By Southwester Staff
With the holiday season upon us, neighbors may be seeking a special gift to share the magic of Southwest DC with a friend or family member across M Street or across the country. This year, The Southwester assembled a gift guide of unique and memorable items and experiences from across our quadrant. We’d love to receive any of them, but no need to spend a dime, dear readers. This holiday season, our favorite gift is you.
For the extra-chic art lover
Rubell Museum Candle
The Rubell Museum DC displays cutting-edge modern art in a historic neighborhood gem. If someone on your gift list encapsulates the best of old and new, try one of the signature scents of the Rubell Candle. Available in Scent of New Orleans, Blue Cypress Absinthe or Pear Blossom Pineapple. $42, https://store.rubellmuseum.org/collections/gifts.
For your fishiest friend
Fresh catch from Jessie Taylor Seafood
Whether they are preparing for the Italian-American Feast of the Seven Fishes or hosting a holiday celebration that could only be improved with the addition of Cheseapake blue crabs, stop by Jessie Taylor Seafood, which will even cook your catch for you before you head out to your party. Prices vary, https://www.jessietaylorseafooddc.com.
For the civically-minded
Lunch and volunteering at DC Central Kitchen SW
DC Central Kitchen’s gleaming new Michael R. Klein Center for Jobs & Justice in Southwest DC offers training and support to youth and adults facing barriers to employment. Bring someone on your gift list to join a daily morning volunteer shift, followed by lunch featuring fresh, local-sourced ingredients at the on-site cafe. Priceless, https://dccentralkitchen.org/dc-central-kitchen-cafe-at-klein-center/
For the remote worker
Headphones for Southwest Library Zoom calls
While the neighborhood works from home in the post-COVID era, no spot is as convenient, flexible and free (did we mention free?) as the stunningly renovated Southwest Library. Hop online to reserve a study room, or park yourself at one of the shared tables by the window, but whatever you do, don’t disturb the other patrons. Headphones, various prices and styles, available online.
For the sportiest spice
Washington Spirit T-Shirt
The National Women’s Soccer Leauge’s Washington Spirit barely missed a playoff run this year, but now that they’re fully settled at Buzzard Point’s Audi Field as a permanent home, show your neighborhood pride with a worldly, flag-emblazoned Spirit United shirt. $34.99, https://www.washingtonspiritshop.com.
For the riverside exerciser
Wearable wrist weights
We all have a neighbor who starts every morning or ends every weekday with a power walk alongside the Titanic Memorial Park boardwalk. With riverside views, convenient benches for rest or stretches and stunning sunsets, the location could inspire a pumped up workout for the intrepid walker or jogger. Wearable wrist weights, various prices, available online.
For the transit-obsessed new parent
Throwback Waterfront Metro baby romper
Metro may be known more for weekend trackwork than its fashion sense, but the official WMATA store offers all kinds of ways to let your urban planning geek flag fly. Don’t miss the baby romper featuring the Waterfront-SEU Green Line station – a name that was simplified to Waterfront in 2011, a mere three years after the namesake Southeastern University campus on I Street SW closed. $24.50, https://dcmetrostore.com/products/waterfront-seu-romper
For the son of a son of a sailor
Season pass to The Wharf Marina
Whether they’re mourning the tragic passing of Jimmy Buffet (RIP) or have always longed to set out on the open water, get them started with a season pass or one-time gift card to Boating in DC’s Wharf-based boathouse, with kayaks, paddleboards and more at their fingertips. Various prices, https://boatingindc.com/the-wharf-boathouse.
For the literary museum visitor
Exhibition accompanying coffee-table books
Politics and Prose at The Wharf has expanded to the bottom floor of the new Atlantic building, and the hyper-local book and gift emporium is offering readers a deeper look into current gallery offerings. Gift a gorgeous coffee-table book designed to accompany the National Gallery of Art’s The Land Carries Our Ancestors: Contemporary Art by Native Americans ($45) or the Hirshhorn’s Simone Leigh retrospective ($75). 610 Water St SW, www.politics-prose.com.
For the eco-conscious
Support raptor encounters and citizen science
Located in a converted pumphouse at 2000 Half Street SW, the Earth Conservation Corps’ Matthew Henson Center is home to incredible environmental programs ranging from wildlife tracking, species reintroduction and raptor ambassadors. Connect a young person in your life with the environment around them through the center’s programs and giving opportunities. Various options, https://www.earthconservationcorps.org.
For the true tailgate lover
Beer Snake Tickets to XFL’s DC Defenders
Nothing says neighborhood solidarity like contributing your own empty beer cup to the greatest tradition in second-tier sports. The XFL’s DC Defenders bring the party to Audi Field, but they also made it to the league championship game last year – more success than most local sports franchises can claim. Single game tickets from $23, https://www.xfl.com/teams/washington-dc.