Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for Park Slope Moms
[Free Letter] Find the perfect Mother's Day gift and support local businesses!
Hi, thanks so much for reading Park Slope Times! I’m Kelley MacDonald, and I interview neighbors about their lives and favorite things to see, eat, and do in Park Slope. If you'd like to read these interviews, please upgrade to paid. If you stick with a free subscription, you’ll get occasional free emails. Thank you so much for being here!
Mother’s Day — which falls on May 12th this year — is just nine days away. Have you made plans yet? If you’re looking for ideas, I put together a big list of fun gifts — all available to buy in the neighborhood — and experiences in Park Slope. I’m notoriously last-minute when it comes to shopping for gifts for any occasion, so putting this guide together helped me narrow down some options for my mom (pictured above with me exploring land my parents owned in Vermont). Whether you’re celebrating your mom or a mother figure (or yourself!), this guide has something for every kind of mom.
Classes & Workshops
Paint a pot: Reserve a spot at The Painted Pot to paint pottery or play with some clay. “It’s really kid-friendly, and we love making holiday presents there,” said Ann Cantrell, mom and owner of Annie’s Blue Ribbon, in her PST interview. Reservations are booked for 90 minutes and prices vary depending on the number of pieces you paint/create.
Make a tissue paper bouquet: Private Picassos is hosting a Tissue Paper Mother's Day Bouquets class on Sunday, May 12th, 10AM-11AM. You’ll leave with a bouquet of paper blooms — perfect for Mother's Day! The class is designed for children 4 and up with an adult. The class is $50 for one adult and one child, and additional participants cost $37.50 each.
Build a Fairy House: Another option at Private Picassos is the DIY Fairy Houses Family Workshop. This class is on Saturday, May 11th, 10AM-11AM, and it’s perfect for kids 3 and up with an adult. $50 for one adult and one child.
Yoga or Pilates classes: Brooklyn Flow offers a range of yoga classes for beginners to advanced students, from $25. If Pilates is more her thing, check out Bodytonic, which has in-person and online options, from $44 for 3 classes.
(Ed. Note: Check out the dates for free yoga classes in Prospect Park, hosted by Brooklyn Flow and Prospect Park Alliance and supported by New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital — it kicks off May 30th.)
Books & Subscriptions
“Ten Years After” by Nan Goldin: I stopped by Troubled Sleep and spoke with Alex Brooks, manager and book buyer, about books for Mother’s Day. “This Nan Goldin photography book is one of the most unusual things we have and should stir nostalgia among moms,” says Alex. He also mentioned “Vernon Subutex” by Virginie Despentes, “Charlotte” by Jane Austen, and “I Hotel” by Karen Tei Yamashita. One copy of each of these books is available at the bookstore, so head over ASAP if you see something you like. Thank you, Alex!
“Seven Days in June” by Tia Williams: I also got to chat with Kim and Fernanda, both Booksellers at The Ripped Bodice, and they recommended a few titles for Mother’s Day. I recommend “Seven Days in June” by Tia Williams, especially for Park Slope moms because it's set in Park Slope. She's a single mom, her daughter is a teenager. And it's a second-chance romance. It is so good,” says Fernanda. About “Things We Never Got Over” by Lucy Score, Kim says, “This is a different kind of mom. Her niece ends up without a guardian, so she moves to her niece’s town and has to figure out how to be a mom as someone who wasn't a mom for the first 15 years. But she still is her mom, after all; it's really sweet.” Fernanda and Kim also recommend “Delilah Green Doesn’t Care” by Ashley Herring Blake for “spice and delight” and “Role Playing” by Cathy Yardley for “a really great story for moms of older kids. And also for anyone in their middle ages getting back [into dating] and how hard that can be.” Thank you, Kim & Fernanda!
“The Paris Novel” by Ruth Reichl: At Community Bookstore, I got a few recommendations, including “The Paris Novel” for a fun beach read; “Loved and Missed” by Susie Boyt about the bond that forms between a grandmother and granddaughter; and “James” by Percival Everett for anyone who loved “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”
PST Subscription: Gift a subscription to Park Slope Times! ;) For a whole year of fun interviews, neighborhood recommendations, and local news, $60/year or $6/month.
Photo & Memento Gifts
Engraved serving board: Remember the custom serving board that Rachel Lipson had made for her parents? A favorite poem, family recipe, or meaningful quote engraved on one of these serving boards from Annie’s Blue Ribbon would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift, $130. If you want to skip the engraving, this Brooklyn City Life Serving Board is another fun option, $34.
Framed photo/memento: At Framebridge, you can stop by with a 4x6 photo or have it printed there and walk out with a ready-to-gift custom-framed photo. You can also have mementos framed, like handwritten recipes, old uniforms, or newspaper clippings. Also, check out their Mother’s Day shop for more gift ideas.
Get Active
Bike ride in the park: Head to Prospect Park and bike the 3.35-mile loop together. Rent bikes at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, from $17.40/hour, or Citibike, which also has electric bike options, from $4.79 for 30 minutes.
Personalized shoe fitting & new running shoes: Brooklyn Running Company’s shoe fitting process is an informative and fun experience — perfect for the runners in your life.
Flowers & Gardening Gifts
Bouquet of fresh flowers: Order from Zuzu’s Petals for pick up or delivery on May 10th, 11th, or 12th, from $75. They also have a lovely selection of pre-made bouquets and vase arrangements available in the shop, from $35. Check out the upcoming Floral Arranging Workshop on May 23, 6:30PM-8PM, which is another fun Mother’s Day gift, $150.
Bouquet of dried flowers: If you usually get fresh flowers, switch it up this year with dried flowers. Natural Spirit Corp has a beautiful selection. I got a dried bouquet from them over a year ago, and it still looks great. Sky Kim also mentioned them in her PST feature. “They have the best plants and dried flowers.”
Flower CSA: From August through October, send a bouquet each month with the Summer/Fall Flower CSA by Moonshot Farm. Flower pick up happens at Earth & Me on Fifth Avenue from 2PM to 7PM, $120. (The Spring Flower CSA is already sold out, but it’s something worth keeping in mind for next year.)
Pruning shears: We’ve been going to Tarzian Hardware for the last decade for everything from twinkle lights to spray paint to potting soil. They have a great gardening section, including pruning shears, from $18.
Food & Drink Gifts
Make a cheese board: Wouldn’t it be fun to make a big cheese board and watch an old movie together? I always like to ask for suggestions when shopping for fancy cheese, but you can’t go wrong with chunks of parmesan, aged gouda, comte, cheddar, and a creamy brie. Swing by Cheese Plate for a huge selection of amazing cheeses.
Pasta kit: Cook a delicious Mother’s Day meal with a pasta kit from Pasta Louise. If cooking isn’t your thing, these kits make great gifts on their own. And there’s even a Breakfast Kit with coffee beans, a box of banana bread, Sicilian lemon marmalade, and a container of salted caramel, from $29.
Hasami porcelain mugs: Stop by Blok Haus for the best selection of mugs, including these textured porcelain mugs, from $27.
DIY wine tasting: This would be fun to do with a group of moms! Pick up a few new-to-you bottles and do a tasting. There are tons of great wine shops in Park Slope to pick from — Sonia Weiser recommends Good Wine.
Donate In Her Name
Donate in her name to CHiPS, the Park Slope/Gowanus full-service soup kitchen and food pantry, to help end food insecurity and homelessness.
Donate in her name to Brooklyn Public Library to help provide free access to books, technology, literacy programs, and more to the community.
Donate in her name to Prospect Park Alliance to support restoration projects, clean-up, and more.
Donate in her name to Brooklyn Book Bodega to provide local children and their families with access to books, free events, and literacy-based community programming.
More Ideas
A sweet card: Annie’s Blue Ribbon has a big selection of Mother’s Day cards. Homemade cards are always a hit too.
Alone time: For a mother of little ones, a night in a hotel BY HERSELF or an evening in her own house BY HERSELF! If that’s not possible, give her a few solo hours at a spa.
Happy Mother’s Day!
(Tissue paper bouquet photo by Ana Dominguez Ruiz. Gardening shears photo by Irena Carpaccio. Dried flowers photo by Storiès. Cheese board photo by Anto Meneghini. All other photos were taken by Kelley MacDonald or are product/brand images.)
Paul Auster, Park Slope’s celebrated novelist, memoirist, and screenwriter, died on April 30th: Many of Mr. Auster’s books were set in New York — and in particular his beloved Brooklyn. He will be missed.
Peter Goldwasser has organized a fundraising run supporting the Brooklyn Public Library: “Browse the Branches” will take place on Saturday, May 11th, and runners can pick between a 5K and a 13.5-mile option. More info here.
As always, thanks so much for reading Park Slope Times! I have some fun interviews coming up that I can’t wait to share with you. Have a great week!
Kelley xoxo