8 Valentine's Day Gifts that Celebrate Upstate Creatives
Valentine’s Day reminds us how much we love and admire our creative communities upstate. From the local makers that sell their beautiful wares online to the brick-and-mortars doing friendly business in their small towns, there are so many wonderful gifts to surprise that special someone in your life (or yourself, even!). To help narrow it down, we’ve rounded up 8 gifts that are not just incredibly thoughtful… but neighborly, too.
Brunette Wine Bar Gift Certificate
This former barber shop turned wine bar in the Rondout district of downtown Kingston is where you’ll find longtime upstate weekenders, Jamie and Tracy Kennard, pouring delicate drinks from behind their elegant marble bartop, plating simple snacks atop butter pats and impeccably pairing them alongside a daily-changing selection of natural wines sourced from local producers upstate and around the world. Give the gift of wine in a charming setting with a Brunette gift certificate.
Photo by Katie Lobel
Based in the western Catskills, Greentree Home Candles creates beautiful hand poured beeswax designs. From striking tapers to vintage bottle inspired pillars, Greentree will set your romantic evening aglow.
Photo by Natalie Chitwood
Heather Ridge Farm Valentine’s Dinner
We can’t think of a more romantic setting than Heather Ridge Farm for your Valentine’s dinner. Set in Greene County, this farm hosts supper clubs once a month, using the best quality meat from their farm as well as produce and ingredients from neighboring purveyors. Chef Rob Handel will be serving up a six-course meal to a lucky group of six couples in the original farmhouse on the property. An experience you will be sure to cherish for years to come.
Photo by Emma Tuccillo
Hartland Valentine’s Day Cards
Tell that special someone how you feel with a handprinted card from Hartland. Founded by Emily Johnson in 2012, this design studio recently moved from Brooklyn to the Catskills where they plan to open a store and coffee shop in their building circa 1851. Offset printed on the highest quality felted paper, these quirky and heartfelt cards are the perfect way to express your feelings this Valentine's Day.
Photo by Hartland Brooklyn
Hops Petunia Floral Arrangement
When we think Valentine’s, we think flowers. For the most stunning arrangements, visit Hops Petunia in Kingston where you will be sure to find a bouquet that anyone on your list will adore. A visit to the shop is romantic unto itself; its charming french cottage interior will leave you swooning.
Photo by Katie Lobel
Beard & Shave Hudson Made Soap
For the bearded man and his clean-shaven brother, this hand-crafted soap by Hudson Made serves as both a gentle beard shampoo and an exceptional shaving cream. The perfect gift for the special man in your life.
The Artful Wooden Spoon by Blackcreek Mercantile
In The Artful Wooden Spoon, Josh Vogel of Blackcreek Mercantile shares the principles behind handcrafting spoons with simple instructions and stunning photographs. This visual introduction to the art of wooden spoon carving is an invitation to explore a lost art and to create a timeless gift. The perfect gift for the creative or nostalgic person in your life.
Photo by Seth Smoot
Silk & Willow Hand-Dyed Fabric
Created in a Hudson Valley studio, Silk and Willow uses plant materials to dye fabric in a tradition that dates back to antiquity. From silk ribbon to table linens, these gifts are perfect for that person who appreciates nature and a little luxury.
Photo by Silk & Willow