Sue's purchases and travels

 I love returning to Lancaster PA and my favorite  small shops.  If you head to Lancaster you have to check out Hammond's Pretzels.  No big factory here...just a small row home with a back building where a small group of workers hand twist pretzels for baking.  I always buy the "brokers"...those pretzels that didn't make it off the conveyer belt whole.  Best thing of all?  The pretzels, if you go on a weekday, are often warm.  What follows salty?  Sweet.  Miesses is a Lancaster Chocolate INSTITUTION that's been around since the 1800's.  They are in a new location now, on Water Street, but still have the same fabulous locally made chocolates.  Bonus...they are located next to a craft shop that features the work of disabled adults.  A great day, out with my sister, shopping local.  Pledge to shop local in your hometown..  If it happens to be in the DC area come see us!

Labels: Hammonds Pretzels, Holiday shops, Lancaster PA, Miesses, Olney Maryland, shop local, shop small, swedish gifts, Swedish linens

We landed in Stockholm, Sweden Thursday morning, a glorious Sunny day,  picked up our Volvo Station Wagon Rental, and immediately began our drive to Svenl Junga where we will be spending midsommer.  The trip is rather long (and we were quite jet lagged) so we planned an over night stop in Grenna Sweden.  We made a few stops along the way....especially when we saw the sign Loppis...which means Flea Market or Garage sale.  Our first stop was in Varberg where Peter made a b-line to System Bolaget (their state run liquor store) for some wine and I went to Myrona-a charity resale shop.  I found a few fun things there - a ceramic bird candle-holder, a piece of Quimper, and a great vintage Christmas cloth...among other things.  We also stopped in Nykopping-a charming town on the Baltic Sea. The gorgeous flowers that overflow from every planter and window box along the way makes me long for cooler temperatures at home so that we, too, could have  flowers that look like an ad for miracle gro!  We had a yummy Salmon lunch outdoors, did a little shopping and then hit the road again.  Peter...who is much better at sleeping on planes than am I was the designated driver for today's trip.  I mostly slept in the back seat with a promise by my "boys" to stop for all Loppis and Antik signs!  Next stop...Grenna!

Labels: Nykopping, Stockholm, Swedish Antiques, Swedish ceramic, Swedish linens, Varberg Sweden