Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1479628
78 maconmagazine.com | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 GIFT GUIDE SHARE YOUR LOCAL LOVE THIS FALL BY RACHELLE WILSON | PHOTO BY IVY MARIE CLARKE 1. T-Shirt from Blacts. Available online at blacts.com. @blactsapparel 2. Bath bomb from Macon Bubbles. Available at Travis Jean Emporium & more. @maconbubbles 3. Mini study from Anna Richards. Available online at annarichardsart.com. @annarichards.art 4. Coffee by Morning by Morning. 1012 Main St., Perry. @morningbymorning A utumn in Central Georgia can be an odd time. On one hand, days get shorter and the calendar foretells that holiday festivities are fast approaching. On the other, temperatures may still reach sweltering heights and October may yet deliver what many affectionately call "second summer," a few weeks' long heat wave after experiencing a hopeful but misleading bit of cooler weather. It is a confusing season, to say the least. The heart may wish to be wearing sweaters and drinking hot chocolate, but the atmosphere demands short sleeves a little longer. Though this juxtaposition can be a nuisance, we simply have to embrace it. While curating items for the Fall and Winter Local Love Boxes that are featured here, I embraced the contrasting season and leaned toward practicality. A mug, a pair of socks, a bath bomb, a canvas bag — these are items many of us use daily. These particular selections are made or designed by local artists, and can bring something special to items that might otherwise be mundane. This Nina Simone T-shirt by Blacts. is a great example of adding something powerful to an ordinary item. The brand provides extensive research and background on each person featured, highlighting historic figures who may have been unsung. The visual art pieces chosen are excellent samples of work by artists Anna Richards and Micah Goguen. Both paintings explore color and texture, inviting us on a journey with the artists. On a recent day-trip to Perry, I could not help but bring back some locally-roasted coffee to share. Morning by Morning Coffee Company boasts an inspiring roast, served in a repurposed service station that itself is worth a visit. The Winter Collection additionally features some holiday offerings like ornaments, cards and candles, designed to brighten and warm your winter season. So, even if we can't wear hats and scarves as early as we want, there is surely some comfort to be found here. The Winter Collection for the Local Love Box is available now through Nov. 30. Visit the567center.org/locallovebox to order your next favorite subscription box. 1