Belfast's bounties explored (from a
shopping perspective) - By Kristen
Andresen, Of the NEWS Staff
Return to Georges Pond home page (Sorry
for the lack of paragraphs but that's the way I got it!)
When it comes to shopping, I have a wandering eye.
Lately, I've been
traveling far and wide to find the most interesting destinations for
you, the credit card-carrying members of my shopping club. This month,
I headed southeast to Belfast. Though this little waterfront city is
one of my favorite places to stop for lunch, I rarely have enough time
to peruse the clothing stores, booksellers and specialty shops that
line Main Street. So last Monday, I hit the road and devoted an entire
day to stopping and shopping in Belfast. I arrived around lunchtime,
and since it's best not to shop on an empty stomach, I popped into
Darby's for a Buddha Bowl, which brought back fond memories of San
Francisco's ubiquitous Japanese noodle stands. I also like to lunch at
Chase's Daily, which has a great art gallery, bakery and farmers
market, where the vegetables look like something out of a baroque still
life. But if I'm in the mood for a sandwich, I'll stop at Bell the Cat
for a panini. After eating the Buddha Bowl, I had a Buddha belly, but
that didn't deter me from trying on floral skirts and flowing dresses
at Coyote Moon. I love this shop, not only for the half-price rack, but
for the feeling I get when I go there. The store is all about
celebrating inner and outer beauty, and inspirational quotes are stuck
to the walls randomly, such as, "There is a deep well of nourishment
within you - Drink!" If that doesn't cheer you up, the "skinny"
mirrors
in the dressing rooms will. At Coyote Moon, I liked the beaded change
purses, the pretty socks, the April Cornell dresses and the lovely
semiprecious jewelry, but I ended up buying a tulip skirt by Salaam off
the half-price rack for $30.50. Fabulous. Next, I walked uphill to The
Clown, a wine, art and antique shop that celebrates all things tasteful
and Italian. There, I drooled over the gourmet goodies, the Tuscan
pottery, the metal tableware by Bates graduate and New York artist
Michael Aram, and the paintings by University of Maine student Brian
Estes also caught my eye. And then I was tempted by the impeccable
selection of wines, some from the owners? vineyard in Tuscany. If that
didn't whet my appetite, the French honey at The Good Table sure did.
But the samples of honey and jam are only a small part of the store's
allure. Here, you can find high-end cookware and every kitchen gadget
imaginable, from a mandoline (not the musical instrument) to a ceramic
pie funnel "for crispier pie crusts," and shelves stacked with
cookbooks for inspiration. What isn't in stock can be special-ordered,
as well. I wanted to stop in The Chocolate Drop for chocolate and penny
candy, but it was closed, and I was stuffed, anyway. That's OK, though,
because it left me more time to spend in Garden Cottage, which is my
new favorite garden shop. I was intrigued by the ceramic mushrooms
(cute in container gardens), the flowerpots, urns, watering cans and
vases, but, being the handbag fiend that I am, I couldn't stay away
from the translucent pressed-flower purses. So cute. I figured ShopGuy
would have my head if I brought home another bag, though, so I skipped
that and bought a cherry-print apron instead. Very Donna Reed.
Appropriately enough, Belfast has its own Irish (and Scottish) shop,
Shamrock, Thistle & Rose. You can stock up on Claddagh rings and
canned haggis here, but there are plenty of unusual options, as well,
including rare Thistleware from Scotland, handblown Jerpoint glass,
Nicholas Mosse sponge pottery, and woven scarves and sweaters. I liked
the slates that read "Failte," or "welcome" in Gaelic, and the delicate
silver jewelry. Next, I moseyed across the street to Travellers
Leather, where I got to see Robin Lawlor working on a pair of
custom-made boots. He also makes belts and keychains, but the
hand-stitched boots, which run about $1500 a pair, are his bread and
butter. If your wallet isn?t quite that full, he sells Dansko clogs,
too. In the midst of a downpour, I walked up to The Green Store. I
immediately was drawn to a brilliant blue blanket made of recycled wool
by Crispina, a display of linoleum flooring, and the hemp yoga gear by
Vinyasa. You can get everything you need for good, clean, green living
here, including solar-power kits, compost bins, environmentally safe
cleaning liquids and organic cotton undies, not to mention a selection
of fair-trade imports. I meandered across the street and down a set of
stairs to Heavenly Socks Yarns, a sweet, cozy shop brimming with
gorgeous wools - not just sock yarn. This is the place for locally
made
fibers such as Starcroft from Monroe and Coastal Cashmere from
Winterport, as well as Peace Fleece and Bartlett yarns. But my stash is
overflowing, so I had to take a rain check. Literally. In the drizzle,
I ducked around the corner to Out on a Whimsey, a gift shop full of
cute ideas, such as the black and pink monogrammed coffee mugs (a la
Laverne & Shirley) and the faboo "book bags," which are purses with
cardboard sides that look like the covers of pulp fiction novels. If
you like candles, you can?t beat the 60-cent votives here, either.
Later, I charged up Main Street to The Eclectic Closet, part resale
shop, part new boutique. Owner Felicia Thomas carries imports from
India, high-quality secondhand and vintage, and if you want something
in particular, she'll seek it out for you. I didn't have any luck, but
the inventory changes every day, so I'll be back. If I weren't still
full, I would've stopped at the Gothic Cafe and Coffeehouse for a cup
of coffee and a decadent sweet. Instead, I made a brief stop at Fertile
Mind Bookshop before I got in the car and drove to Renys, a perennial
favorite. Usually I stock up here, but I had already blown my budget.
If I hadn't, I would've bought a J.Jill ruffle-trim shirt and some
garden seeds, which were half-off. Check out the daisy-print rubber
garden clogs for $14.99 (ShopGuy bought me a pair last week, and I put
them on as soon as I get home every day). By this point, I was tired,
but I needed to make one final stop: Monroe Salt Works. I could've
bought everything here - from the oilcloth aprons to the kitschy
lunchboxes to the dog-treat crock. I was especially taken with the
Coke-can lobster (you'll have to see it to understand), and the tiny
glass ring boxes. Next time, this will be my first stop. Though I was
exhausted and broke, I had that contented feeling I tend to get after a
good day of shopping and eating. On the ride home I started planning
next month's shopping trip, but you'll have to stay tuned for that one.
ShopNotes - Shop news is good news! Check out my weekly appearance
on
WLBZ-2 news at 5 p.m. Fridays. I'll give you a preview of the weekend's
column and answer your shopping questions on air. * ShopGirl will
be on
vacation next week. Her column will resume on Saturday, June 10.
Destination: Belfast Bell The Cat at Mr. Paperback: Chase's Daily: 96
Main St., 338-0555 The Chocolate Drop: 60 Main St., 338-0566 The Clown:
74 Main St., 338-4344, www.the-clown.com Coyote Moon: 54 Main St.,
338-5659 Darby's: 5 High St., 338-2339 The Eclectic Closet: 96 Main
St., 338-0451 Fertile Mind Bookshop: 105 Main St., 338-2498 Garden
Cottage: 52 Main St., 338-0165 The Good Table: 68 Main St., 338-4880
Gothic Cafe and Coffeehouse: 105 Main St. 338-4933 The Green Store: 71
Main St., 338-4045 Heavenly Socks Yarns: 82 Main St., 338-8388 Monroe
Salt Works: Belmont Avenue (Renys Plaza), 338-3460,
www.monroesaltworks.com Out on a Whimsey: 133 High St., 338-3911 Renys:
Belmont Avenue (Renys Plaza), 338-4588, www.renys.com Shamrock, Thistle
& Rose: 48 Main St., 338-1864, www.shamrockthistlerose.com
Travellers Leather: 69 Main St., 338-9783, www.travellersleather.com
Brian's notes: I've always enjoyed Judy's Eggroll
(Korean) a little ways out of Belfast heading west on Edgehill Rd on
your left off Rt 3. Korean sit-down or take
out. Worth the small detour. 207-338-1400, and the restaurant at
the Monroe Salt Works, the Maine
Chowder House, http://www.mainechowderhouse.com/
overlooking Penobscot Bay 207-338-5225