Mostly practical but occasionally whimsical gift guide
The white porcelain Coink bank by the New York design studio Mint has a large top opening made for easy deposit of the day’s spare change. We found it selling for $44.99 at Tweak 99 in L.A. Urban Outfitters offers what we assume is its budget take on Harry Allen’s gilded piglet; the golden Frenchie dog bank is $24 in stores and online. The Oink bank is an amusingly minimalist piggy with oversized money slots and cork ears — so you can cash out twice as fast? It’s new from L.A.-based Purcell Living, which makes the porcelain piece in four colors: black, white, baby blue and, of course, pink. Oink is $74 with cork ears; optional porcelain ears are $12 more. If all that seems a bit rich, there’s always Urban Outfitters’ ceramic French bulldog bank, spotted in the Pasadena store, just $18. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Cat lovers can get in their two cents in the form of the black Kat, $22 at Yolk in Silver Lake. (Craig Nakano / Los Angeles Times)
This Lion’s Valley Stoneware bank is among the fantastic vintage finds at Ige, Helene Ige’s Beverly Boulevard boutique. It’s $75. (Craig Nakano / Los Angeles Times)
For the less ambitious (dimes only?), there’s this little vintage ceramic bank. It’s $52 from Lawson-Fenning in Silver Lake. (Craig Nakano / Los Angeles Times)
What holiday concoction wouldn’t feel more festive with these little straws? Because plastic sippers aren’t easily recycled, Kikkerland designed these paper straws that can be tossed in the home composter once the party’s over. They come in a box of 144; we bought ours for $6.95 at the Paper Source in Pasadena. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Oh, the morning after. For the party animal in your life, how about some post-festivities self-help in the form of traditional espresso made by stovetop? La Cafetiere makes a classic Italian pot that forces water up through the grounds. It’s $44.50 at Surfas in Culver City. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A “pour over” coffee is the allure of many new-fangled cafes, but like so many new things, it harkens back to times past: A few decades ago, cones and filters were the cheap way to brew. The Clever Coffee Dripper aims to combine the best of the filter drip and the French press with its stopper that allows the coffee to steep before it goes into the cup. It’s $14 (mug not included) at Demitasse in L.A.’s Little Tokyo. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
For the budget watcher (or greenie) who’s turning down the thermostat this winter, there’s no better way to warm the heart (and the legs, and the feet) that than a good throw. Blankets wrapped in leather carrying handles are big this year. Restoration Hardware has oh-so-huggable blankets in soft faux fur, but the Home crew has been loving the vibe of classic wool Pendleton blankets. Vintage Pendletons are turning up in décor boutiques looking as good as ever. Room & Board has rolled out these new Pendleton Motor Robe wool blankets in a variety of plaids, each $88. If you can pass off the leather carrying strap as rustic ribbon, then no wrapping required. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)