Traveling SmartSassySister Style!

Huge flamingo in Hampden section of Baltimore!

Lexy and I had so much fun on our vacation that it was impossible to include all of the places we visited into one post! Keeping with the trend of eating and shopping (after all, what else would you expect from a Smart Sassy Sister on vacation?), here are some more of the fabulous places Lexy and I found in our travels!

 

Grilled Apple and Brie- Delicious!

Café Normandie:  While we were shopping in a charming gift store in Annapolis, we asked the owner where she recommended that we eat lunch and she directed us to Café Normandie, which specializes in French country cuisine with Maryland Seafood Specialties.  Lexy and I each got a grilled apple and brie sandwich, along with a side salad and their house dressing. It was delicious and filling!

We love Annapolis-food, stores, and sailors!

One Petticoat Lane: If you know Lexy and I, then you know that while we like nice upscale clothing, we do not enjoy upscale prices and we are always hunting for deals.  While in Annapolis we found  this fabulous consignment shop.  The store had a lot of great brands and while I did not find anything there, Lexy found a great Lily Pulitzer dress- over 90% off retail!  The owner was extremely friendly and even brought each of us a glass of wine to sip on while we tried on clothes- definitely the kind of service you do not get at big box stores! 

Talbot's Clearance Centers:  

On our vacation, Lexy and I went to two Talbot's Clearance Centers(one in Maryland and one in Virginia). The Talbot's clearance centers are way better than the Outlet stores you find at the outlet malls- the clearance centers have the out of season items from the actual stores in the mall versus items made specifically for the outlet stores-  which means that you are able to find the better quality products at fantastic prices!   Besides the fabulous deals, the great part of shopping here is that Lexy and I are the same size- and so we would just take one of everything back and swap clothes when we were done trying them on- made it so much more efficient.  After our trip to the MD clearance center, I ended up with 11 pieces, with a retail value of $558.17 for $110.00! A tip if you find yourself near a Talbot's Clearance Center and short on suitcase space, Talbot's will ship your purchases to your house for $8.00.

The menus at Golden West were old Record albums!

Golden West Cafe: On Friday night, Lexy and I headed back to the Hampden district in Baltimore.  After shopping in some of the fun eclectic shops in the area, we had dinner at http://www.goldenwestcafe.com/.  This place was really unique and great!  We started out with an appetizer of brussel sprouts lightly fried in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce- the menu describes these as addicting- and let me tell you they are!  Lexy and I split two entrees- we tried the grass fed bbq burger with sweet potato fries on a homemade bun and  the Aztec Burrito (fried plantains, grilled squash, roasted corn, black beans, jack cheese under Christmas style chile sauce, salsa fresca and crema drizzle.)  Even though we both were stuffed, when the waiter brought our desserts (chocolate cake with mocha frosting for me, carrot cake for Lexy) in an open box, neither of us could resist eating half of it right then and there!

SweetGreen: Lexy and I were thrilled to meet up with our high school friend Sarah (check out her guest blog post here- obviously she is a smartsassysister at heart!) in Georgetown on our drive from Maryland to North Myrtle Beach.  After perusing some fabulous shopping (including a visit to Lululemon and Vineyard Vines), we had lunch at SweetGreen.   Sweetgreen is a quick lunch restaurant that sources local and organic ingredients from farmers and where you can get “fun, fashionable food that is both healthy for you and aligned with your values.” Um, can we say perfect?  Sarah had a salad and Lexy and I both had the guacamole greens with chicken wrap.  A perfect, fresh lunch before starting our long car journey! SweetGreen has multiple locations on the East Coast, so be sure to check them out.

Consignment shopping on the way to the beach!

Best Kept Seacrets: While Lexy and I spent most of our time in North Myrtle Beach reading magazines by the pool or the beach, we did take time to make a quick stop at a local consignment shop we spotted, Best Kept Seacrets Consignment Gallery.  Even though the owner told us that most of her stuff was picked over since she was getting ready to switch to her fall inventory, Lexy found a great deal on a shirt and I got a pair of brand new Nine West pumps for $10.00!

Have you ever found any great local shops or restaurants while on vacation? Share them with us in the comments!