October’s Full Moon Buy Night Shopping Bazaar was such a hit that we’re bringing it back–just in time for your holiday shopping!  On the evenings of December 10th and 11th, Oakland Unwrapped, in collaboration with Jack London Square, ProArts, and Oakland Grown, will be hosting a Holiday Buy Night Shopping Event.  Cozily situated inside a festive market hall with entertainment, activities for the kids, hot cocoa, beer, wine and creative gifts from local businesses and artists - it’s the best mall-ternative you could ask for. More details to come, so keep checking back here!

Save the date!  Add this event to your Outlook Calendar here.

The Crucible is hosting its annual Holiday Gifty Art Sale and Open House during the weekend of December 12th and 13th.  Here is a great opportunity to support local artists and community arts education while shopping for unique holiday gifts for everyone on your list!  Local artists selling clothing and accessories, jewelry, gifts and more (including some of our very own Oakland Unwrapped vendors) will be present.  The days also feature snacks, glass blowing demonstrations, a visit from Santa, and more!  You won’t want to miss this!  Get more details at the Crucible’s website.

Oakland Unwrapped would like to introduce you to the latest additions to our online marketplace:

Baby Girl Designs: fine artwork by Jeanette Madden on notecards, journals, gift bags and boxes, and more.

By Nieves: all natural handmade body care products made with essential oils.

CC Star: original and custom-made handmade cuffs and snap bracelets, coin purses and pouches made from vintage neckties.

East Bay Express eDeals: gift certificates to local stores, including bath & body, food & drink, books, music, and more, sold at 25% off the certificate face value.

Envirodryz: low-tech, eco-friendly clotheslines.

Ezme Designs: funky, unique, and custom-made ceramic bowls, mugs, and dishes.

Kristine Online: unique and fun collectible toys, dolls, and gifts.

Looks Good From The Front: handmade hair accessories and birdcage veils.

Pushcart Design: a graphic design studio that creates politically and geographically influenced t-shirts and posters.

Sarah Swell Jewelry: nature-inspiried handcrafted fine jewelry.

Steppen Simply: necklaces and earrings to make you look and feel “simply” beautiful in any outfit for any occasion at any time.

YB Timepieces: high-quality fashion watches.

More stores are being added all the time, so keep checking www.oaklandunwrapped.org for more fun and unique Oakland-based businesses!

Locally grown food and produce is a rising movement in the United States, particularly in urban areas. Many urban dwellers are participating by trying their hand at growing their own vegetables. This not only helps the environment, but can help cut down on our food cost. And those of us living in the San Francisco Bay Area are lucky enough to have plants grow year-round. But many urban dwellers have such small yards–or no yards at all–that they have no space in which to grow a garden.  But Vertical Home Gardens, a brand-new Oakland-based garden products company, has come up with a solution to allow suburban and urban gardeners alike can grow vegetables, herbs, flower, and more in a space that only takes up a couple of square feet.

Vertical Home Gardens, LLC is a garden products company that designs, manufactures, markets, and sells vertical gardening solutions. The team behind Vertical Home Gardens has developed the Phytopod^TM and the Phytopod Field^TM gardening products for individuals, schools, and businesses who would like to garden but lack sufficient space to do so. A Phytopod fits nicely on a balcony or patio and can grow up to 20 square feet of produce!

The Phytopod^TM comes in three different heights, all with an 18 inch diameter, to accommodate its customers’ needs; even the largest Phytopod^TM is only 3 feet tall. All Phytopods are made from eco-friendly, recycled, or re-used materials and have a built-in internal watering system, allowing plants to grow on every surface of the Phytopod^TM.

Vertical Home Gardens is also reaching out to their urban community, particularly schools. They have started a “Grow, Eat, Recycle!” School Garden Package, which is designed to teach students how to compost cafeteria food scraps, then use the compost to grow a vertical garden of vegetables and herbs to be eaten in the cafeteria. The package, combined with the vertical garden, is perfect for urban schools with little space for traditional gardening but that still want their students to learn where their food comes from.

Make sure to check out this Oakland-based business on Oakland Unwrapped for more information: http://oaklandunwrapped.org/verticalgardens.

There is always a lot going on at Entrez! Open House.  This October, make sure to check out their knitting sessions and pumpkin carving parties!  This month, Knitting Night is on October 23 from 5 to 7PM.  The 4th Annual Pumpkin Carving and Costume Contest will be happening on October 30 from 3 to 7 PM and October 31 from 1 to 5 PM.  Pumpkins and snacks will be provided; all that’s missing is you in costume!  Sign up at the store or email back (Idareyou@entrez-openhouse.com) so they know how many pumpkins to buy.  Swing by the store or check out their website to find out more and to find out about more upcoming events.

Oakland Unwrapped! would like to introduce you to our latest additions to the marketplace:

1.by.liz: original recycled clocks inspired by bikes, created by combining the industrial design of worn out bike parts with funky patterns found in reclaimed textiles.

A Touch of Life, LLC: homemade face and skin moisturizer.

ALQUIMIA handmade jewelry: jewelry made using traditional silversmith techniques as well as chunky tribal-inspired gemstone jewelry.

Ashay by the Bay: African-American and Multi-Cultural children’s books.

Black Lotus Enterprises: handmade beaded jewelry, inspired by nature.

Corinthia Peoples Designs: handcrafted, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces made exclusively with authentic colored gemstones and sterling silver.

Cultural Crossroads: home décor, art, and accessories from around the world, including funky ethnic jewelry at great prices.

Estilo Clothing Co: original screen-print designs celebrating music and culture; clothes for men and women, including tees, tops, dresses, and sweatshirts.

fiftyseven-thirtythree: screen-printed, stenciled t-shirts and appliquéd hoodies, using solvent free inks on sweatshop free apparel and drawing from an urban aesthetic.

jadecicada jewelry: handcrafted jewelry with unique beads from all over the world, including new and old beads, gemstones, semiprecious stones, and unique cultural beads.

Just Glam: high end quality cosmetics at affordable pricing.

lemonade handmade jewelry: jewelry that mixes metals and textures to create bold and delicate earrings, necklaces, and more.

Lwanga Designs: original handmade jewelry as well as a unique array of eco-friendly African home décor, kitchen accents, jewelry and bags.

Mavazi–Clothes for the Soul: Oakland-based clothing company that sells dresses, pants, tees, handbags, tops, headwraps, and recycled denim skirts and jackets.

Paula Chan Design Studio: handmade earrings, necklaces, and bracelets made of Swarovski crystal, gemstones, and pearls, all on sterling silver; handmade greeting cards also available.

Pendragon Books: local independent bookstore that carries new and used books, greeting cards, magazines, journals, Moleskin, calendars, and book lights.

rosemary dudley designs: handmade jewelry using different shapes, textures, colors, and materials.

Sheila Moon Athletic Apparel: athletic apparel, specializing in cycling clothes, focusing on fashion, fit, and function.

The Joys of Life: skin care, including creams, soaps, lotions, washes, and body polish made with organic Shea Butter.

Vertical Home Gardens, LLC: a vertical garden container company that designs, manufactures, and sells attractive containers for individuals, schools, or businesses to grow a “real” garden year-round with limited space.

 We now have over 150 stores on our e-commerce website and are always adding more. Keep checking Oakland Unwrapped! to see the newest vendors and see how easy it is to support Oakland’s local economy while shopping online!

Come shop with the fabulous artisans of Oakland Unwrapped! on a moonlit October night at Jack London’s Waterfront!  Get cool, re-purposed stuff like hats made out of records and belts made from seatbelts.  Also find clothes, toys, jewelry, bikes, tableware, hats, accessories, fun t-shirts, fine art, photography and lots more – all from Oakland shops and artisans! 

Sample and scoop up produce and artisan foods from the twilight Farmers’ Market, sling down some drinks, grab some grub at Jack London Square’s restaurants.

Let loose and have fun with the strolling musicians, fire dancing, ice skating, and other surprise entertainers from the Full Moon Buy Night line up.

Brought to you by OneCalifornia Foundation, Jack London Square, OAKBOOK, and East Bay Express. 

Thursday, October 1, 5:03-9:30pm
Jack London Square.
Free!

Join us for the fun, support the local economy, and maybe event grab a few early holiday gifts!

September is here, ringing in the new school year.  As popularity of green businesses and environmentally-friendly products continue to grow in the Bay Area, you might be wondering-is it possible to go green at school, too?  Yes!  Oakland Unwrapped has many local businesses that offer environmentally-friendly products for children heading back to school.  One of our most recent additions, One Small Step, is just one of these businesses working to get parents and children to “think and act ‘green,’ one small step at a time.”

One Small Step specializes in providing everything and anything you could possibly need to pack a waste-free lunch for your child or yourself.  A waste-free lunch is just what it sounds like: food and beverage from home packaged in reusable storage containers, bags, or bottles, with reusable napkins and utensils, all packed in a reusable lunch box.  One Small Step offers all these items and more in a variety of creative styles and colors.  You won’t find any un-cool lunch boxes here! 

The beauty of packing a waste-free lunch is that it is healthier and saves you money in the long run.  According to One Small Step, you can save up to one-third of your annual food budget just by sending waste-free lunches with your kids (see their FAQ page for more details).  And homemade food is always healthier-and usually tastier-than store-bought processed foods.  (Why else would college kids keep coming home for a home cooked meal?)  Founder Renata Bodon has also learned this lesson through personal experience.  She discovered that, by avoiding store-bought, pre-packaged food and packing her daughter a waste-free lunch, her daughter was eating healthier and fresher food while learning about the positive environmental impact she was having at such a young age.

One Small Step makes it easy for you, too, to save money on your food budget, eat healthier, and minimize your food-related waste by selling all these products online in one location.  One Small Step also donates 10% of all profits to community organizations, taking one more small step in bettering our communities.

For more information check out One Small Step on Oakland Unwrapped: http://oaklandunwrapped.org/onesmallstep/

Oakland Unwrapped! would like to introduce you to its latest edition to our website:

The Present Body–combines the fun and fitness of martial arts, yoga, and Pilates to offer specialized sessions focusing on weight loss and postural reconditioning for its clients.  One-on-one nutrition consultations are also available online.

http://oaklandunwrapped.org/thepresentbody/

Check it out and give your body a present!

This is just one example of the diverse stores listed on Oakland Unwrapped!  We now have over 130 stores on our e-commerce website and are always adding more.  Keep checking Oakland Unwrapped! to see the newest vendors and see how easy it is to support Oakland’s local economy while shopping online!

Oakland Unwrapped vendor Entrez! Open House is hosting its last evening of its Summer Design Series this Friday, September 4th.  Check out items from Iittala and enter to win a Tools 3 quart casserole dish designed by Bjorn Dahlstrom.  But you have to RSVP to attend!  Click here to find out more.