• Japanese Fashionista!

    Tokyo, Japan…we finished our visit to Japan with a real “score”!

    Vintage Kimono shopping on the corner of Meiji-Dori in the bustling Harajuku district! This open air market had thousands of vintage kimonos and obi to choose from!

    My friend Shelly got into it and walked away with some amazing finds…a summery kimono as a robe for the beach, an evening black kimono to dress up, and a rugged denim worker style kimono to make a fashion statement!

    A little background on the kimono:

    The kimono (着物) is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word “kimono”, which literally means a “thing to wear” (ki “wear” and mono “thing”), has come to denote these full-length robes.

    Kimono are T-shaped, straight-lined robes worn so that the hem falls to the ankle, with attached collars and long, wide sleeves. Kimono are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial.), and secured by a sash called an obi, which is tied at the back.

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  • A Market fit for a Queen!

    Melbourne, Australia…a tram ride around the center of Melbourne took me to the Queen Victoria Market!

    One of the great things about this city is how visitor friendly it is…a FREE circle city tram will take you to all the major sights! So easy that it makes you want to explore all this city has to offer!

    The Queen Victoria Market is a historic landmark dating back to 1878! This institution for Melburnians sees more than 200,000 shoppers a week. It is a vibrant trading hub spread over 2 city blocks and houses over 1,000 traders in vast open-sided halls! More than just a food market, sellers have everything on offer here…

    Sundays are the liveliest, but I won’t be here then; so, this Tuesday afternoon visit allowed me a great taste of the action!

    A local bratwurst along with browsing at all on display gave me another taste of how multi-ethnic and interesting this Australian city is!

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  • Market Daze!

    St.Tropez, France…So far this trip, I have hit the Italian, Spanish, and Croatian Rivieras…now it is time for the French Riviera!

    I arrived in Nice from Rome yesterday and then took a very expensive 2 hour taxi ride to St. Tropez. The weather wasn’t in my favor, but I was tired from partying on the cruise so some r&r was fine by me!

    There is something magical about St Tropez…the gorgeous people, the wealth, the fashion, and the food! This morning, I was greeted by blue skies and headed to one of my favorite events in St. Tropez; the market at Place des Lices that is held every Tuesday and Saturday!

    This is one of my favorite markets! Food, soaps, tapestries, hats, you name it; all with that indelible French accent to it! You can wander for hours through this crowded market of goodies!

    I’ll get to the jet set and yachting fabulousness that this town is known for, but first I treated myself to a morning in the market for a total French fix!

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