Attractions

Say you’re a well-botoxed shopaholic type stuck in Istanbul, Turkey and feeling downright homesick. Where would you go? Head straight for Nisantasi – a snooty La-La land in Istanbul, a little bit along the Bosphorus from the Blue Mosque.

Nisantasi, Istanbul

A day-out in Nisantasi is not for those who’re worried about the mortgage, but if you’re the type who drinks afternoon tea at the Plaza in New York after a hard day of shopping, then you’re definitely in the right place.

The streets of Nisantasi are lined with world famous designer brands and boutiques, and filled with women sporting various shades of blonde and the latest fashion craze put out by French designer brands.

In addition to being the shopping and fashion capital of Istanbul, Nisantasi also happens to be the place where Nobel prize winning author Orhan Pamuk was born, and this is where his latest novel – The Museum of Innocence – is set.

It is a story about Pamuk’s love set in the 1970s, and a testament to the power of his pen (and his love) that he’s actually got himself a real museum to exhibit objects mentioned in the novel. The people of Nisantasi aren’t exactly happy about Pamuk airing all their dirty laundry, but it all adds to the perception of glitz, glamor and streets paved with gold and gucci.

The best way to max out your card is to walk into City’s Nisantasi. If you’re more interested in seeing and being seen than in the food, then hangout at Brasserie Nisantasi. Looking for a posh place to stay in Nisantasi? Check out The Sofa and the Park Hyatt Istanbul.

Photo – public domain (source)

Plastic people streamed endlessly down the sidewalks carrying shopping bags heaped with pretty things purchased with another kind of plastic. They hurried past scores of art deco buildings, glitzy hotels, and neon-lit bars, destined for yet another shop, yet another cocktail party where the beautiful people congregate. Miami Beach, and South Beach in particular, seemed artificial – like a movie set where the buildings are two-dimensional facades propped up by 2×4’s.

Entrance to Espanola Way, where streets are blocked off to vehicle traffic

To find a respite from this sense of unreality I diverted one afternoon to the Historic Spanish Village known as Espanola Way. From the moment I arrived at the corner of Washington Street and Espanola Way I realized this tiny neighborhood, with its peach painted buildings and green and white striped awnings, was different from the rest of Miami Beach. Customers filled sidewalk cafe tables, but here they were relaxing over a leisurely Read More »

Christmas is right around the corner, and the first day of Hanukkah is Saturday, December 12, 2009. Is your holiday gift list out of control? Do you live in or around Los Angeles? Well, then head over to one of the 6 Westfield Shopping Centers in Los Angeles county this weekend and make some inroads on your list through their 12 Days of Shopping promotion going on through next week.

Every Friday through Sunday, now through Christmas, Westfield Los Angeles centers are offering giveaways and contests, exclusive savings, and my favorite, the opportunity to support local charities! The Westfield Culver City and the Special Olympics are partnering to present a free holiday concert featuring Mitchel Musso, The Carter Twins, No Boundaries and Radio Disney on-air personality Jake Whetter, at the Center Court Friday, December 11 from 6 – 9 p.m.

For more information, visit Westfield Shopping Center 12 Days of Shopping.

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Still looking for holiday gifts? Run, don’t walk, over to the Third Street Warehouse Sale in San Francisco on Saturday, December 5th, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m! This annual sale features treasures from manufacturers, distributors and importers who occupy the American Industrial Center.

Check out their website for a list of all the treasures. Children’s clothes, handbags, jewelry, clothing, soap, home decorator items – you will find it all. Personally, I am going to be on the lookout for women’s fashions, including Two Star Dog and Cutloose.

Third Street Warehouse Sale
665 2nd Street (between Third and Illinois)
San Francisco, California

Photo courtesy of 3rd Street Warehouse Holiday Sale.

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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

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Entrance to the Market

Barcelona’s La Boqueria Market (also called Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria) is a true feast for the senses. As soon as you walk in you can see, smell, touch, hear and of course, taste the wonders and excitement of the city’s best public market. It’s touristy for sure, but it’s also a working market, used every day by the locals who come to shop for supplies for their daily meals.

Here at the market you’ll find everything from brightly colored (and expensive) candy and rich chocolates to recently deceased (and fully intact) animals like bunnies and chickens. You can find every kind of egg imaginable (chicken, ostrich, quail, and more), all parts of the cow and pig from head to hoof, fresh baked breads, brightly-colored fish from all corners of the sea, fresh fruit, spices, and cheese. In short, everything you need to create a multi-course meal or just the perfect Catalan picnic can be found here. Foodies will be in heaven, though vegetarians might not enjoy it so much.

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Seattle’s Pike Place Market is one of the city’s most famous sites, and one that is considered a “must” for most visitors. The market, which was built in 1907, is recognized as one of the best farmer’s markets in the US.  It’s home to 200 permanent businesses, 120 farmers, and 190 craftspeople, and attracts over 10 million visitors per year. But what makes it so great is that it isn’t only a touristy site, but a real working market. You can come to shop for crafts, antiques, fresh produce, brightly-colored flowers, handmade sauces, souvenirs and fresh-from-the-sea fish, lobster and crab (which can be cold-packed and shipped home for you). Or….you can come to eat.

Pike Place Entrance

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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.