The Reporter's Gift Guide
11/25/2009
The gifts that only get better with age
Spend your money wisely and make an investment this year
by Joan Trossman Bien
It may be a rough year but you can still buy great gifts. What is it everyone seems to need right now? More money. How do you get more money? Good investments. Since the price break is pretty low, leave the purchase of financial issues and gold bullion to others.
Collectibles have proven to be solid investments. Think vintage, used and perhaps a relative’s attic. As is true with antiques, you need to do your homework. Now let’s go shopping.
Vintage jewelry
The value of gold has taken off like a rocket in the past five years. You might not think of a pawn shop as the best place for finding an investment, but when it comes to jewelry, you could get very lucky. ($29-$6,000)
Another fabulous bargain at a pawn shop is a musical instrument like a guitar. Don’t hesitate too long because musicians know pawn shops are the place to grab a great deal. ($59-$1,000)
OLD TOWNE JEWELRY & LOAN PAWN SHOP
97 S. Oak St.
Ventura
641-2274
Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
PAWN SHOP OF VENTURA
2016 E. Thompson Blvd.
Ventura
641-9945
Monday-Friday, 9a.m.-6p.m.
Vinyl record albums
Albums are nostalgic and affordable. The original or rare Beatles albums top the list, especially the White Album. Don’t overlook the 45s with the Capitol label (before Apple Records). There are also newer bands with very limited album pressings for audiophiles. For oldies, 1950s and ’60s albums from the Blue Note label. It is all about condition. ($20-$200)
BUFFALO RECORDS MUSIC
(moved 10/24)
92 S. Laurel St.
Ventura
648-3345
Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
Vintage comic books
It is mostly about nostalgia and fantasy. Comic books were meant to be read and tossed, so finding a popular one in great condition is unusual. But they do exist. It is a quest that requires patience and knowledge and emotional detachment. But what fun. (very rare, valuable $140-$275)
RALPH’S COMIC CORNER COMIC BOOKS
2379 E. Main St.
Ventura
653-2732
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 11a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday, 11a.m.-7p.m.
Saturday, 10a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday, noon-5p.m.
CLOSED TUESDAYS
Vintage cameras
Nearly everyone now owns a digital camera and a cell phone camera. But there is an increasing demand for name-brand, old cameras. Again, it is all about condition. Vintage Nikons and Leicas are becoming rarer in the digital world and can be excellent investments. News about Polaroid cameras: The very last batch of Polaroid film expired on Oct. 9, but a Dutch company has bought up the rights to make the film/paper and will be ramping up this year. So an old Polaroid camera will again have the fun back in functional. ($60-$3,000)
DEXTER’S CAMERA
484 E. Main St.
Ventura
643-2172
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Great gifts for pets
Don’t forget your four-legged friends for the holidays!
by Lisa Snider
Before you reach for the phone to buy a ridiculous Doggie Snuggie to give to your favorite pet owner this holiday season, consider shopping with the fantastic local pet suppliers we have in Ventura County offering unique and affordable gifts for our four-legged friends!
A unique treat
Petropolis has one-of-a-kind gifts, including a cute selection of carriers, beds and doggie T-shirts, but their most popular item, which makes a great stocking stuffer, are deer antlers. No, not the ones you make Fido wear for the annual holiday snapshot, these are real, naturally shed deer antlers. Better than rawhide, this natural chew toy has no offensive smell, no residue, and is chock-full of healthy minerals. Ask about the store’s other location in Santa Rosa, too.
Petropolis, 330 N. Lantana St., Suite 25, Camarillo, 482-5989
A gift and a contribution
Mercy has been in Oxnard since 2001, providing low-cost vaccines and spay and neuter services to curb pet overpopulation. The facility also has an adorable boutique with lots of gift ideas, including cat and dog toys, grooming supplies and greeting cards. Proceeds from all sales go toward supporting this great work.
Mercy Crusade’s Spay and Neuter Clinic, 2252 Craig Drive, Oxnard, 278-4433
Go green for Fluffy
Pet Barn has put a lot of thought into its selection of pet supplies and gifts. From seasonal decorated cookies and organic treats to recycled balls and green beds, the conscious consumer will certainly be pleased with these product offerings. Behind the store, Canine Adoption and Rescue League holds pet adoptions every weekend. On Dec. 12, Pet Barn will offer pet portraits, with proceeds going to support C.A.R.L.
Pet Barn, 3004 Telegraph Road, Ventura, 585-2276
For the rough and tough
Across the parking lot from its apparel store, The Wharf has a feed and pet supply store, where you and your pet are welcome to browse. Toys and gifts are what you might expect: rough and rowdy! The most popular toy at the moment is the Roadkill toy, which is a flat plush toy without the stuffing, and customers say their pets love them. Popular edibles are the fresh-frozen bison treats and the Bully Sticks (made of — how can I put this — a bull’s privates).
The Wharf, 980 E. Front St., Ventura, 648-5035
Hooray for horses
For the horse lover, Ojai Valley Feed has a complete tack room. In addition to big-ticket items like saddles, pads and blankets, those on a budget can grab a bucket and fill it with shampoo, conditioner, brushes, combs, hoof picks and other grooming supplies. Add a bow, and it’s the perfect gift! There is also a wide assortment of Western-inspired jewelry for your favorite cowgirl.
Ojai Valley Feed, 1114 Tico Road, Ojai, 646-5442
Holiday shopping without the crowds
One local retailer fuses clothing, jewelry, tanning and manicures into a delightful mix
By Allison Costa
The storefront is mysterious. There are the numbers 242, a few scantily clad dress forms in the window, and a small sign with a phone number. Like many who walk down Main Street in downtown Ventura, you might wonder, what is this place? It’s what owner Colleen O’Brien calls high-end designer resale.
O’Brien, a former clothing buyer for Fred Segal, boasts an inventory that includes a wide range of designer labels, most of which are gently used. While you can pick up a luscious Dolce & Gabbana blouse for $500 or a black Diane von Furstenberg dress with the tags still on for $250 (priced originally at $600), you can also pick up a pair of used designer jeans for $45 or browse the bargain rack where prices dip as low as $5. Platform shoes, brightly colored bags, vintage jewelry, jackets both silk and leather, and scarves both cozy and shimmery call out to the inner shopper in all of us.
Aside from the inventory and sense of mystery, what makes this store unique is the way in which you shop. You can call anytime to set up an appointment to shop — solo, with friends, or with a sweetheart. O’Brien also hosts open house-style Girls Nights (guys are welcome, too), complete with appetizers, cocktails, shopping, spray tans and manicures. Yes, you can get a spray tan, sip some wine, get your nails done, and shop for a fancy dress all in one outing.
Twenty-eight-year-old Mary Osborne, Ventura native and professional surfer, is the owner of Solymar Tan, a mobile spray tanning business she started in 2009. During the Girls Nights, she sets up her mobile spray tanning booth at 242, and guests can step in for a spray and come out 20 minutes later, nicely bronzed without any sun damage. Annie Pike, local aesthetician and manicurist, may also be around, ready to pamper, paint nails and beautify toes. Julie Cohen, owner of Rosemary Road jewelry in Los Angeles, has been known to pop in with her handmade, antique-inspired jewelry as well.
242 gift certificates are available in any amount, as is the option to create your own wish list of desirables. However you shop at this eclectic store, you’re guaranteed to get much more than just clothes.
For more information on Solymar Tan, visit www.solymartan.com or call 766-0616. To make an appointment with Annie Pike, call 340-3011. To make an appointment at 242, call 648-7400 or e-mail twofortytwo@att.net.
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