Dear You,
What can I say? I love Dallas’s Uptown scene, but I rarely have the time to stop and visit. Any time I can swing by, I make sure to hit up the West Village. So when a friend invited me to lunch at the chic Toulouse Café and Bar (part of the delicious Lombardi Family Concepts), I couldn’t resist stopping by a few boutiques.
While the drive there was horrendous, the day was glorious. I’m sorry- I have to take a moment here- when there’s a stalled car on the opposite side of the freeway, why does everyone on my side slow to a crawl? To those nosey folks: pay attention and drive sensibly before you cause a wreck on our side of the freeway too! But I digress.
The weather was perfect for al fresco dining and shopping. My friend enjoyed a salad while I had the Vegetarian Sandwich with Pommes Frites: marinated portobello mushroom, goat cheese, tomato confit, lettuce & basil pesto, accompanied by delectably crisp and light fries. OMG, to-die-for! I would drive back to Dallas just to eat here- in fact, I plan to have the Lobster and Rock Shrimp Risotto on my next visit! But I digress again.
West Village is nestled within the affluent Uptown area of Dallas, and is the perfect place to sip and shop. After lunch, I headed over to Epic, to see what was new and on sale.
Purple Studded Belt
I found a really great purple belt, embellished with brass studs. I love these types of items because this is where fashion meets function- a wide belt like this is theanswer to any girl’s prayers- it creates a waist line while disguising any body sins (I have a few body sins lingering from Thanksgiving and Christmas, ok!). The belt is also a great mix of femininity and rock ‘n roll edginess.
Close Up of Hook Closure
I also found a pair of glamorous and glittering tear-drop loop earrings. I love these because they can be both dressy and casual, frame the face well, and the unique texture really is responsible for these earrings radiant shimmer.
Bling Bling Earrings
Next, I visited J’AdoreParis for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by their selection of accessories. They had very unique tribal-inspired pieces, which I always find interesting. After a long debate, I settled on a burgundy pendulum necklace (burgundy can be chic, I tell you) and earring set as well as a soothing rust-colored knit scarf, all at 50% off.
"Aztec" Inspired Necklace and Earrings
Super Soft!
J’Adore also had really cute dresses, jackets, blouses and loads of statement jewelry.
Perfect LBD
Fun Beaded Chrystal Cuff
For my last stop, I visited Pitaya, also new to me, and loved the hand-crafted, vintage folksy look of their selections (think Anthropologie). But I fell in love with the owl necklaces- what an assortment! In another post, I’ll have to show the little collection I’ve got going now- antique malls are a goldmine for such things!
Pitaya had a white owl pendant adorned with crystals and glitter, but I wasn’t sure it was right for me. I also saw another owl necklace which incorporated a watch into the design- very cute. But then there was this crystal-incrusted, silver number that had my name on it. Isn’t he cute?
Owl with an Attitude
Tips for this Trip:
1. We all know Dallas traffic requires some patience. Expect the unexpected delays on I-30 and I-75.
2. Wear comfortable shoes for this trek, but it’s an urban oasis, so look cute. It’s a place to see and be seen.
3. The chance of parking in front of a store is slim to none, so I suggest using the parking garage. Beware, it’s a 2-lane garage, so be careful going around corners, as there could be on-coming traffic. Do find a spot as close as possible to the elevator, so there’s not a long haul through the lot with tons of shopping bags.
4. I suggest starting at Taco Diner or Toulouse Café and Bar, shopping and ending with a visit at Pacuigo for gelato.
Happy shopping!
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
