It's Dec. 21, and you still have no gift for the arts and entertainment fanatics on your list. No problem. Let us help you. Here are some last-minute gift suggestions from the Enquirer's A&E writers.
Visual arts
Yomo scarves: Luxuriously plush in subdued colors, handcrafted in the finest hand-dyed merino wool with touches of tussah silk, these "kemuri" (the Japanese word for smoke) have the hand of cashmere, the weight of a feather and the durability of outerwear. A reworking of a centuries-old technique of textile making, these one-of-a-kind creations are clearly works of art. Prices range from $60 to $250. Made in the U.S. They're for sale at the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art. 44 E. Sixth St., downtown.
Feather handbag: The East African Peacock Feather Handbag with Tobacco Handle is covered entirely in blue feathers. This stunning swing bag was made by hand in either Kenya or Tanzania. Cincinnati Art Museum acquired this piece from Safari by Design that sells to high-end stores such as those at the Smithsonian and Takashimaya in New York. This one-of-a-kind bag is sure to be the talk of the party on New Year's Eve. $270. (There are three other bags including one with pheasant feathers on a leopard print.) At Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive.
---Marilyn Bauer
Classical music
Check off your gift list with something classy from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra or Cincinnati Opera.
Subscriptions, CD's, T-shirts: You can have your cake - and music, too: It doesn't get much better at the symphony these days, under music director Paavo J”rvi. Besides the music, there's a free dinner buffet on Thursdays.
Subscription packages start at $35.25 (even the cheap seats in Music Hall's gallery have good acoustics). Packages include the popular Thursday concerts, the new Sunday series or the Cincinnati Pops, led by Erich Kunzel. Or, get Classic Choice coupons, which can be redeemed for any show.
Add $10 to your subscription for a holiday gift package: symphony or Pops CD, Music Hall ornament, pen and poster.
Other musical gifts include T-shirts with Paavo's signature($18); CSO mugs ($10); very soft CSO or Pops teddy bears ($10); Pops sweat shirts ($30); and totes with logo ($18).
The symphony's and Pops' Telarc CDs ($15 each) are always a hit. .
For subscriptions or merchandise call 381-3300 or visit the sales office in Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine.
Posters to sing about: Yes, opera lovers, there are about 50 huge, 2003 Cincinnati Opera bus shelter posters left ($100). But the opera fans on your list may be just as happy with:
A 2004 season poster ($10); tile coaster set ($35); thermal travel mug ($12); Carmen magnet ($5); Cincinnati Opera apron ($15); posters from former seasons, such as Dead Man Walking ($10); classic opera posters, such as Tosca ($25); T-shirts ($10); or opera glasses ($85). Call 744-3235 to order.
Or, give a gift certificate in any amount, good for opera tickets and prelude dinners (241-2742).
---Janelle Gelfand
Theater
Starter kit: For those fans of Broadway musicals, give them a starter kit featuring the graduates of University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Grab the original cast recording of the great Chicago revival (1996) (you wanted to, anyway) and find Marcia Lewis in one of her Tony-nominated performances.
With Seussical you can score three grads: composer Stephen Flaherty, and performers Michelle Pawk and Sara Gettelfinger. You never go wrong with Faith Prince who stars in a number of cast recordings (including Flaherty's A Man of No Importance.)
Of course there are Greater Cincinnati natives Pam Myers in Company and Lee Roy Reams in 42nd Street (both Tony-nominated performances).
A full College-Conservatory of Music cast recording library will range from the obvious to the obscure. Your quest is just a mouse-click away at the CCM Web page "alumni sounds" at www.ccm.uc.edu/musical_theatre/on_CD.htm.
Stocking stuffers: You can give Playhouse in the Park for under $5 - a kiddie ticket for the terrific Rosenthal Next Generation series on Saturday mornings is $4. For your high school/college age kids (and the incurably hip of any age), tickets for the winter Monday alteractive series start at $8. Send somebody to the new Stage Left series - $25 buys a show ticket, socializing and a behind-the-scenes visit.
If you're feeling a little more flush, a three-play sampler can be had for under $100 - or give your favorite drama king/queen acting classes. Winter session starts in January (low end of the price range is $75). Call the box office at 421-3888 and for a complete schedule of productions and activities visit www.cincyplay.com.
---Jackie Demaline
Dance
Romantic evening: Get your significant other a very special dance treat: A pair of tickets to Cincinnati Ballet's romantic Romeo and Juliet (Valentine's Day weekend), a deluxe suite at the Crowne Plaza, valet parking and $50 worth of room service. Call Chris Strauch at 562-1114 to reserve a package.
Note to Santa: Please fill my stocking, the big one that looks like a dance bag, with the following items: a self-help book and a sugarplum.
The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp (Simon & Schuster; $25) is 243 pages of self-help for the artist. Tharp has been prolific over the years. She counts 126 dances, choreography for five movies (including Hair and Amadeus), the TV show Baryshnikov by Tharp (Emmy winner), and the current Movin' Out on Broadway as accomplishments.
Her message is that doing something over and over, whether you are a dancer taking class or in another profession, will stimulate your imagination. For instance, Tharp's in bed by 9:30 every night, and at the gym by 6 a.m. You might want to experience her regimen, or like me, just start by reading to see how she does it.
Finally, Jennifer Fisher's Nutcracker Nation: How an Old World Ballet Became a Christmas Tradition in the New World (Yale University Press; $27), has been called "fresh, smart and just plain enjoyable." Find out where and how the tradition for millions of children, families, dancers and audience members began.
Once a snowflake and flower herself, Fisher is a respected dance scholar whose fascination with the underexplored subject promises an intriguing read for those moments when you are overwhelmed by the holidays, and just need to sit it out for a while and read a good book.
Dance necessities: Are there dancers on your gift list? Do you wonder if they might enjoy getting a Degas dance bag for toting their tutu? Do they spend long hours on their tiptoes? How about a ToeSavers Blister Kit? Or maybe a little crushed rock rosin to prevent those toe shoes from slipping? Go to www.discountdance.com and you'll find intriguing items like these and many others, including brand-name shoes and leotards for children and adults. Also consider gift certificates in $25 and $50 amounts, so they can make their own selection of necessities.
---Kathy Valin
Film
Seriously: Wow the serious film fan on your gift list with Akira Kurosawa: Four Samurai Classics featuring the late Japanese filmmaker's timeless works, Seven Samurai, The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo and Sanjuro.
Criterion Collection, famous for its meticulous technical presentation, does a faithful job with these gems. Bonus material is limited but includes an eight-minute interview with George Lucas on how Kurosawa influenced his own movies, particularly Star Wars.
List price: $99.95
Go digital: This is a great time to graduate from the old VHS camcorder to 21st century digital equipment, with choices ranging from the basic Canon ZR60 for under $500, up to the JVC GR-HD1, the first high-definition video camera aimed at consumers. It lists at about $3,500, but can be had for about $2,000 if you shop around.
Pro-quality video at consumer prices is available in the compact 24P Panasonic AG-DVX100. With bells and whistles, it lists for about $4,000, but you can find it for less than $3,000.
---Margaret A. McGurk
Pop music
Local music: There's never been more great local music available for gift giving. Try these.
• Folk/singer-songwriter: Over The Rhine's Ohio (Virgin/Backporch; $18.98); Tracy Walker's All This Time (Gallimaufry; $14.98).
• Jazz: Blue Wisp Big Band, A Night at the Wisp (Sea Breeze; $15.98).
• Hip-hop: Five Deez, Kinkinasti (Studio K7; $17.98)
• Funk: Freekbass, The Air is Fresher Underground (Orchard; $12.98).
• Blues: Ricky Nye, Quick 'N' Dirty (1-2-3 Records; $18.95)
• Guitar: Scotty Anderson, Classic Scotty (J-Curve; $15.98).
• Americana: Various, including the Goshorn Brothers, Kelly Red, Brian Lovely, Steve Schmidt, Saturday Night Guitar Pull - Cincinnati (SNGP; $12).
• Assorted rock: There's a feast of new rock CDs out, from the modern sounds of Light Wires and Promenade to rockabilly revivalists the StarDevils.
Down-home sounds: Roots reigned in 2003 (Tall Stacks, Queen City Blues Fest, MidPoint), and Cracker Barrel is making it easy to bring downhome sounds home for the holidays. The restaurant chain is partnering with the National Council for the Traditional Arts in a series of bluegrass, blues, gospel and Americana CDs.
The best deal is the J.D. Crowe & the New South CD. A reissue of Crowe's seminal 1975 Rounder album (plus a bonus track) this is the modern bluegrass record (featuring Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice and Jerry Douglas).
There's a Sacred Steel Guitar Masters featuring Queen City Blues Fest stars the Campbell Brothers and volumes of Cajun (Balfa Brothers) and acoustic blues (Cephas & Wiggins).
There's also the all-star Stony Point Quartet's fine old-time Christmas Time Back Home. Each is just $11.98. Take a mall break, have some biscuits and eggs, and make a dent in your list while you wait for a table.
Try these stores
Looking for local music? These independent area retailers try to carry all local releases and pride themselves on having knowledgeable staffs.
CD Warehouse, 1657 E. Kemper Road, Tri-County; 772-3472.
CD Warehouse, 5266 Crook-shank Road, Covedale; 347-0032.
Everybody's Records, 6106 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge; 531-4500.
Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Rookwood Pavilion, Norwood; 396-8960.
Phil's Music, Books & More, 4307 Winston Ave., Latonia; (859) 431-7774.
Shake It! Records, 4156 Hamilton Ave., Northside; 591-0123.
Wizard's Records, 2940 Markbreit Ave., Oakley; 351-5500.
---Larry Nager
Museum shops
Cincinnati Art Museum and the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art are just two museum shops. Others include:
Cincinnati Museum Center Shops: From Flying Pig cookie cutters to gummy dinos and a hand-painted Civil War chess set, this gift shop has educational, collectible and just plain fun-for-kids gifts. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. 287-7022; www.cincymuseum.org.
Cincinnati Fire Museum Shop: The 1907 firehouse museum gift shop has books, coloring books, firefighter hats, stuffed animals, firetrucks, firefighter dolls and memorabilia connected to firefighting plus special 150th anniversary T-shirts marking the establishment of the Cincinnati firefighter unit. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, noon- 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 621-5553.
Behringer-Crawford Museum: The Devou Park museum's shop specializes in Northern Kentucky history publications, with trains and train whistles and Lewis & Clark books, prints, minerals, kids' toys and gifts. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. (859) 491-4003.
Taft Museum of Art: The gift shop for the Pike Street museum, which is closed for renovation, plans to open May 15. Until then, you can shop online at www.taftmuseum.org.
In fact, Treva Lambing of the Taft put together a Web site with information on Tristate museums and groups. A trip to www.cincinnatimuseumshops.com will give you a rundown on the museums, including hours, admission and some gift shop links for:
Behringer-Crawford Museum
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption
Christ Church Cathedral
Cincinnati Art Museum
Cincinnati Fire Museum
Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Nature Center
Greater Loveland Historical Society
Greater Milford Area Historical Society
Hamilton County Park District
Taft Museum of Art
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County
---Joy Kraft
