The Giving List with Friends of PORTA

CAITLIN BURKE

We’re kicking things off with Caitlin Burke, a tastemaker we adore for her sharp eye, grounded elegance, and the way she finds beauty in the everyday. Caitlin is the kind of person who knows exactly what someone will love before they know it themselves and the friend whose recommendations you always save.

HER FIVE GIFTS FOR FIVE PEOPLE

La Conica Espresso Coffee Maker: “For my partner, who needs a chic coffee maker if it’s going to live on our counter.”

Moro Dabron Herbarium Candle: “For Tyler and his boyfriend, who always have a candle burning.”

Carlotta Vase: “For Lauren, my best friend and collector of vintage green glass.”

Alma Decanter: “For a photographer friend who loves sculptural objects — this reminds me of the Arctic ice she just photographed.”

Ichendorf Milano Deco Tall Water Glasses: “For me. Because I adore them, and why not?”

SARAH HOOVER

Sarah Hoover is
a longtime force in the art world and an acclaimed author whose work reshapes how we think about motherhood, identity, and modern life. She’s an eternal source of deeply funny, devastatingly chic recommendations, with that rare combination of sharp intellect and sharper wit; style with spine; generosity with edge. She’s the friend whose honesty lands, whose taste intrigues, and whose advice stays with you long after the conversation ends.

And, crucially for the job at hand, she is a spectacular gift giver — the kind who knows exactly which things spark joy, start conversations, and change the temperature of a room.

HER FIVE GIFTS FOR FIVE PEOPLE

Radicchio Salt and Pepper Shakers: “This adorable set would go
 to my mother, who like me thinks unsalted butter is an indignity.”

Jacqueline Food Cover: “These genius food covers would go to my best friend Charlotte, who loves to entertain around her fire pit in Connecticut. With these, we won’t have to be waving away summer bugs, which is a hazard when you’re double fisting martini.”

Gem Vase: “Ok these bud vases go to my other best friend Cece, who sets gorgeous tables. The color will mix very well with her existing collection of antique silver. Yes, she’s perfect.”

Ichendorf Milano Fish Pitcher:
“A water pitcher is always a good gift because it reminds your friends to stay hydrated, which is a way of saying “I love you and you’re too pretty to have dry skin.” This one is whimsical as well as beautiful and will liven up any table. Plus you can make a joke about having gorgeous jugs in the card.”

Tilde Napkin: “It is the nature of napkins that they are constantly getting stained. Therefore a new set is always appreciated. I’d give these to my mother in law, who wouldn’t be caught dead setting her table with paper towels. This set is the perfect amount of traditional, which she would also like.”

JALIL JOHNSON

Jalil Johnson is a writer, stylist, and the kind of person whose taste you trust implicitly. Known for his sharp eye and effortless sense of style, Jalil has a knack for finding pieces that feel both considered and full of personality. Whether he's styling a jewelry collection, writing about culture and fashion in his newsletter Consider Yourself Cultured, or simply living well, he approaches everything with a mix of thoughtfulness and wit. Jalil's selections are exactly what you'd hope for: a little playful, a little romantic, and entirely practical for the people you actually want to shop for. From Sicilian ceramics to cheeky candle holders, these are the gifts that feel personal, never predictable.


HIS FIVE GIFTS FOR FIVE PEOPLE

Testa di Moro: “This is a gift I would happily give myself. I’ve been obsessed with these Testa di Moro heads ever since the second season of White Lotus. I still haven’t made it to Sicily, which has been a lifelong dream, so for now it would be nice to bring a little bit of Sicily into my home until I finally get there.”

Laetitia Rouget
Eve Candleholder: “I feel like this is the perfect gift for someone who likes a touch of playfulness at home. I’ve been really into Laetitia Rouget’s work because it’s cheeky yet still feels polished, so this would be great for a friend who loves to entertain and has a good sense of humor.”

Risotto Lovers Holiday Hamper:
“This would be perfect for the person in your life who loves to cook… or aspires to at least.”

PORTA Playing Cards:
“I’ve recently fallen in love with a few rounds of Solitaire to unwind after a long day, and it’s a welcome break from the phone. This could be a cheeky gift for the person in your life who might be just a little too attached to theirs.”

Santa Maria Novella
Pomegranate in Scented Terracotta:
“I know candles get a bad rap as gifts, which I personally don’t subscribe to, but this feels like the right move for the person who has just about everything. I’m fairly certain they don’t already have a scented terracotta pomegranate.”

ALEX TIEGHI-WALKER

Originally from South Wales and now based in New York's Tribeca, Alex Tieghi-Walker—the British gallerist, curator, and founder of TIWA Select, has built a platform that celebrates the blurred line between art and design, championing largely self-taught artists and makers who work with locally-sourced materials and traditional craft practices. His eye is drawn to the unexpectedness of the handmade—objects that feel both functional and deeply personal, artifacts of human experience that tell stories about their 
makers' time, environment, and culture. 


He approaches gift-giving the way he curates his gallery—with curiosity, charm, and an appreciation for things that feel both useful and wonderfully odd. His picks are full of whimsy and wit, from chic Marmite lids to sardine combs. These are gifts for people who appreciate the quirky, the well-made, and the stories behind the objects they live with.


HIS FIVE GIFTS FOR FIVE PEOPLE

Theo Fennell Sterling Silver Marmite Lid:
“I never knew that such a product existed. This is probably one of 
those gifts I'd give that really I want to receive myself. Maybe it's
a gift to myself. I love Marmite 
and I think this item is chic as hell.”


Santa Maria Novella
Armenia Paper:
“I actually gift a lot from Santa Maria Novella. I love the history, the packaging and of course the way everything smells. These toilet air fresheners are so small but handy, great for a guest bathroom.”

Serena Set with Pencil Cup and Pencils:
“I think everyone shoud have so many pencils on hand, and this is a really beautiful way to store them.”

Piccolo Spoon:
“I often gift horn spoons to young relatives or new godchildren.”

Summerill & Bishop
Striped Tablecloth:
“My aunt Penny loves to host at home in London, so I always give her interesting linens or tablecloths. She has quite the collection now of pieces from whenever I travel, or see something bold and fun like this striped one.”

ALICE RUSSOTTI

I’d love to pretend otherwise, but the truth is that I am a panic shopper. I worry, I forget to make a list, I buy things and then forget I’ve bought them, I’m convinced I haven’t bought enough… and so the cycle continues. For someone who is organised in (nearly) every other corner of my life, this slightly unhinged December ritual feels wildly out of character — but it does result in an abundance my children delight in. It’s a habit I inherited from my mother, who I used to tear around London with on the 23rd and 24th December, buying up a last-minute storm. Frantic? Sure, but it is also one of my favourite memories, and the only way I seem able to do it.

I am, however, very good at suggesting what other people should buy — and how they should have it wrapped. (The same goes for packing - more is more for myself, but a ruthlessly rational consultant for others in a packing fluster.)

So, without further ado, here are my never-fail suggestions for you.

HER FAVORITE GIVING LIST

Giorgio Pepper Mill: "My all time favorite thing to gift and use. Just look at it. It's the best!"

Capriccio Crackers: "An English essential for any celebration. Ours are a must — the design is lifted from the illustration on our shop ceiling, and they never fail to charm. Young or old, everyone leans in for the “pop.” They’re beautiful on the table and even better deconstructed."

George Bronwin Vase: "Nothing sits more beautifully, all year long. Hand-thrown in the English countryside, George’s vases strike that rare balance of elegance and eccentricity. A few branches, a handful of flowers, or nothing at all — they’re endlessly compelling."

The All Out Hamper: "Another beloved English tradition, and one that makes me so nostalgic. A mighty basket filled with pantry treasures — biscotti, panettone, extra virgin olive oil— plus PORTA favourites like our soaps, coasters, and crackers. It’s a gift that feels both impressive and thoughtful, unpacked and enjoyed piece by piece."

Pope Socks: "Perhaps the most iconic socks in the world. Made by the legendary Roman tailor who has dressed the papacy and clergy since 1798, they carry centuries of craft and quiet symbolism. They also happen to look incredibly chic tucked into a loafer or peeking out of a boot. If they’re fit for a Pope."

Natalia Water & Milk Jugs: "Two sizes, one perfect present. Water, milk, flowers, a few spare stems — they do it all. Always a hit, always admired. And if you want to go bigger, the rest of the collection is equally irresistible."

Inge Ice Bucket: "Sometimes you just have to go big or go home and this is my go big moment. This ice bucket is a work of art that sits at the ready to be used. It makes a bar, and I would say, makes a night as well."

Intaglio Gift Wrap: "With all these treasures, the wrapping matters. Our Intaglio gift wrap is patterned with neoclassical intaglios — miniature portraits and mythic scenes collected by 18th-century Grand Tourists. It turns any gift into an object of desire, from handoff to unveiling."

FRANCESCA DEL BALZO

I'm the opposite of a panic shopper. While others 
are swept up in the December frenzy, I find myself slowing down, taking my time, enjoying the hunt. Don't get me wrong — I love the energy of it all, the twinkling lights and the festive chaos — but when it comes to actually choosing gifts, I can't help but want to find 
the thing, not just a thing.What I love is that moment when you spot something and immediately know exactly who it's for. The gift that feels inevitable once you find it, like it was always meant for that particular person. I think about what makes them laugh, what small luxury they'd never buy for themselves, what would genuinely delight them. It's 
not about ticking boxes or filling bags; it's about that spark of recognition when you know you've nailed it. That's the part I love — the pleasure of really thinking about it, the satisfaction of getting it just right.So here are my carefully chosen suggestions: gifts that feel special, considered, and genuinely worth giving.

HER FAVORITE GIVING LIST

PORTA Soap Gift Set:
“The soft scent of wildflower, 
mixed with a musky powder that 
brings me back to my granny's bathroom. Space and time collide 
in this tiny bar of soap, every bit
nostalgic as it is fresh.”


Guido Mug:
“My morning ritual is about the only thing in my day I can be sure of... the rest of the day spins out into a variety of places, but it always starts with a cup of good coffee. I make it at home, and have now mastered the milk frothing to such a glossy perfection I doubt I will ever get a coffee from a shop again.. Not very New Yorker of me I know but here we are. The mug is as important as it's contents, and for me it's the Guido.”

Baboushkini Jacket: “These beautiful jackets are a staple 
in our family. Designed and produced 
by my great friend Calypso, they are 
the perfect little jacket. I love all the colors they come in but there is something so classic and seasonless about this Oat color - you can wear it 
as soon as the leaves start to turn 
in Autumn, all the way through til
new buds emerge for Spring.”

Gem Dish: “I love these for little chocolates after dinner (ideally Minstrells all the way from London!) or to hold my rings by my bedside.”

Sophie Tray:
“Elevate your aperitivo hour - Add this silver tray under your martinis, and even better a little cocktail napkin on the side, and you're fancy now.”

Palloncino Cards: "Have you ever seen a better looking little card? Well it gets better, there are 4 versions of this beauty in a pack. We found these in the most beautiful card shop off Piazza Navona in Rome and bought them immediately. Perfect for all those thank you letters you'll be writing in January!"