There's nothing like a small town feeling

I grew up in a small town. My Dad owned the local 5 & 10 Cent Store. Anybody remember those? It was a small town version of a Woolworth's - in other words, heaven.

I learned just about everything that is important about life in that store. I learned that small towns, and their businesses, are built on relationships and genuine caring. I learned that taking care of people - being fair, honest and ethical - is not only good business, it's also the way you should conduct yourself in every aspect of your life. I learned that when times are tough, your neighbors and your community will lend a hand to help. And when the shoe is on the other foot, that's what you do too. If there's much more you need to know about life, I'm not sure what it is.

Being able to grow up in that town and that environment was a gift. One that began to disappear in the late 1960s with the arrival of (first) strip malls, then big discounters, then mega-malls. Families went from one car to two. Women could suddenly drive to places further away to do their shopping, instead of walking downtown. Instead of going to the local green grocer and buying your food fresh everyday, you could go to a supermarket and buy pre-packaged food for a week (Ok, that's another article!). Things changed, in a big way, particularly for downtowns and small retail districts. And just maybe we lost a piece of community when that happened.

Traditional neighborhood business districts are still around. Places where you can walk from one shop to another. Where the businesses are locally owned. Where you can grab a sandwich that's made from scratch for you while you wait - or meet friends for coffee in a place where you're greeted by name. You may have to look a little harder, but they're worth discovering.

When we started the West Annapolis 2nd Sunday Neighborhood Green Market (click on the Upcoming Fairs & Markets link on the left), we wanted not only to create a terrific Green Market, but also to put it in a place that offered a "neighborhood" local business district; a place that went hand-in-hand with the personal-relationship-Market-vibe that we were building. One that allowed for meeting up with friends, shopping the Market, and sticking around to eat, shop the antiques shops and art galleries, check out the salons and spas, specialty and service businesses - all right in the neighborhood of West Annapolis www.westannapolisbusiness.org .

So let me introduce you and give you a little closer look at who and what you'll find. First, let's get you there. Start at Rowe Boulevard, just South of where it intersects Route 50. At the light where the Navy football stadium is, turn left onto Melvin Avenue. You've already entered the West Annapolis Business District. If you were to turn left at the first light which is Ridgely Avenue, you'd find the first real treasure: Ridgely Retreat www.ridgelyretreat.com. One stop shopping for wellness, healing, community and arts, Ridgely Retreat offers acupuncture, aesthetics, chiropractic, massage, naturopathic medicine, nutrition, pilates, yoga - get the idea? Relax - Reflect - Rejuvenate doesn't seem to capture everything they offer. Show up at the right time and you can probably catch a class!

Ridgely Avenue is home to a wealth of businesses - from banks to physicians, real estate-related businesses and natural health centers - the personal service sector is alive and well, and their doors are open. The same goes for Melvin Avenue - see a barber, a realtor, a marketing agency or an architect - all right here for you.

But if good, locally sourced food is what you're looking for, stay on Melvin and go one block further to Annapolis Street where you'll encounter Carla and Stacey of b.b. bistro www.bbbistroannapolis.com. You've read about them before on this page - we were touting their green and local practices offering "the best of the best Annapolis has to offer". 

One of the first restaurants in Annapolis to receive the Environmental Stewardship Certification, it's a great place to grab breakfast, lunch or a cup of coffee. You can also "power up" at Regina's Restaurant, long an Annapolis favorite for their hale and hearty breakfasts and lunches that will keep you fueled for more shopping.

And you really can shop all day! If antiques are your thing, you've come to the right place. It's home to the West Annapolis Art & Antique District www.westannapolisartandantiquedistrict.com, representing 15 different businesses. And with West Annapolis Antiques, Blue Crab Antiques www.bluecrabantiques.com and Bon Vivant Antiques www.bonvivantantiques.com all in the 100 block of Annapolis Street, you're sure to find a treasure or two. If the thrill of hunting treasures at estate sales makes you tingle with excitement, be sure to check out Chesapeake Estate Services (virtually) www.chesapeakeestate.com to get on their mailing list, or visit them at the Market!

If art is your passion, you'll find lots of stops on your tour. From The Art Space www.artspaceschool.com, which offers lessons in music, dance, theaer and the healing arts, to the gallery setting of West Annapolis Art Works and Fine Framing www.westannframing.com , to an array of supplies to meet every artist's needs (and lots more!) at Art Things www.artthingsinc.com , you'll more than satisfy your aesthetic senses.

That's not all there is to keep your creative juices flowing. A favorite with beaders and other crafty types, Bead Bungalow www.beadbungalow.com boasts an inventory second to none, and quilters will positively swoon over Cottonseed Glory Quilt Shop www.cottonseedglory.com - the largest quilt shop in a three-state area!

And if your talents run more to admiring (and shopping for!) wonderful things already created - you have lots of options as well. The-Well Dressed Nest www.thewelldressednest.com has wonderful gifts and decor including window treatments, wallpaper, flooring and design services. Tiger's Eye will charm you with Asian influenced art, gifts, design and fine jewelry. Pris' Paper www.prispaper.com, a Capital Reader's Choice award winner, has stationery galore and more, and a magical experience awaits you at Tara's Gifts and Parties of Distinction www.tarasgifts.com, specializing in unique gifts, elegant tea parties and gift baskets.

A little something for the kids might be your next stop, and one of Annapolis' finest traditions is right here on the block - The Giant Peach www.thegiantpeachonline.com. For over 25 years they've been outfitting Annapolis' classiest kids in clothes both "fine and funky".

Maybe your pooch needs a little pampering, or your backyard critters want new digs. There's plenty for them as well! Spruce them up at Grand Paws, a new, fun grooming boutique that will satisfy even the most discriminating pooch! Or grab a treat at Woofs & Whiskers Pet Boutique www.woofswhiskers.com, which promises "Everything you and your pet can't live without"! For the birds and squirrels who grace your life, you'll absolutely want to include a stop at Wild Bird Center www.wildbird.com/franchisee/anp, offering food, feeders, bird baths, cards, gifts, and eco-friendly totes (get two - you'll need them for all that shopping!).

But maybe it's time to focus on YOU - and the opportunities abound! From the healing arts at Balance for Life, the expert skin care at Skin Sense www.skinsense-annapolis.com , to West Annapolis Pilates www.westannapolispilates.com, this is the destination to pamper and get in shape. If a new "do" is in order, you can choose from some of Annapolis' premier salons and spas. From the newest kid on the block - Halo - A Color Salon, to the neighborhood classic Salon West offering hair and skin care, and Morgan-Gerard Salon and Spa www.morgangerardsalon.com, a favorite full-service salon known for providing the ultimate in mind, body and beauty, you'll appreciate their full complement of relaxation services after your full day in the delightful neighborhood of West Annapolis.

I guess it's not surprising that when I'm in West Annapolis I'm reminded of what it felt like to grow up in my small town, and to be a part of a community whose strength lies in its ties to, and support of, one another. And I kind of like how that feels, and the way it keeps me connected and rooted. It makes life "personal" - and I'm all for that.

Green & "Green" - Together & Thriving

We're on the road, looking for Green Markets wherever we go. We've found some great ones - in West Palm Beach at the Satuday Green Market you can dine like a king on samples ranging from heirloom tomatoes and clam chowder to guacamole, goat cheese and juice concoctions! It is definitely THE PLACE to be on Saturday mornings! We scored some great pasta and found a terrific seafood connection. And if you're in the market for orchids - the West Palm Beach Green Market is your destination! www.wpb.org/greenmarket

And then there's the Oceanside Green Market - nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal in Lake Worth www.oceansidefarmersmarket.com. Here you'll find luscious pastries and breads, goat cheese creations that are out of this world (try the one with figs and almonds!) - and even a vendor from Vermont selling homemade chicken pot pies! The dogs who accompanied their owners were having a grand time with the dog biscuit vendor generously offering samples.

You'll have to wait for the update on the Delray Beach Farmers Market - rain and COLD temps prevented a visit - so today you'll get the report from one of Florida's hottest Markets - The Lincoln Road Farmers Market and Antiques Market - on the main drag in South Beach, Miami!

Every Sunday Lincoln Road boasts a Green Market, offering the region's most delectable produce and plants - yes, more orchids - www.themarketcompany.org. You can see their banner on the right, and if you look closely you'll also see something quite unusual for Florida - a winter coat! Florida is experiencing a real cold snap - yesterday's high in Miami Beach was a whopping 44 degrees - but that didn't stop the farmers from delivering the goods. Take a look at those papayas!!!

But there's more happening on Lincoln Road than vegetables & plants - several Sundays a month you can also catch the Lincoln Road Antiques Market! www.antiquecollectiblemarket.com. This Market is a real treasure - stretching for blocks through South Beach - with vendor stalls mixed in with the outdoor tables of some of South Beach's swankiest restaurants and boutique shops.

You can score jewelry, furniture, vintage clothing (this week the vintage furs were in demand!) decorative accessories - there's even a vendor selling Oriental rugs! For 16 years the Lincoln Road Market has been going strong, and it's no wonder. With an average of 125 vendors, set in the perfect environment for shopping, browsing, outdoor dining and soaking up some sun, the Lincoln Road Antiques Market is a real treasure.

There are vendors who are local, others from the north who migrate south to ply their trade and hawk their wares during the winter months. The result is a mix of multi-regional antiques and collectibles to delight every taste. From a 19th century cupboard (on the left in the photo below),

to the hippest Mid-Century Modern goods, you can find it here.

And the crowds do come to find it. Even on a windy, 44 degree day, they are out shopping and looking for treasures. (We found a terrific pair of little Italian Desimone Mid-Century pottery bowls!) Gives you a real sense of the devotion of the shoppers, not to mention the determination of the farmers and vendors, to be out doing business in an unexpectedly inhospitable environment.

But that, after all, is the thrill of the Markets. It is commerce being done as it has been done for centuries - in an outdoor marketplace where goods and services are offered by those who make their living doing so, snapped up by those eager to have them.

Our visit wouldn't be complete without a Cuban Coffee from David's Cuban Cafe - positively addictive!

We'll visit Lincoln Road again later this month, hopefully without our winter coats next time! But before that we'll report in from the Delray Beach Farmers Market as promised, and from one of the grandaddys of Green/Antiques Markets - Renningers - from their Mt. Dora location.

Meanwhile, plans for the 2010 season of the West Annapolis 2nd Sunday Neighborhood Green Market continue to evolve, with more vendors signing on and special events being planned. Stay tuned!

Til then, it looks like we'll ALL be wearing our gloves and hats!