airport shopFrommers just published a guide to the best duty free shopping at airports. I am not a duty free shopper since I am generally not looking for booze or expensive jewelry or handbags, however, I’ve been known to browse at the airport, duty free or not. And if I have a layover, I will most definitely pop into the shops in my terminal. In general, airport shopping is nothing more than a diversion while you’re waiting to board, but on occasion I’ve stumbled onto some nice finds.

In Hawaii my daughter and I both found super cute navy blue hoodies with “Hawaii” spelled out in madras plaid. This was a treat after not being able to find anything on the island we wanted.

In Rome I found a nice selection of photographic coffee table books and bought one there. This is an item I buy on just about every trip and we had not seen many of them throughout Italy, so it was a good find.

The St. Lucia airport had a very nice shop that sold locally made items, but I don’t think I actually bought much, mostly because I’d been to the stores selling those items already. If I hadn’t, this would have been quite a find for me.

Airport shopping can be good for magnets, which I also buy on every trip. If you can’t find one on your travels, you can pretty much rest assured that you can find something at the airport. Airports can also be good for locally packaged food souvenir type items. In Florida, you can buy little gumballs in the shape or oranges or gum or candy that is called “alligator poop.” If you’re desperate to bring home candy from the area you visited, you can likely find some at the airport. In Hawaii, you can buy whole pineapples at the airport to bring home if you desperately need one straight from Hawaii.

Other than those items though, I don’t find airport shopping to be a good deal or very interesting. At best, it is a diversion for me and a reason to walk around. Have you ever bought anything great at an airport?

 

Frommers just published a guide to the best duty free shopping at airports. I am not a duty free shopper since I am generally not looking for booze or expensive jewelry or handbags, however, I’ve been known to browse at the airport, duty free or not. And if I have a layover, I will most … Read more

Plastic food store

Plastic food store

While there are magnificent and amazing things about Japan, I find that after our recent trip there, the things I keep thinking about are the small, little things that somehow add up to a huge cultural difference.

1. Plastic food. People in Japan are obsessed with plastic food. Many, many restaurants display plastic models of their dishes in the front window. Here in the States, you know never to eat anywhere that does this or even has a menu with photos, but it’s not true in Japan. There are also plastic food stores. Because you never know when you might need some.

2. Payment rituals. When you buy something in a store you are supposed to place your credit card, using two hands, onto a small tray by the register. The clerk then picks it up and bows and you’re supposed to bow back. It’s then placed back in the tray (with two hands) for you to pick up. If you pay with cash, the same ritual ensues.

Shopping in a department store in Tokyo

Shopping in a department store in Tokyo

3. Shopping requires assistance. Many stores have one item of each type on display. If you would like to buy it, a sales clerk must get you another one. It’s not a problem though since there are sales people everywhere, swarming in to offer assistance. You do have to be sure to examine the item that you are given so that you can make sure it is not defective or different from the item you indicated you wanted.

4. Washcloths everywhere.  Every time you dine in Japan, you are first presented with a white, warm, wet washcloth. In many instances you do not have a napkin and keep this for the entire meal. Even when you ride the bullet train you are given a packaged wet wipe even if you do not purchase food.

5. Fear of shoes. Don’t even think about coming into a restaurant, temple, shrine, or inn with your shoes on. And when you take your shoes off to enter, you must do so very carefully. Your shoes must never, ever touch the wooden floor (or god forbid, tatami mat) that signals the beginning of the premises and your shoeless feet must never, ever touch the tile, stone, or flooring you entered on. All of this leads to a very complex balancing act where you must remove a shoe and get that foot onto the wooden floor or mat  and then remove the other shoe and then get that foot up too, without losing your balance and touching the actual contaminated floor. If you make a mistake or forget and attempt to enter with your shoes on, the usually reticent Japanese will shout at you. We even had some hotel employees remove their shoes before coming into our room to deliver laundry or ice.

japanese toilet

Toilet with all the bells and whistles: heat, music, spray, dryer, automatic flush

6. Bathroom insanity. High tech Japanese toilets with music, sound effects, heated seats, water sprays and automatic flushes can be found everywhere, even in

Toilet slippers

Toilet slippers

train stations. Most of these toilets automatically begin making noise as soon as you sit on them, to disguise any sounds you might make. When you go to a restaurant or ryokan (traditional inn), there are toilet slippers you are expected to use in the bathrooms (since you have removed your shoes upon entry to the premises).  These are plastic leatherette slippers – the kind your great grandma used to wear. And yet public bathrooms have no soap, no towels, and no hand dryers.  Japanese women carry small washcloth sized towels (usually in crazy patterns) in their purses to dry their hands, but no one is using soap or hand sanitizer. Ever. Yet they are super concerned about your feet. There are many, many shops that just sell these small, brightly colored bathroom towels.

7. Get used to standing. Because we are fat, lazy, loud Americans, we are used to being able to plant our butts on a bench or chair often. In Japan there are almost no benches. We visited many parks and gardens where there was not a bench in sight. We had lunch one day at a busy department store food hall. They have no tables or benches. We were lucky to discover a few chairs in a corner so we could sit and eat. There are notes on the umbrella stands (see #8) warning people not to sit on them – because they are the ONLY possible place you might consider sitting.

8. Umbrella fear. When it rains in Japan, everyone carries a full-size umbrella. When the rain stops, they walk with it like a fun cane. No one – not a single person –

Umbrella stand in Nikko

Umbrella stand in Nikko

carries a fold up umbrella. Stores, restaurants, temples, and shrines have umbrella stands (some sporting signs warning people not to sit on them, because, as we saw, they collapse when a foolish tourist thinks they are a place to sit). They do not want your scary umbrella inside their restaurant or shop, even if it is folded up.

9. Overt politeness. While we certainly encountered a few people who were not friendly or were stone-faced and impenetrable, for the most part, the people we encountered were friendly and unfailingly courteous. I have never been anywhere before where everyone was so very formal and so very careful with their manners. It made me feel like a boorish American. We had a driver pick us up on time and nearly scrape the floor bowing as he apologized over and over for keeping us waiting. People who work in restaurants and shops are friendly and helpful and thank you profusely over and over while bowing many times. Even the gentlemen (and they were gentlemen) who worked in the ticket booths in the subways were professional, courteous, helpful and polite (I couldn’t help but compare them to subway workers in NYC – but there is no comparison). The train conductors who came through the cars to take your tickets would get to the end of the car, turn, and bow to the car before exiting.

10. Wrapping is an art. When you buy something in a shop in the States, it’s usually chucked into a plastic bag and handed to you. When you buy something in Japan, plan to stand there for hours and wait while it is packaged. Price tags are removed. Items are wrapped in tissue paper, foam paper, bubble wrap and usually boxed and then wrapped in wrapping paper. I even had one item wrapped in tissue, foam, bubble wrap, then boxed the then wrapped in bubble wrap again. Your item is then placed in a bag and the bag is sealed shut with a sticker or colorful tape. If it is raining, the bag is then covered with a special rain cover. Some stores provide seating so you can sit and wait while you purchase is packaged, because it is a lengthy and complex process.

harajuku

Harajuku girls in Japan

11. Buttoned up, until they’re not. When you walk through a train station during rush hour, everyone around you is wearing black, blue, and white. There is no other color on anybody in sight. The women are very buttoned up in high necked blouses and prim suits and dresses. You could hear a pin drop in the station even as the entire place is crawling with people. It’s like being in the middle of worker ants. Each is steadfastedly and silently intent on its own journey. No one speaks. No one laughs. No one makes any noise. The only sound is the rhythmic movement of feet. It’s eerie. But on the weekend these same people don crazy costumes and bright gaudy, weird clothes to go out and about. It’s almost like they have to rebel on the weekends against the very serious and straight-laced working culture .

 

While there are magnificent and amazing things about Japan, I find that after our recent trip there, the things I keep thinking about are the small, little things that somehow add up to a huge cultural difference. 1. Plastic food. People in Japan are obsessed with plastic food. Many, many restaurants display plastic models of … Read more

I’ve been to six Caribbean islands (not counting the Keys) and St. Lucia is coming in at number two on my best shopping list. There isn’t a lot of shopping on the island, but what there is, is excellent. If you can tear yourself away from the baby soft sand on the beaches, the glorious peaks, and the excellent dining, shopping should be high on your list.

Batik glasses case: Caribelle Batik

Batik glasses case: Caribelle Batik

Although St. Lucia is not huge (28 miles long, about 238 square miles total), it is time-consuming to get around because

Caribelle Batik dress

Caribelle Batik dress

the roads are mountainous, narrow, and completely unlabeled. Because of this we concentrated on three shopping areas: Castries, Rodney Bay, and Choiseul. Plan to break this up into at least two days. Choiseul is far south and is a day unto itself. If you are staying in the south, you will want to come north only once since it is a long way.

Castries

Everything you read will tell you to go to the Castries Market. I’m telling you don’t bother. This is just like any other

Bookmarks from various shops

Bookmarks from various shops

Caribbean market. It’s all junk made overseas. If you’re looking for cheap, mass-produced “souvenirs,” make it a stop. I’m not interested in any of that, so we took a peek and then ditched it. The shopping you should be interested in is up in the hills. And it’s really hard to find. Google Maps essentially threw up its hands and said “Good luck!” to us. It did get us close enough to spot a sign for one of the shops we were looking for and once there we were able to get directions to the other places we wanted to find. It was worth a trip for the shopping and also for the amazing view up there.

Caribelle Batik

This was the only store we found on our own and it was worth it. St. Lucia is known for batik and this is the place to go to buy it. You can watch a demonstration, enjoy the view from their terrace,

The view from Caribelle Batik

The view from Caribelle Batik

and do a lot of shopping. There’s even a free washroom (hard to find on the island!).  If you visit when a tour bus is there, there are also refreshments and music. We were the only shoppers the day we visited. The shop has a large selection of batik clothing for men, women, and children. I’m giving them a special shout out since they carried some plus sizes which are always hard to find in the Caribbean. Batik purses, glasses cases, bags, scarves, wraps, and more are also available. I toyed with buying a large wrap and using it as a tablecloth, but couldn’t find quite the right one. There is a fascinating collection of botanical jewelry made from threads and thin yarn. Very unique. It wasn’t quite right for me, but is worth a look. You’ll find other souvenirs such soaps made on the island, mugs, towels, magnets, flags, bookmarks, bottled sauces, and some art prints. We spent a lot of time browsing and I left with a dress, soap, glasses case, tea towel (which I use as quirky napkins) and bookmarks. Get directions to the other shops listed below while you are here. They are simple to find with directions.

Bagshaws

Bagshaws

Bagshaws

Bagshaws is another batik house and was not a favorite for me. They seem to be catering to tour buses. They have one large, entire room for demonstrations and not a

Magnets from various shops

Magnets from various shops

lot to purchase. Most of the purchases don’t even look like batik and are floral prints. I did buy a Bagshaws tea towel at the airport of all places and did not see that particular design at the shop. We visited at the end of the tourist season so they may have more earlier in the year. It is also likely to be livelier if you come when a tour group is there. They also have a lovely view. Another free washroom here as well.

The Pink Plantation House

The Pink Plantation House

The Pink Plantation House

I fell in love with the Pink Plantation House which is a stunning old plantation home set on the side of a hill with glorious views. It’s a restaurant with an interior room that sells locally made pottery. I bought only a bookmark here since the pottery ended up not quite being my thing, but it was beautiful and well-made and I highly recommend it. Plan to stop for lunch. The menu looked good and it’s an amazing setting for a relaxed lunch.

Eudovic’s Art Studio

I didn’t make any purchases at this shop either, which contains local, handmade, local wooden masks. They are beautifully done and worth a peek if masks interest you.

Sea Island Cotton dress

Sea Island Cotton dress

Rodney BaySt_Lucia 4-11-2015 1-39-01 PM

Rodney Bay is the area that was the easiest navigate since everything is on one flat road in a highly trafficked tourist area, right at Reduit

Sea Island Cotton dress

Sea Island Cotton dress

Beach. There is even a parking ramp, which was free when we were visiting. Be sure to check out the beach (you pull in right past the police station and park next to the sand). The beach has a view of Pigeon Island and the bay is filled with sailboats. Chairs can be rented and it’s a great place to spend an afternoon.

Sea Island Cotton

This shop is in the Baywalk Shopping Mall (but has an entrance on the street as well), next to the grocery store (which is of Whole Foods quality, a stark comparison to most stores on the island: they’re catering to the yachts). This shop is either owned by the same people as Caribelle Batik or Caribelle is a big vendor. There is a reasonable selection of Caribelle Batik items in this shop (great if you don’t want to wind up the hill in Castries). They have a large selection of other clothing as well and my daughter and I both bought several beautiful and very unique to the Caribbean pieces here. The likelihood of me being able to wear these tropical sundresses in Buffalo is slim, but I had to own them (I’ll just have to come back to the Caribbean to wear them!). They also carry mugs, toys, frames, magnets, purses, bags,

Bracelet from Sea Island Cotton

Bracelet from Sea Island Cotton

towels, and jewelry. They have the same botanical jewelry Caribelle Batik carries but also have a selection of mass-produced pieces that are not local. Some of those were unique and I did buy a beaded bracelet cuff. Pop into the grocery store next door (enter through the mall or parking garage) to buy bottled sauces (I brought home banana ketchup and passion fruit sauce), dried sea moss, dried cinnamon in big bunches, or cacoa sticks for making cacao tea.

Island Mix

Walk down to where the road curves to the left for the beach (or drive and park your car along the beach side) to visit theSt_Lucia 4-11-2015 1-57-27 PM

Choiseul craft pottery

Choiseul craft pottery

tiny artisan shop right near the corner. Everything in the shop was locally made. I bought only a magnet, but eyeballed scarves, jewelry, plates, artwork, ornaments, and more. Everything in this shop is well-made and lovely.

Choiseul

If you are staying in the Sugar Bay area or are driving down to see the volcano, Choiseul is just a bit further south. Google Maps again thumbed its nose at us, but we were able to stumble on the first shop and then get directions to the second. Both are

Choiseul craft basket

Choiseul craft basket

on the main road in the area, coming south from Sourfriere. This was the best shopping in my opinion.

Choiseul Arts and CraftsSt_Lucia 4-10-2015 3-33-04 PM

This shop does not look fantastic from the outside, but it really was delightful inside.

Choiseul craft coconut

Choiseul craft coconut

Everything is handmade on the island by a variety of artisans. The ladies running the shop had a very heavy accent and were a bit hard to understand, but were helpful. They took only cash (everyone on the island will take US dollars without an

Choiseul gallery print

Choiseul gallery print

issue) and had a free washroom (score!). The shop carries a big collection of baskets and of course I had to have one. They also have pottery (I bought a vase), magnets, dolls, animal figurines, cacao

Calabash basket from Choiseul gallery

Calabash basket from Choiseul gallery

tea sticks (basically a log of pressed cocoa that you grate over hot water to make a drink), and some artwork. I bought half a coconut painted with the Pitons.

Choiseul Art Gallery

St_Lucia 4-10-2015 4-13-45 PM

Choiseul Gallery

This was my biggest find of the trip. Harriet and her husband came to St.

Choiseul gallery tray

Choiseul gallery tray

Lucia from England. They bought a small farm and opened an art gallery. Their dogs and goats are running around. Harriet is an artist. She makes beautiful paintings. She’s also written a book. Her husband is handy and crafts amazing things out of island fruits, paper, metal, and just about anything he can get his

Choiseul gallery paper bowl

Choiseul gallery paper bowl

hands on. This shop is not to be missed. The only thing that kept me from buying half of it was that their credit card machine was down and we had to pay with the limited cash we had on us. They were lovely people to talk to and I could have bought just about everything they were selling. I came home with a print, a

Inside Choiseul gallery

Inside Choiseul gallery

calabash basket, a tray, and a bowl made of paper. This is a not to be missed shop.

 

 

I’ve been to six Caribbean islands (not counting the Keys) and St. Lucia is coming in at number two on my best shopping list. There isn’t a lot of shopping on the island, but what there is, is excellent. If you can tear yourself away from the baby soft sand on the beaches, the glorious … Read more

bookmarks group1There are quite a few things I look to buy when traveling, but an item that I often recommend to anyone looking to start a souvenir collection is the bookmark. I have over 80 bookmarks I’ve collected in my travels, and I hope to add more with future trips. So what makes the bookmark the perfect souvenir?

Portability

Bookmarks are small and nearly weightless. You don’t have to worry about how you’ll get them home, if they will break, or if you have room in your suitcase. Even if you’re traveling with carry on luggage you can bring them home. You don’t even have to really pack them, just stick them in an outside pocket or inside a book.

 

Cost

Bookmarks are cheap! It is only in rare instances that I have spent more than $5 for a bookmark, even the artisan-made unique bookmarks I search out. You can easily bring home a souvenir from everywhere you go without making a dent in your budget, yet they make a big impact (more about this later). This is also a great benefit because you can simply buy them as you see them – no deciding if you might find a better one later in the trip. Buy all the ones you see and then decide when you get home which ones belong in your collection.

 

Availability

While bookmarks aren’t in every cheap souvenir store the way shot glasses, thimbles, and t-shirts are, they are still relatively easy to find. They’re often positioned near the register in shops. Shops at museums and historical sites frequently carry bookmarks. Stores carrying artisan crafts often sell them. You can also find them at galleries and craft co-ops where there are sometimes bookmarks that are mini prints of the art carried in the store.

 

Servicability

Unlike a lot of souvenirs, you can actually use bookmarks in your daily life. They are great for marking your page in the novel you’re reading, but they can also be stuck in your cookbooks to mark your favorite recipes or in your Bible or book of poetry to hold a favorite section. It’s a lovely surprise to open a book and be reminded of a place you visited.

 

Uniqueness

I’ve never met anyone else who collects bookmarks as a souvenir, so you will be part of a small class.  Your bookmark collection will be eye-catching and surprise people who see it.

 

Artistic Quality

Although bookmarks are definitely made to be used, they also are easy to display. I create groupings of bookmarks in large frames and hang them on the walls of my office. Many of them are really small works of art. I have bookmarks that are quilted, pressed flowers, metal, gemstones, carved wood, leatherworked, lace, graphic prints, photographs, woven fabric, and even glass. Because they are so tiny, you can display many in a small space.

Start by picking up a couple of bookmarks on your next trip. Stick them into books or wait until you have about 10 to frame them. They make the perfect souvenir.

There are quite a few things I look to buy when traveling, but an item that I often recommend to anyone looking to start a souvenir collection is the bookmark. I have over 80 bookmarks I’ve collected in my travels, and I hope to add more with future trips. So what makes the bookmark the … Read more

A recent fall getaway to the Adirondacks allowed me to scope out the best places to shop. No outlet malls on my list (If you want ’em, they’re in Lake George)! Here are my top 5 places to visit to find great artisan, antique and unique local finds.

Shopping in Keene Valley

Shopping in Keene Valley

1. Keene and Keene Valley. These two little towns don’t seem to be worth stopping in and in fact we drove through them twice before I insisted we put the brakes on and check it out. You will want to go in The Birch Store, which is next to the Noon Mark Diner. Then head a tiny bit north and pop into Dartbrook Rustic Goods for a true Adirondack experience. I bought an amazing artisan-crafted hemlock basket here. Within walking distance is a soap shop and a few other shops to pop into. I didn’t notice most as we drove past but once I got out and walked, there were a lot of places to go. ADK Market  and Rivermede Market are also worth a stop. We bought some truly amazing Nettle Meadow Cheese here which made nearby. Keene Valley is also a beautiful spot for photos. There is a dilapidated barn in a field that is probably the most photographed spot in town. There

Handmade hemlock basket from Keene Valley

Handmade hemlock basket from Keene Valley

are also lots of little turn offs for creeks that are very picturesque.

2. Bolton Landing I was taken by surprise by Bolton Landing. The town of Lake George is a super tacky tourist town with nothing I wanted to buy. 15 minutes down the road, Bolton Landing surprised me. There are tons of fun little shops all packed together in the town center on Lakeshore Drive. I really enjoyed Trees, a book and gift shop. Be sure to stop in at Lakeview Trading, Indian Teepee Gifts (kind of touristy, but I checked it out), Serendipity Boutique, Adirondack Trails, and Lakeview Antiques, a tiny little shop set at the end of a driveway inside an old garage. It’s bigger than it looks and we bought a couple of things in here.

3. Saranac Lake. Saranac Lake is about a 10 minute drive from Lake Placid, so it’s definitely easy to add it to your itinerary. At first glance, there’s not much here, but we found

Adirondacks Artists Guild in Saranac Lake

Adirondacks Artists Guild in Saranac Lake

Pottery with Saranac Lake driftwood

Pottery with Saranac Lake driftwood

two galleries worth a stop. Adirondack Artist’s Guild  is a cooperative gallery and we bought an original watercolor (not cheap) as well as some amazing pottery decorated with driftwood from the lake (cheap). Northwind Fine Arts is the other gallery in town.

Adirondacks 10-3-2014 5-10-36 PM4. Lake Placid. There is plenty of shopping to be done in Lake Placid. Main Street is very walkable, once you find a parking spot (there was plenty of parking on the fall weekend we visited, but it clearly becomes crazy in the summer). We stopped in at Saratoga Olive Oil. If you’ve been in a shop that sells a variety of flavored oils and vinegars this will be nothing new to you, but we thought it was fun. They have other locations, including one in Saratoga Springs. Other shops in town worth a stop include Lake Placid Christmas, , Fanfare, The Haus on Mirror Lake, The Glass Blowing Shop, and The Adirondack Trading Company. We really like the Adirondack Popcorn Company which has

a lot of very thoughtful and nicely made flavored popcorns and caramel corns. Buy some of their locally themed flavors like Adirondack Jack or Firestarter. Outside of town, we also stopped at The Adirondack Store and the antique shop next door where I bought a nice Fire King Jadeite bowl for a good price. If you’re in the market for an Adirondack chair, you’ll find several furniture shops in town.

5. Glenwood Manor in Queensbury If you’re visiting Saratoga Springs or Lake George, this is within 20 minutes and is worth a drive. I kind of lost my mind in this antique store. It’s three floors of a huge, huge old house and

Watercolor of Saranac Lake

Watercolor of Saranac Lake

each room is a different dealer. There is simply tons and tons of wonderful old things to look at and there is also one room that is a gift shop with new items.  They say the third floor is haunted, which simply adds to the appeal. I left with a couple boxes of finds, at very good prices.

Depression glass bowl from Glenwood Manor

Depression glass bowl from Glenwood Manor

6. Oscar’s Smokehouse. I was skeptical about Oscar’s Smokehouse which is located in Warrensburg, very near Lake George. If you think you’ve heard of Warrensburg, it’s because they have the world’s largest garage sale every fall and we happened to be in town for it. My advice is to skip the garage sale unless you want to spend at least an entire day combing through piles of everyone’s junk. We were told that lots of dealers come and set up booths here but I didn’t seen anything worth stopping for.  Instead, head into Oscar’s. Rachel Ray is from this area and touts Oscar’s. She’s dead on. It’s basically a butcher shop with cases of smoked everything you can imagine, all smoked locally. I would be more excited if the meats were organic, but I made an exception. You’ll want to get bacon of course, but we also brought home smoked turkey, chicken, pheasant, pork chops, mozzarella, brie, and cheddar. We also bought some sausages (not smoked) which were all wonderful. The counter staff is a bit rough and tumble and we got some attitude when we asked about gluten (“In my day we didn’t have gluten, we just had cholesterol.”). Oscar also lets you order from their web site, so you don’t have to come in person with your cooler like we did! So far we’ve enjoyed the turkey, pheasant, sausage and cheese and it is all excellent with a very delicate smoke flavor. Nettle Meadow Cheese is located about 10 minutes away from Oscar’s so that is something else to add to your itinerary.

A recent fall getaway to the Adirondacks allowed me to scope out the best places to shop. No outlet malls on my list (If you want ’em, they’re in Lake George)! Here are my top 5 places to visit to find great artisan, antique and unique local finds. 1. Keene and Keene Valley. These two … Read more

When my family planned a summer trip to South Dakota and Wyoming, I did not expect to bring a lot home to satisfy my local, artisan collecting needs. I admit, after two summer vacations in Europe, I was feeling a bit smug and jaded. However, as a dedicated travel shopper, I was determined to snag some treasures that would serve as beautiful mementos of our trip. I was surprised not only by the great shopping, but also by how much I loved this area. The South Dakota prairie, the Black Hills, the Badlands, the open spaces of Wyoming, the stunning and overwhelming beauty of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, and the charm of Jackson Hole made this one of the most visually memorable trips we’ve ever taken. And I happily filled my suitcase with lovely treasures from the area.

Prairie Edge Trading Company

Prairie Edge Trading Company

South Dakota

Rapid City has a lovely downtown area, with bronze, life-size statues of presidents on the corners. There are several galleries in this main area, but the place to not miss is Prairie Edge Trading Company. This huge store showcases beautiful (and often pricey) native American art and crafts. You can invest in some high quality native arts here if

you have the bank account for it. If your budget is limited, there are still purchases to be made. I found a bookmark that is like a mini-Navajo rug. There are also t-shirts

Bookmarks left to right: Grand Teton, pressed flowers of Grand Teton, buffalo, Navajo woven, and Yellowstone

Bookmarks left to right: Grand Teton, pressed flowers of Grand Teton, buffalo, Navajo woven, and Yellowstone

and less pricey souvenirs, jewelry and home goods.

The main tourist towns in the Black Hills are Keystone and Hill City. If you’re looking for t-shirts, head to Keystone. That’s about all you will find there. It’s a fun town to walk through and feels very old West, but it’s a cheap souvenir row. Hill City, on the other hand, will keep you busy for an afternoon. Main Street is where the shopping is located.  Sandy Swallow gallery was my favorite shop. I was surprised at how much time we spent in this tiny little town. There are numerous affordable galleries that sell a wide range of paintings, prints, pottery, jewelry, and decorative items.

Aspen and antlers basket

Aspen and antlers basket

We brought home an original painting of the Badlands, a basket made of aspen and antlers (this was priced very nicely in comparison to similar items I saw during the trip), and some pottery made with horsehair. There is one shop on the strip selling Black Hills gold, but I recommend you hold off on buying it (see next paragraph). There is a native crafts gallery here (Cedarfeathers), but I was unimpressed with its offerings. It’s worth noting

Badlands painting from Hill Ciry

Badlands painting from Hill City

that the only public restroom in town is in the real estate office.

Horsehair vase, buffalo vase and Sioux pottery

Horsehair vase, buffalo vase and Sioux pottery

I generally stay away from gift shops at attractions, unless I’m looking for a magnet for my collection (I buy

Large Navajo sheep. Center is from Crazy Horse, and right is Zuni-made.

Large Navajo sheep. Center is from Crazy Horse, and right is Zuni-made.

one everywhere I go), but on this trip I was surprised by the excellent quality of attached gift shops in the area. We went to Reptile Gardens, between Rapid City and Mount Rushmore and I picked up a piece of Sioux pottery in their shop (they had a nice selection here, but I also saw the same items in most of the gift shops in the area). Also nearby is Christmas Village, where we bought a few ornaments. This isn’t the kind of Christmas store I dream of (lots of beautiful glass ornaments or unique handcrafted

Black HIlls gold

Black HIlls gold

items), but it’s worth a stop since they just have so many things.  The Crazy Horse Monument has a huge and very well done museum of Native American art, crafts, and household items and it also has a large gift shop of native-made items with lots of jewelry and pottery. I bought native-made sheep (for my sheep collection) here. The Mount Rushmore gift shop is hands down the best place to buy Black Hills gold in the area (I was surprised by this!). They have a large selection and sell a lot of

Custer State Park necklace

Custer State Park necklace

Landstrom’s which is the most recognized name. My daughter and I each bought some pieces here. There’s not much else worth buying in that shop other than t-shirts though. Another surprisingly great gift shop is the Custer State Park Game Lodge gift shop. We had dinner here (wonderful) and spent some time in this tiny little shop. I bought a very unique necklace that has no clasp and hooks together as part of the 125-Mid-West 7-7-2014 10-40-09 PMdesign of the necklace in front. My daughter found a candle and t-shirt here.

If you’re going to the Badlands, you’ll want to go to Wall Drug, which is right outside the park. This crazy attraction began as

Wall Drug

Wall Drug

a drugstore that advertised across the state on highway signs that it had free ice water. It exploded in growth and is now a complex of shops, a restaurant, and even an outdoor play

Copper bowl from Wall Drug

Copper bowl from Wall Drug

area. There are a few other shops in Wall, but nothing I liked. Wall Drug itself is the very definition of a tourist trap, but it’s one of those places you just have to go so you can say you’ve been there. Most of its wares are t-shirts and cheap souvenirs, but there is one wonderful little arts and crafts shop inside Wall Drug where I bought a stunning bowl made with copper and ogled some beautiful baskets and pottery. Unfortunately, there is not a lot to be bought at the Badlands itself. There is a small gift shop, but it was nothing great. I did make one purchase here which I am patting myself on the back about. At least once a day during our trip I saw little silver boxes with turquoise stones set in their lids. I passed them up several times because they are made in

My inauthentic silver and turquoise box

My inauthentic silver and turquoise box

Mexico and didn’t feel like an authentic souvenir. I just loved them though, so I gave in and bought one here. I ended up getting the best price (I checked the price every time I saw them after this!)

My biggest disappointment in South Dakota was De Smet, where we visited the Laura Ingalls Wilder historical sites (the surveyor’s house, the schoolhouse, and the Ingalls home). There is a tiny gift shop at the main site which mainly sells books and some doodads for kids. At the very least I was hoping for a bookmark and a cheap magnet for my collection but they did not sell these.

 

Irma Inn

Irma Inn

Wyoming

Cody is one of the gateways to Yellowstone and we stopped here for a night. The shopping area of the town is rather small and centers around the historic Irma Hotel (built by Buffalo Bill Cody and named after his daughter). The hotel itself has a cramped gift shop that has a lot of clothing, but there are some nice shops surrounding the hotel on the main street. I didn’t buy anything here, but enjoyed browsing. A bit further away there is a very eclectic shop next to the Holiday Inn that is worth a peek. I promptly zoomed in on a native-made vase I loved that was only priced at $999. Needless to say, that didn’t come home with us.  The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a must-see when in town and of course if you’re like me, you’ll go into the gift shop:) I only bought a magnet, but there were a lot of interesting things here – one thing that has gone into the museum of my mind (where I catalog all the things I should have bought but didn’t) were some really kitschy drinking glasses that had a vintage pattern on them showcasing Yellowstone. They were just the cutest.

West Yellowstone, Montana is another gateway to Yellowstone (and one that is much closer than Cody so I recommend it as your jumping off point). There are basically two

Native ring from West Yellowstone

Native ring from West Yellowstone

streets of shops, laid out in an L (Yellowstone and Canyon). There was a lot of shopping to be done here, but fortunately I was up to the challenge. We bought a lot of t-shirts and some of the shops skewed toward the younger generation, making

Delicious huckleberry jam

Delicious huckleberry jam

my 20-something daughter right at home with some really stylish options. There are lots of huckleberry items to be found here – jam, candy, candles, syrup – so grab some to bring home (we buy jellies on almost every trip and this is probably the best one I’ve ever bought). One shop (on Canyon) sells tons of native-made jewelry and is definitely worth a stop. A small Christmas shop attached to a candy store is worth a look (also on Canyon). There wasn’t a single shop in town that sold affordable prints of paintings, which is something I’m always after. We went to the Wolf and Grizzly Center in town and they had a robust gift shop as well, which is worth a look.

Old Faithful tile

Old Faithful tile

If you can tear yourself away from the natural beauty of Yellowstone (which is harder to do than you might think), there is some shopping to be done. I hit every gift shop in the park (I am nothing if not thorough). The first thing to know is that there are two types of shops. General Stores are located at each visitor center and hotel. These carry essentially the same merchandise in every single one and are focused on t-shirts and inexpensive souvenirs and also have a small grocery department. It’s definitely worth going in at least one of these, particularly if you want t-shirts. I did find a painted tile with an image of Old Faithful (for $8 and now that we’ve framed it, it looks like a very expensive piece of art) in the General store at the Old Faithful Inn, but this was the only thing I stumbled on in all of them that was unique and interesting. Each hotel also has an individual gift

Yellowstone artist-in-residence vase

Yellowstone artist-in-residence vase

shop that is smaller and more intimate. These are nicer for shopping and at the shop in Mammoth Springs I bought a pottery vase with an image of Yellowstone, painted by the artist in residence (if you visit a national park, Google the name of the park and “artist in residence” and you will find information about artists who are working and selling their art in the park). At another location I found a native-made sheep for my collection and an interesting wooden tree (made in Wisconsin, but I had to have it). Some of the hotels have photography for sale in their lobbies, but I’m usually interested in watercolor paintings, not photography.

Wooden tree from Yellowstone

Wooden tree from Yellowstone

Grand Teton tile

Grand Teton tile

Admission to Grand Teton is included in your Yellowstone fee, so don’t miss it. This park was more stunning than I imagined and we thoroughly enjoyed it. There are gift shops at all the lodges here and they tend to be small, but are not to be missed. My favorite find was a bookmark made with pressed flowers of the park. I also picked up a tile with an image of aspen trees on it and family members found t-shirts. I brought home some notecards with beautiful

Jackson town square

Jackson town square

watercolor paintings of the mountains. The Jenny Lake Lodge shop was the best shop we visited in the park.

I looked forward to getting to Jackson (sometimes called Jackson Hole) throughout our entire trip, certain that it held potential for great shopping. Jackson wasn’t what I was expecting.  The town itself reminded me of Santa Fe, fairly small and set up around a town square. And like Santa Fe, there wasn’t much to buy. Yes, there are galleries, but they sell $8000 original paintings. Not a single one sold prints at any price point. I was so frustrated to be in an area of

elk antler necklace

elk antler necklace

such natural beauty without any depictions of it to bring home. There are some funky shops in town that my daughter loved and she bought some inexpensive jewelry,

porcupine basket

porcupine basket

 

Grand Teton painting

Grand Teton painting

including a really cute silver elk antler necklace. A unique item to look for in this area is elk ivory – jewelry made from antlers the elk shed. We couldn’t find any we loved, but it would be a unique and fairly inexpensive

Glass tree

Glass tree

souvenir. I did find a tiny little native crafts shop in the basement of a building that sold antique baskets where I snagged a porcupine quill basket. I bought a very interesting and inexpensive vase at a candy shop. I was mostly

Cheap vase from Jackson

Cheap vase from Jackson

disappointed with the shopping until we saw a sign for an art show in Miller Park (it is held on two different weekends in July and August, so

glass platter

glass platter

watch necklace

watch necklace

check for it if you are in the area). I brought home wonderful treasures from this art show, including my much sought after and elusive watercolor (I never did find one of Yellowstone, but was able to buy one of the Grand Tetons), a vase, a glass platter (very inexpensive and yet beautiful), a glass tree, and a

Necklace from the art show

Necklace from the art show

necklace. My daughter bought a great necklace made out of old watch parts which is just gorgeous. This art show satisfied all of my shopping needs and I went home with suitcases brimming with mementos!

When my family planned a summer trip to South Dakota and Wyoming, I did not expect to bring a lot home to satisfy my local, artisan collecting needs. I admit, after two summer vacations in Europe, I was feeling a bit smug and jaded. However, as a dedicated travel shopper, I was determined to snag … Read more

The street in Kilkenny

The street in Kilkenny

By this point in my week-long series about Ireland, in honor

The view from the hotel

The view from the hotel

of St. Patrick’s Day, you’re getting the hint that I loved Ireland. I certainly did. Ireland has almost everything I look for in a vacation spot: good food, friendly people, stunning scenery, lots of things to see and do, and of course, excellent shopping. The shopping in Ireland was so good we had to buy a cheap extra suitcase to get it all home (much less expensive than shipping it — read my piece about getting your vacation treasures home).

Our room

Our room

One of the best places for shopping and for simply soaking up the ambience of an adorably quaint Irish town, complete with its own castle, is Kilkenny. Kilkenny is in southeast Ireland and was our first stay outside of Dublin. You pull into town and you’re on a narrow, winding village road, flanked by tiny shops on each side. It is exactly what you might imagine a small town in Ireland to look like. The sidewalks are busy with people and the road goes over a river and past a

Kilkenny

Kilkenny

castle.

We stayed at the Kilkenny River Court Hotel, situated directly across the river from Kilkenny Castle. The location was perfect, but  the rooms left a little to be desired. Our rooms looked out over the parking lot and were a bit old fashioned and

The lobby

The lobby

dated. There is no air conditioning and signs warn you not to open your windows due to black flies from the river. Which leaves quite a conundrum when it is a warm summer day. There was one tiny window with a screen in each room that we opened, but we were uncomfortable all night. The beds were tiny and quite hard. The lobby, in comparison, was beautiful.

The hotel’s restaurant looks out on the river and the castle, as does an outdoor patio, so you can get your fill of the view there if the one from your room is lacking. We enjoyed dinner at the hotel one night and were pleased to find they easily accommodated our gluten free diet, even bringing gluten free bread with dinner. We each had a three course meal for 21.95 Euros. Greek salad with roasted vegetables, tiger prawns, fried goat cheese salad, mushroom and courgette (zucchini) soup, pork saltimbocca with apple and sweet potato, salmon with fennel, steak, and a lovely lemon posset (mousse) left us very content16-DSCN1632 and pleased. The breakfast in the morning was also well done.

Kilkenny Castle, built in 1195, is open for visitors and is a very nicely kept castle (compared to the

The hotel

The hotel

ruins of Blarney Castle) and just across the bridge from the hotel. The real reason to go to Kilkenny is the shopping. Kilkenny is an artisan hub. The Kilkenny Shop has its home base here (with outlets all over Ireland) because so many artisans live and work in this area. You can pick up a map at your hotel or at the local tourism office of all the artisan workshops and stores in the area – there are many.

We visited two such artisan shops. Jerpoint Glass sells gorgeous artisan glass in many colors. I knew about this gallery because my parents visited when they were in Ireland and brought me a few pieces. I was able to add to my collection 50-DSCN1666while there, bringing home a beautiful bowl and vase. We also visited Nicholas Mosse Pottery, but nothing there spoke to me. It’s worth a visit since you can watch the potters in action and there are two floors of goods to choose from, including a large room of seconds.

The best shopping was at The Kilkenny Shop itself,

Necklace, bottom left from The Kikenny Shop

Necklace, bottom left from The Kikenny Shop

directly across the street from the castle. I bought many wonderful things here, including my Irish fisherman’s sweater (something you’ll see all over Ireland, but I had trouble finding one designed for a plus-size woman that didn’t just look like a big man’s sweater), some crystal and jewelry. The Kilkenny Shop ships so we had most of it shipped home. We also visited the Kilkenny Shop in Dublin before we came to Kilkenny. While that shop is bigger, I preferred the one in Kilkenny. The Dublin shop emphasizes Waterford and other high price items. I found more unique items in Kilkenny.

Pink and blue glass from Jerpoint, green from Kilkenny Shop

Pink and blue glass from Jerpoint, green from Kilkenny Shop

Polka dot plate upper left from artisan in town for show, blue bowl in center from Kilkenny Shop

Polka dot plate upper left from artisan in town for show, blue bowl in center from Kilkenny Shop

We happened to be in town the day before the big Kilkenny Arts Festival, so some artists were already setting up near the castle and the Kilkenny Shop and I found a few treasures there as well.

Wandering around town, we saw a wedding party taking photos at the castle and another taking photos by the river. It was a lovely town to stroll through.

Fisherman knit sweater from Kilkenny Shop

Fisherman knit sweater from Kilkenny Shop

This lively little town is the perfect place to do some shopping and experience a well-preserved castle.

 

 

By this point in my week-long series about Ireland, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, you’re getting the hint that I loved Ireland. I certainly did. Ireland has almost everything I look for in a vacation spot: good food, friendly people, stunning scenery, lots of things to see and do, and of course, excellent shopping. … Read more

Ireland is a veritable treasure trove for shoppers. My dirty little secret is we had to buy an additional suitcase to get it all home! If you are looking for beautiful, handmade or locally made goods that will sing to you of Ireland, you have much to choose from.

I’m going to share with you where to shop in Ireland and what to buy in a series of posts. Today we start with Dublin. Dublin is a lovely city with shopping zones that are all walkable and close to each other. Let’s clear up some misconceptions first: Temple Bar is not for shopping. Yes, there are a bunch of t-shirt shops, but it’s not a zone for dedicated shoppers. Powerscourt Shopping Centre: Another one to skip. This is just chain shops – a dull mall. Cow’s Lane Designer Mart sounded amazing, but in reality it was a tiny store with nothing worth buying, but you might find something since it is all handmade. I skipped Grafton Street since there were no shops with locally made artisan goods there. 

There are four places to spend your time in Dublin for excellent shopping. [Note: Some of my photos include items from other places and I’m not describing those finds today – if you’re intrigued, be sure to come back and read the posts that are coming up on where else I shopped in Ireland and I’ll tell you where those pieces came from!]

Blue and pink throws from Avoca, Aran knit from House of Ireland

Blue and pink throws from Avoca, Aran knit from House of Ireland

Avoca

Avoca is known for their knits, primarily throws, but this three story shop was fascinating for many reasons. I spent a lot of time comparing mohair to cashmere to wool in the throws and then dithering over which pattern I wanted. I ended up with the softest of soft mohair blue plaids. My daughter went nuts in this store, saying it was like Urban Outfitters on steroids. She bought a pink throw. They sell made in Ireland soaps, lotions, candles, and cosmetics, socks, scarves and gloves  housewares, jewelry, clothing, baked goods, bags, baskets and kitchenware. If that’s not enough, there is a full-service restaurant on the top floor and a bakery in the basement. You could spend a couple of hours here.

Soaps, candles and cosmetics from Avoca and Kilkenny

Soaps, candles and cosmetics from Avoca and Kilkenny

House of Ireland

By the time I exhausted my credit card in this shop on Nassau Street (just down the road from Trinity College), my teenage son could perfectly mimic the salespeople saying “Welcome to the House of Ireland” in a perfect accent (I told him his Irish genes had popped to the surface). This shop has three showrooms to explore. One is all knits and I bought the most amazing Aran knit throw here. Another room is all crystal and china. I snagged some Belleek and some fine Christmas tree ornaments here. You can also buy Waterford and other Irish crystal in this shop. The prices were comparable to other shops throughout the country.

Knits from Trinity College

Knits from Trinity College

My favorite part about this store has nothing to do with what I bought. The salesclerk took a liking to my husband and referred to him as Pat (NOT his name, it was a form of endearment) throughout our entire visit. “I’ll ring that up for you Pat.” “Now Pat, here’s how you get your tax refund.” It simply had us rolling with laughter and to this day I call him that occasionally. This same sales lady warned us to hold tight to our wallets out on the street since pickpockets are common, but felt a need to let us know “We’re not all of us thieves, you know.” She was adorable. Aside from the local color, this is a lovely shop with high quality finds.

Kilkenny Shop

The Kilkenny Shop is next door to the House of Ireland on Nassau Street. I considered skipping this since The Kilkenny Shop began in Kilkenny. It seemed to make sense to wait and shop where it began, but I’m glad I didn’t. The

Linen from The Kilkenny Shop

Linen from The Kilkenny Shop

Dublin branch is the largest and is truly a sight to see. This is the House of Ireland but all artisan-made. You can buy Waterford  here, but the best shopping is elsewhere in the store. There is a huge selection of stunning Irish pottery, including Nicholas Mosse, Belleek, and Kiltrea. I brought home a beautiful pottery bowl that is very Celtic in design and some egg cups (to display Easter eggs in). There are knits (throws, blankets, scarves, and gloves), cosmetics (candles, lotions, soaps, lip balms). A small clothing section at the rear of the store goes mostly unnoticed. A nice selection of Irish linen is enticing – I bought a small embroidered doily.  Jewelry, purses and other personal items are for sale. They have a beautiful collection of Jerpoint Glass, but I held off because I was planning to go to the Jerpoint Studio itself in Kilkenny (tune in to my upcoming post about Kilkenny!). I loved this shop as did my 21 year old daughter who bought copious amounts of beauty products and socks. I had one quibble with them. They had a beautiful display of china teacups in an

Belleek on the far right bottom from House of Ireland. The blue bowl in the center is from the Kilkenny Shop, as are the egg cups

Belleek on the far right bottom from House of Ireland. The blue bowl in the center is from the Kilkenny Shop, as are the egg cups

Irish rose pattern. I have a teacup collection and wanted one. They were only sold as a set of four, so I missed out on that.

Trinity College Gift Shop

The Library Shop at Trinity College is your reward after braving the crowds to gaze at the Book of Kells. This shop is tiny (and just as crowded as the Book of Kells viewing area), but it’s worth the struggle. They have an interesting collection of jewelry that I saw nowhere else. There is costume jewelry on racks and countertops and I bought a beautiful pottery Celtic necklace. Inside the cases are more expensive pieces and I bought a silver necklace with round pendant that has Celtic symbols on it. There are plenty of books if that suits your fancy. As for me, I was honed in on the bookmarks. There is a nice little collection of knits (socks, scarves and gloves) in the back of the shop and my daughter and I both DSCN2318helped ourselves to some of these. If you collect magnets, you can buy one here for the Trinity Library, but they unimaginative (just rectangular photo magnets). They sell family crest items in this shop if you’re in the market for that.

George’s Street Arcade

I said there are 4 places to shop and I’ll stick by that, but let me just add an aside about George’s Street Arcade. This is almost like a flea market with some hippies selling crazy art and a bunch of cheap junk made in Asia for sale in bins. There are two reasons to venture into this weird little alleyway. Lolly & Cooks sells amazing gluten-free cupcakes with tons of flavors. We bought an assortment and ate them ALL that night in our hotel. Delicious. Not to be missed if you are a gluten-free diner. The Gift of Warmth is another shop worth stopping into. They sell big fuzzy wool slippers. I bought a sheep for my collection here. There was nothing else in the arcade I would recommend at all, so go here only if you happen to be passing by.

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Ireland is a veritable treasure trove for shoppers. My dirty little secret is we had to buy an additional suitcase to get it all home! If you are looking for beautiful, handmade or locally made goods that will sing to you of Ireland, you have much to choose from. I’m going to share with you … Read more

luggageWe just returned from a two week trip to France and Ireland. If you’re familiar with this blog, you know that I love to shop while traveling. I’m all about finding unique, locally made items to bring home that will make the memories of the trip a concrete part of my home and my life.

There are some places where I just know I’m going to hit the mother lode. Hawaii was one of those places. Ireland was definitely another. I knew before I went that I would like find many treasures that would appeal to me and I was right. Finding the treasures is the fun part. Getting them home safely takes some thought and planning.

Ship Your Shopping

One of the first rules of travel shopping is to have the store ship your items when possible. This is especially true when buying breakables – they wrap it properly and it’s insured. You don’t have to worry about how it will fare in your luggage. In Ireland, shipping ended up being free at a few places and at others it was the same amount as our VAT (sales tax) refund. In fact, one clerk told us shipping to the US was cheaper than to the EU. If I’m not buying something fragile or not buying a lot at one store, we bring the items home ourselves.

Shipping Revelation

As my purchases began to pile up, we realized we just weren’t going to have enough space in our luggage. We stopped at a Mailboxes, Etc. in Ireland, intending to ship some items home. The cheapest rate was 380 Euros, which is about $500. Yikes. Definitely more than the value of what I’d bought. We came to the realization that it made far more sense to buy an additional suitcase (50 Euros=$66) and pay the $100 airline fee for an extra bag. In the future I will likely do this again. It made the most sense.

Tips from the Packing Master

There is a clear division of labor in this family. I do the shopping and my husband does the packing. The man is a genius. I brought home many breakable items. Not a single thing was damaged this trip because he is so careful. Here are his secrets:

Bring bubble wrap with you. It’s light and adds no weight to your luggage on the way there. It is essential for bringing home delicate items. Layer sheets of it in your luggage.

Never throw anything out. This was a lesson well-learned when somehow in Puerto Rico a necklace my son bought for his girlfriend disappeared. We think it got thrown out in the bag it came in since it was light. So the rule following that debacle was that my husband brings home every single bag. He uses them as additional wrapping materials or layers them along the bottom and top of the suitcase (when the suitcase is lying down since this is the way they are stacked by the airline) to provide additional cushioning.

Make a bubble. My husband uses clothing to completely surround the items he is packing. Fragile items are wrapped in bubble wrap then cushioned in the center of this clothing bubble. Nothing fragile is near an outside edge of a suitcase.

Use double zipper bags. After last year’s Italy trip when one of my daughter’s bottles of limoncello burst in the suitcase, the rule is that anything liquid must be double bagged in a zipper bag. This year she brought olive oil and jelly home from her study abroad session in Croatia. The olive oil leaked, but it was double bagged so we were fine. My husband also recommends tightening screw caps to make sure they are sealed and wrapping tape around the cap if possible.

Use boxes. If the item you buy comes in a box, use it. It is tempting to think it is just taking up space in your luggage, but it provides stability and prevents crushing. He uses socks and underwear for extra padding inside the box if needed.

– Get cardboard for art. I always buy inexpensive prints or a small piece of original artwork that depicts the place we visited, but getting unframed art home is a challenge. My husband asks for cardboard at the store and layers the art between the layers of cardboard, which he then tapes together.

Toss to make space. If your suitcase is too full or over the airline’s weight restrictions, throw out things like shampoo, contact lens solution, shaving cream, etc which you can easily replace when you get home. At the end of your trip, these bottles are likely nearly empty anyhow, so it’s not that much of a loss. I also leave my travel guide books behind in the hotel room since they are quite heavy. A shirt I brought on this trip snagged on a fence and tore – that got left in the hotel room as well since it was not repairable, so why bring it home?

– Bring a tote bag. I have a big fabric Vera Bradley style overnight bag that weighs almost nothing and completely flattens. We always bring this in a suitcase as an emergency carry on. Sometimes you may think you are fine with space and weight only to weigh your bag the night before your flight and discover you have a problem. This tote is perfect for this emergency. I stuff my purse or wallet in my regular carry on and bring this bag for my two pieces of on board luggage. We also often use this tote to manually carry items we are very concerned about. I’ve carried framed art work, pottery, and glass home in this bag. Pad it well with bubble wrap and clothes and place it in under your seat if possible. If it has to go above you, carefully wedge it between the wall and another carry on of your own, so no one else can shove something up there and damage your items.

We just returned from a two week trip to France and Ireland. If you’re familiar with this blog, you know that I love to shop while traveling. I’m all about finding unique, locally made items to bring home that will make the memories of the trip a concrete part of my home and my life. … Read more

Basket_HawaiiThis week’s basket is from Waikoloa, on the Big Island of Hawaii. I came across this in a tiny group of shops we happened upon in an unexpected area. I also bought a Hawaiian quilt in the same shop. I found the shopping on the Big Island to be fantastic. There were so many handmade, beautiful items for sale that all reflected the natural beauty of the island.

The basket is an open top basket with a handle. It is made from royal palm. I particularly like the stitching down the sides. There is a piece of fabric that is used as a flap and it has a shell sewn on it. The tag that came with it called it a purse, but I think of it as a basket.

This week’s basket is from Waikoloa, on the Big Island of Hawaii. I came across this in a tiny group of shops we happened upon in an unexpected area. I also bought a Hawaiian quilt in the same shop. I found the shopping on the Big Island to be fantastic. There were so many handmade, … Read more

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