The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

I am always pleasantly surprised at the women's shopping options in our area. From top-notch clothing to quirky, one-of-a-kind jewelry, shops from Dayton to Walla Walla have us ladies covered!

It comes in handy when Christmas rolls around when you are shopping for your mom, aunt, sister, girlfriend, or wife. I have found that shopping for my mother is one of the most fun yet tedious parts of my overall gift giving.

Dayton has so many interesting stores, and with a current vintage revival, I had a blast exploring the Main Street Marketplace. The Marketplace, consisting of multiple individually run booths, specializes in everything vintage. There is an extensive selection of local art, handmade jewelry, and a personal favorite- locally made soaps! Main Street Marketplace is one of those shops that you go into without looking for anything in particular, knowing something will jump out at you. You won't leave empty handed.

We are lucky to live in an area that has many local artists and artisans. Over the past year, handmade charcuterie boards have shown up in many shops. And between Dayton and Waitsburg, one can easily piece together quite the charcuterie platter. A local woodworker, Ed Lambert, has a mill of his own and has posted some beautiful boards on Facebook, with prices varying. I've also noticed a couple of halibut-shaped boards on display at Ten Ton Coffee, created by Don's Carpentry.

Once you select a board, pop on out to Moose Creek Cafe and Bakery in Dayton, and browse their vast selection of jams, jellies, dipping oils, and crackers to create that perfect board. The bakery and shop is located on Main Street and is a shopping go-to for my family. They carry quality brands, including Stonewall Kitchen, and Rose City Pepperheads.

Moose Creek almost always has the coveted Cougar Gold cheese available, a not so well-kept secret in this area. They sell out quickly, so don't miss out.

Moose Creek's gift selection goes so far beyond just the food items. As you walk in the door, they have great toys, scarves, lotions and soaps, candy, bath bombs, jewelry, dining ware... I'd continue, but there is only so much room for this article. The best part is they are a local hometown shop with prices very well-aligned for a small town.

Paige's Floral and Gifts, located across the street from Moose Creek, goes beyond just a floral shop. They hosted Dayton's Ladies' Night this year. In the shop they have a offer a wide selection of Washington-made candies and honey, Stonewall Kitchen baking mixes, houseplants, and home decor. And don't forget the flowers, a thoughtful bouquet can brighten up dinner or party. It can be the perfect hostess gift, remember to include a vase. The hostess will appreciate it.

Know someone who loves jewelry, needs a new beanie or simply loves to be pampered, swing into Blush Salon on Main Street in Waitsburg. Blush has a wide selection of CC Brand hats and beanies, gloves and scarves, and western jewelry, belts, and accessories. Conveniently, the gloves are just the right size to sneak a Blush gift card into.

The services offered at Blush are not just cut and color if a gift card is more mom's style. Eyelash extensions, manicures and pedicures, tanning, and facials are just a few of the things you can book with your favorite stylist at the Waitsburg salon.

After last week's successful search for men's gifts in Walla Walla, I returned to see what they had for women.

The first shop was 35th+Butter, and I decided that anything purchased from that store would make me happy if it were under the tree. (Hint to Ray, the velvet jewelry cases caught my eye.)

From the alpaca scarves to the quality leather totes, this is one of those stores that you cannot go wrong. A jar of the Woodford Reserve bourbon cherries would ideally add to that charcuterie board if you took that idea and ran with it.

35th+Butter has one of the cutest welcome wagons in the county, so, if anything, stop in to be greeted by Booter the Frenchie.

Across the street is the D'Olivo Tasting Bar, which has been a longtime l favorite of mine. The moment you walk in the door, you are met with quality La Creuset cookware in the blues, reds, and yellows the brand is known for. They have coffee mugs, Dutch ovens, and enameled cast iron pans that will stand the test of time. Le Creuset is a kitchen envy brand!

The cookware, however, is not the only star of the D'Olivo show. The flavored olive oils, balsamic, honey, salts, and loose-leaf teas are some of the best. Each is carefully curated, with selections boasting long-lasting quality and flavor.

This is another one of the shops that could be a one-stop-shop. The shop has an extensive selection of items from olive oil to tea towels and from stickers to measuring spoons. They also have a nice selection of wine, bubbles, and the glasses to serve them in.

My final stop for the day was another vintage treasure trove, the Country Store, in Walla Walla. This consignment store has two floors full of vintage goods, clothing and jewelry, handmade candles. I instantly fell in love with a 1970's mushroom-themed jar set and was drawn towards the vintage Pyrex collections being offered.

This was an excursion to scout out gifts for my mom, mother-in-law, and sister. However, many of these gifts are perfect for men as well. It's not just women who know their way around the kitchen or need a bespoke cutting board.