I haven’t done a gift guide in a couple years. But this year I have a couple ideas for you—from the cook to the fella to the tiny human to the stocking and the minimalist, aka the person who would prefer little to no physical gifts (it’s me!). A couple notes for the 2019 Gift Guide. I’ve included asterisks* next to items we own and love. I’ve also included notes on where to buy locally for my Twin Cities friends. If you’d prefer to buy used, search for these items on eBay. I bought Kev’s used present there this year. (I hope you’re not reading this, Kev.) And, if you want to read my tangled up thoughts on gifting and minimalism, check out this post. Here’s to figuring out how to wade through this holiday season—preserving the best things and revising the rest.

Gift Guide for the Cook

SMEG Juicer | Enamel Loaf Tin* | Enamel Colander/Bowl  (Purchase locally at The Foundry Home Goods) | Butter Bell | Honey Pot* | Dinner Bell | Emerald Dutch Oven* | Matte Black Kettle (Purchase locally at Show and Tell MPLS) | The Huckle & Goose Cookbook* (Purchase locally at Moon Palace Books or Mager’s and Quinn) Read more

Kev always says this to me. “What is now, will not always be, Mel.” “But Kev, I’m serious,” I say, “I’m never moving from this house.” I hate it when he says it. It’s like he knows me better than I know myself, like he sees something I can’t see yet. It’s like he’s trying the shake the unsteady ground I built for myself with a pile of permanent claims that might not be so permanent. The longer I’ve lived with Kev, the more space I’ve given myself to be unsure about it, sometimes, about it all. Read more