A Very Special Mother's Day Gift Guide
“When you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know.”
―
How do you express your love and appreciation for the most important woman in your life during a pandemic? A Mother’s Day gift that’s thoughtful and makes her feel special is difficult every year, but THIS Mother’s Day, it feels especially challenging to thank the homeschooling, front line life-saving, supermarket stocking, sourdough baking, mask making, zoom meeting and virtual work-out taking, all-around incredible quarantine Moms. Worry not dear friends! We are here with some fabulous gift ideas that will knock Mom’s socks off, and best of all, they involve some of our favorite local businesses. Who are your favorite local small businesses? Chances are they have something to offer for Mom too. Small businesses bring so much to our community and Mother’s Day is the perfect time to support them, while getting creative gifts for Mom.
FOR THE FOODIE MOM
Zoom calls have become our new normal. Like it or not, they are a part of our daily lives. So, why not Zoom up a special Mother’s Day dinner? You can set up a theme in Zoom and curate a playlist, with Apple Music or Spotify, to match the setting. Now for the food, call Mom’s favorite local restaurant and order her favorite dinner. We will be ordering the delicious Casablanca Chicken Tagine (a long-simmered stew with a traditional blend of herbs & spices served with basmati rice or couscous. YUM!) from Cafe Mogador. They also have amazing vegetarian options like the Hummus Platter with a side of falafel (which is absolutely amazing). You can make this Zoom dinner public and invite other family members to make it a party or you can choose a more intimate experience between just the two of you. 
Your favorite restaurant is not open at the moment? Donate through their GoFundMe page to help get them get back on their feet. A few of our favorites are listed below!
Egg 109 N.3rd St Brooklyn | Support Egg Here
Juliette 135 N.5th Brooklyn | Support Juliette Here
Cafe Collette 79 Berry St Brooklyn | Support Cafe Collette Here
Sweetwater 105 N.6th St Brooklyn | Support Sweetwater Here
Lilia 567 Union Ave Brooklyn | Support Lilia Here
Xixa & Traif S.4th St Brooklyn | Support Both Restaurants Here
FOR THE GREEN THUMB MOM
Chelsea Garden Center has these perfect, low maintenance Gift Packs for low light areas. They are offering free curbside pickup Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday by appointment. To complete this beautiful gift pack you can head over to Homecoming and pick up some Design-Forward Planters ranging from $32-$64.
FOR THE PAMPERED MOM
Spa days are a Mom's favorite and a Mother’s Day go-to but with spas deemed non-essential businesses Mom can’t physically go to the spa this year. So THIS year, bring the spa to Mom! Williamsburg Beauty Spa offers an amazing collection of natural and organic treatments from top-of-the-line brands like Larens and DNA that are safe for pregnant or nursing moms. Head over to their website and receive 20% off with code COVID19 and free shipping over $100. Consider Mom pampered.
FOR THE WINE & CHEESE CONNOISSEUR MOM
UVA Wine & Spirits is a family-owned wine shop that boasts artisanal (often organic and natural) wines from small producers at every-day values, while also offering an assortment of rare and hard-to-find gems. Tip: They offer free local delivery in various Brooklyn neighborhoods on orders over $75. 
The Bedford Cheese Shop (located on Bedford Avenue) is a small, independently run cheese shop that provides a constantly evolving array of prime goodies including (but certainly not limited to) farm fresh cheeses, olives, nuts, fruit, and breads. Grab her faves or give the experts a call to get some professional advice on the perfect pairings for the most delectable cheese and charcuterie board ($24-$40). Offering pick-up & delivery Tuesday through Saturday 1pm-6pm. 
FOR THE SWEET TOOTH MOM
Patisserie Tomoko celebrates the fusion of traditional European and Japanese pastries and desserts. Beautifully crafted delectables such as the Creme Puff, the Chestnut Tart, and the Green Tea Roll are not to be missed and are available for both take-out and delivery. For the gift that keeps on giving, add a gift card because once this baby opens back up, they’ve got a Three-Course Dessert and Wine/Sake pairing that’s sure to wow.
FOR THE MOM THAT DESERVES (OFF SCREEN) ME-TIME
Spoonbill Books is a 20-year-old bookseller in Williamsburg that recently launched the Book Love Project where you can choose from 1 ($25), 2 ($50), or 3 ($100) surprise books to help raise funds to keep their business afloat during these dire times. If you don’t love the idea of not knowing what you’re giving, simply give them a call and ask for some suggestions. Their knowledgeable and friendly staff will ask a few simple questions about mom and guide you to some titles that are sure to please any audience.
To top it off, visit Driggs Mercantile (sister store to Red Pearl). Here you will find the ethically produced and handwoven MINNA PANTELHO THROW ($298) and the perfect scent to accompany her read from vegan candle maker, Brooklyn Candle Studio. These candles ($38) are made in Brooklyn with 100% soy wax for an eco-friendly burn and are composed of lead-free cotton wicks and premium fragrance oils infused with essential oils. Driggs Mercantile is currently offering 20% off with the code SPRING20 plus free shipping over $100.
FOR THE SENTIMENTAL MOM
Homemade videos and slideshows are the key to every Mom’s heart. The thought and imagination of this gift is what really gets her every time. This gift only needs photos and your computer to create. If you have printed photos, scan them to your computer or download a free scanning app on your phone. There are apps you can download, on your computer or phone, to create your personalized slideshow. A great scanner app is PhotoScan by Google. It gets rid of the glare and is super easy to use. If you want to kick up the nostalgia you can recreate a fond memory and create a mini iMovie for Mom to enjoy. This gift is timeless, sure to please, and budget friendly.
FOR THE FASHION FORWARD MOM
So, Mom loves fashion but, maybe she doesn’t know how to get started. Hillary from Harper Neal Style offers an “individualized style and personal perspective for every closet”. With 21 years of luxury retail experience through Saks’s Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, Hillary has decided to go solo to make her services accessible to everyone and to have the freedom to customize her approach to accommodate each client's request. Her services include closet editing for the mom who already has great style and pieces but maybe needs a little help in keeping them current. She also offers personal styling which involves an intimate shopping experience to customize your wardrobe for every body and every life, even quarantine life. Contact her directly at hnstylestudio@gmail.com or call (917) 628-8372.
Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms (superheroes). We hope to see you all again soon!
xo
Smoochie Baby