With a charming mix of boutiques, restaurants and service providers, Toluca Lake and its neighboring communities make it easy to shop local while spreading holiday cheer and supporting small businesses. Whether your loved ones are foodies, car enthusiasts, wine aficionados, pet lovers or theater buffs, our gift guide has you covered. Discover our favorite festive finds for everyone on your nice list that you likely won’t find anywhere else.
A Aldik HomeTop
Van Nuys
Give your family the Christmas tree of their dreams from Aldik Home’s unparalleled AH Gold Label line, built better and more realistic than any other with the only lighting system that puts a light at the end of every prominent tip. Color Switch LED trees offer the ability to change between white and multicolor lighting options for whatever holiday mood suits your fancy. Aldik’s Van Nuys showroom is a winter wonderland of immersive displays, fully decorated with all the trimmings. “Many of your neighbors have been delighted and inspired by Aldik Home over the years — this year is your chance!” Bryan Gold says. “Our trees will bring you joy every season as a background for your most precious family photos.”
B Generales & GeneralesTop
Toluca Lake
Timeless elegance meets personal meaning at Generales & Generales, where every piece is designed to commemorate life’s most cherished moments. “Make this holiday season special by celebrating with a piece of jewelry that is crafted to capture a name, a moment in time or a memory,” co-owner and designer Sylvia Generales says. “Our gifting selection showcases beautiful pieces for every style, from delicate everyday designs to statement pieces for meaningful occasions.” Each creation — whether a personalized name necklace, birthstone bracelet, pair of sparkling earrings or custom ring — embodies exceptional craftsmanship and features hand-selected, responsibly sourced gemstones and metals.
C Olive Wine + LiquorTop
Burbank
Olive Wine + Liquor is celebrating the holiday season with curated gift boxes that showcase the shop’s standout wines, world-class spirits and signature “fancy-ass groceries.” These thoughtfully assembled selections bring together everything the shop does best in one festive package “you can take home, take to the office, take to a party or send to a friend!” co-owner Lesley Holmes says. “The gift boxes bring all sides of the shop together in a very cute box that you can share with others.” Drawing on their combined 55 years of expertise, Holmes and fellow co-owner Jeremy Allen love helping neighbors with their cooking, wine and cocktail questions.
D Shuttermutt PhotoTop
North Hollywood
Adam and Laura Claus’ full-service NoHo pet photography studio provides pet lovers with a unique local experience that celebrates their animal companions and the bond they share. Families can enjoy a relaxed portrait session with their pet, see a slideshow of photos that truly capture their pet’s personality, and use them to design archival-quality wall art, albums and print boxes perfectly suited for their home. “A Shuttermutt Photo experience isn’t just an incredibly exciting gift for animal lovers — it’s also incredibly meaningful,” Adam says. “Who wouldn’t want to remember their pet forever in such a fun, artistic way?” Through December 6, mention this article to receive a free 5”x7” framed print with your artwork purchase.
E Wisteria TheaterTop
North Hollywood
Experience the joy of the performing arts at NoHo’s newest woman-owned theater, education and event space. Wisteria Theater debuts its Holiday Musical Parody in December — a witty spoof of Hallmark holiday tropes, perfect for a date night or friends’ outing (ages 18+). It’s also offering an array of promotions exclusively for Toluca Lake Magazine readers, including $30 gift certificates for a ticket to any show (plus popcorn), $20 off a one-hour fairy-tale character party package, and a 30-minute visit from one of Santa’s elves or the Frozen sisters for just $100. “Live theater is the kind of gift that makes memories,” owner Lexi Collins says. “Instead of giving things, you’re giving laughter, music and a magical night out.”
F Priscilla’s CoffeeTop
Toluca Lake
Under owners Shannon and Mark Hartman, Priscilla’s Coffee has been brewing delicious drinks in Toluca Lake for nearly four decades. Holiday coffee bean flavors such as Reindeer Caramel Crunch (homemade caramel with a hint of nuttiness), Frosty’s Favorite (cinnamon and a hint of graham cracker) and Jack Frost (Swiss chocolate with hints of mint and Irish cream) are always a seasonal hit. Shannon notes that a Priscilla’s gift card makes a perfect present, “especially for those who live in other parts of the country and want to send a Toluca Lake local something they know that they will love.” And for faraway fans craving a taste of the neighborhood, “We also do a huge mail order business during the holidays!”
G Idyllwild TavernTop
Burbank
Warm up this winter at Idyllwild Tavern, the neighborhood’s newest destination for bold cocktails, craft beer and delicious gastropub fare. It’s the perfect spot to toast the holidays with friends, gather with family or enjoy a fun date night. “We are a cozy, intimate space to celebrate cherished relationships during the season of self-reflection,” owner Miquela Fiori says. She recommends the popular Sunset Bronson cocktail — a mix of Botanist gin, raspberry, lemon, alpine herbs and egg whites — paired with crispy Brussels sprouts and the chef’s mac ‘n’ cheese for the table. And stop by for ’Tini Hour, Tuesday through Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m., featuring drinks from $5 to $12.
H UPstageLATop
Toluca Lake
Whether you’re preparing your property to sell, hosting guests or simply giving your space a refresh, UPstageLA makes it easy to create a warm, stylish setting. “From interior design and home staging to Airbnb setups and festive holiday decorating, we can work with your existing pieces or create an all-new look you’ll love,” CEO and founder Kimberly Behling says. Each project begins with a personalized consultation, followed by a custom staging plan and cohesive design that highlights your home’s best features. This season, let UPstageLA transform your space into one that leaves a lasting impression long after the guests have gone.
I The Muse RoomsTop
Los Angeles
The Muse Rooms is giving the gift of focus and productivity this holiday season, offering inspiring co-working spaces with 24/7 access and a welcoming creative community across Burbank, Glendale and Los Angeles. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, The Muse Rooms is offering a Half-Off Holiday Sale that includes a three-month membership for $467, 10 hours of office use for $300 or five hours of boardroom time for just $237. “The support for my little local woman-owned business has been amazing,” owner Nancy Sexton says. “Toluca Lake makes it easy to call our little hamlet home.”
J Tina’s TreesTop
Sherman Oaks/Calabasas
For generations of Valley residents, the holiday season isn’t complete without a trip to Tina’s Trees. This friendly spot in Sherman Oaks (with a second location in Calabasas) has been providing the finest fresh-cut Christmas trees, wreaths and garlands to deck the halls of local homes and offices since 1977. “We have a variety of tree types, including noble fir, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, silvertips and Nordmann fir, and frequent shipments of fresh, quality trees,” owner Tina Callas says. Shoppers can also choose custom flocking and flame-retardant options, and delivery is available.
K LA Ortho and WellnessTop
Toluca Lake
Amid the hectic holiday season, give the gift of relief and renewal to a loved one (or yourself!) with services from LA Ortho and Wellness, a holistic local practice that blends functional and integrative medicine to help people regain mobility, ease pain and lead active lives. “Red light therapy and hyperbaric oxygen sessions are a great way to reduce inflammation from life’s stressors,” says orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Gelber. You’ll find personalized care with an array of cutting-edge treatments and packages to choose from, whether the goal is recovery from an acute or chronic injury, peak athletic performance, prevention or longevity.
L Premium Collision CenterTop
Sherman Oaks
This season, Premium Collision Center suggests its Premium Polish/Paint Touch-up Package as a thoughtful way to refresh a vehicle by removing scratches, scuffs and blemishes to start the new year with a like-new look. “A flawless paint finish is a gift that lasts,” owner Jack Balyan says. “This package helps restore a car’s beauty and value — making it a practical and meaningful present for anyone on the road.” For a more flexible option, treat the car lover in your life to Premium Collision Center’s signature care and craftsmanship with a holiday gift card that can be applied toward any repair or paint service.
Shop Local. Don’t Forget the Gift Cards!
Gift cards are just the thing for the hard-to-shop-for people on your list. They require little wrapping, are easy to pop in the mail and are available from countless local shops and service providers. Curate memorable and thoughtful experiences for loved ones — a special meal at a favorite eatery, a relaxing spa day, a fun fitness class or a post-holiday shopping spree — all while supporting the unique neighborhood businesses that keep our community vibrant.
Gifts That Help Others
Shopping locally isn’t the only way to uplift our community. The giving season is also an opportunity to support our most vulnerable neighbors who are facing homelessness, hunger, poverty, illness and other challenges. Consider adding a charitable contribution to your wish list, or donating in the name of a loved one who doesn’t need or want more things. Here are just a few of the many area nonprofits making a difference for people and animals throughout the year.
Supports the fight against cancer through the sale of high-quality, gently used, donated merchandise.
Helps the poor, working poor and homeless meet short-term needs for food and basic services to live with dignity and become as self-sufficient as possible.
Fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce and donating it to hunger relief agencies across Southern California.
Helps people transition out of homelessness and poverty through a continuum of housing enriched with supportive services.
Mobilizes community resources to alleviate hunger in L.A. County.
Offers shelter, life necessities and a bridge to self-sufficiency for people experiencing homelessness.
Keeps music alive in our schools by providing vital support services and new instruments to underfunded programs nationwide.
A coalition of diverse religious institutions and individuals working together to address food insecurity in the community.
A nonprofit dedicated to rescuing puppies and their mothers from L.A. shelters and placing them in loving homes.