Five For Friday: Local Faves

So keeping on yesterday's theme, and combining it with Five for Friday (I just love efficiency), these are my five favorite local places...

1. Bookworks - my favorite local bookstore. When you walk in, it feels like a local bookstore, which I love. Books stacked in piles all over the store, a calendar full of events including book talks, clubs, and signings. We've lost a few local bookstores here, including Bound to be Read right around the corner from where I live. Page One has a good used book section (Page One Too, which used to be its own store across the street), but I have to confess I haven't loved them as much since they cut their children's section in half, including the education books, which now occupy a mere few shelves. What's also great about Bookworks is that it's next door to Flying Star, a local chain (is that an oxymoron?) with delicious desserts. So most of our weekly date nights consist of sharing dessert and a pot of Jasmine tea at Flying Star, then perusing the shelves at Bookworks.

2. Speaking of tea...I am a coffee drinker (sort of - some people would consider what I drink after I finish doctoring it with cream and sugar to be something other than coffee), but I really have a thing for tea. Tea cups, various loose teas, and fun tea shops and restaurants. The St. James Tea Room in Old Town is of course a wonderful experience. My husband usually takes me there for my birthday, where we can enjoy two hours of uninterrupted time of tea and goodies. If you're looking for something more casual, Collectabili Tea is a fun place for lunch with a girlfriend, and they even have scrapbooking nights once a month where you can work on your album while sampling tea and dessert. And occasionally my hubby will take a long lunch to watch the kids while I go up the street to Hadley's Tea to read a Sunset magazine while drinking tea and eating a muffin. They have a great assortment of tea and chocolates, and bring your tea on a tray to your chair. Ahhh...my happy place. ;)

3. If you're really looking to get away, there are lots of fun local places to stay the night. We have an ultra swanky Hyatt spa here that everyone raves about but, to be honest, after working many weddings there with a not-too-friendly staff, it's hard for me to bring myself to pay the money to stay there...I'd rather stay at Los Poblanos, which I've already gushed about in another post (I did mention the pomegranate salad, right? Wow!) We've also stayed at Sarabande Bed & Breakfast, which is a cute place...anyone else have suggestions?

4. Hip Stitch, of course. ;) My sewing machine is currently there while Suzanne figures out the buttonholer for me. Do you think someone at a large fabric chain would do that? Um...my guess is NO. We have several fun creative local stores here, actually. Village Wools has a beautiful selection of yarn, classes, and help hours so you can go in to plead for assistance with a project you're working on. I've heard there are a few more yarn shops here in town I need to check out, so I may add those later.

5. Zap...Oh is my favorite boutique for baby clothes. My daughter's coming home outfit was from there, as was the pettiskirt she wore for her first birthday party. In fact, here she is in a hat and baby legs we got there (I think I already posted this photo here too)...



And when they get a little older, especially boys, I love Aqui, just down the street. They have cool older boy clothes.

Not to mention all the talented people who make things and sell them on etsy, or out of their home. Knitters, sewers, illustrators...there really are so many local businesses out there to frequent.

I think a cup of tea sounds really good right now. ;)