Mother’s Day like you mean it

We don’t need to have met your mother to know that she probably got her fill of hotel Mother’s Day brunches after the first few, and if you’re over the age of 10, she really doesn’t want a bunch of handmade “Good for one load of laundry” and “No whining for 24 hours” coupons. Check out a few ideas for more thoughtful gifts for the woman who, y’know, synthesized your entire being inside her body for nine months:

On Saturday, May 7, the Indie Craft Fair pops up inside Shine (1400 E Street) from noon to 6 p.m. Shop for that one-of-a-kind something for mom from more than 30 local vendors and crafters, or else bring her with you and get all mystical with tarot readings, henna tattoos and psychic healing. Find out more by visiting www.facebook.com/
SacramentoIndieCraftFair.

If mom’s got a sweet tooth, Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates (1801 L Street, Suite 60) is offering a special Mother’s Day macaron tart, with pâte sucrée, Meyer lemon curd, blueberry mousse and meringue. It's an 8-inch cake, which serves 8 to 10 people. It costs $42 and orders should be placed by Thursday, May 5, for pickup on Friday, May 6,through Sunday, May 8. (And if you’re really smart, you’ll pick up a dozen chocolates while you’re at it.) Visit http://gingerelizabeth.com or call (916) 706-1738 to place an order.

On Sunday, May 8, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the California Auto Museum (2200 Front Street in Old Sacramento), go the slightly unconventional route with the Mother’s Day Tea & Talk. The discussion will cover the automobile’s role in the cultural shift between Victorian-era mothers and their freewheeling flapper daughters (and who can’t relate to a good ol’ fashioned generational rift?). There will be full tea service, plus the opportunity to take a photo inside a 1920s-era Model A. Tickets are $30-$35 and reservations are required; visit www.calautomuseum.org or call (916) 442-6802.

Alternatively, on the day itself, present her with tickets to the Family Secrets: Lasagna Bolognese class at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op (1914 Alhambra Boulevard), which takes place a few days later on Tuesday, May 10. The class is taught by mother-daughter team Jane Hollander Bonifazzi and Terese Esperas, whose old-world family recipe originated in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The class goes from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and costs $50-$59. Call (800) 838-3006 or visit https://sacfood.coop to reserve your spot.