|
|
 Now You Know
Certain places are known for certain things. We know about these places and things. Now so will you. By Sarah Hepola
SO YOU HAVE some vacation days coming up, but you still haven’t figured out what to do with them? It’s like high school all over again, only instead of procrastinating your studies, you’re procrastinating your relaxation. Good news: If you’re headed to any of these 10 spots, you can copy our homework.
AUSTIN, TEXAS: Cowboy Boots
Maybe it’s the sun, or maybe it’s the Shiner Bock, but even the most straitlaced, serious-minded intellectuals don cowboy boots in Austin. There is something infectious about the capital city’s unabashed love for those sometimes-hokey, always-fantastic cowboy getups. Locals and tourists alike rely on Allens Boots and Cavender’s Boot City for their hookup. Slip on a pair and you’ll have a little swagger in your step, a little syrup in your voice. Welcome to Texas, y’all.
Allens Boots, 1522 South Congress Avenue, (512) 447-1413, www.allensboots.com
Cavender’s Boot City, 8809 Burnet Road, (512) 451-7474; 4435 South Lamar Boulevard, (512) 892-4747; www.cavenders.com
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA: Leather
The “Paris of the South” is known for inspiring passion in even the most tepid traveler. You may arrive as a cubicle nerd, but you’ll leave a meat-eating tango dancer in a floor-length leather coat. What’s impressive about Argentine leather (besides the price) is that it has a high-fashion design and beautiful craftsmanship. You can find plenty of leather goods along the tourist stretch of Calle Florida, but you may prefer to head to the more off-the-beaten-path stores — for instance, those along Calle Murillo. Other recommended shops include custom coatmaker Silvia y Mario and the well- regarded Casa Lopez. This is a city filled with beautiful women and hot dancing; you need the clothing to match.
Casa Lopez, M.T. de Alvear 640/658, 011-54-11-4311-3044, www.casalopez.com.ar
Silvia y Mario, M.T. de Alvear 550, 011-54-11-4315-2062, www.silviaymario.com
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA: Furniture
More than half the furniture made in the United States comes from central North Carolina. Chances are your Barcalounger has a Southern accent. So when you visit this area, it’s a good time to reconsider the living room. If you are up to tackling the sprawling, high-octane warehouse environment, check out Furniture Factory Outlet World in the nearby suburb of Waxhaw. And Boyles, with locations all over North Carolina, is one of the most popular furniture stores in the state. So kick up your heels — which might be easier with a new armchair.
Boyles Distinctive Furniture, 7215 Smith Corners Boulevard, (704) 596-9093, www.boyles.com
Furniture Factory Outlet World, 8315 Lancaster Highway, (704) 843-2128
Cozumel, Mexico: Silver
It may be tempting to lie on the white-sand beaches and slurp down margaritas all day, but if a shell necklace isn’t exactly the keepsake you are hoping for, shell out for some silver instead. There are lovely bangles in many of the shops around San Miguel, and we recommend trying Los Cinco Soles and Joyería Palancar. Wherever you buy your silver, be sure to check for the stamp of authenticity that reads .925 (or higher). You want your skin to tan, not to turn green.
Joyería Palancar, Avenida Rafael Melgar no. 15, 011-52-987-872-1468
Los Cinco Soles, Avenida Rafael Melgar no. 27, 011-52-987-872-0132, www.loscincosoles.com
Hong Kong: Pearls
Women know many things — how to walk in four-inch heels, for instance, and how to spend more time in the bathroom than a plumber. Women also know that there is nothing as classy as a string of pearls. Pearls are as noncontroversial as ice cream and free manicures. You can bargain for freshwater and saltwater pearls in Hong Kong’s bustling open-air markets, but always pay careful attention to their luster, size, color, and roundness. K.S. Sze & Sons in the Mandarin Oriental hotel has high-quality pearls for much lower than what you’d pay stateside, though you won’t be able to haggle over the price. Ditto at Lane Crawford, a huge high-end fashion specialty store. The beauties won’t come cheap, but you can’t put a price on class, now, can you?
K.S. Sze & Sons, in the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road, 011-852-2820-4202, www.kssze.com
Lane Crawford, at the IFC Mall, Podium Three, 8 Finance Street, Central, 011-852-2118-3388, www.lanecrawford.com
Phuket, Thailand: Silks
Americans, for all our flashy patriotism, tend to shy away from color. We like our muted browns, our beiges, our blacks. But a visit to Thailand demands that you buy a shock of brilliance to add to your closet. The city is filled with a rainbow of luscious silks just ready to drape. Andaman Trade Centre sells silk by the meter, and Jim Thompson Thai Silk has five locations in Phuket, which all sell high-end fabrics that will color even the grayest of moods.
Andaman Trade Centre, on Srisoontorn Road, Thalang, 011-66-76-272-304
Jim Thompson Thai Silk, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, 011-66-76-340-480-5,
www.jimthompson.com
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Turquoise
Everything about Santa Fe is tranquil. The mountains, the mild weather — even the city’s hallmark gemstone, turquoise, is as calm and lovely as the summer sky. Native Americans sell turquoise jewelry in the Old Town square, a popular tourist spot, and you can’t swing an incense stick without hitting a fine jeweler. We recommend the Zachanee gallery and the affordable and tasteful Virginia Trading Post.
Virginia Trading Post, 82 East San Francisco Street, (505) 983-6165
Zachanee, 66 East San Francisco Street, Suite 16, (505) 920-2935, www.santafejewelry.com
Tokyo: Kimonos
Whether you pull them out for costume parties or wrap up in one every night, kimonos are the world’s coolest regional garb. There are rafts of imitators, but the real deal comes from Japan, where kimonos are as ubiquitous as signs you can’t read. A good place to start digging for them is in the basement of the Oriental Bazaar in the Harajuku shopping district. Another option is Hayashi Kimono in Chiyoda-ku’s International Arcade. Last-minute buyers can get a comfy cotton yukata (robe) in Narita Airport’s gift shops.
Hayashi Kimono, 2-1-1 Yurakucho, 011-81-3-3501-4012
Oriental Bazaar, 5-9-13 Jingu-mae, 011-81-3-3400-3933
Tucson, Arizona: Navajo Rugs
The idea of a magic carpet ride is a bit hippie dippie, but if there were such a far-out transport, it would probably be a Navajo rug. It is room decor with a soul. Not only that, it’s pretty handsome as well. Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery has more than 400 exquisite Navajo rugs and blankets. Morning Star Traders has a long- established reputation for museum-quality goods. Wouldn’t it be nice if the place you lay your feet also had a little spirit?
Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, 7000 East Tanque Verde Road, (520) 722-7798, www.medicinemangallery.com
Morning Star Traders, 2020 East Speedway Boulevard, (520) 881-2112,
www.morningstar traders.com
Venice, Italy: Handblown Glass
Venice is a singular city — how many towns do you know of that are built on water? — and its signature export is as unique. Venetian handblown glass is ravishing, colorful, and ornate. Many tourists take a day trip to the nearby island of Murano to watch glassblowing in action, but breathtaking glass can be found in shops across Venice. Two stores of note are Art of Venice and Murano Glass Shop. Do ask about shipping; you don’t want anything to happen to these babies. Glass is fragile, you know.
Art of Venice, San Marco 619-619a, 011-39-041-528-9568, www.artofvenice.com
Murano Glass Shop, Via Treportina no. 30, Cavallino-Treporti, www.murano-glass-shop.it
|
|
|
|
|
|