BEST PLACE TO BUY A GIFT FOR AN INDOORSY TYPE 2006 | Lush | Shopping & Services | Phoenix
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BEST PLACE TO BUY A GIFT FOR AN INDOORSY TYPE

Lush

We love Lush so much, we gave this creative bath and body store a Best of Phoenix last year, even before the first Valley location opened. In the past year, we haven't been disappointed! In fact, we've gone back several times, to stock up on charcoal face soap, lemony flutter cuticle butter, and our favorite, bubbling bath bars with a unique smell we can't get enough of. We love that Lush puts out cookies and lemonade on a Sunday afternoon, and always labels its products with a cute drawing of the person who actually made the item. Best of all, we love buying Lush products as gifts it mitigates our guilt, because we have to admit that the prices are a little steep. But really, what price can you put on the head of your child, we think to ourselves, as we buy our daughter's teacher the "Happy Gift" a box filled with six Lush products, scented with orange, jasmine, ginger and rose, for $45? And what the heck, we'll buy ourselves a "Desperate Housewife," too (including a Two Timing Tart bath bomb and Smitten Hand Cream, $22.50). We deserve it.

BEST HOLIDAY STORE FOR SANTA MUTINY

Holiday Haus

We may not have to deal with dashing through the snow during the winter holidays, but there are the usual retail disappointments when it comes to the aisles of monotonous Santa-themed gifts. Ditch the rabid shoppers fighting for cheesy fat-guy merch and stroll into this bright and bold contemporary gift shop created by the masters of campy pop-type home furnishings over at the year-round staple, Haus. Holiday Haus carries non-traditional, non-Santa-type holiday items such as a winter survival kit that comes with hand wipes, mistletoe mints, earplugs and a shot glass. Adult gifts include Knock Knock sex flash cards, retro Jonathan Adler ceramic accessories, and holiday cards handmade with felt materials by local biz Laboratory5. The fun selection of kids' toys ranges from cards and games to cosmo pop dolls and old books. The high on style and low on clich shop is open from November through January.

BEST THEME PARTIES

MADE art boutique

It doesn't matter if we're picking up a gift for a friend, or just a pick-me-up for ourselves we'll take any excuse to pore over the shelves of goodies at MADE. Ever since this minuscule shopping space expanded a few months ago, there's been even more to tempt us: pretty jewelry, yummy-smelling soaps, exquisite woodwork, and cute ceramics all made by local artists, hence the store's name plus a cheeky variety of books and greeting cards. But what really make this shop a perfect fit on Roosevelt Row are its art exhibitions, featuring functional pieces by local artists focusing on different themes, such as handmade clocks, birdhouses, or planters. It's an incredibly affordable way to support local talent. There is one catch, though: Savvy shoppers and art collectors inevitably snatch these right up at the show's opening reception. So if the idea of buying an artist-made objet sounds irresistible, sign up for the store's newsletter to stay in the loop on upcoming shows and events. You wouldn't want to miss a good theme party, now, would you?

BEST MAGAZINE RACK

Borders Books & Music

Yet again we would have loved to give this category to a wonderful indie bookseller, but that would imply that Phoenix actually has one with a decent magazine rack. And since hell hasn't frozen over yet in the desert, Borders on Mill is still our top pick. Whether you're looking for gardening tips or interviews with world leaders, you'll find what you need somewhere among the store's six aisles of glossy publications. There's Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Maxim or Mental Floss if you actually want to exercise your noggin. Trekkies can blend in with normal folks while perusing the latest Starlog, and with so many titles crammed on the shelves, no one will notice if you grab a copy of Teen People. The best part is that Borders never seems to mind customers sitting down with a latte and thumbing through a periodical, even if you decide not to buy.

BEST BOOKSTORE

Changing Hands Bookstore

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Changing Hands offers the best in book shopping, hands down. That's partly because it has such an amazing selection of new and used books. (Last time we were there, we bought the latest Augusten Burroughs at a discount and a 100-year-old sex manual for two bucks where else could we have scored both of these titles in one place?) But it's also because the people who work there unlike most of the chain stores around town clearly love books as much as we do. Want proof? Look no further than the helpful "employee pick" notes the clerks tuck into books, or the smiley and well-informed assistance they offer to book nerds like us. Not to mention the nice balance of famous and up-and-coming authors who read from their books at Changing Hands none of this "only best-selling authors" nonsense at our favorite bookshop (although you'll find your share of those, as well). If you don't find us browsing the stacks here, look for us next door at the adjoining Wildflower Bread Company, where we love to make a pit stop. And hey, one more thing: We hate cheesy chains as much as the next guy, but we wouldn't mind seeing another Changing Hands maybe in downtown Phoenix?

BEST COMIC BOOK STORE

All About Books & Comics

Are your "Spidey senses" tingling? Okay, you didn't need superpowers to guess that AABC would be our pick. After 25 years of serving comic book junkies, this eight-time Best of Phoenix winner is still hailed as a geek's wet dream. The shelves are stuffed with more than a million back issues, from golden age originals like The Avengers and Green Lantern to the modern cult classic Sandman. While waiting for the next installment of Witchblade, you can stock up for your party, which, in this case, means a couple of 20-sided dice, some Magic: The Gathering cards and a plastic model of the buxom Lady Death to keep you company. Forget Internet dating this is the best place for a true geek-to-geek hookup. "Where did you meet Mommy?" "Our eyes met over a rare copy of Uncanny X-Men #247, son, and I knew she was the one for me." With any luck, their kind will multiply like Tribbles, producing an endless supply of customers for AABC.

BEST PLACE TO SCORE VIDEO GAMES

Bookmans Entertainment Exchange

For many video-game enthusiasts, the main topic of conversation lately on bulletin boards and AIM exchanges is the next-gen console war among the PlayStation 3, the Nintendo Wii and the Xbox 360. That means only one thing for those of us who don't give a crap: Cash-hungry kiddies everywhere will be throwing their old games and systems into hock to save up $600 for a PS3. That is to say, this fall and winter will be a prime time to stock up on all those games you've been meaning to play but couldn't afford or find before. So whether you're looking for that elusive copy of Zombies Ate My Neighbors or Chrono Trigger, or looking to beef up your current-gen Xbox collection with a minimal amount of damage to your wallet, Bookman's offers more button-mashing for less, and that's always good news for the hard-wired gamer set.

BEST LOCAL ALTERNATIVE TO "SIGNING TIME!"

Missy Keast

You may have seen Missy Keast doing her signing story time on the first Thursday morning of the month at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, but did you know she's now got her own series of signing videos for kids? Signing is all the rage right now don't worry, studies have shown your baby will still talk, but she will be able to better communicate with you earlier, through sign. And there's no better way for you and your baby to learn sign with apologies to the singsongy folks who bring us the nationally syndicated "Signing Time!" than with the "Signs for Intelligence" series. As the name implies, it's a smarter choice. Keast, who has two young children of her own, carefully leads the viewer through a series of signs ranging from the alphabet to simple vocabulary words. And she's got way better hair than that "Signing Time!" woman.

BEST PLACE TO GET YOUR KID'S HAIR CUT

Snip-its

Sophie doesn't like to get her bangs cut, and don't even talk to Annabelle about her tangles. Sometimes, a parent is the worst person for the job when it comes to kid grooming. That's why we head to Snip-its when Sophie can't see, or Annabelle's locks are approaching the dread stage. Okay, so really, if we were nice, we'd comb our kids' hair out first, but we leave the nice part to the Snip-its stylists, who ply our kids with candy and specially created Snip-it kid videos (sounds creepy, but trust us, once you see your kid go into that TV daze, you'll be begging for a punch card at the front desk). Speaking of the front desk, when you check out, your kid gets to put a card in a special machine and claim a prize. The prize is free, unlike the irresistible hair accessories and other small toys, but the price you'll pay is worth it for a well-groomed, happy kid. Now, if someone would just open a salon where you could get your newborn's nails clipped.

BEST MALL EXPERIENCE WITH THE KIDS

Chandler Fashion Center

The key to a pleasurable mall trip with the kids? Baby steps. Don't try to tackle the whole place. Save that for a day you've got a sitter, or give up entirely and shop online in the middle of the night, like we do. If the A/C and bright colors of the mall beckon, head to Chandler Fashion Center and follow our simple instructions for a great time: Enter through the Barnes & Noble. Immediately stop at the Starbucks inside. Fortified, you can find yourself waylaid for quite a while in the children's section, and if you work it right, you can grab yourself a book or magazine from the adult aisles. Or let Junior hand you something fun to read. The children's section here even features a small wooden stage perfect for cuddling up to read or clearing off to perform. From B&N, you'll be led directly to the small playground, limited to toddlers and open enough to guarantee you can watch your kid the whole time (other local malls' indoor playgrounds include closed slides; you'll drive yourself nuts making sure Junior's okay). Do be careful there are no escapes into the elevator the playground's one design flaw. The best part? You can go to Build a Bear or the candy store if you choose, but neither is visible from the playground itself, ensuring that the parent gets to make that call. We're pretty certain the mall planners didn't do that on purpose, but we're grateful nonetheless.

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