Continued from Page 20 recipes, is available at the Decatur store and can be shipped to all parts of the country. “Hope’s Cheesecake in Gulf Shores ships nationwide as well,” says Kim Chapman of Silverhill. “If you’re remembering someone out of town, they make it easy to send a nice gift. Just about everyone loves cheesecake.” For the cheese lover, Belle Chèvre in Elkmont is an excellent choice for goat cheese. Belle Chèvre has produced a variety of internationally acclaimed cheeses since 1989 using European farmstead techniques. Belle Chèvre offers individual cheese selections, breakfast spread, cheesecake, cookies and gift boxes at their store. These items can also be shipped.
Artwork by Rebecca Koontz of Greensboro and carved baby blue birds by Dallas County artist John Sheffey are featured at Black Belt Treasures in Camden. Photo courtesy Black Belt Treasures
Gift Shop Ideas
“My wife appreciates gifts that remind her of nature or perhaps something hand made,” says Mark Lyman of Tillman’s Corner. “That’s why I look for gift shops with handcrafted items.” Black Belt Treasures in Camden is an exceptional place to buy made-by-hand creations. “We’re a nonprofit arts center representing more than 300 artists,” says Kristin Law, art program and marketing manager. The sprawling store offers everything from baskets and pottery to folk art, sculptures and quilts. “We also have a wide array of art classes taught by our regional artists — and a gift certificate to a class also makes a great gift for Valentine’s Day,” adds Law. “I have personally had couples take my pottery and hand-built ceramics class together.” “Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment in Huntsville is the Southeast’s largest center for the arts,” says Charles Winters of Huntsville. There are working artists, small businesses, restaurants and live performances in this building that used to be a textile mill. Down south, several locally owned shops at The Wharf in Orange Beach, including Fish on a Dish Unique Gifts, stock works of locally created art and handcrafted items including paintings, sculpture and jewelry. Another excellent source for unusual items is museum and tourist attraction gift shops. At the Coastal Arts Center at Orange Beach, the gift shop has one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, pottery and artwork. Bellingrath Gardens and Home in Theodore also has a spacious gift shop filled with unusual gifts including a large selection of Coke-related merchandise.
Romantic Getaways
Getaways are always great gifts for couples to give each other and Alabama has a lot to offer for those not wanting to journey far from home. Check out one of the bed and breakfast destinations in Alabama, such as Winston Place in Valley Head at the base of Lookout Mountain. If skiing is something you enjoy, Cloudmont Ski Resort in Mentone offers skiing, horseback riding and hiking trails. And in Montgomery, the Harriott II Riverboat offers Valentine’s romantic cruises including dinner, roses, champagne and live entertainment. Sure, Valentine’s Day can be construed as a “Hallmark” holiday, but isn’t it fun to turn it around and make it about the love we have for the special people in our lives? We’re sure Saint Valentine would approve. A 22 FEBRUARY 2014
Clockwise, artwork by local artists can be found at Fish on a Dish Unique Gifts at the Wharf in Orange Beach, at Black Belt Treasures in Camden, and at Coastal Arts Gift Shop in Orange Beach.
A romantic cruise on the Alabama River aboard the Harriott II Riverboat might be the ticket to make your Valentine’s Day extra special. Below, bring home a piece of the Gulf with a gift from Fish on a Dish Unique Gifts in Orange Beach.
For more information:
Morgan Price Candy Company: www.morganpricecandy.com Hope’s Cheesecake: www.hopescheesecake.com Belle Chèvre: www.bellechevre.com Black Belt Treasures: www.blackbelttreasures.com Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment: lowemill.net The Wharf: alwharf.com Coastal Arts Center: www.coastalartscenter.com Bellingrath Gardens and Home: www.bellingrath.org Alabama Bed and Breakfast listing: www.bedandbreakfast.com/ Alabama Cloudmont Ski Resort: http://cloudmont.com/ Harriett II Riverboat: www.funinmontgomery.com/parkswww.alabamaliving.coop items/harriott-ii-riverboat