Of course, the major draw of Granville Island, at least for my kids, was the opportunity to take a water taxi from downtown ($3 for adults, kids 1/2 price). For me, the major draw was the opportunity to visit the Public Market.
Taking the Water Taxi to Granville Island
One of the delights of any visit to North Carolina’s Outer Banks is exploring the back roads in search of old homes that have weathered scores of hurricanes and provided shelter for generations of fishermen. The Old Gray House, tucked into the woods just off the main road in the tiny village of Buxton, is one such structure.
The Old Gray House on Hatteras Island
The home takes its name from a seafaring family by the name of Gray, whose descendants have inhabited the area since the early 1600’s, beginning with Dewey’s great grandmother, who was shipwrecked on Hatteras Island. She was on board a ship coming from Newfoundland that ran aground and, transportation being difficult in those early days, just stayed on. Dewey’s early years were spent in Buxton, but during World War II the family relocated to Huntington, West Virginia where his father was stationed as a Navy recruiter. After the war was over Dewey remained in Huntington, where he met and married his wife, Mary, and pursued his career in education. Dewey served as teacher, principal, and central office administrator, but he and Mary returned to Buxton every year to vacation at the family’s cottage. Read More »
This past weekend, I did something that is very unusual for me: I traveled without my children. I flew into Chicago for Travel Blog Exchange, a conference of travel writers, and I had a few extra moments to enjoy the city by myself.
I arrived by plane, took the train downtown, and went on foot from there. Here’s how I entertained myself:
One of my favorite activities to take part in on weekends with my family in NYC is go shopping at the Green Markets. And one of my favorite Green Markets takes place twice a week in Union Square Park. It is one of the largest in Manhattan and also one of the most busy. And that has a lot to do with the popularity of the park, both with tourists and locals alike.
Union Square Green Market
Crocs shop, Lahaina, Hawaii
by Gudrun Enger, of Kitchen Gadget Girl
Walking up Front Street in downtown Lahaina, I came upon the mecca for Croc lovers – the Crocs Shop on Front Street. If you are a devotee of these shoes, or if you are totally new to the concept, this is definitely the place to learn more.
Crocs are made out of Croslite and are very popular in the medical field – the ergonomically certified clogs stay super comfortable for long periods of time. Over the last few years, Crocs have found a new following in beach and water enthusiasts, as lightweight shoes well suited to outdoor activities.
I usually buy my Crocs online or through local department stores, but lately I have been having trouble finding a great selection. The Front Street store nips that problem in the bud!
With helpful sales staff, I tried on many of the styles I had been looking at, including the new high heel Havana and the casual Capri flip flop. My kids were fitted quickly with styles that made them happy, and spent the rest of the time checking out Jibbitz, jewelry for Crocs. My daughter found cute little Hula girls for her crocs, while my son decided on a “hang loose” Jibbitz for his new Crocs.
The Crocs Shop on Front Street is a great place to stop while visiting downtown Lahaina!
Crocs
855 Front St # B
Lahaina, HI 96761-2366
phone (808) 667-7080
www.crocs.com
by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels
Everyone knows that Sarasota, Florida is a mecca for upscale shopping. One-of-a-kind downtown shops, designer stores on St. Armands Circle, and an outlet mall with top labels draw residents and visitors year-round. There is, however, another unique shopping experience available in Sarasota: the city is home to an uncommon number of secondhand stores and antique shops.
Secondhand and antique stores on Fruitville Road. Photo courtesy of Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Perhaps the largest concentration of the thrift and antique stores lies between Central and Orange Avenues along Fruitville Road, which forms the northern boundary of downtown Sarasota. Here customers will discover a row of historic, brightly painted single story buildings with titillating names like The Mustard Seed, American Pie Antiques and Collectibles, and Sparcc’s Treasure Chest. Each is crammed from floor to ceiling with used cookware, dishes, glasses, paintings, books, clothing, shoes, antiques, vintage clothing, accessories, jewelry, tools, toys, and much more.
Antique Mall in downtown Sarasota
Funky chairs sit in front of Jack Vitale Antiques in Burns Square
Another collection of second hand shops is mixed in amongst the sidewalk cafes and art galleries of the Burns Square and Laurel Park neighborhoods on the southern edge of downtown Sarasota. Two well-stocked used bookstores are found on Main Street, in the center of downtown. Further afield are the obligatory Goodwill and Salvation Army stores, and second hand furniture stores are scattered all over town. One recently opened thrift store on Bahia Vista Drive in mid-town specializes in designer clothing that is sold for as little as $2 or $3 per garment.
There is just no end to the bargains that can be found by digging through merchandise heaped on tables and crammed onto old shelves. So if you’re planning on visiting the Gulf coast of Florida, set aside some tme to snoop through the scores of thrift and consignment stores in Sarasota. Who knows – you may even find undiscovered booty. Because as everyone knows, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure!
Patriot Place in Foxboro, MA
By Molly G. @ The Bumbles Blog
It used to be if you went to Foxboro, Massachusetts you likely were there for a New England Patriots NFL game and then you headed right back to where you came from. But now, Patriot Place – a byproduct of all the Patriots’ Super Bowl winning seasons – has become a destination in and of itself, year-round.
The Kraft family, who own the Patriots, are forward thinking innovators and found a way to turn their football stadium grounds into a constant source of revenue. Surrounding the stadium itself they have created a shopping center, fine dining, hotel, office space, museum, movie theater and concert venue which make this concept the first of it’s kind and thus far, a huge success.
You can find something at Patriot Place for every taste, need and price range. Looking for a fun family afternoon? In the warm weather months you can bring your kids down to run around in The Plaza while free live music is performed on an outdoor stage. Then you can head on in to The Hall football museum and let them try on a Superbowl ring or pretend to kick game winning field goals in the snow. And when they get hungry you can head over to Red Robin for some burgers.
The Plaza & The Hall - Site for Free Music Concerts & Football Museum
Looking for a night out with friends? Gather at Bar Louie’s for drinks on the roof deck with lots of music and dancing over martinis or microbrews on tap. Or watch the big game at the CBS Scene on the mammoth Jumbotron TV outside while catching some rays on the deck overlooking The Plaza, or tune in to your favorite CBS classic TV shows on the personal TV’s at your table inside.
Bar Louie
CBS Scene with Outdoor TV
Date night is easily accommodated from drinks at Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro to dinner at Davio’s fine Italian dining without the hassle of traffic into their downtown Boston location or the expensive parking rates.
Davio's
A full day of shopping needs are covered with everything from standard anchor stores like Old Navy to smaller boutique styled stores to the Bass Outdoor Store which is an experience in and of itself.
And don’t forget to catch a movie in style in the Lux Level section of the Showcase Cinema De Lux theater to watch favorite new releases. And there is always live music in an intimate setting with fantastic sound at the Showcase Live performance theater.
Showcase Live Music & Movie Theaters
Patriot Place is a destination worth visiting when you are looking for something fun to do without having to travel into Boston to find it. And during football season, there’s always a warm place to meet before or after the game. It’s almost as big a hit as the Patriots.
If there is anything we have learned about the outlet mall booms in the 90s, it’s that these stores are no longer much different than their non-outlet counterparts–except perhaps when it comes to the clearance rack.
Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon, California
In fact, I’ve even heard a rumor that the Gap at Desert Hills Premium Outlets–known simply as the Cabazon outlets to Southern California locals–has specific clothing, made specially for the outlet and is sold full price. (Though I can neither confirm nor deny this as it’s just a rumor.)
If you are looking for dirt cheap prices, you simply aren’t going to find them at this outlet mall, which lies just a little more than halfway from Los Angeles to Palm Springs. When I discovered the pair of Ralph Lauren jeans that fit me perfectly and drove to the Cabazon outlet mall to buy them … well, I foud that even on sale they would still cost me more than $60.
Is that less than the actual price? Yes.
Is it dirt cheap? No. (Unless you are buying enough for every day of the week, in which case the discount would add up.) See, I’m a true bargain hunter. I want my Ralph Lauren jeans for $25, thank you very much. Now that would be something to get excited about!
What you’ll also find at the Cabazon outlets is a slew of stores that aren’t even outlets at all. Such as the women’s clothing store Papaya (whose prices are low anyway, outlet or no outlet, and whose quality is questionable at best, in my own opinion). Plus, the food court is tiny, and since this is an outdoor mall (in the desert!), it’s way too hot to shop there from May to September.
So, in my experience, if you are looking for a real bargain on quality name-brand clothing, don’t bother with this outlet mall unless it’s close to you. Just watch for sales on clearance racks at your local stores, should you be lucky enough to have them. (Save your gas money!) However, if you are a true big spender, with your eyes on a really big-ticket fashion item–such as a designer purse that costs thousands–you probably will find it for much less at this outlet mall.
Much less, as in: It will still cost you hundreds of dollars.
Off 5th--Saks Outlet at Desert Hills Premium Outlets
So, if you are already on your way to Palm Springs or you are staying at nearby Casino Morongo (they have a fabulous spa!), and you need a shopping distraction, please do stop at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets. If you need a Dooney & Bourke purse, drive all the way to the outlets. If you can’t live without Saks Fifth Ave. clothing, drive out to the Off 5th Ave. outlet store for a bit of a discount.
Otherwise, this destination blogger says: Stick with your local mall and watch for sales.
Photos by Roca Chang and christyxcore of Flickr.com
by Tamara Rice of The Rice Paper
The Vintage-Looking Signage above Victoria Gardens
California’s Inland Empire has had plenty of mediocre shopping for years, but when Victoria Gardens opened up in Rancho Cucamonga in late 2004, a whole new standard of beauty and excellence in an upscale, outdoor shopping mall was achieved.
Victoria Gardens feels like it’s own little city, complete with Main Street, a park and a sign high above that bears a strong resemblance to the one over Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. Poised perfectly in the foothills, on a clear winter day Victoria Gardens has a view of tall palm trees as well as snowy mountains.
In other words, it’s a fun little paradise of classy storefronts and great restaurants (and I hear it’s sensational at Christmas time). On one of my recent trips, I strolled around feeling like a city girl, with my purse on my arm and money to spend.
So, I ventured into Sephora–these makeup stores aren’t exactly on every corner, you know–and proceeded to look for my favorite brands.
I was immediately offered the assistance of a very young saleswoman, and I asked her to help me find one of those fantastic blush/lipstick makeup sticks I had read about in a recent issue of my favorite magazine. She found it quickly, of course, and we proceeded to pick the right color for me. (I was feeling so very chic, and it was so much more fun than buying makeup at the drug store!)
Then, the moment I placed my chosen blush/lipstick stick into my handy shopping basket, the saleswoman dropped a bomb on me.
The Lovely Sidewalk of Victoria Gardens
“You know what you could use?” she began casually, as if what she was about to say was perfectly polite and normal. “We need to get you a good cream for under your eyes and something to keep your makeup from sliding off throughout the day … do you see how it’s sort of sliding, due to the oils on your face?” She motioned for me to look at myself in a nearby mirror.
Well, as it turns out, I hadn’t noticed the oils on my face. Or the bags under my eyes. And I couldn’t afford the $70-worth of creams she offered up to fix them.
So I bought my little trinket–a minor consolation prize for the blow I’d been dealt–and left the store. I sat down on the beautiful wooden bench under a tree outside.
Ahh, the beauty and wonder that Victoria Gardens had to offer. Where else in the Inland Empire could I go to covet $200 jeans or buy a $40 tube of lipstick/blush that would melt in my car two months later?
Of course, the newly seeded worry about my complexion (and my new-found obsession with the bags under my eyes) were just thrown in for free.
Photos courtesy of La Citta Vita on Flickr.com
One of many entertainers on Venice Beach
by Tamara Rice of The Rice Paper
Venice Beach, California, is one of those beaches that is known more for what the humans are doing on the shore, than the beauty of the coast.
The buildings are close together, the graffiti is plenty–this is Los Angeles, after all–and the vendors of souvenirs and trinkets are many, but the entertainers along the sidewalk, like artists, musicians and dancers, are not the sort of people you meet (or see) every day.
Mao's Kitchen in Venice Beach
Our Venice Beach experience began with lunch at Mao’s Kitchen. (Yummy msg-free kungpao, despite the communism!) The tiny, yet popular, lunch stop is full of vintage Chinese Mao Zedong-era posters mounted on brick walls–after all, his mantra was “serve the people”–and the menu is full of fresh, delicious food.
The Shops and the People of Venice Beach
After a brief stroll along the Venice Beach sidewalk, looking at silver rings, strange paintings and offensive postcards, we stopped into the famous House of Ink, where I bravely pierced my nose. (Because what else are you supposed to do in Venice Beach besides get a tattoo or a piercing?)
My memories of our day in Venice Beach live on. As for the nose piercing … it only survived until allergy season.
Photos courtesy of Trig and yovenice.com, both of Flickr.com
© UpTake Networks, Inc. 2009
