Shop Local: Three Gift Ideas Created by Cupertino Residents

Want to keep your dollars local when you shop for holiday gifts? Here are three gift ideas from Cupertino residents:

2013 Datebook by Good Neighbor Stories

Good Neighbor Stories is a website run by Cupertino resident, and Patch contributor Pam Marino. GNS highlights all the good things going on in the Bay Area and brings to you ways that you can give back. It’s all feel-good stuff on GNS. You'll also find snippets of GNS stories on Patch in the Local Voices section.

The spiral-bound, datebook is beautiful, with lots of room to write down notes and appointments in a weekly format. Marino took the majority of the photos herself and they relate to stories she’s written for GNS.

The really cool thing she added on the datebook is a QR code that you can scan on your smart phone to get the full story on GNS that goes along with the photos in the book.

Even people who keep their schedules online can appreciate this datebook for the inspirational quotes and heartwarming stories.

Buy it for $17.95 at Reach and Teach.

Year's End: 14 Tales of Holiday Horror

Betsy Miller is a local author and Cupertino Patch blogger who writes about writing, local excursions and a variety of other topics that inspire her.

Miller a story Mixology in this book filled with short stories about, you guessed it, New Year’s Eve. But it's not just your standard whoop-it-up New Year's Eve. As the book title suggests, there's a twist to these short stories. Here’s an excerpt from Miller’s story:

Tonight’s signature drink is Midnight Ice. Nancy decides to try one, though event-based drinks are usually awful. In moments, Alyssa has whipped up a concoction made of Blue Curacao, Black Haus, and two kinds of gin with crushed goji berries and a basil leaf, finished with a squeeze of key lime over ice. “Stars?” she asks.

Add a little mystery to your life with this book or gift it to someone who appreciates good storytelling.

It’s $4.99 and available at the Untreed Reads Store and at Amazon. Miller says it is coming soon to most e-book venues.

Berating Others on Your Way to a Lifetime of Happiness

Kevin Leu, a Cupertino High graduate and resident, is a journalist who went to the dark side as we say in the business and went into public relations work.

It was while he was crafting press releases that weren’t funny and a blog, Silicon Valley Bachelor, that is funny, he got encouragement from co-workers, friends and his very own mother to turn his gift of humor and the work he was producing on his into a book.

If you don’t have a sense of humor or you can’t wince but continue reading his portrayal of a “Ludicrous, belligerent, irresponsible, yet tantalizingly handsome, the Silicon Valley Bachelor has been the most sought after bachelor since Steve Wozniak” then don’t bother.

It’s worth buying and reading because it will make you feel good that you are not the ludicrous Leu. It’s $3.99 for the digital version and 8.95 for the print, and available on Amazon.

Happy local shopping!