Sentimental Journey

We headed out shopping in Washington last week for Moonlight Madness and paid a visit to several of the stores.
One of my first stops was Sentimental Journey, located in an old red brick building on the square. The store shares a building with the Framer's Gallery.
The first thing that snagged my attention was the Wee Forest Folk mice. I used to love looking at these mice in their costumes at The Mole Hole in Bloomington/Normal years ago! They are adorable.
My friend mentioned that she was a big fan of Vera Bradley, and Sentimental Journey had a nice selection of the bags.

Soon I also noticed several items made in USA in the shop including Eucalyptus Stoneware baskets. My friend explained to me that you warm the basket in the oven and it holds heat to keep your bread warm once it's on the table.
I also noticed some jackets made in the USA by Winding River. They were tapestry style patterns and are reversible as well. They looked like something my mom would enjoy for Christmas.
The shop was also filled with plenty of baby gifts, ornaments, and Christmas villages, just to name a few of the items.

S'more Couture

I remember my surprise when my sister-in-law told me there was a new local shop open in Alta. Alta has shops, I thought?
What I did not realize was that the area right around the bend of Alta Road near Dunlap is considered Alta.
We were checking out a bike trail that we picked up off of University Street in Peoria, and popped out at the Rock Island Trail parking area near the Last Chance Bar & Grill. There, perched on the corner, was a cute pink and brown building dubbed S'more Couture.
We took the opportunity to go in and browse around, finding unique jewelry, purses, perfumes, lip balms, dresses and headbands, some interspersed with some great vintage radios.
One thing that caught my attention was the selection of P.B. Loco peanut butters. The flavors range from Peanut Butter with CoCoBanana to Peanut Butter with Dark Chocolate Duo to Peanut Butter with Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough, which I hear is a best seller. Let me just say I don't think I would be chucking that aside if it turned up on my doorstep!
Located at 2700 W. 2nd Street in Alta, S'more Couture has lots of fun gifts for the "girls" on your list.

I have been to Macomb, and all is Bliss

OK, maybe not all, since the majority of the retail establishments on the square were closing their doors at 5:00 on a Saturday. Not that a lot of smaller towns are any better, though.
We did manage to dart into a boutique called Bliss shortly before 5:00.
Bliss, located at 133 S. Randolph in Macomb, carries a sampling of trendy tops, jeans, accessories and shoes for women.
I snagged myself a new long sleeve American Apparel t-shirt, which is something I certainly would have bought from the brand's web site, but this way I was able to save on shipping, and see the real deal, instead of looking at a tiny web site photo to make my selection. I was glad to see Bliss was carrying the brand.

The Garlic Press (and Market Café)

A couple weeks ago I made a long overdue trip to the Garlic Press in downtown Normal. Anything with garlic in the name is bound to be a favorite of mine!
I have probably been there years ago, as the place has been around for 30 years, but I just don't remember for sure.
Located at 108 North Street, the Garlic Press not only carries pottery, gifts, kitchen gadgets, spices, sauces and more, but offers cooking classes and a great little café right next door.
Monday, September 10, the cooking class will be autumn comfort foods, including baked pork chops with Parmesan sage crust. Sounds divine! The class may be full by this time, but there are others upcoming.
Browsing through the store, I could hardly take it all in: stationery, toys, bath products, clothing, coffee, chocolate...I saw a beautiful lamp I would love to have, and some Frank Lloyd Wright styled house numbers, which I am in the market for, too.
I also found jackets, vests and shirts made in the USA, which is a hard thing to find locally.
My only regret on this visit was that I was not hungry, so I didn't visit the Market Café. I did peek in and see a nice selection of soups and sandwiches. Choose from things like sushi rolls, Thai chicken salad, chilled sesame asparagus and soups like sweet potato and ginger, smoky lentil chili, the list goes on and on. I plan to make it back soon for some of these great-sounding dishes!

Random

While shopping at the newly updated Junction City shopping center in Peoria Heights a few weeks ago, we noticed a new store, Random. We went in to see what it was like.
Random, Coffee • Clothier • Vintage, is a family-owned shop with a large selection of trendy men's clothing including T-shirts and vintage apparel. There were some really hip guys' duds in there when we stopped in. They also have womens' clothing and coffee. Heck, you can even drink coffee while you shop.
KISS FM is currently featuring a Random T-shirt of the week. You can view the selection on their web site and save on the T-shirt of the week.
Random also has a Myrtle Beach location.
It's nice to see the guys getting some unique clothing options in town, too.

Harp & Thistle Imports

If you're in the market for Irish and Celtic merchandise in the Peoria area, Harp & Thistle Imports should be at the top of your list.
Located in Peoria Heights at 4605 Prospect Road, Harp & Thistle carries clothing, jewelry, gifts, china and more, including food such as cookies and tea. Looking for Guinness merchandise? They've got it!
Harp & Thistle will also have a booth at the upcoming Erin Feis on the Peoria Riverfront August 24-26.

The Bronze Frog

The Bronze Frog is a unique shop located in the strip mall at The Shoppes at Grand Prairie in Peoria, next to Cold Stone Creamery. There is also a Bloomington location at 105 Krispy Kreme Drive.
When I stopped here recently, I was pleasantly surprised to find several cute dresses made in the USA.
The shop also has many great gift ideas; fine stationery; wedding accessories; customized invitations; fun glassware and kitchenware; and offers cooking classes, some featuring Chef Kevin.

American Apparel Store

OK, this isn't local to Central Illinois, but I am excited about this! I have bought items from American Apparel before, because they manufacture items in the US, which is very hard to come by these days.
I have been looking for a new light jacket with a hood for quite some time, because I have to walk outside several times a day at my job, and you never know when an overcast day will turn into a downpour. I really wanted to find a jacket made in the US, or Canada, or even Europe or something.
Today, searching the web, I found that American Apparel has a jacket made in the US in three colors! I ordered one, and tossed in a sale tank top to qualify for free shipping. My order is on the way to our door as I type.
You can find American Apparel clothing locally at Von Maur in Bloomington.
Check out American Apparel's web site; you may spend a couple dollars more for your t-shirts (many, many colors), but they are made by Americans paid a decent wage, so I would think it's worth it. Plus, after you place your order, you get an e-mail from a real person's address, giving you the names of your customer service reps, should you have any questions.
Update: OK, the jacket is lighter than I expected, but it is nice. The T-shirts from American are very nice, as are the undergarments.

A Perfect Pear Boutique

I've recently discovered that boutique shops are a great place to find clothing and goods made right here in the USA. A Perfect Pear, 4544 North Prospect Road in Peoria Heights, is a great example. Here you can find unique clothing and accessories and you won't look just like the gal in the next cube. Sure, it might cost a little more, but it's worth it for the style, and for knowing that you're supporting your fellow Americans.
A Perfect Pear carries many great brands, like Laundry, Seven for All Mankind, Spanx and Juicy Couture.