BY Clay Larroy
Regardless
of whether you are traveling to
a nearby location for the weekend or taking a week-long destination vacation,
you are always going to benefit from some tips and ideas on how to make the
whole process, more fun and less stressful. Take time each day to alleviate
stress while traveling or
vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all
the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot
of stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another
one is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will
make it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want
to plan a vacation contact me!
Outlet Shopping in the Northeast US
By Kristyn Lack Miller
North Conway, New Hampshire
Here, the deals you see are the deals you get because New
Hampshire doesn’t charge sales tax (the state’s tagline, after all, is ‘Live
Free or Die’). Hiking enthusiasts will feel torn between shopping and hiking
while meandering around town, just two and a half hours north of Boston,
because this area is an outdoor lover’s paradise. The solution may just be to
plan a two-day visit: one day for shopping and one day for hiking Mt.
Washington, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River (you’ll need an
entire day to get up and back down the 6,288-foot peak-and I tell you that from
experience).
Hundreds of outlets line the main street that seems to go on
forever, as do the mountain views; heading north, the outlets end just as you
approach North Conway’s quaint downtown, and it’s worth the drive to walk
around and soak in the atmosphere (from the center of town, you can board the
Conway Scenic Railroad for an up-close-and-personal tour of the area; this is
the most fun in the fall when the leaves bid their vibrant farewells). Stores
include Liz Claiborne, Brooks Brothers, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and
L.L. Bean. The most concentrated shopping fun to be had is in the Settlers’
Green cluster where you’ll find 60 stores including Orvis, Nike, Tommy
Hilfiger, Yankee Candle, Van Heusen, J. Crew and Kay Bee Toys; here, you’ll
also find Foreside (for unique housewares) and Stonewall Kitchen (for tempting
items for your kitchen and your
tummy).
My Best Bargain: I bought a pair of $100
sneakers for $20 at Nike.
How to Save Even More: Visit www.SettlersGreen.com and check out the current and upcoming sales in the ‘Events’
and ‘On Sale’ sections of the site.
Inside Hint: Think Orvis is just limited to
fishing gear? Think again... especially if you’re a dog owner. Orvis sells
high-end pet supplies, like toys and beds, and a section of its outlet is
dedicated to these items. My pug, Bruno, spends every evening snoozing on his
Orvis bed (and he has no idea it’s from an outlet).
Where to Recharge: Outlet mall food is usually
nothing special, but Brandli’s Pasta, Pizza & Grille (located in the
Settlers’ Green cluster) will change your mind. The pasta is homemade, the
pizza crust is perfect and the garlic knots alone may be worth the trip!
How to Get There: From Boston and Points South,
take 1-95 North to Spaulding Turnpike (16) to US 302.
Manchester,
Vermont
‘Picturesque’ is the perfect way to describe the historic town of
Manchester, a hidden gem of New York-inspired shopping in the Green Mountains
of Vermont. There may be only 50 stores, but they represent some of the best:
Giorgio Armani, Escada, TSE, Baccarat, Crabtree & Evelyn, Furla, Movado and
Adrienne Vittadini.
It won’t take you all day to shop, but you can supplement your
activities with breath-taking fall foliage viewing, world-class skiing, or
soaking up the arts and culture of the town.
My Best Bargain: My husband, Mark, bought an
$1,800 suit from Armani for $220.
How to Save Even More: Show your AAA card at
participating outlet stores and receive additional discounts.
Inside Hint: If you’re getting married, you
can register at www.ManchesterDesignerOutlets.com for stores like Anichini Company, Reed Barton &
Barton/Belleek, Traditions and Yves Delorme.
Where to Recharge: Nothing is better than an
on-site coffee roaster and an on-site bakery that serves up cinnamon rolls
along with fresh bread that’s the basis for ‘big’ sandwiches; find both at Lion’s
Share Bakery and Coffee Roasters (located at Routes 11/30 and Center Hill).
How to Get There: From Boston, take Route 90 West
to Route 2 West to I-91 North and take Exit 2 ( Brattleboro) to Route 30 North
to Manchester Center. From New York City and Points South, take I-87 (NY
Thruway) North to Exit 23 (Albany) to I-787 North to Route 7 East (become Route
9 East at NY/VT border); in Bennington, take Route 7 North, take Exit 4
(Manchester), turn left onto Route 11/30 North for 1.5 miles.
Wrentham, Massachusetts
Wrentham Village, located close to Boston, is one of the
nationwide Premium Outlets. And ‘Village’ isn’t just a marketing word; these
outlets really do feel like a rural community (albeit one that has a lot of
stores and not much else). Here, you park your car in the massive lot and then
enter a world of big name stores (170 in all) including Barneys New York,
Theory, Bebe, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sony, Off 5th Saks Fifth Avenue, Burton,
DKNY Jeans, Lacoste, Ugg, Tommy Kids, Restoration Hardware and Calphalon Kitchen
Outlet.
My Best Bargain(s): The Williams-Sonoma outlet has
been the site of many of my best finds: a $120 All-Clad sauté pan for $20, a
$100 floor fan for $25, a $200 Deruta platter for $60 and an $80 Italian marble
rolling pin for $10 (to name just a few).
How to Save Even More: Visit www.PremiumOutlets.com and click on the Wrentham store and then the ‘Sales &
Events’ page.
Inside Hint: For exclusive online coupons, a
free coupon book, e-mail updates and members-only contests, join the VIP
Shopper Club for free at www.PremiumOutlets.com/VIP.
Where to Recharge: Grab a bite at the Food Court
where your choices include Green Mountain Coffee, Main Street Deli, Oscar Mayer
Hot Dog, Sbarro, The Smoothie Authority and Mrs. Fields.
How to Get There: From Boston, take I-90 West to
I-495 South to Exit 15.
Central
Valley, New York
I saved the best for last. Woodbury Common Premium Outlets puts ‘Premium’
in the name. This outlet center is just 60 minutes from New York City, and at
4.5 hours from my home, my husband and I have been known the make the entire
trip in one day (hey-when you’re in the mood for a bargain, a 9-hour drive
doesn’t seem that bad).
220 stores are here, including Ashworth-Callaway Golf, Carolina
Herrera, Diane Von Furstenberg, Kate Spade, Dior, Diesel, Elie Tahari, Emilio
Pucci, Tag Heuer, Chanel, Gucci, Betsey Johnson, Michael Kors, Oilily, The
North Face, La Perla, Roberto Cavalli, Valentino, Longchamp, Frette, Judith
Leiber, Tod’s and L’Occitane. Whew!
My Best Bargain: Mark bought a $750 Ralph Lauren
Purple Label cashmere sweater at Neiman Marcus Last Call for $7. Yes, $7. (I
told you I saved the best for last!)
How to Save Even More: Just like Wrentham, visit www.PremiumOutlets.com for the list of current and upcoming sales and join the
VIP Shopper Club for even more deals.
Inside Hint: If you love Prada (and who
doesn’t?) don’t look for the Prada outlet; instead, head into the Space store
where you’ll find nothing but Prada and Miu Miu. The prices are good for the
brands, relatively speaking, but, if you ever get the chance, head to the Space
store outside of Florence, Italy where you’ll find Prada bargains that are so
good, you’ll practically speak fluent Italian by the time you leave.
Where to Recharge: The Food Court has a range of
options, like Desert Moon Fresh Mexican Grille and Posa Posa Too Pizzeria;
another option, located close to Neiman Marcus Last Call, is Thyme to Eat.
How to Get There: Take New York State Thruway
(I-87) to Harriman, Exit 16.
A bargain shopper sharing this kind of classified information is
nearly akin to the Coca-Cola Company and Colonel Sanders revealing their secret
recipes. So take my advice-but don’t tell anyone else-and get out there and
score some bargains! However, if you find a pair of Manolo Blahniks at 75% off,
please leave them for me. Considering all the insight I just shared, it only
seems fair.
REFERENCE SITES:
“The quickest
way to know a woman is to go shopping with her.”
Marcelene Cox
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