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