Last-minute gift ideas
Need something for the office gift exchange? We've got you covered!
Show up at work to find that a thoughtful colleague baked you cookies while you didn't think to do anything for her? Forget that you need to bring a $15 gift to the office gift exchange that afternoon? Fear not! Rosslyn may not be Tysons Corner Center, but we still have places where you can dash off for some last-minute holiday shopping. Here are some shops that offer the neighborhood's best last-minute gifts (that hopefully do not look last-minute).
CVS, 1100 Wilson Blvd.
We perused neighborhood drug stores for last-minute shopping opportunities and found the CVS at 1100 Wilson Blvd. to be far superior to other options. Why? Chocolate! We were surprised by their selection of good chocolate bars that were reasonably priced, including Lindt, Ghirdelli, Godiva, Chuao and several Fair Trade varieties. They also had several types of truffles. You can get a gift bag and tissue paper, choose a few interesting varieties and you're set! CVS also had a lot of gift cards and a huge selection of travel-size toiletries. Another fun idea: Buy your friend or colleague who goes to the gym (or often needs to go to evening work events) a new toiletries case and stock it with fun and useful travel-size toiletries. CVS has lots to choose from. And it has a great Burt's Bees section with gift sets, cleansers, lotions and more. And who doesn't love Burt's Bees?
Malena Fashion Boutique, 1700 N. Moore St., Level 2
Located on the second floor of the Rosslyn Metro Mall, Malena Fashion Boutique has some high-quality leather handbags that sell for about $70. They make great gifts!
If you need to shop in Rosslyn, don't forget Malena, located on the second floor of the Rosslyn Metro mall. This shop sells women's clothing and accessories and offers great customer service. You may not feel comfortable picking out clothing for someone else, but Malena has a large selection of well-made accessories, including high-quality and attractive leather handbags. Malena also has lots of jewelry. And if you're not sure what to get, you can pick up a gift card. Malena is open weekdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tickets to The Observation Deck at CEB Tower, 1201 Wilson Blvd.
Since opening this past summer, The Observation Deck at CEB Tower has been a top neighborhood destination. It affords you amazing, 360-degree views of D.C. and the surrounding area, including the monuments and the Potomac. Tickets would make a great gift! And if you and/or the person you want to take there is an Arlington resident, you can visit free-of-charge (learn how here)! There's a great new café at the top, so if you're not paying for tickets, offer to treat for lunch! Or get tickets for HoverDC, a top-down immersive experience at The Observation Deck that provides access to a unique perspective as you fly aboard a hover ship through restricted airspace over our nation’s capital.
Pier 1 Imports, 1717 Clarendon Blvd.
These colorful small bags at Pier 1 Imports are just $12.95. They'd make a great gift for a colleague or friend.
Pier 1 Imports is tucked up the hill on Clarendon Blvd. and if you work toward the center of Rosslyn you may even forget it's there. But it is there and it does have a lot of wonderful gifts you can pick up during lunch. In terms of gifts for colleagues, we liked some small colorful cloth bags we saw for $12.95 (pencil-case-sized and good for toiletries, writing implements or makeup) and some candles that were two for $20. They also had some quirky and fun items, such as meditating dog bookends. And they have some nice plants perfect for a colleague's desk, such as several kinds of cacti. As of this writing, they were having a 30%-off sale.
Target, 1500 Wilson Blvd.
Target, of course, is flooded with shoppers at the holidays for a reason: It has lots of good gifts! Being on the small side, the Rosslyn Target is a great place to steal away for some gift shopping without having to deal with suburban-Target crowds. The Rosslyn Target has a huge selection of gift cards if you're looking for something practical and fun. Choose from Uber, Netflix, Fandango, Spotify, Dollar Shave Club, Michael's and more. Beyond apparel and electronics which, of course, are here, Target also has lots of varieties of wine (which makes a great gift) and their tasty Archer Farms nuts and trail mixes, which are always good for snacking and often cost less than $10. The Rosslyn Target doesn't have toys, though, so you'll have to head to the suburbs for that!
Did we miss your favorite Rosslyn shopping spot? Email us and let us know! Good luck with those last-minute items.