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Yes, we may be hard at work keeping LAist.com, LAist 89.3 and LAist studios running (phew!) but we are gift-givers too. We asked the staff to tell us what they're buying friends and family this year. Here's what they told us.
Archery lessons
— Jenn Baughman, Director of Programming

I took my 10-year-old nephew to a one-hour lesson with Area Archery at Woodley Park in Van Nuys. When we got there a large group of adults were just finishing up. Both lessons were age appropriate and people were having fun. This is a great activity for folks who want to get outside and try something new. Now my nephew wants his own bow and arrows. Look for my recs on that in next year's guide!
$50 for a 1 hour Archery Lesson with reduced costs for booking larger groups. $40 per person for two or more. They also offer two-hour lessons and parties of 6+.
Custom cartoons
— Lucie Russo, Development Events Manager

My pick for a one-of-kind gift is a piece by local artist Nathan Gelgud, who is taking commissions for custom cartoons inspired by a favorite movie. His clever comics have been featured in the New York Times and used by many cultural institutions, and for $50 you can have one made just for a special person in your life (or yourself!).
Hot chocolate from Amara’s Cafe
— Julia Paskin, host of All Things Considered

It wasn’t until I interviewed Amara herself, of Amara's Cafe in Pasadena, that I learned that not all hot chocolate is created equal, and that I had been deprived of the true pleasure of what some call “drinking chocolate.”
I swore to never go back.
Amara explained (and as is printed on each bag) that around the world, hot chocolate is prepared with different thicknesses and in Venezuela, it's served super dense and very rich! Amara’s hot chocolate is so, so good, I swear I can feel those happy brain chemicals vibing with every sip. It even made an LAist best hot chocolates in town list! I recommend pairing a bag of Amara’s hot chocolate with a nice mug for a seasonal gift for the chocolate-enthusiast in your life.
Slushy Maker
— Jason Wells, Managing Editor

I recommend the Ninja SLUSHI Professional Frozen Drink Maker. It was so simple to set up, fits neatly on my kitchen counter next to my KitchenAid, and is super easy to use. And most of all, it's super fun! It's a total talker when having people over, and tinkering with recipes to create new concoctions is almost addicting.
Dubai Chocolate from the Queens of Knafeh
— Austin Cross, host of Morning Edition

If you have a sweet tooth and your algorithms know it, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the Dubai Chocolate craze sweeping the world. These are thick chocolate bars loaded with a gooey, crispy green filling that may be what dreams are made of. The tantalizing treat, with roots in Dubai, is filled with shredded knafeh and pistachios. I tried one recently when I had the honor of interviewing the “Queens of Knafeh,” Fatmah Muhammad and her daughter, Rheyanah. They brought me their version of the famous bar — made by hand in my hometown of Rancho Cucamonga.
It was heavenly from first bite to last, with the gentle sweetness of the chocolate balancing perfectly with the crunchy-yet-creamy, flavor-filled center. Buy at least three: One for someone you love and an extra two for yourself. It might cost you more than your average bar, but this is no average bar. It's available for local pickup only by request, and note: it doesn’t show up on their product page — you have to ask!
Hasami Porcelain
— Suzanne Levy, Senior Editor

I love Tortoise, a Japanese store on an unassuming part of Venice Boulevard in Mar Vista. It's like a wonderland of beauty and organization. My favorite thing to buy is their Hasami Porcelain collection, designed by store owner Takuhiro Shinomoto, and made in Japan in the rural Nagasaki region from a unique porcelain and clay mixture.
The original collection has a slightly rough texture, (the newer collection is glossy), and I always get compliments from people when they come over. I've collected the set in black over the years — mug, creamer, plates — and they're all designed to stack seamlessly together. They make me happy when I see them in my cabinet.
2025 Nib Geebles calendar of L.A.
— Josie Huang, Weekend Edition host and reporter

Every time I turn the page of a Nib Geebles calendar, I’m welcoming a new piece of original art into my home.
Each month features a scene from in and around L.A, painted in the unmistakably spiky, playful style of Gordon Henderson a.k.a Nib Geebles — who also works as an announcer at LAist — and his creative and life partner Abira Ali.
This year, the pair went searching for storefronts that used animals in their artwork like the Chicken Boy statue in Highland Park on the calendar cover. It’s always so fun to point and say — hey I know that spot!
Bonuses: Each calendar is signed by the artists themselves and includes aphorisms, alongside holidays, like “You can have it all if you’re willing to settle for less” and “Start a new, more conscious era.”
This is the 39th edition of the calendar. It's never too late to start collecting!
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Editing and writing
- Rene Lynch, Gift Guide Editor
- Suzanne Levy, Gift Guide Editor
- Ross Brenneman, Education Editor
- Bonnie McCarthy, Freelance Writer
- Gab Chabrán, Associate Editor, Food and Culture
- Mariana Dale, K-12 Reporter
- Larry Mantle, AirTalk Host
- Laura Hertzfeld, Best Things To Do Reporter
- Julia Paskin, Host, All Things Considered, The L.A. Report P.M. Edition
Art
- Erin Hauer, Visual Designer
- Olivia Hughes, Illustrator
Other support
- Nubia Perez, Community Engagement Administration
- Sabir Brara, Digital Product Project Manager
- Chanelle Berlin Johnson, Director Audience Engagement
- Megan Garvey, Senior Vice President, News
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
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Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

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