Jan Boydstun of Kitchen Kitchen in Indian Wells has suggestions for practical gifts.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TAYLOR SIMPSON

Jan Boydstun

More than 30 years ago, Boydstun came to Indian Wells to help her parents with their growing kitchenware store. She fell in love with the business and the area, becoming the desert’s resident Gadget Girl. In the past few months, she’s seen an uptick of interest in baking tools, especially those that help folks put their quarantine sourdough starters to use. “You can bake great bread in a pizza oven,” she shares. “The way the crust forms is so yummy.” What to Buy: “People are really wanting to do practical gifts,” Boydstun says. Enter the Zyliss food chopper, a functional gadget for anyone who’s ever wished they had a sous chef to cut up veggies.

Angie Chua

Owner and Illustrator, Bobo Design Studio

Lifelong artist Angie Chua pivoted from handcrafted bags to stationary design in 2018 to create playful paper goods shop Bobo Design Studio. She attributes the growing interest in hobbies like bullet journaling, coloring, and hand-lettering to the pandemic. “People are so stressed out,” she says, “and they want a form of self-expression, a little bit of humor and light in their life.” She adds that paper goods’ appeal crosses generations, offering a sense of novelty for digital natives and nostalgia for folks who miss the days before iCalendar.

What to Buy: Grab one of Chua’s travel journals — the Wanderlust Passport — for anyone with whom you hope to forge a deeper connection. “Go on trips together and write about the activities that [you’ve] done,” Chua suggests, “and print photos and stick them in there.”

Debra Carrington

Debra Carrington

Owner, Summer Colony Living

Frustrated with the limits of corporate buying, Carrington founded Summer Colony Living in 2014 to showcase emerging designers and distinctive pieces. “We curate stories,” she explains. The story of the season? Endless vacation. “People are focused on home and nesting and really [interested in] creating relaxed, beautiful environments,” Carrington says, “and that attitude is transferring over to what people are wearing.” What to Buy: “The holidays are all about family and entertaining,” emphasizes Carrington, who suggests brightening holiday tables with dinnerware from California–based home goods designer Annieglass.

Adrienne Wiley

Adrienne Wiley

Owner, Covet Palm Springs

Tennessee transplant Wiley began making jewelry to unwind from her office job. Now, she crafts delicate pieces full time at her charming boutique in the Uptown Design District. Her statement pieces this season are both small (teeny-tiny “hugger hoop” earrings) and colorful (chokers with vibrant enamel accents). Her recommendation is to go big by layering lots of pieces together. “It’s so flattering,” Wiley says, “and lets you consistently change up your look.”

What to Buy: When in doubt, search for pieces that could be at home in almost anyone’s jewelry box. “I love mixed metal pieces,” Wiley says. “They’re a great [choice] if you don’t know if someone wears gold or silver. A pair of stud earrings is another really safe gift option.”