Fresno Famous

I had this dream last night where Santa Claus was in my apartment, just chilling out on my couch watching Hulu on my lap-top and drinking a beer. He was skinnier than you'd think, with a super stylish beard, but still with the red suit and hat. He had his boots off, feet kicked up on the coffee table, and he sees me and smiles, super-jolly like and says with a tilt of the head, “So, have you been a good boy, or what?”

I'll have to consult my dream book to figure out what that all means.
In the mean time, here's a few gift idea for the good boys and girls on your list.

Sing-along songs

Everyone you know already has Taylor's Swift's latest, right? Plus, you've downloaded and shared Girl Talk and Josh Groban would be a gag gift at best (even if his latest was produced by Rick Rubin). Good thing there's plenty of local music for you to stocking stuff.

For instance: Sacred Math, “Vol. 1.” This is the latest from Andrew Bunnell, aka Bad Andy (ex. American Sloth, Pinkeye, etc.). You can download it online, or pick one up at the CD release show Dec. 12 at Audie's Olympic Tavern, where Bunnell will be playing with his new band The Sunburns.

If you need Christmas music, Kat Jones (Fresno's favorite Nashvillian) has a limited edition Christmas EP available on her Etsy site. If you want it signed, she'll be in town Dec. 23, playing at Audie's Olympic with a full band featuring members of the Fay Wrays.

For your indie-rock friends there is Fierce Creature's “I Mostri Feroci” and Achievment House's just released Ep. It's available on cassette only, which will only work for those with crappy car stereo systems (erm, me).

For more local music options check out Central Valley Talk's online store, "http://www.myspace.com/yoshinow">Yoshi Now! or Twee Boutique.

Coffee, crafts and everything else

Speaking of Twee Boutique, we're pretty sure it's the perfect place to load up on everything else. They've got tons of great small-run Fresno-centric stuff. We suggest a set of those darn Fresno-ized buttons everyone keeps keeps talking about (if you don't know you're not online much).

Plus, the place is on Wishon Row, which is quickly becoming talk of the Tower, and includes Cafe Corazon (which has coffee baskets to impress the out-of-towner) and Frosted Cakery (whose Bacon French Toast we literally drooled over). In fact, you should just go down there from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 16. There will be caroling, Christmas songs from accordion player Larry Lindberg and Dusty Buns Bistro.