus is jolly, but in SANTA’S HUSBAND, this cherished symbol of the holiday season is also black and gay, and married to an equally cheery man. $16.99

Cahoots also has dozens of FLASKS and MUGS that will make your mouth jolly as well. Prices vary.

Coffee Garden

Caffe Ibis is a family-owned and operated, award-winning “green business” and artisan custom coffee roasting house founded in 1976 in Logan by Randy Wirth and Sally Sears. Want to get your Coffee Garden-quality coffee at home? Get a pound of beans. Prices vary.

Salt & Honey

A makers market offering a unique space for designers, artists, crafters, food experts, and vintage collectors a space to sell their independently produced goods all year.

This COTTON TEA TOWEL will be great for your kitchen-oriented friends. Lintfree for those wine glasses. $16

A&A Leather Shop has a multitude of HAND-MADE LEATHER GIFTS from journal covers to key chains. Prices vary.

Lindsay McBride Design offers handmade POTTERY AND CERAMIC EARRINGS to fit everyone’s budget.

BOOBS. Seriously, handmade resin boobs. Brittany Rose wrote, “The image of the Goddess inspires women to see ourselves as divine, our bodies as sacred, the changing phases of our lives as holy, our aggression as healthy, our anger as purifying, and our power to nurture and create.” $25

Just Joy Shop is a mother/ daughters team designing and hand crafting unique STEEL HOME AND HOLI- DAY DECOR. Prices vary.

DRAPER

Lotus

Worth the drive, especially if you are making an IKEA run. “ May incense; sweet smelling oil be a healing salve for those ailing. May sacred texts liberate the heart of wisdom & compassion. May holy objects be a lamp for those longing for light. And may trees of heaven bless every home”

BUDDHA GEAR BUCKET HATS? Sign us up. Buddha gear is all about spreading seeds of kindness and mindfulness with a cool kick and awesome brand. For every beanie sold, they donate one to the homeless. Each beanie contains a tag that reminds them they are loved and they matter.

Lotus has nearly every CRYSTAL you could want, especially those found locally.

ARTS

Perhaps the very best way to buy small, buy local and support something important is a season pass or gift certificate to a local arts organization.

Salt Lake Men’s Choir

Tickets are available for the 39th annual holiday concert for $20 at SALTLAKEMENSCHOIR. ORG or a member of the choir. Dec. 10–12 at First Baptist Church, 777 S. 1300 East.

Plan-B Theatre Co

The balance of the season looks poignant and fun. THE CLEANUP PROJECT by Carleton Bluford is Black History Month like you’ve never seen it. AFTERSHOCK by Iris Salazar is a response to the earthquake that shook Salt Lake City within a week of the pandemic shutdown. MESTIZA OR MIXED by Melissa Leilani Larson is about Lark who, plagued by debt and professional disappointment, chances upon an opportunity only to be confronted by questions about her art, her family, and her identity as a queer mestiza. In-person and online options at PLANBTHEATRE.ORG

Utah Symphony

Experience 3 Masterworks Concerts for only $99. BELOVED PIANO CONCERTOS, with Chopin’s expressive Piano Concerto No. 1, cheerful Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12, and Liszt’s unique Piano Concerto No. 1. NATURAL WONDERS, includes Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony, Smetana’s The Moldeau, Elgar’s In the South, and Messian’s From the Canyons to the Stars.

RUSSIAN ROMANCE, with Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and Symphony No. 6, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Prokofiev’s Cinderella.

VERSATILE VIOLIN with superstar violinist Hilary Hahn, Veronika Eberle, in Beethoven’s only Violin Concerto, and Madeline Adkins in a work written for her and inspired by Utah’s pristine desert wilderness.

Ballet West

Presenting THE NUTCRACK- ER through Dec 26, ROMEO AND JULIET in February, and CARMINA BURANA WITH GLASS PIECES in April, and the CHOREOGRAPHIC FEST V in May, they offer the rest of the season for as little as $97 at BALLETWEST.ORG.

New World Shakespeare Co.

Offering five shows for $80, upcoming shows include the romantic comedy TWELFTH NIGHT, pastoral comedy AS YOU LIKE IT, the oft-copied ROMEO AND JULIET, and a fifth yet-unnamed play. Tickets at NEWWORLD- SHAKESPEARE.COM. All NWSC casting is non-gender, non-race and non-age specific.

LOCAL HOLIDAY MARKETS

URBAN FLEA MARKET Local vendors inside at The Gateway, 18 N. Rio Grande on Sunday, Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free parking in the North Garage. Admission $2 for those over 13 years of age. FABBY winner, 2021. Info at fleamarketslc.com

SALT & HONEY MARKET HOLIDAY MAKERS Handcrafted, one-of-a-kind, unique gifts from local artisans. At three locations: Salt & Honey Market, 926 E. 900 South, in the Visit Salt Lake store at the Salt Palace Convention Center, 90 S. West Temple, and Fashion Place mall, 6191 S. State St., Murray. Open daily through Jan. 2. Info at saltandhoneymarket.com.

THE HIVE MARKET SLC • In Trolley Square with local artisans, 602 S. 700 East, Salt Lake City, and the Outlets Park City mall, 6699 N. Landmark Dr., Park City. Indoors, free admission. Info at thehivemarketslc.com.

WINTER FARMERS MARKET Over 60 fresh food and craft vendors selling locally grown produce, meat, eggs, cheese, baked goods, sauces, condiments, chocolate and holiday items. The Gateway, 400 W. 200 South, Saturdays, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. through April. Free admission. More info at slcfarmersmarket.org.

THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY DICKENS FESTIVAL Olde English shops, period costumes, fortune tellers, carriage rides and Father Christmas. Utah State Fairpark, 155 N. 1000 West, Nov. 18– Nov. 20, 10 a.m –9 p.m. Tickets $8-10 at dickenschristmasfestival.com.

NEIGHBORHOOD HIVE POP-UP MARKET Based on Seattle’s Pike Place Market, with open shopping at owner-operated store fronts. Open Saturdays through Christmas, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. in the parking lot of The Neighborhood Hive, 2065 E. 2100 South. More info at theneighborhoodhive.org

WINTERFEST ART JUBILEE Affordable, unique, handmade items from artists and artisans from all over Utah. Bountiful Davis Art Center, 90 N. Main St., Bountiful, through Dec. 23, Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m, Saturday noon–5 p.m.. Free admission. More info at bdac.org.

HERRIMAN HOLIDAY MARKETPLACE Local vendors, live entertainment, visits with Santa, a Giving Tree, food trucks and swag bags to the first 50 customers. 6212 Butterfield Park Way, Herriman. Nov. 19, 2–8 p.m.; Nov. 20, 10 a.m–5 p.m. Info at fb.me/Good4LifeMarkets/.

FRENCH ANNUAL HOLIDAY MARKET French-made products supporting French-owned small local vendors in Utah. Nov. 20, 1–5 p.m. in the lobby of the Jewett Center for the Performing Arts, at Westminster College, 1840 S. 1300 E. Info at instagram.com/utah_accueil/.

WHEELER HOLIDAY MARKET Over 30 local vendors selling handmade gifts from home decor and toys to cookies and coffee. Live music. Wheeler Historic Farm Activity Barn, 6351 S. 900 East, Murray. Nov. 26–28, Friday, 5–8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free admission. More info at slco.org/wheeler-farm.

Terri’s book holiday gift guide

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Editor’s note: This is an abbreviated version of the guide. The full version is online at qsaltlake.com.

You knew this was coming. You knew that you were going to have to finish your holiday shopping soon, but it snuck up on you, didn’t it? And even if you’re close to being done, there are always those three or five people who are impossible to buy for, right? Remember this, though: books are easy to wrap and easy to give, and they last a while, too. So why not head to the bookstore with your Christmas List and look for these gifts…

LGBTQ Nonfiction

If there’s about to be a new addition to your family, wrapping up “Queer Stepfamilies: The path to Social and Legal Recognition” by Katie L. Acosta would be a good thing. In this book, the author followed forty LGBTQ families to understand the joys, pitfalls, and legalities of forming a new union together. It can’t replace a lawyer, but it’s a good overview.

For the parent who wants to ensure that their child grows up with a lack of bias, “Raising LGBTQ Allies” by Chris Tompkins is a great book to give. It’s filled with methods to stop bullying in its tracks, to be proactive in having That Conversation, and how to be sure that the next generation you’re responsible for becomes responsible in turn. Wrap it up with “The Healing Otherness Handbook” by Stacee L. Reicherzer, Ph.D., a book that helps readers to deal with bullying by finding confidence and empowerment.

If there’s someone on your gift list who’s determined to get “fit” in the coming year, then give “The Secret to Superhuman Strength” by Alison Bechdel this holiday. Told in graphic-novel format (comics, basically), it’s the story of searching for self-improvement and finding it in a surprising place.

So why not give a little nostalgia this year by wrapping up “A Night at the Sweet Gum Head” by Martin Padgett? It’s the tale of disco, drag, and drugs in the 1970s (of course!) in Atlanta, with appearances by activists, politics, and people who were there at that fabulous time. Wrap it up with “After Francesco” by Brian Malloy, a novel set a little later — in the mid-1980s in New York City and Minneapolis at the beginning of the AIDS crisis.

The LGBTQ activist on your gift list will want to read “The Case for Gay Reparations” by Omar G. Encarnacion. It’s a book about acknowledgment, obligation on the part of cis citizens, and fixing the pain that homophobia and violence have caused. Wrap it up with “Trans Medicine: The Emergence and Practice of Treating Gender” by Stef M. Shuster, a look at trans history that may also make your giftee growl.

LGBTQ Fiction

Young readers who have recently transitioned will enjoy reading “Both Sides Now” by Peyton Thomas. It’s a novel about a high school boy with gigantic dreams and the means to accomplish them all. Can he overcome the barriers that life gives him? It’s debatable… Pair it with “Can’t Take That Away” by Steven Salvatore, a book about two nonbinary students and the troubles they face as they fall in love.

The thriller fan on your list will be overjoyed to unwrap “Yes, Daddy” by Jonathan Parks-Ramage. It’s the story of a young man with dying dreams of fame and fortune who schemes to meet an older, more accomplished man with the hopes of sparking his failing career. But the older man isn’t who the younger thinks he is, and that’s not good. Wrap it up with “Lies with Man” by Michael Nava, a book about a lawyer who agrees to be counsel for a group of activists. Good so far, right? Until one of them is accused of being involved in a deadly bombing.

For the fan of Southern fiction, you can’t go wrong when you wrap up “The Tender Grave” by Sheri Reynolds. It’s the tale of two sisters, one homophobic, the other lesbian, and how they learn to forgive and re-connect.

General Fiction

Is there a better book to give your BFF than “How to Kill Your Best Friend” by Lexie Elliott? I think not. This is a book about three friends who’ve been inseparable since college. Sadly, one of them, a strong swimmer, drowns under mysterious circumstances. Is there a murderer in their rapidly-shrinking friends circle?

Fans of thrillers will absolutely want to unwrap “Bullet Train” by Kotaro Isaka, the story of five assassins who find out that their respective assignments have a little too much in common for comfort. So give this book as a gift, along with two movie tickets, since it’s about to become a motion picture.

The person on your gift list who loves mythology will be very excited to see “Daughters of Sparta” by Claire Heywood beneath the tree. This is a story of two princesses of Sparta, of which little is expected but birthing an heir and looking beautiful. But when patriarchal society becomes too overbearing, the princesses must decide what to do. Far from your normal “princess” tale, this one has shades of feminism in ancient times.

Mysteries

For the reader who genuinely loves time-period mysteries, look for “Dead Dead Girls: A Harlem Renaissance Mystery” by Nekesa Afia. It’s Harlem, 1926, and young Black women are showing up dead all over the area. This is too close for comfort for Louise Lloyd, and so when she’s given an ultimatum – go to jail for a past transgression or help solve these murders – well, the choice is clear, isn’t it? This is the first book in a planned series, and your giftee will be looking for the rest after New Years’ Eve.

If you’ve got someone on your list who likes westerns and mysteries, why not marry the two by wrapping up “Dark Sky” by C.J. Box. It’s another in the Joe Pickett series (but it can be read alone), and it’s the story of a wealthy man, poaching, and murder, and it could send your giftee scrambling for the rest of the Pickett books.

General Nonfiction

No doubt, there’s someone on your gift list who’s concerned about climate change. And so the book to wrap up is “Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid” by Thor Hanson, a natural historian. Here, Hanson reveals how climate change is driving evolution. And what will happen to us? Pair it with “A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth” by Henry Gee, a small book that looks at the Big Picture, where we came from, and where we might go.

If there’s a new cook on your list (or someone’s about to strike out on their own), “Burnt Toast and Other Disasters” by Cal Peternell will be the perfect thing to wrap up this holiday. It’s filled with relatively easy recipes with lots of chances to impress and hacks to take care of those inevitable kitchen uh-ohs.

Got an adventurer on your gift list? Your giftee will be overjoyed to see “Latitude” by Nicholas Crane. It’s the true story of a ten-year expedition that started in 1735, in which a dozen men journey to determine the shape of the planet.

If you’ve got someone on your gift list who’s very interested in current and world events, then “The Raging 2020s” by Alec Ross might be the perfect gift. It’s a book that peers into our (possible) future in business, geographical issues, politics, and more. Pair it up with “Broke in America: Seeing, Understanding, and Ending U.S. Poverty” by Joanne Samuel Goldblum and Colleen Shaddox. It’s a book that looks into the future and offers ideas for hope.

The person who’s concerned with racial justice will be glad you gave “State of Emergency: How We Win in the Country We Built” by Tamika D. Mallory. It’s an overall look at continuing racism in America, including what’s happened in the past year or so; it’s a demand to think and a call to action for everyone.

For the giftee who worries about gun violence in America today, “The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America” by Carol Anderson might be a good gift. It’s about what she says is the real reason gun violence exists, and beware: it’s very controversial.

For the reader who dreams of life in the past or wishes to know the future, “Time Travel: The Science and Science Fiction” by Nick Redfern is a book to give this year. Filled with short entries and packed with information, ideas, and possibilities from literature, philosophical thought, eyewitness accounts, and science, this book may make your giftee wish they had a ticket now.

If you’ve got someone on your list who wants to make the world a better place, then look for “An Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World” by Patrisse Cullors. Part memoir, part instruction, this book will help show how good can be done, not just in big ways but in everyday life. Wrap it up with “Say Their Names: How Black Live Came to Matter in America” by Curtis Bunn, Michael H. Cottman, Patrice Gaines, Nick Charles, and Keith Harriston.

True Crime and Police Stories

For the social activist on your list, or for anyone who wants to know more about the death penalty, look at “Let the Lord Sort Them: The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty” by Maurice Chammah. Specifically looking at Death Row in Texas prisons, this book takes a look at penal punishment and how it affects the condemned and those who know them.

Your giftee will also be very happy with “American Serial Killers: The Epidemic Years 1950- 2000” by Peter Vronsky. It’s an anthology of crime that’ll chill your favorite true crime aficionado and leave them begging for more – and so wrap up “Serial Killers: The Minds, Methods, and Mayhem of History’s Most Notorious Murders” by Richard Estep, for the best gift for a true crime fan ever.

For the Sports Lover

No doubt, there’s someone on your list who plays favorites when it comes to sports. That’s why you’ll want to wrap up “Talking to GOATs” by Jim Gray. It’s a book full of interviews with

sports’ Greatest Of All Time competitors (GOATs, get it?). Surely, there’s more argument in this book, just as there’s more to know about superstar professionals.

History

For the person who races through books faster than fast, wrap up “The Matter of Black Lives: Writing from The New Yorker,” edited by Jelani Cobb and David Remnick. It’s a thick anthology filled with essays from decades ago but are still relevant, thoughts that need reconsideration, and historical tales that modern eyes need to see.

Memoir and Biography

Readers who love historical biographies will devour “Cleopatra: The Queen Who Challenged Rome and Conquered Eternity” by Alberto Angela. It’s a sweeping story, and your giftee will love getting it, no de Nile.

Business

For the businessperson who wants to spend this winter making that business grow, wrap up “The Power of Trust: How Companies Build It, Lose It, Regain It” by Sandra J. Sucher & Shalene Gupta. Highly researched, this book explains why trust may be the most important advantage you have in your business, what you need to do to maintain your clients’ trust, and what to do if you lose it.

Pets and Animals

The dog lover on your list will really like “The Forever Dog” by Rodney Habib & Dr. Karen Shaw Becker with Kristin Loberg. It’s a book filled with ideas and science that’ll help that puppy parent keep their fur-kid around a whole lot longer.

If you have any questions, if you’re desperate for ideas, or if you need a good substitute, ask your favorite bookseller.

Season’s Readings!

The full version is online at qsaltlake.com.