Certain places are known for certain things. We
know about these places and things. Now so will you.
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.jim
thompson.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.comMurano Glass Shop, Via Treportina no. 30, Cavallino-Treporti, www.murano-glass-shop.it