Grab your imaginary passport, because now you can head to England. Next door
is Canterbury, another antiques store where everything for sale is from England
and France. Granted, many things sold here are big items not ideal for holiday
gifts. Still, there are accessories--such as pillows and vases--that might be a
nice surprise to place under the tree.
For furnishings with a much different flair, visit The Nest. The owner of
this store, Robin Brown, calls it a gallery because of the many handmade pieces
here such as tables, chessboards, and chairs. Unlike the traditional furnishings
at Whimsey and Canterbury, the things at this shop are contemporary, funky, and
even Art Deco. I personally liked the collection of handmade stained-glass
windows.
A Worldly Adventure
Emeralds to Coconuts is where you shop for the
woman who has everything. I should know because that woman is my best friend,
Libby. Every year I get her something at this ethnic boutique. The store owner,
Lulie Scott, has been shopping all over the world--Nepal, China, Africa, India,
Mexico, and beyond--for 22 years. Her store sells Chinese slippers and piano
shawls, masks from Africa, and Nepalese bracelets. The shop is jam-packed with
clothing, beaded jewelry, clocks, calendars, soaps, and even shoes. It's like
traveling all around the world in no orderly fashion but inexpensively and
without the jet lag.
For more cultural finds, stop in Another Time & Place. There's less clothing
here, but lots of ethnic jewelry and gifts. Surprisingly durable Japanese paper
wallets are $5.75, a Chinese calligraphy set is $17.95, and Nepalese prayer
flags range from $9.95 to $18.50.
For the Outdoors
If you have even a small patio or back porch you like
to decorate, you'll go gaga over Sticks and Stones Garden Market, a totally
organic center specializing in perennials, natives, and herbs. Yes, the plants
are impressive, but the garden gadgets and decorating fragments will make you
drool. This open-air market sells old fences and bedposts that look terrific
when covered with ivy. Owner Mike Thompson continually seeks out pots,
architectural remnants, and teak furnishings--all treasures.
I'll be the star of the holidays this year, thanks to all of my creative
gifts. The good news is that it didn't take me long to complete my shopping
because I wrapped it up on one street. And just think, it's not even December 24
yet. I'm ahead of the game.
For More Information
La Mariposa: 2813 North Henderson; toll
free 1-877-826-0069 or www.lamariposaimports.com.
The Whimsey Shoppe, Inc.: 2923 North
Henderson; (214) 824-6300.
Canterbury: 2923A North Henderson; (214) 821-5265.
The Nest: 3007 North Henderson; (214) 827-5300.
Emeralds to Coconuts: 2730 North Henderson; (214) 823-3620.
Another Time & Place: 2815 North Henderson; (214) 824-1875.
Sticks and Stones
Garden Market: 5016 Miller Avenue at North Henderson; (214) 824-7277.
Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau: 325 North St. Paul Street, Suite 700,
Dallas, TX 75201; (214) 571-1000 or www.visitdallas.com.
