Across the Cafe Table: What’s Your Favorite Shopping Find?

Welcome to Across the Cafe Table where every second Wednesday we ask a question and share our answers

This month’s question:

What’s your favorite shopping find from your travels?

Our answers here this month come to you from both Margo and Briana. We can’t wait to hear yours!

Margo’s answer:

Once again I stumped myself with my own question… How do I pick just one thing that is my favorite shopping find? Do I go with clothing, housewares or artwork? There are so many little things that I’ve enjoyed picking up here or there during my travels that it is very difficult to choose. But after much thought I chose a porcelain pitcher that has sat on our mantelpiece for almost 20 years.

The piece is from a small porcelain factory in the Lorraine Region of France located in the town of Longwy. Founded in 1798 the Longwy Faience factory has long been famous for its colorful and intricately detailed porcelain.

The signature look of the porcelain is “cloisonner,” meaning “wall.” The patterns are made with raised little “walls” that are then filled in with color. Longwy Faience made in the art nouveau style was very popular in France among the wealthy in the first half of the 20th century. In 1991 the styles were revamped and modernized, and best I can tell are still in production today.

Briana’s answer

When it comes to jewels, I’m not the type of girl that dreams of something sparkly from Tiffany’s. Instead, I tend to look for unique accessories at artisan markets, antique fairs and small boutiques. I enjoy exploring such places when traveling, because they’re often filled with locals, both shopping and selling. Plus, if I make a purchase, I leave with something new not only to jazz up an outfit, but also to serve as a reminder of the place I visited.

During my senior year of college, my girlfriends and I were determined to use our spring break to escape the snow of upstate New York, though the typical party-till-you-drop vacation didn’t appeal to us. In the end, we chose to spend our week in San Antonio, Texas, mainly because it was the cheapest, warm-weather-bound flight we could find.

Before we even touched down in Alamo City I had my sights set on turquoise jewelry. During the entire trip, I peeked into boutiques and strolled through markets searching for something nice yet inexpensive. One evening, we stopped into a generic-looking tourist shop, the kind with cheesy T-shirts and key chains. When I walked by the jewelry case, a simple silver and turquoise ring caught my eye. With no more than a minute’s hesitation, I handed over my credit card and slipped the ring on my finger.

Even though it was an impulse buy, it ended up being a great little investment. More than two years later, I still wear the ring all the time. It adds a touch of color to a LBD and also goes great with jeans and a cotton T-shirt. And every time I look down at the lovely blue oval, I’m reminded of all of the fun Lindsay, Jenny and I had on our unconventional spring break.

Now it’s your turn! Link below, being sure to link back here from your own site, and/or simply comment below… we want to know about one of your favorite travel shopping finds!