by Tess Reiss and Eryn Moris 
Sprinkle some seasonal cheer around by keeping your shopping dollar local… Find fun and unique places to do your holiday shopping that will seriously help to support neighborhood commerce. Shop in the neighborhood where you can slow down, walk, bike, bus, or drive only a short distance to your next destination. With holiday list firmly in hand, money in your pocket, and a twinkle in your eye, the Currents Holiday Shopping Guide covers everything from Holiday Fairs and Events, to hidden treasures and old favorites plus services, music, and art. Shop on, dear reader! 31st Annual International Gift Shop Quaker Meeting House 3224 N. Gordon Place, Park at Gaenslen School Saturday, December 6, 9AM-5PM Dazzling variety of hand-crafted items made globally and locally. No need to go to the mall if you shop here. Lunch in the Cafe features fabulous soups and baked goods. 
Holiday Fair Tamarack Community School 1150 E. Brady St. Saturday, December 6, 11AM-4PM Spread throughout the school’s many floors and classrooms, a wonderful assortment of local hand-crafted arts, jewelry, gifts, music, and food sure to please many on your list. 5th Annual Holiday Sale Murray Hill Pottery 2458 N. Murray St. Friday, December 5, 5-9PM Saturday, December 6, 10AM-4PM Sunday, December. 7, Noon-4PM Annual holiday sale features unique handmade gifts and pottery by 30 local artists, from $5-$500. Holiday Open House Paris Green studio 2629 N. Bremen St. Saturday & Sunday, December 6 & 7, 11AM-6PM Fabulous holiday gifts. Tile mirrors, jewelry, clay dishware, oil paintings, boxed cards, buttons, pincushions, cats and clay houses, and more. Local artists include Taffnie Bogart, Tara Bogart, Bruce Dorow, and Susan Alexander. HOLIDAY EVENTS Holiday Cookie & Bake Sale Our Lady of Divine Providence St. Casimir site, 924 E. Clarke St. (enter on Clarke St.) Saturday, December 6, 9AM-4PM Everything to satisfy your sweet tooth: cookies, cakes, breads, bars, and more. Tom Tolan will also be on hand to sign his book, Riverwest, A Community History. An ideal gift for friends and family with Riverwest ties. Holiday Card Making Urban Ecology Center Riverside Park, 2808 N. Bartlett St. Sunday, December 7 & Sunday, December 14 Noon-3:30PM Put a creative touch on holiday giving and make your own holiday cards from scratch. Sunday, December 7, make your own paper from recycled pulp. Sunday, December 14, add natural designs and get as elaborate as you like. All ages. $8/$5 members for both sessions. Holiday open house woodland pattern 720 E. Locust St. Sunday, December 14, Noon-5PM Annual Open House with special surprise films and holiday refreshments. 2nd Annual Candlelight Walk in Riverside Park Urban Ecology Center 2808 N. Bartlett St. Saturday, December 20, 7-9PM Take a guided luminary walk through Riverside Park, listen to poetry and readings commemorating the season and the winter solstice, and return to the Center for hot cider and folk music. A popular event to share with friends and family. Walks leave every half hour. Adults & children ages 8 & up. $3/free for members. GIFTS & GOODIES Annie’s 2nd Hand Chic 1668 N. Warren Ave., 727-5586 Wed. Noon-6PM / Thu. 2-8PMFri.-Sat. Noon-6PM / Sun. 1PM-5PM Incredible selection of vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories. Professional alterations available by Annie. Priced from $6 and up. Gift certificates available in any amount. Artists’ Friend 2207 N. Farwell Ave., 270-0157 Mon.-Fri. 10:30AM-6PM / Sat. & Sun. 11AM-4PM Browse cases of original hand-crafted jewelry, crystals, and charms, or have a piece custom created for someone special. Metalsmith Guy Stoll will also repair your damaged jewelry. Art Smart’s Dart Mart & Juggling Emporium 1695 N. Humboldt Ave., 273-3278 Mon.-Fri. 10AM-6PM / Sat. 9AM-5PM Sun. 11AM-5PM Since 1985, the palace of fun for jugglers and jokers. Complete line of supplies for jugglers, from amateur to professional: balls, pins, knives, flaming torches, and unicycles. Air toys including boomerangs, gliders, and frisbees. Magic tricks, novelties, and gag gifts. Complete line of billiards, dart, and disk golf supplies. Get a bag of fun for under $5. Many novelty items for under $1. Beans & Barley 1901 E. North Ave., 278-7878 Mon.-Sat. 9AM-9PM / Sun. 9AM-8PM A wide variety of unique stationery, beauty products, pottery, picture frames, books, calendars, candles, candy, and toys. Put together a gift basket of specialty and health foods. Gift Certificates available. Also breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you’re too tired or busy to prepare dinner, check out their fantastic deli. Burke Candy 3840 N. Fratney St., 964-7327 Mon-Fri. 9AM-4:30PM Fresh and locally made “sugarplums” for yourself or a friend: chocolates, turtles, fudge, award winning English white toffee, and more. Also corporate gifts and school fund-raisers. Cari Amici 3811 N. Oakland, 961-8920 Tue.-Sat. 11AM-7PM Cari Amici means “dear friends” in Italian and offers a wide variety of vegan products for your special vegan friends. Pure, all natural lotions, makeup, shampoo, and soaps for personal and household use that are chemical and odor free. Custom gift boxes can be created to your order in a number of categories including cookies & candy, beauty products, baby & child care, household cleaning products, and more. Closet Classics 1000 E. North Ave., 265-1950 Mon.-Sat. 11AM-7PM / Sun. Noon-6PM Open for Coffee Mon-Fri at 7AM, Sat. & Sun. at 9AM Shop on a high. Retro, vintage, and new clothing, shoes, hats, scarves, handbags, jewelry, gift items, and more. Afterwards, take a load off with a warm beverage and light refreshments in the smoke-free coffee shop. Dragonfly 1117 E. Brady St., 271-1244 Mon.-Thu. 11AM-7PM / Fri. 11AM-8PMSat. 10AM-6PM / Sun. Noon-5PM Vintage clothing and accessories. Wide selection of contemporary gifts including candles, magnets, soaps, and books. Beautiful selection of jewelry and perfume bottles. Fantastic holiday greeting cards, wrappings, and ornaments. A gift for anyone on your list, priced from $8-$75. Gift Certificates also available in any amount. Famous Smoke Shop 1213 E. Brady St., 277-9904 Open daily 11AM-11PM Come in, relax, and enjoy a good smoke at the cigar bar. Shop features imported cigars from around the world. Exotic cigarettes, cloves, and smoking accessories. Incense, tobacco pipes, lighters, and a wide assortment of humidors. Cigar prices range from $2.95 to $17.95. Gift Certificates in any amount. Green Fields 1800 N. Farwell Ave., 224-7762 Mon-Sat. 11AM-8PM / Sun. Noon-6PM A unique shop overflowing with beautiful things created on Mother Earth, on two levels of the store. Many items imported from India, Thailand, and Central America. Quality silver jewelry and natural stones. Special hand-woven and hand painted fabrics and wall hangings. Clothing for men and women, also winter sweaters, hats, and scarves. Give a musical gift of a hand drum, flute, or tambourine. Located on Farwell, one block north of Brady St. Jackpot 825 E. Center St., 372-2884 Fri.-Sun. Noon-5PM Bric attack, heart a brac, knick knack attic whack, give your fever dreams a bone. Neat clothes tailoring, exclusive ladylike wonderwear line. Plan your revolution with an IWW calendar to benefit the Socialist Party. Headquarters for BIKNEVA soundtrack to holidaze. Kashou’s 2169 N. Farwell Ave., 271-9020 Mon.-Fri. 9AM-5:30PM / Sat. 9AM-4PM Brighten up your home or office with distinctive carpets and Oriental rugs in a kaleidoscope of colors, patterns, sizes, and shapes. Kellner’s Greenhouse 3258 N. Humboldt Blvd., 264-6605 Mon.-Sat. 9AM-6PM Glorious plants and flowers for the holidays include poinsettias, Norfolk pine living Christmas trees, azaleas, cyclamen, house plants, and cacti. Come in for a refreshing break from winter and take a stroll through the greenhouses. Prices range from $2 and up. The Market Place 2034 E. North Ave., 278-7338 Mon. & Tue. 10AM-6PM / Wed.-Fri. 10AM-7PM Sat. 10AM-5PM / Sun. Noon-5PM Unique Latin American folk art and gifts. Christmas ornaments and nativities, pottery, woven basketry, sweaters, blankets, outerwear, jewelry, and musical instruments. Prices start at $0.25; most items between $5 and $20. Metropawlis 1327 E. Brady St., 273-PETS (7387) Mon. 11AM-7PM / Wed.-Sat. 11AM-7PM Sun. Noon-4PM Bring your pet with you while you shop! Beautiful selection of hand-painted ceramic food bowls, unique toys, and pet strollers. Three Dog Bakery treats and gift boxes. Also Companion Natural Pet Food and Canine Pet food. On Mondays, Metropawlis donates 5% of sales to the Wisconsin Humane Society. Gift Certificates available for any amount. Prices range from $1 to $400. Moxy 2219 N. Farwell Ave., 220-9910 Mon.-Fri. 11AM-7PM / Sat. 11AM-6PMSun. 11AM-4PM High fashion and designer clothes for the trend-setter on your list. Also, books, stationery, jewelry, hats, and handbags. Free tailoring on any pair of jeans or pants $100 or more. Nessun Dorma 2778 N. Weil St., 264-VINO Open daily at 5PM / Food served Sun-Thu til 11PM and Fri & Sat. til midnight. Treat someone on your list with a Gift Certificate for superb casual Italian dining in a warm pub setting. Nine Point Star 3479 N. Oakland Ave., 967-9622Mon.-Sat. 10AM-6PM Unique gifts for everyone. Milwaukee’s only place for custom patchwork clothing. Also, tiedyes, tapestries, jewelry, incense, drums, gifts, and clothing from around the world, priced $5 to $80. Outpost Natural Foods Co-op 100 E. Capitol Dr., 961-2597 Open daily, 8AM-9PM With its fresh new look, stop in at Outpost for unique holiday ornaments, greeting cards, candy, calendars, books, candles, plants, and flowers. Prepare a holiday feast with gourmet ingredients, organic produce, natural meat, poultry, and fresh fish. Check out the heavenly bakery treats, pick up a quick meal at the deli, or pause at the cafe for a shopping break. Gift Certificates and Gift Memberships also available. Peace Action 1001 E. Keefe Ave., 964-5158 Mon.-Fri. 11AM-6PM / Sat. 11AM-3PM Extended Holiday Hours Dec. 1-18, 11AM-7PM Gifting with a purpose: Putumayo music CDs, greeting cards, mugs, books, tons of cool calendars, musically tuned wind chimes. Earth, UN, and Peace flags. T-shirts, buttons & bumper stickers with inspirational, educational, political, environmental, funny, hopeful, outrageous, and meaningful messages. Also Gift Memberships. Visit Peace Action at the 31st Annual International Gift Shop Saturday, December 6, at Quaker Meeting House. Rainbow Pets 3470 N. Oakland Ave., 964-7387 Mon.-Fri. 10AM-7PM / Sat. 10AM-5PM Sun. Noon-5PM (December only) Don’t forget your pet! The one-stop holiday pet shop with great gifts for pets and people. Greeting cards, Animal-opoly games, t-shirts, aquarium set-ups, Marinet fresh water fish, birds, small animals and set-ups. Reptiles and set-ups. Great dog and cat Xmas items. Recycled Books & Music 2239 N. Prospect Ave. (Located in the Prospect Mall), 276-1321 Mon.-Thu. Noon-8PM / Fri. & Sat. Noon-10PM Sun. 2-8PM Get lost in aisles upon aisles of books, cassettes, movies, and albums. There’s something for everyone on your list. Sell books, music, or movies for store credit or cash. Prices start at $1, most items under $10. Riverwest Co-op 733 E. Clarke St., 264-7933 Daily, 10AM-8PM All the fixin’s you need for a vegan, vegetarian, or meat holiday feast are available at the Riverwest Co-op. Special order turkeys, noturkeys, tofurkeys for holiday dining. For holiday gifting you’ll find wall clocks, soap, candles, incense, Co-op t-shirts, Co-op shopping bags, and more. Also, collectible Milwaukee neighborhood poster series. And books: Riverwest, A Community History by Tom Tolan, and No Bad News, by Kenneth Cole and Riverwest photographer John Ruebartsch. Gift Certificates and Gift Memberships also available. Scarvaci Florist & Gift Shoppe 2663 N. Holton St., 562-3214. Mon.-Fri. 9AM-4:30PM / Sat. 9AM-1:30PM Fresh flowers and plants for home and hearth, plus gifts and greeting cards. Full-service florist with city-wide delivery. Soap Herb Natural Bath Products 263-0100 or email mics@core.com Pamper yourself naturally. Natural hand-crafted soaps, lotions, bath fizzies, body polishes, talcum powders, facial masks, gift baskets, and tins. Free bath fizzie with purchase of $10 or more. UnCommon Items 1316 E. Brady St., 224-8141 Tues-Sat. Noon-7PM / Sun. Noon-4PMMon. Noon-5PM (December only) Dazzling collection of hand-crafted jewelry, distinctive accessories, and beautiful clothing designed by artisans from around the world. Unusual collection of canvas paintings by local artists. Gifts for every price range. UPROC 901 E. Center St., 264-5009 Mon.-Thu. 1-8PM / Fri. 1-9PM / Sat. & Sun. 1-7PM Everything for the skateboarding enthusiast on your list: skateboards, parts and supplies, safety helmets and kneepads, plus clothing, UPROC t-shirts, music CDs, and more. Vieux et Nouveau (Old & New) 1688 N. Franklin Pl., 287-9049 Wed-Thu. 11AM-6PM / Fri. 11AM-7PMSat. 11AM-5PM / Sun. Noon-4PM A new shop in the old Brady Street area. Eclectic mix of unique fashion including vintage clothing, handbags, and coats. Furnishings for your home including paintings, glassware, small furniture. Come see the infamous ugly lady lamps. Also custom jewelry and custom art. Priced from $5 to $300. Village Bazaar 2201 N. Farwell Ave., 224-9675 Mon.-Sat. 10:30 AM-6PM / Thu. 10:30AM-8PM Jewelry, figurines, and ornamental objects from 52 countries around the world. Also work by local and national artists. Huge selection of rare and semi-precious stones in beautiful settings. Prices start at $15. Woodland Pattern 720 E. Locust St., 263-5001 Tue.-Fri. 11AM-8PM / Sat. & Sun. Noon-5PM Expand your universe with contemporary poetry, fiction, and writings by local and Native American, African-American, Hispanic, Asian, and Middle Eastern authors. Also Gift Memberships. Art Gallery exhibit features “Leaf, Feather, Fin, and Fugue” of witty flora and fauna drawings and watercolors by Jo Anna Poehlmann, through December 31. Yellow Jacket 2225 N. Humboldt St., 372-4744 Mon.-Sat. Noon-7PM / Sun. Noon-5PM Vintage clothing with an attitude, plus everything you need to keep winter chills at bay: coats, sweaters, hats, gloves, and mittens for men and women. Average prices range from $10 to $20. Art of Touch 731 E. Locust St. (above Tai Chi Center) 916-0162 or email imrachel414@aol.com Open daily Unwind from the holiday whirlwind with a Swedish, Warm Stone, or Sport Massage by Rachel Golusinski, CMT. Gift Certificates also available for deserving friends and family. Cardinal Lemoine 265-2025 Riverwest location Lift your spirits with a relaxing, one-hour Swedish massage for $45. House calls slightly higher. Licensed massage therapist, nationally certified, AMTA member. Call for an appointment or Gift Certificates. Cory the Bike Fixer 2410 N. Murray, 967-9446Tue.-Fri. Noon-6PM / Sat. 10AM-5PM New and used bikes starting at $50, as well as helmets, locks, and other bike accessories. 25% off all new Giant and Ellsworth bikes in stock. Get a friend a tune-up or enroll them in a bicycle repair class. Gift Certificates available. Creative Memories Lorraine Jacobs 562-6608, jphotos@netstream.net Memory keeping at its best! For a memorable, long lasting gift, photos stored in quality albums continue to give enjoyment for many years. Personal assistance with creating meaningful, photo memory albums. Also available: scrapbooking products, classes, and gift certificates. E’s Online Spot 833 E. Center St., 433-4363 Mon.-Fri. 10AM-8PM / Sat. 11AM-7PM Sun. Noon-5PM Give the gift of a computer time card for fast, affordable internet access by the minute. Cards come in increments of 30 minutes/$3.00, 60 minutes/$5.00, 180 minutes/$10, and 360 minutes/$20. Creating your own holiday greeting cards or music CDs? Check out the high quality scanners, printers (color or black and white), and CD burners. Package shipping service and new E-Bay store for selling online also available. Stop in for details. Milwaukee School of Massage 830 E. Chambers St., 263-1180 Call for an appointment. When you’ve had it with the holidays, student graduates of the Milwaukee School of Massage are “on hand” to melt your stress away with a one-hour Swedish massage for only $36. Gift Certificates also available for grateful friends and family. Riverwest Currents 733 E. Clarke St., 265-7278 For the avid reader on your list, give a Riverwest Currents Gift Subscription for only $25 per year. An ideal gift for family and friends, especially those who may have moved out of the neighborhood and still want that Riverwest news fix. Riverwest Film & Video 820 E. Locust St., 265-8433 Open daily 3-11PM Escape from the holidays with an exotic local or foreign movie at Riverwest Film & Video. Search the racks for rare and unique videos. Everything is for rent ($3.50 for 3 days) or for sale (from $7 up). They can also special order any movie ever made. Sun of Kenilworth 2239 N. Prospect Ave. (Located in the Prospect Mall), 347-1111 Mon.-Thu. 9AM-8PM / Fri. 9AM-6PMSat. 9AM-3PM Give a gift certificate for tanning or one of a number of specialized massages. Hot rock massages, raindrop therapy, reiki, ear candling, and paraffin hand and feet massages. Prices start at $30. ART 2010 Frame Garage 2010 E. Thomas Ave., 962-2010 Mon.-Fri. 9AM-7PM / Sat. 10AM-5PM An eclectic mix of framed photos, prints, and posters as well as ready-made frames. Bring in your favorite piece of work and have it custom framed. Prices start at $10. East Side Framing Gallery 2021 E. Ivanhoe Pl., 332-3400 Mon., Wed., Fri. 10AM-6PM / Tue. and Thu. 10AM-7PM / Sat. 10AM-5PM 500 frame styles in stock to frame your favorite artwork, as well as framed and unframed prints and posters available for purchase. Prices start at $50. Grava Gallery 1224 E. Brady St., 277-8228 Tue.-Fri. 10AM-6PM / Sat. 10AM-5PM Original art featuring two and three dimensional works by Milwaukee area artists. Complete line of custom framing services since 1990. Shipping available. Also Gift Certificates in any amount. Murray Hill Pottery Works 2456 N. Murray St., 332-8828 Wed.-Fri. 11AM-6PM / Sat. & Sun. 10AM-2PM Handmade ceramics by 30 local artists, created and fired on premises. Register someone you know for a pottery class. Art-O-Matic vending machine with quirky $5 gifts. Prices start at $5. Oxford Art Glass Studio 1017 E. Brady St., 224-7577 4322 N. Oakland Ave., 962-0900 Open daily, 9AM-5PM Unique, colorful, and radiant art glass gifts to beautify the home or office of anyone on your list. Bring in a favorite picture or your own design for a custom creation. Classes and Gift Certificates also available. Prices start at $25. Paris Green Studio 2629 N. Bremen St., 372-5586 Fri. & Sat. in December, 11AM-6PM Or by appointment Fabulous holiday gifts. Tile mirrors, jewelry, clay dishware, oil paintings, boxed cards. buttons, pincushions, cats and clay houses, more. Holiday Open House, Dec 6 & 7, 11AM-6PM. Riverwest Artists Association (RAA) 374-4722 For aficionados and collectors of original, one-of-a-kind art, contact RAA for work by local artists. RAA Gift Memberships also available. Riverwurst Comics Tea Krulos teakrulos@hotmail.com Fresh, irreverent, slightly off-color. Riverwurst Comics (for grown-ups) now available at Fuel Cafe, Riverwest Co-op, Woodland Pattern, Beans & Barley, Recycled Books & Music, Exclusive Company (on Farwell), Schwartz Books (on Downer & Shorewood). $3. Schneider-Vetter Glass 506 E. Burleigh St., 562-2440 Mon.-Fri. 8AM-5:30PM / Sat. 8:30AM-2PM Tucked away inside the hardware store, you’ll find an array of framed and unframed posters, prints, original art, and decorative mirrors. Custom framing a specialty for precious family photos or artwork. Prices range from $5-$300. Utrecht 2219 N. Farwell Ave., 220-9063 Mon.-Sat. 10AM-7PM / Sun. 11AM-4PM All the supplies for the artist on your list. Canvas, paint supplies, art books, sculpting tools, frame kits, pencils, and pens. Buy someone a sketchbook and inspire some creativity. MUSIC & DANCE Barika Bellydance 962-3356 www.barikabellydance.com Delight the dancer in your life with a gift certificate for bellydance lessons. Or add an exotic flair to your holiday festivities with a Belly Dance Party and learn to shimmy with your closest friends. Barika means “to bloom” in the Algerian language. Barika Bellydance is tribal style bellydancing that draws on the traditions of Asia, North Africa, Spain, and the Middle East. Also available for cultural, festival, or corporate events. Cranky Uncle Trotsky’s 278-7981 The place for Luddites to buy, sell, or trade vintage stereo equipment. Stereo repair also available. Call for more information. Farwell Music 2218 N. Farwell Ave., 271-9033 Tue-Sat. Noon-7PM CDs, albums, and movies for every taste. Sell your old CDs for store credit or cash. Bargain finds for all the music lovers on your list. Prices start at $1. Linneman’s Riverwest Inn 1001 E. Locust St., 263-9844 www.linnemans.com Peace through music. Order Linneman’s “Milwaukee Sampler” CD online at www.linnemans.com featuring performances by top local artists, and also Linneman’s famous tie-dye t-shirts. Prices range from $5-17. Or skip the net and go straight to the bar. Lotus Land Records 801 E. Center St., 372-8317 Tue.-Sun. Noon-7PM The epicenter of the world for hard-to-find vinyl grooves. Cool, hip, funky, international music and Lotus Land t-shirts. Shop online day or night at www.lotuslandrecords.com The Mosleys www.themosleys.net Jingle jangle for the holidays. For all you diehard Mosleys fans, several CDs are available online at www.themosleys.net, plus Golden Calf, Mike Frederickson’s new solo release. One Drum www.onedrum.net Shop online at www.onedrum.net for CDs by One Drum, voted Best Ethnic Act in Shepherd Express’s “Best of Milwaukee.” Also available is Thacher Schmid’s solo album, Love Live Music Collective, that featuring many of Milwaukee’s finest musicians — this release is not to be missed!