Nubian Queen Lola's Wall o' Gifts

photo by Jana Birchum

A suggestion for your unique gift quest: This jailhouse art rocks.

NUBIAN QUEEN LOLA'S WALL O' GIFTS You're just going to buy something stupid that they are not going to use anyway, so you might as well do some good and get them something amazingly lovely, one-of-a-kind, totally unique, superfly, and for a good cause: gifts hand-crafted with love. While you are at it, you should consider backing up our commander-in-chief right now, because, frankly, with the gigantic teabag's worth of pushback our guy is getting up on Capitol Hill, it's time for us Yes We Canners to rep-re-sent. How better than with the 2009 equivalent of those awesome JFK and MLK velvet tapestries from back in the day? The Obama Woodcut! This regal portrait puts those TV collector plates from late '08 to shame. These are the true collectibles. They feature a handsome likeness of our president worthy of your most mantel-y mantel. While you are looking through the sweet collection of other woodcuts, including an array of Betty Boop and other cute characters, lovely paintings, gorgeous leathercraft (which are lovingly stamped and tanned by Lola's husband Otis Bell), and other wallhangings all within the range of $2-130 (average $20), you can eat the mighty soul-hugging cuisine of Austin's own Nubian Queen Lola. Incarcerated gentlemen who were impressed by a newspaper account of Lola's extensive homeless outreach decided to donate the products they make in The Shop to Lola, so she could sell them and put the proceeds into meals for the underserved. So come shop! Empower some guys doing good from the pokey. Make time for a porkchop breakfast or etouffee for lunch all while knowing that with every extra penny you spend on the wild goods that line the wall, you are helping Lola on her mission to feed three square meals a day to our neighbors in need. 1815 Rosewood, 474-5652, www.nubianqueenlolas.com