Summer and barefoot go together: freedom, casual, easy living. Heading to a wedding on the beach? An afternoon on your yacht? Poolside at the resort? Don’t let your toes go bare with just a little polish: flash your feet with style!

No, I’m not talking ankle bracelets or toe rings: they’re soooo last millenium. I’m in SoFlo and the trendy beachwear are almost sandals…. literally: Almost Sandals.

I’ve seen them on the beach, but hadn’t seen them in stores until I saw Almost Sandals in the window of  The Legacy in downtown Delray Beach.

Perfect for when you want to go almost bare…with style! $19 at The Legacy or online. Personally: I like the shell style!

The Details:

I was invited last week to brunch at a friend’s who just bought a condo in SoFlo. So of course the hunt for the perfect hostess gift begins. Brilliant: specialty breakfast treats from Florida!

Everyone likes food gifts, and what’s better than introducing a friend to some of my favorite local foods: a gift of Florida sunshine!

Palmalito Jams and Preserves: Moi faves are the Guava Jelly and the Orange Marmalade, but love the Jalapeño Pepper and Key Lime jellies too. I buy mine at the local Publix, but you can also buy it online and ship it as a gift (or to yourself!) About $3.50/jar.

McCoy’s Honey: I looooove McCoy’s Florida Orange Blossom on my yogurt and TBG squirts it on his toast. Perfect for a little tea sweetner! And we still love our bear squeeze bottle. I buy mine at the local farmer’s market, but you can buy it online. About $4.50/jar. Also sold in larger jars (which we buy to refill the bear.)

Kermit’s Keylime Pie: I buy and send several Kermit’s Key Lime Pies a year to friends up north in the dead of winter: just a taste of Florida Sunshine in all the snow! Ships frozen overnight. About $75. Try the Key Lime Pops on a Stick too!

Honeybell Oranges and Tangellos: These special Florida oranges are only available for a few weeks every year: typically late December thru early February, depending on the weather gods. I once gifted brother Tom 40 honeybells to celebrate his big 4-0! Prices vary, but usually around $25 for 5 lbs, plus shipping. The perfect post-holiday healthy gift! I buy mine at Woolbright Farmers Market, but when shipping I use Cushman’s.

Moi Tip: Check out the recipes from the local producers: Palmalito suggests adding a jar of Guava Jelly to your Thanksgiving yams: sounds yummy!

Recently (ok, 6 years ago, but still…) we removed the beige wall-to-wall carpeting furnished by our condo developer and installed hardwood floors in the living room, dining room and kitchen. With our blue and white beachy decor we enjoyed the new feeling of lightness and openness. But the last 2 years, TBG has been asking for an area rug under the coffee table: he just thought it looked a little bare. Since we usually only visit the condo a few weeks a year, it was never a priority and we casually glanced at area rugs when we shopped, I checked out rugs in the mountains of catalogs the postman delivered, and I honed in on the flooring selections in my baskets of shelter magazines. Finally, a decision: flokati!

Flokati is a traditional handmade Greek rug made from longhair wool. I thought a white shaggy rug would be perfect for the living room: light and open, casual and fun, easy and clean. So the serious shopping and price comparing began. After being shocked by prices in the $$$ thousands (I decided I didn’t need it to be that authentic) we narrowed it down to choices at West Elm and Ikea. And because at that moment there was not a West Elm near our SoFlo condo and Ikea was only 30 minutes away, (and I had a sudden sense of urgency that I couldn’t wait 2 weeks for delivery!) TBG and moi made the short drive to Ikea, and $79.99 later, we finally had flokati.

Quickly installed under the coffee table, we stood back and admired our new area rug.

Too simple, right? What did we overlook?

Mignette.

When Mignette adopted us on a cold snowy day in Paris, it was mutual love at first sight. We’d never been owned by a Maltese before, and once she and all her Burberry accessories moved in, we were happy to learn that Maltese don’t shed and they are “hypo-allergenic”: because they have hair, not fur, Maltese don’t shed. Sure I find white hair on my black knit yoga pants, but no different than a human’s hair: when you brush her hair, some ends up in the brush. You should see moi bathroom after washing and drying my hair: it looks like a hair salon! Second, Maltese hair is considered non-allergic. Basically anything can cause allergies for some people, but TBG and both kids suffer from allergies, and for years we suffered through dog allergies with our great danes and golden retrievers. With Mignettes, no sniffling, no sneezes.

No problem, right? Wrong.

Mignette and the new flokati are the same color and have the same hair length. Fortunaltely Mignette is always decked out in a hot pink bow and collar or we’d step on her when crossing the room. Details!

2nd miss: Mignette doesn’t shed but flokati does: who knew?

So everyday I have to get out the electric Swifter and vacuum the living room, dining room and kitchen for little white fluff balls. How does it spread so far? In SoFlo the fan is on year-round, and the air-conditioning at least 9 months of the year, and all that air circulation keeps flokati fluff floating.

Doesn’t sound like such a big problem, does it? With less than $100 invested, it’s easy enough to find another rug.

Not so fast…Mignette loves to cuddle on the flokati. And what Mignette wants, Mignette gets. We just watch where we walk, and keep the swifter nearby.

I love riding my bike, but even as a kid my bike was primarily for transportation rather than recreational. School was over a mile away, and no bus service, so I when I was a grown-up 4th grader my bike got me there in 10 minutes versus the 30 minute walk…and I had a messenger bag slung across my shoulders when they were still called bookbags! During the summer, my best friend Carla and I rode our bikes 3 miles downtown to the Palatine Public Library – then a big old renovated house – for afternoons reading in an upstairs corner where no one ever bothered us, and to Janies or Benjamin Franklin for 25¢ bags of candy.

Biking in Holland

Later living in the suburbs with a family a car was a necessity, and bikes relegated to family nights cruising the neighborhood or hauled to the forest preserve to cruise the bike trails.

When we lived in Europe, TBG and I started taking 7-14 day bike trips through different regions of Spain and France and Italy, and riding our bikes around the Paris Bois de Boulogne (or taking our lives in our pedals and trying to keep up with the peloton at the Hippodrome!) Then we moved to Copenhagen, and bikes became an integral part of our daily life. TBG biked 5 kilometers each way to work. I rode my bike to the grocery, bank, public library, parks, and all neighborhood errands. We not only had baskets on our bikes (which I have always had and TBG has always mocked) but we also installed saddle bags to haul home our packages. The car sat in the drive way, and we became a part of the very organized, dedicated bicycle lifestyle.

Biking the Val de Loire

Back in the states, bikes became recreational once again: although possible to use a bike in NYC or Chicago as a means of transport, neither bikers nor motorists seem willing to adhere to the rules of the road. Bikers rightfully claim that drivers literally run them off the road, but the bikers blow thru stop lights, weave between lanes, and take short cuts down the sidewalks. Its a battle out there!

In SoFlo I think its even worse: along with all the other dangers, you have narrow winding scenic roadways which both bikers and motorists love to use and abuse. We frequently see large tours of bikers riding A1A, wearing all their official Tour de France gear, 3 abreast at about 15 miles per hour: so its impossible for motorists to pass, and encourages motorists to cross lanes in blind spots to get around the packs. However, if the bikers ride single lane, motorists try to squeeze past them frequently running them off the road and causing severe injury. No one follows the rules. And everyone blames the other guys. But it can work: we lived it in a country where a biker running a stop sign is heavily ticketed by the local police and a motorist not yielding the right of way to a biker could lose his drivers license.

Biking the Camino de Santiago

But still, we persist. We love our bike rides both in the city and in the small towns along the coast. So we forge on, fearful but enjoying the scenery and the exercise and the fresh air too much to give in.

Clearly we’re not alone. Last month USAToday ran an article about the increasing popularity of bike-sharing in the US. We’ve enjoyed renting bikes in the bike-sharing programs in Paris (Vélib’) and Copenhagen (City Bike) with our visitors, and now can easily enjoy biking in cities around the US.

In Miami Beach, bike-sharing is sponsored by KLM: love the tulips on the baskets! (Note the baskets: convenient and chic. KLM is the official airline of Holland, the world’s tulip capital!)

The DecoBike Miami signs, where you also rent the bikes, display area maps, biking tips, and some nearby attractions. (sorry, must be 18 to rent a bike!) With over 1000 bikes available, we easily find them available for rent around South Beach. The first 30 minutes is free, and you can rent by the hour, day or month. For visitors, prices range from $14 a day to $30 for 3 days – or just borrow for 30 minutes at a time: for free!

The basket is perfect for carrying your purchases…or Mignette!

Don’t know where to find a DecoBike? There’s an app for that! Or follow DecoBike on Twitter or FaceBook for the latest Miami Beach biking news.

We’re slowly adjusting to the 90° temps and dripping humidity of SoFlo in May: not complaining, just saying. Fluids, lots of fluids. Frappuccinos, of course. Diet Ginger Ale. But trying to keep it healthy and low cal, I was inspired by a Starbucks summer favorite and am now brewing my own green tea lemonade. Couldn’t be simpler, or cheaper… or lower calories.

Homebrewed Green Tea Lemonade Recipe

Mix 1 pitcher of Crystal Light Lemonade

Pour a mug of Crystal Light. Add 2-3 green teabags (I prefer decaffeinated). Microwave 2 minutes. Allow to cool, then pour back into pitcher.

Refrigerate, and enjoy!

The benefits:

• refreshing: a big pitcher is always ready in the fridge
• antioxidants: green tea is loaded
• fast and easy
• cheap

Moi tip: a few frozen strawberries make your green tea lemonade colorful and festive: for you or your friends! Some people (not Moi) like a few sprigs of mint too.

Moi tip encore: Make the lemonade with only 1/2 the water. Pour 1 cup of green tea lemonade and 1 cup of ice cubes in blender. Mix until slushy. Voila: frozen green tea lemonade!

Green tea lemonade: it makes me happy!

We recently decided to split our time between Chicago and SoFlo, which led to all sorts of chaos, challenges and problems. But no problem was greater than the scourge of all women in South Florida: the humidity.

In the North and Midwest humidity is at a critical level only a few weeks each year: rain was the bigger problem. But on rainy days a chic ponytail, brimmed hat and sturdy umbrella could meet the challenge, and all women were equal.

But humidity? To moi eyes there is some secret that South Florida women know to keep their hair sleek and straight instead of the crinkly droopy hair that I was trying to contain with a growing collection of hairbands, elastics, decorative barrettes, and huge plastic clippies. I have thick coarse hair: and lots of it. Normally I just blow my hair dry with a round-brush styling dryer. Which looks fine in SoFlo. For about an hour.

I’ve been assured using a straightening iron would tame the jungle so I bought a Chi, read the instructions, found how-to videos online, and watched friends straighten their hair. Mine looks exactly the same as before I started, except my bangs become straw.

Lots of talk shows and magazine articles are advising against the hair straightening salon treatments using keratin because it contains potentially dangerous formaldehyde. And that many salon treatments advertising no formaldehyde do in fact contain formaldehyde. Nope, not for moi.Moroccan Oil. I’d read about Moroccan Oil in fashion magazines, but I had the idea it was a conditioner for dry hair, I had no idea it would help manage humidity-challenged hair! But I was in Chicago going to my usual stylist, and Pamela asked me how it was going in SoFlo, so of course I launched into my frizzy hair dilemma tirade. And Pamela immediately walked over to the display case and returned with a blue and orange bottle. Pamela used it in my hair, then I bought a small bottle. And left it in Chicago when I returned to SoFlo… merde!

So the hunt began. First stop, Ricky’s NYC SoBe : the only Ricky’s NYC store outside of NYC, and where I go to get my fix for everything from hair products to Havianas flip-flops to breath mints to funky fridge magnets. There was the Moroccan Oil display case: empty. The salesclerk said they were sold out. Next stop: Sephora. No luck. Then Ulta. Nope. Sally’s Beauty Supply. Nope, but information. Apparently you can only buy Moroccan Oil at hair salons.

Score!

$23-45 at a salon near you.

I’ve been fortunate to have visited Vatican City several times, but I took advantage of the opportunity to see Vatican Splendors: A Journey through Faith and Art at a special exhibit at the Fort Lauderdale Art Museum.

The over 200 pieces of Vatican Art on display can be easier to appreciate out of their natural setting: everything in the Vatican is so oppulent and overwhelming. As a traveling exhibit with well-written signage and an informative- if slightly boring – audio guide TBG and moi really enjoyed re-discovering pieces we’ve previously seen. For an art lover, or religious adherent, the exhibit is a wonderful introduction to the wealth of historical art in Vatican City; and the foundations of the Catholic religion. The 4 minute film introduction sets the stage for Vatican Splendors representing two thousand years of Christianity, and lays a foundation for the paintings, maps, statuary, documents, mosaics, stonework, precious metals and vestments, including:

• relics of Saints Peter and Paul
• reliefs from the the old basilica, replaced in the 16th century
• Bernini’s Two Angels sculptures
• a papal throne
• portraits of recent popes, including a life-size sculpture of the hand of Pope John Paul II
• the 1975 cast of Michelangelo’s Pietà

The Vatican Splendors is only exhibiting in 3 cities. It has already left St Louis and Pittsburgh: Ft Lauderdale is the final opportunity to see this stunning collection of religious artwork.

Moi tip: be sure to visit the exhibit’s gift shop. In addition to souvenirs of the exhibit, there are Vatican Library pieces seldom available in the US, including rosaries, jewelry and religious memorabilia.

the details:

Saturday was a gorgeous sunny day as we strolled charming Los Olas Blvd in Ft Lauderdale, trying to decide which outdoor café to lunch at. Eventually we chose Mango’s – for the seafood salad – and continued strolling with our little beeper until our table was ready. We didn’t want to wander off to far, so I stepped inside of Ann’s Florist. I’ve passed the shop many times, but have never gone in: I was never looking to buy flowers. But displayed outside was a Hungarian baby bathtub, similar to the one I grew herbs in, so I was lured in: this was clearly more than a florists store.

moi rooftop herb garden

And when we entered: quelle surprise: a marché de fleur and brocante; the perfect combination of flowers, antiques, and baubles. I had just started to look over this tres chic and fun ottoman when BZZZZZ: our table at Mango’s was ready!

love the pele-mele board in the corner!

After a leisurely lunch with TBG, we return to Ann’s Florist to continue investigating the brocante. I love the ottoman: it would look fabulous with my creme bergère chairs: and covered with the two coordinating fabrics (one French manuscript, the other an English postcard) it would give some fun to my formal living room: $425.

Every corner of the shop was filled with flowers or little vignettes of antiques and collectibles: glass ware, Swedish candlesticks, Eiffel Towers in glittering cardboard or shiny metals, pillows, picture frames, mirrors, books, flowerpots: all treasures you would happily cart home in your valise after a week’s shopping in the French countryside!

So happy I finally found my way to Ann’s…I’ll be back!

Moi Tip: After all that shopping TBG was hungry again. So we stopped in our favorite Florida sweets shop: Kilwins! We strolled the River Walk licking waffle cones dripping with home-made ice cream. And bought a few slices of fudge. And caramels: for later.

The Details:

]]> http://shesshoppingnow.com/anns-florist-marche-de-fleur-et-fleuriste/feed/ 1 http://shesshoppingnow.com/target-for-groceries-who-knew/ http://shesshoppingnow.com/target-for-groceries-who-knew/#comments Fri, 07 Jan 2011 11:00:31 +0000 Moi http://shesshoppingnow.com/?p=3576

I’ve been a city girl for a while now. Paris, Copenhagen, New York, Chicago: they took me out of life in the ‘burbs and changed me forever:

• car? Take a bus, metro or a cab. Or better yet, just walk.
• everything can be delivered. Even waffles and frozen yogurt. 24/7.
• washing machine? The laundry service down the block picks up and delivers. And nothing is better than freshly pressed sheets from the laundry.
• garage? We had a storage unit. For only $372 per month!

With a grocery market on every corner, I’m used to picking up a bag or two of groceries every couple days. I go to the farmers market for fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs and meats, and even fish and breads. There’s always an online grocery store that delivers.

Every convenience imaginable, all for a price.

I had long conversations with my Omaha bff J about the price of groceries: how can 3 small plastic bags of groceries, with no meat, fish or cleaning products, cost $127.50? My box of favorite tea bags from the Italian deli? $12.  I became immune to to the prices: it’s the cost of living in the city. But it provided endless entertainment for Moi suburban friends. It was almost an honor: I could top any price my friends ever paid for anything.

And now, I’m living part of the year in South Florida: the home of the car and big, wide roads. So today, for the very first time, instead of shopping at a corner grocery market, I shopped at Super Target.

Oh, I’d heard about Super Target. I’d probably even been in one. But not to shop for groceries. Target is where I learned to stock-up on everything American while I was living in Europe. On annual leave trips home to the states, I filled at least one suitcase with all the essential I couldn’t buy in Paris. I’d even been know to buy an extra suitcase to haul all my loot back to Paris, usually including orders from my friends. And now that I was living back in the states, I still went to Target for fun stuff and essentials. But living in a small city apartment, I never bought more at Target than I could easily carry home on a city bus.

Today, I drove Moi red convertible (with the top down, bien sur!) to Super Target with my grocery list and walked in:

• First, I was pleasantly surprised with a bonus: Starbucks! I’d totally forgotten I could also get a tall light coffee frapuccinno at Target.
• Second, a great big red shopping cart instead of a miniature toy cart
• Third, wide aisles overstocked with so many choices: who knew there were so many varieties of frozen cheese pizza (not that I was buying frozen cheese pizza, but one couldn’t help but notice!)
• Fourth, the prices were low. I mean loooooow.
• Fifth, food was on sale.

I walked out of Target with 8 plastic shopping bags (yes, I have cloth and I will use them but I’m in transition!) filled with groceries and toiletries. And 4-pack of paper towels. And 12-pack of toilet paper. And 12-pack of diet Canada Dry. 37 items. All for only $133.65, about what I spent in the city for 12 items and a sore back.

Super Target. Who knew?

I just discovered a perk of being a Bank of America customer: free 1st week-end of the month at over 100 museums across the country! Is this a new perk: no, I just never heard of it until moi personal banker Greg happened to ask me if I was going to take advantage of the free museums  in Chicago for BoA customers this week-end.

Free 1st week-end museum? It makes me happy!

So here’s the scoop on Museums on Us :

Some of my favorite museums participate in this program:

• New York City: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bronx Zoo, Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
• Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, Shedd Aquarium, DuSable Museum of African American History
• Florida: Museum of Art Ft Lauderdale, Miami Children’s Museum, South Florida Science Museum
• Washington DC: The Phillips Collection
• St. Louis: Contemporary Art Museum

Moi Tip: afraid you’ll forget to schedule museum visits? BoA lets you sign up for text alerts or emails to remind you of upcoming free musum 1st weekends!