Shopping & Services

From the reclaimed wood floors to the organic oils and balms, a massage at Spa Habitat is a luxurious way to go green. The spa uses recycled paper for paper products, organic cotton for linens, and Green Mountain Energy's wind power to fuel the operation. So it's easy to offset your guilt emissions at indulging in such a sybaritic pursuit—hey, by getting a massage here, you're helping the environment. A dimmed reception area with cushy chairs and curtains for privacy begins the relaxation. The warm aromas and even warmer rice packs used in the Green Peace Massage (the spa's most popular massage) take you all the way to limp-noodle state. As far as environmental action goes, this beats a protest any day.

In addition to being affordable, the earrings, bracelets and necklaces here strike the perfect balance between boho and glam. There are always some pieces to go along with the store's incense, embroidered Mexican shirts and flowing skirts—think thick wooden bracelets and strands of chunky beads from Nepal, for example—but there's no shortage of glitzier options, either. You can count on a wide selection of chandelier earrings of varying designs and with different shades of glass, along with simple freshwater pearls and a broad assortment of turquoise, gold and silver. If you're after something shinier and blingier, you'll likely find it in the other case, which on a recent visit displayed a pair of enormous rhinestone earrings made of concentric circles. And the best thing about all this? Rarely does one of the store's adornments cost more than $25.

You can't get much more eat-local than growing your own food in your own backyard or in containers on your apartment balcony. But how? Northhaven Gardens, a long-tenured plant nursery next to the Jewish Community Center just off Central Expressway, has taken on a kind of second persona as a center for urban sustainable gardening. They sell everything from the right plants to the right mulch for the plants, but they also do much more. They hold weekend seminars on urban chicken-tending, for example. These events invariably blossom into high-spirited country fairs for city people.

Housed in a big old-school building with a broad, wide-open lobby, this branch actually has enough employees to make the lines few and short. Not only do you get to skip a long wait, which is a rare treat in and of itself, but once you arrive at a podium—or if your transaction is more involved, an office—you can count on being served by someone who knows how to do a great job. We can't, of course, vouch for the integrity of the broader mega-bank—which ones can you trust in this day and age?—but the folks at this location definitely know how to make your banking experience less troublesome.

There are plenty of joints in Dallas with a healthy beer selection, but soda drinkers are lucky to have more than five or six choices at any given establishment. Not so at Oak Cliff's Soda Gallery, where you'll find more than 150 different types of soda, from ginger ales to colas to root beers (which accounts for nearly 30 varieties all by itself), shipped in from locales as far-flung as Amsterdam and Japan and as close as Dublin, Texas. Make your own six-pack or purchase by the case if you so desire—just keep your hands off the Cheerwine, 'cause we need our fix of North Carolina cherry-cola goodness. Check the Web site for information on the occasional art exhibits and burlesque performances that share the space too. After all, the only thing better than drinking a cold cream soda is sharing one with someone in pasties.

We're starting to feel like a broken record when we say it (Get it? Get it?), but there's a reason Good Records winds up winning this honor every year. Sure, the selection of vintage tunes at Arlington's Forever Young Records is incredible, and anyone who's ever combed the rack at CD Source can tell you how endearingly weird their staff can be. But Good Records has so firmly entrenched itself in the local music community at this point that it's simply impossible for us to think of any other store as the best in town. This year's Record Store Day celebration was the stuff dreams are made of, a family-friendly affair with performances by a slew of local bands and lots and lots of beer on hand. Sure, the cops pulled the plug on Erykah Badu's set because of noise complaints, but that's how all the best parties end anyway. Here's an idea for next year, boring old Lower Greenville residents—plan a vacation for April 17 if you don't like live music, and let Good Records and the rest of us have one day to party. We know you have to contend with plenty of "scum bars" on a regular basis, but this is different, we promise. Deal?

A piece of art large and bold enough to set the desired tone in the living room can be pricey indeed. That's why in these spare times we recommend checking out Urban Outfitters when you find yourself in a decorating pinch. There are large-scale paintings—granted, they're not original oils, but come on, don't be difficult—for $60 to $100, and they're pretty cool. A recent visit turned up canvases showing a bright green tree with broad, gnarled branches, black and white renderings of urban bridges, and a helter-skelter pile of books from a wacked-out vantage point. If you want to set off the colors in whatever piece you choose without making another stop, pick up some Indian-embroidered throw pillows to complement the art.

Secret confession: We hardly ever buy new clothes. Why would we when there are so many like-new castoffs on the racks at Salvation Army? OK, yes, you will have to sift through many stained gimme T-shirts to get to the good stuff, but if you have the stamina, you will be rewarded with top-notch designer items from Carmen Marc Valvo, Betsey Johnson, Escada and Elie Tahari (no promises, but we've found all those labels) and scads of quality mall brands such as Anthropologie and Banana Republic. Here's another secret: Go on Wednesdays, when all clothes are half off the marked price. Do the circuit (there are seven Salvation Army thrift stores in Dallas County), but start with the huge store at Harry Hines and Inwood. You can thank us when you have a whole new wardrobe by this time next week.

Like designer shoes and handbags, the price of fashionable eyeglass frames is out of sight. Except at this tiny shop, where 3,500 sample frames crowd the walls and counters. Don't waste time browsing. The owner, Arman, knows his products and people so well, he can pick out the three best choices for any face shape (and budget). Prices range from the twofer special at around $50, to the top-of-the-line designer brands that he'll sell at a deep discount (for a promise of return business and maybe a minute or two of his video about the Baha'i faith). At the end of every sale, Arman says a loud "Hallelujah!" We'll second that.

Feeling a bit peckish, like John Cleese in the Monty Python cheese shop sketch? You won't go away hungry from Molto Formaggio, where the well-informed salesfolk are happy to provide nibbles of anything in the joint, even the expensive truffle-ribboned delicacies from France. With almost as many American artisanal cheeses as imports, the shop is tops, way beyond even the big-box store gourmet cases. They'll do wine and cheese pairings, party trays and gift baskets. Once a month they throw a tasting party. For $35 you nosh and slurp for a couple of hours, then go home with a bottle of featured wine and a pound of cheese. Pure heaven for the lactose tolerant.

King Sauna is a trip to another country—but you don't have to bring a passport or sit on an airplane for hours. At this Korean jjim-jil-bang sauna, rooms ranging from cold (the ice room) to extremely hot (the fire sudatorium) help you sweat and relax. Americans may not normally equate sweating with relaxation, but if you just surrender to it, the heat soothes aches and leaves you feeling peaceful. Hot tubs, including a tea-tinged one and a powerful jetted tub, relax you further, and a cold plunge pool (64 degrees when we were there), is a bracing refreshment. For extra stimulation (and for an extra fee), get a percussive massage or a vigorous body scrub. Don't be surprised to see other spa visitors sleeping in the movie theater (yes, there's a movie theater) or in the common areas; in Korea, these types of spas are used as a kind of hostel for traveling families. In fact, your $18 entry fee gets you in for 24 hours, so sleep there if you like—bet it's the cheapest day you've ever spent in another culture.

Jason Cohen, founder of Forbidden Books and Video and Forbidden Gallery, and his mother, longtime antiques dealer Terry Cohen, have conspired to create a store that somehow combines the best funkiness of South Congress Avenue in Austin, the punkness of Deep Ellum five years ago and the antiques treasure-hunting quality of Knox-Henderson 10 years ago. It's all there now plus the store's own ineffable quality of surprise and whimsy—cattle skulls, doll parts, vintage signs, graveyard ornaments, decorated gourds, tables, chairs, hair. You name it. Curiosities. Tons of 'em.

When Diana Thatcher's garden art and gift store across from the Dallas Arboretum simply wasn't turning a profit, she did what anyone else would have done: relocate to the Lakewood Shopping Center and focus her efforts on selling jewelry-making accessories and teaching classes. OK, so her plan was hardly conventional, but thinking outside the box turned Thatcher's hobby and passion into a strong business that's been able to hold its ground while battling tough economic times. How does she do it? By stocking the most sought-after items—including Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls—and teaching classes on Fridays and Saturdays that are almost always filled up.

Shopping got you down? It's hard sometimes—finding the right outfit, the right fit. Don't even mention accessories and shoes. Good thing Zoë La Rose's mine. has our back. The clean white boutique has flattering lighting, good mirrors and clothes that make a girl feel good. Flirty tops and feminine jackets pair oh-so chicly with dark denim. Strappy heels and a skinny pant balance out a drapey cardigan perfect for belting—or leaving loose—over a white tank. But the best part of mine. is the service. Oh sure, the humans are great help, but we're talking Chi Chi the pug. She welcomes at the door and gives an approving snort here and there. It may be coincidence, but the pink-collared pup seems to have an eye for style. And, well, somehow it's easier to justify an unnecessary shopping spree if Chi Chi wiggles her tail while the receipt prints.

For the uninsured, finding affordable eye exam docs is often like running up a blind alley. Then we found Dr. Rodney B. Schpok, a reasonably priced ($79 per exam) optometrist who is quick, efficient and surprisingly funny. Clicking through the lenses as you peer at the eye chart, the Woody Allen-esque doc never stops with the quips. "Let's try the left one now," he says, switching from one eye to the other. "And that's also the name of my upcoming autobiography." Here's a guy who sees through the glass(es) lightly.

Luit and Jamie Huizenga's Cebolla may have the accommodating staff of your basic neighborhood flower shop, but it's so much more than that. The husband- and wife-run flower emporium offers not only dynamic, elegant and artistic floral arrangements, but also a variety of living plants, succulents and, when the season is right, unique gifts like monarch butterfly chrysalises that will eventually hatch, shake out their wings and fly. For more than a decade, Cebolla has provided a chic and inventive take on the time-tested floral gift, but this fall, the Huizengas are growing their endeavors with the opening of an expansive Maple Avenue location that will feature a greenhouse for blooms grown on location, fresh-cut and bulk flowers, space for event and wedding consultations and even antique furniture.

In addition to high-end bath soap and jewelry, this store has a huge array of greeting cards. There are walls of birthday and holiday cards and a wide selection of artistic, hand-made blank ones. Our favorites are from the "A Little Piece of Art" line by Constance Kay Inc., which include black ink zebras and Victorian portraits with famous quotes, as well as handmade paper designs and bright paper cutouts. On one entire wall covered with friendship and love-themed cards, the spectrum goes from poignant—two little birds sitting in a tree with the message, "I'm so glad we found each other"—to humorous—"We had a lot in common. I was in love with him and he was in love with himself." Nearby was a hilarious combination: A bright "Happy Anniversary" card next to one that read, "You're finally divorced—Let the experimental sex begin. Congrats on a new start."

People drive in from Richardson and Oak Cliff just to come to the NewFlower Farmers Market that opened in a long-empty space on Henderson Avenue. Sure, it's popular because of "double ad Wednesdays" when the weekly sales overlap for twice as many deals. Of course people love saving money on many of the same food products that Whole Foods and Central Market stock. But what makes NewFlower our favorite health food store is the bulk offerings, healthy recipe suggestions/grocery list shopping guides, and nutrition blog online. Plus, the supplement and personal care sections have some easily coveted organic and all-natural products (Collective Wellbeing, Kiss My Face, Original Sprouts and others) that share that same "less expensive" characteristic as the food departments. Most important, though? It's easy to lose time in NewFlower because it's fun to shop there, and last we checked, for many people getting healthy doesn't equate with fun. NewFlower makes the challenge less daunting.

We're locals, so, really, who are we to judge? Last we heard the best hotel in town was the convention center hotel for which groundbreaking was held, oh, days ago. No, but seriously: Earlier this summer we actually spent a free Saturday exploring Dallas' hostelries just for kicks; took us all of 13 seconds in the lobby—what with that storybook-sized gear and Warhol chair and luxurious glow—for us to realize that, yeah, this could be our home-away-from. Then, of course, there's the rooftop: Have you ever seen Dallas from a chlorinated, cantilevered pool that lets it all hang out over the rooftop's edge? Then you haven't lived (the high life, at least). As for the rooms: spacious and spiffy, high-def and wired for sound and modern-comfy in a way the W only wishes it could be. Just don't ask for The Pacman Suite, and you'll be cool. And, yes, readers, you're right: We love the Belmont too. We're just not hip enough to stay there. But best view of downtown ever.

On the Wine Trail is local in the sense that blog-master, Alfonso Cevola, lives in Dallas and mentions local themes and places once in a while. But Cevola is also something of an international authority. A lifelong wine seller whose mom's mom came from Calabria at the toe of the Italian boot, just across from Sicily, Cevola can tell you all about things like the tension within the Calabrian wine world over strictly regional tastes versus a more international mix of grapes. If you were real lucky, you could get this kind of stuff from him in person any Saturday morning when he might happen to drop into Jimmy's Market in East Dallas for some wine schmoozing. But the blog is the more reliable place. A salesman for Glazer's Wholesale Distribution in Dallas, Cevola has watched Dallas' wine palate develop over 30 years. Asked what the big new thing is in these times, he said, "Wine under $15." He's got the skinny.

Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS shoes after a visit to Argentina in 2006: For every pair of shoes sold to a customer in the United States, TOMS donates a pair to a needy kid somewhere in the world. So far TOMS has given away 140,000 pairs to shoeless kids. All of the Southwest Region Whole Foods stores are offering a line of TOMS shoes—simple but cool canvas slip-ons with plastic soles. They cost $49.99 each—not bad, compared with similar products in shoe stores. The line includes subtle variations in style and colors from taupe to faded red and blue. If nothing else, it's a way to indulge your shoe habit and do some good in the process.

Any douche can ask, "Wanna go to the movies?" It takes a slightly more thoughtful guy (or gal) to change the old date routine into something a little more interesting—like a Saturday afternoon "movie" date at the Museum of Nature & Science. For just $7 apiece, you and your date can catch a short film in the museum's hemispherical IMAX theater, an all-enveloping experience, no matter whether the flick is about the ocean or the mountains. (Plus, it's a great way to start a conversation about a romantic getaway to Fiji or Steamboat Springs.) Just another $3.50 each will get you into the planetarium for an opportunity to hold hands (or if you're lucky, get to second base) under the simulated stars.

Countless critically acclaimed films have made their debuts at the Angelika throughout the years, making it the favorite theater for movie buffs anxious to see the latest Oscar-caliber flick. And while it has the reputation for being more of a specialty and independent film house, it's not afraid to mix in a few movies for mass consumption like Bruno, which is part of why we like the Angelika so much—it's not a snobatorium. And because it's at Mockingbird Station, parking is a breeze and access to shops and restaurants to kill time before and after shows is all within walking distance. Luxury stadium seating, digital sound and a café featuring beer, wine and desserts all create the city's best place to catch a movie, hands down.

Remington has been shooting pictures for a decade, but only in the past two years has he debuted as a professional, making a living showing and selling his unique brand of photography. Mostly surreal landscapes or urban scenes and close-ups of natural objects, his images are often manipulated through long exposures or digital techniques that bring out phantasmagorical colors. His 2009 exhibit at Cathedral of Hope was aptly named Ethereality, but don't be fooled—the beautiful images aren't at all too bizarre for tasteful display. From his vibrant, large-scale orchids to his bright green landscapes and creatively composed architectural shots, Remington's work would transform any space into a welcoming enchantment. His work can be found at Rising Gallery or viewed through a private showing.

East of NorthPark is the easy-to-access, fun-to-shop collection of new stores that offer lots of fashion options for the non-petite woman. While the mall's biggest retailers have taken women's sizes 14-up off their selling floors, Nordstrom Rack has a huge selection of curvy-girl couture at markdown prices. The discount arm of the Seattle-based retailer also is the best place to find size 9, 10 and 11 ladies' shoes on deep discount (seriously, new Cole Haans for $40). Directly across the street in this five-block center is ladies' retailer Lane Bryant, which carries sizes into the 20s, plus the Cacique line of lingerie. Coming soon to the $750 million Park Lane project is Old Navy, which also carries a variety of women's sizes. At least in this shop-to-drop arena, it's hip to have hips.

Sure etsy.com—the online boutique community for crafters, jewelry designers, knitters, tailors, bookbinders, vintage sellers and collectors of everything—is a surefire way to kill an afternoon and build up a wish list, but an Etsy Dallas event is even better. Prices are great, the craftsmanship is fantastic, it feels good to support local crafters and you'll still cover everyone on any gift list you might have for the next two years. But the downside is you'll also empty your bank account with little to no effort without some preventive measures. We have a friend keep us from purchasing on the first lap through the show. We spend only cash (even if a booth takes cards). And we buy no more than we can carry on our own person. It's hard, but, well, you gotta leave something for the rest of the shoppers to look at. On the other hand, screw everyone else, retail therapy rocks! The Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash takes place November 21 at Sons of Hermann Hall. Sharp elbows stimulate the economy, people. 

Organic is the least of it for Tom Spicer. He won't sell a tomato, an onion or a potato if it doesn't have the right terroir, a vintner's term for the flavor and quality imparted to the grape by the place where it is cultivated. Who knew potatoes could have terroir? "I taste things down at the farmers market, and I have a bad taste in my mouth for a week," he said, referring to produce that is quick-grown with chemicals. He chooses only produce that tastes of the good Earth, some of which he grows himself on a plot behind his store. He also develops suppliers among small regional farms. Cool place. Staff includes chef Cole Kelly. Spicer's sister is famous New Orleans chef and author Susan Spicer.

The folks at Hold Fast are simply the best skin pokers in town, developing a stellar reputation for offering a variety of kick-ass bling, a clean environment, a relaxing atmosphere and the always necessary steady hand. Getting your piercing in a naughty place? They have massage tables for your comfort. If you're putting it somewhere stupid, they're not shy about letting you know. And they're also one of the best tattoo parlors in town. So the next time you've had one too many and get impulsive, know that all that honesty, expertise and comfort also comes at a fair price.

Summer is over, and you no longer have to exercise to fit into that itty-bitty bikini or Speedo. Whoa, not so fast. This is Texas, remember? It's pretty much summer up until Thanksgiving, and you still need to look somewhat good in your revealing summer clothing. This is where the trainers at Private Workout come in. These pros are here to help you every step of the way to keep or develop a toned body. Private Workout has individual rooms set up so you don't have to deal with the usual gym noise, or people circling around your machine waiting for you to be done. You actually get to do your crunches in peace. You will be leaving this place out of breath and sweating like you just spent the last hour in a sauna, but it's all for a good cause.

Sundays are usually the day of the week people pick to do around-the-house chores or just be lazy on the couch while watching Lifetime movies. Why not leave your home and stretch your legs before you are stuck in a cubicle for the next five days at work? The Half Price Books off Northwest Highway is the perfect solution for that. Well, of course they have books, being a bookstore and all, but they also have a used records section that you could easily spend hours rummaging through. If you are low on cash or just not feeling the current books you have, then you can sell them back to Half Price for some dinero. Black Forest Coffee is also attached, so you can enjoy an Americano while reading The Secret Conversations of Henry Kissinger.

Pfft. The Mrs. just doesn't get it. Why would anyone want a ginormous, wooden scale model of HMS Surprise, the ship featured in novelist Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander series? she asks. That feather-light, radio-controlled indoor airplane? You'll just break it, she says. Doesn't she know by now that tin soldiers, RC helicopters, model rockets and superfast RC cars...these are not things a man wants. He needs them the way a woman needs shoes. Pleeeeease? Don't you know us by now? Apparently, she does. But never mind. Someday our ship will come in and we'll be here, in the coolest big-boy toy store in DFW, credit card in one hand and a Christmas list as long as our arm in the other. In the meantime, you'll find us here on any given weekend, our face pressed against the Surprise's glass case, a bit of drool leaking from the corner of our mouth as we dream of sailing or flying or zipping away in our model life.

Olympic gold medalist and UT-Austin swim star Ian Crocker and his partners, Olympic and National Champs Neil Walker and James Fike, opened their swim school at the swanky new indoor pool facility in Rockwall this summer. In the first week, they had 150 kids—second-graders to high school students—trying out for club teams and signing up for pre-competitive coaching and one-on-one lessons. These clean-cut swim veterans aren't the whistle-blowing hard-core types. They're gentle with the kids and are dedicated to creating strong young swimmers with great form and a love of the sport. The Crocker Swim School also gives back 5 percent of their earnings to community charities. Way to make a positive splash, guys.

If you're looking to save a few bucks on a haircut, stop reading right now. The Johnny Rodriguez Salon doesn't boast about providing low-cost styles and cuts, instead focusing on being the best while catering to the needs of its upscale Highland Park clientele. Before the snipping begins, a consultant assists in identifying a hairstyle that represents each person's lifestyle, needs and goals. Need some coloring? Colorist Brian Thibodeaux is not only the best in the biz, but his lively conversations will keep you coming back.

Become a human pincushion to lose weight? Why not? Dr. Mark Currington, whose office is an oasis of calm, has a sure hand with those hair-thin needles, inserting each one quickly into energy points up and down the body. Acupuncture for weight loss is a painless (if controversial) procedure that involves wearing a tiny pin pierced through ear cartilage, plus a series of once-a-week needle sticks. "It's drug-free and the only side effect is better health," says Currington, a chiropractor who also does traditional spinal adjustments. We'd be skeptics if it weren't for 5,000 years of Chinese medicine and our own experience. Six weeks of acu-punking, plus the regimen of vitamins and supplements Currington recommended (he never does a hard sell, which is also a healthy approach) turned down the volume on the hunger monster and 20 pounds simply melted away.

Any tanning salon site that grabs your attention by comparing you to that famous friendly ghost must be worth looking at. Park Cities Tan must know this, because the first thing you see on their site is "Hey Casper!" After that, you look at yourself in the mirror and start to notice you are quite pale, almost transparent. Then you see that they have been open for the past 24 years, so something must be working for them. Ten minutes later you are a new customer and on your way to a bronze-looking future. With this tanning place, it's all about the bulb-changing process in their beds. They switch them out frequently, which means stronger bulbs, darker tans, fewer trips and less money.

It's hard to believe that a simple concept like the Buffalo Exchange, where customers can buy, sell and trade clothing and accessories, needed to be imported from someplace else, but the city's best thrift store was born from Kerstin and Spencer Block, who opened their first store 35 years ago in Tucson, Arizona. Now with 35 stores and two franchises in 13 states, business is booming, and it's easy to see why. Focusing on selling only trendy and vintage fashions, Buffalo Exchange offers patrons a wide array of T-shirts, dresses, shoes, belts, purses and jewelry to suit every size and budget. The store is meticulously organized, and its upfront policy on accepting items is appreciated. If you want to take the money and run, you'll get 35 percent of what they'll price it at, and if you want to swap it for something else, they'll hand over 50 percent of the price in store credit.

Kidrobot—it's just a toy store, right? And a pretty lame one at that, considering that the store's flagship product, the Munny, is nothing but a blank, 7-inch-tall, white vinyl doll that will cost you $29.95 to customize on your own. Uh, not so much. If that's all Kidrobot was, there wouldn't have been a line 400 hipsters long waiting outside the store's door on its grand opening. Just the fifth Kidrobot store in the world—New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami boast its only other homes—the Dallas location is no bigger than a cubicle deep and eight cubicles wide, in office worker terms, or big enough to fit only 20 customers at a time, meaning some customers waited almost four hours just to get in the place. Yep, Kidrobot's just a toy store, not a sign that Dallas might be getting a little bit cooler.

Having trained more than 300 women in his women-only boot camp fitness groups over the past few years, Dallas trainer and entrepreneur Scott Colby knows what works and what works quickly to get ladies in shape. Nicknamed "The Abs Expert," Colby has a no-nonsense but still decidedly laid-back approach. He lays out each day's one-hour routine (using kettlebells, medicine balls and sometimes sledgehammers) and puts the women through their paces with no yelling, no grunting and no put-downs. He's a gentleman, keeping a respectful attitude around all the sweaty Bettys. With a hurting economy hurting his biz, Colby recently instituted a "first two weeks free" program for all new clients, and he offers a free workout for men and women every Saturday morning at the SMU track bleachers. Nice to find a trainer whose strongest muscle is his heart.

We always admired (sometimes in shocked amazement) the bold fashion choices of Carrie Bradshaw. She taught us (along with Sex and the City stylist Patricia Field) the subtle art of combining vintage and contemporary styles. The show has been off the air for five years, fashion has moved on and we've found a new Kerry to admire—Kerry Bonnell of Archive Vintage. Her charming store on Maple Avenue looks more like a high-end boutique than a typical vintage store: no overcrowded racks or musty, sweat-stained garments here, just lots of high-quality, immaculate-condition couture. While perusing the tidy racks, we gently stroked a Chanel suit, a Halston ultrasuede dress and an Alaia leather overcoat. But for those who can't drop four figures on a fabulous frock, Archive's newly opened Back Room has more traditional vintage fare: denim jackets, tooled leather belts and bags, and rock show T's. Either way you go—haute or not—Archive will remind you that decades-old clothing can be decidedly au courant.

The first time we tried to find this place, we gave up. But on our second attempt, we were glad we had persevered. For knitters, crocheters and other fiber crafters, welcome to heaven. This darling cottage is stuffed full of charming displays (such as an old mail sorter and a china cabinet) stacked with sumptuous yarns. If you've never purchased yarn outside of a big-box craft store, boy, you are in for a treat. The Shabby Sheep stocks yarns you'll never find at the hobby chain, including alpaca, silk, mohair, linen, cashmere and, of course, wool. Our favorites included the kettle-dyed Manos del Uruguay line and the soft but sturdy Blue Sky Alpaca. With weights from wispy to dreadlocked, and accessories such as wooden knitting needles and gorgeous bags by Namaste, you may need to take up knitting full-time to use all the goodies you're bound to buy.

Web extra: Take a video tour of Henderson Avenue development with Marc and Roger Andres.

It seems so damn Dallas: I'm with the Andres brothers, Marc and Roger, and they've agreed to give me a brief tour of their holdings on Henderson Avenue—one of the more walkable neighborhoods in the city—and we are driving.

We have just finished a lengthy interview on the second-floor offices of Andres Properties, conveniently located at a midway point on the 1.1-mile narrow strip of tree-lined street that connects the 35 restaurant and retail properties they own, developed, lease and love. The street contains some of the trendiest scene-driven restaurants in Dallas—Park, The Porch, Soley! Sushi Axiom—and some of the busiest neighborhood bars—Old Monk, Capitol Pub. But it's late August. It's ridiculously hot. Getting out of the heat and into a car is as natural in Texas as gas. Like other sectors of the economy, commercial real estate in Dallas has taken a beating. Hillwood turned over the keys to its Victory Park development to German investors, occupancy rates at shopping malls are plummeting and restaurant closures fill the entries of food bloggers.

Yet the Andres brothers, who own about 80 percent of the retail and restaurant space on Henderson, say they rarely lose tenants, and they project that in 2009 the street should do $60 million in sales, up from $10 million just three years ago. "Last Saturday and Sunday, we had 14 calls on our voicemail of people wanting to get on Henderson Avenue," Marc said earlier. "A lot of people want to be in this area."

I pepper them with the same line of questioning: Why Henderson? Why now? Why them? They seem uncomfortable answering, getting all modest on me, and saying that none of this could have been possible without a confluence of contributors: restaurateur Tristan Simon for one, who took a risk in 2000 by opening Cuba Libre (not Andres property) on Henderson Avenue, which was still a transitional neighborhood. He followed with two nightclubs and four restaurants, including Fireside Pies (2004) and The Porch (2007) on property leased from the brothers. Blake Pogue of Phoenix Property Company was also a game-changer. In 1999, he began building apartments and condos in the surrounding neighborhood, offering restaurants and retail, both existing and prospective, some much-needed density so people could live where they played.

But isn't that integral to their success—the new urbanism concept of walkability? Singles and couples without children, attracted to housing close to downtown rather than the suburbs, coming home from work, strolling to dinner, drinking a beer on the patio of their favorite neighborhood bar, no cars—and no cares about getting a DWI.

The Andres brothers tell me that yes, walkability was exactly what they were going for, only they didn't know it when they started because the term hadn't been coined yet.

What they did know from the time they were young boys was Henderson Avenue. They drove up and down the street with their father, tagging along as he met with tenants of the income-producing property he owned. Until the 1970s, their father had run a family grocery business on the outskirts of downtown, which closed when the city condemned the property to build Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Then he plunged himself into the real estate business full-time, buying property housing mom-and-pop shops, 7-Elevens, gas stations—many along Lemmon and McKinney Avenues, Lower Greenville and Henderson.

In the mid-'80s, Marc and Roger joined their father's business. While many of their real estate friends focused on the new, developing "primary corners" of shopping centers and leasing to national credit tenants such as the Gap, what excited them, they say, was stripping their father's properties down to their 1920s selves and making them look new again.

"We wanted everything to remain organic. For the most part, everything would be brick and natural materials," Marc stresses. "We didn't want a Starbucks on Henderson, or a Brinker concept like Chili's, something you could see on any corner of the city. We wanted everything on Henderson to be one-of-a-kind."

From revenue generated by selling their holdings in the Bishop Arts District, they purchased more property on Henderson and by September 2006 had gained a critical mass of land that enabled them to control development on the street. "Everything we do is intentional," Marc says. "We strategically slot the tenants, and we don't do conflicting uses. You won't find two yogurt shops on the same block, or two Italian restaurants. If we don't have the right tenant, then the space will stay vacant until the right one comes along."

It seems to be working. On our little tour after we finally get out of the car, the Andres brothers aren't just recognized by their tenants, they're celebrated by them. Valet parkers go out of their way to make eye contact and wave. Operators at Sushi Axiom, Veritas (a wine bar) and Urbino (pizza and pasta) extend hearty handshakes.

"The Andres Brothers are on the street all the time—they are very involved participants," says Brooks Anderson, who owns Veritas with his brother Bradley. "When you see all the crowded patios on a Friday or Saturday night, the eclectic crowd, the energy, you know they have cobbled this thing together in the right way."

Though the density from the nearby apartments isn't where they want it yet and they suffered a setback when a neighborhood group beat back their efforts to transform a former Hispanic grocery store into a mixed-use development that included 250 apartments, there remains an undeniable momentum to Henderson Avenue that appears to defy economic slumps and bumps. There's also a feel to the street that it is authentic, almost soulful, a sentiment that the Andres brothers are not just helping build a sense of community, but a community outright.

"Ten years ago, if you saw a girl running down Henderson, someone was chasing her," Roger says. "Now she is jogging. Now every morning when we come to work, there are people walking their dogs, cyclists having coffee at the Pearl Cup and joggers. It's pretty unbelievable." Mark Donald

Tucked away in the back of the Forestwood Antique Mall at the corner of Forest Lane and Inwood Road, there's a piece of antique jewelry you or your spouse surely can't live without. Whether it's something with a sapphire, ruby or emerald surrounded by platinum, gold or silver, Village Goldsmith has a unique piece to fit the bill. Does a breathtaking platinum ring from the early 1900s with a diamond flanked by smaller diamonds and French-cut sapphires interest you? Or how about a handmade gold necklace with amethysts and small pearls? A great selection of estate jewelry at fair prices with great customer service and onsite repair—now that's something both you and your significant other can appreciate.

For a facility established in 1978, Art Restorations Inc. is as spry as ever. Owner Cher Goodson and her staff of conservators face each new project—whether restoring a painting centuries old, or a Lladro figurine—with energy and excitement that puts the client at ease and makes them feel like their piece is the most important one on the table. With specialists in wood, paintings, clocks, metal, decorative objects and more, there's not much ARI can't help. But these art doctors don't just deal in the expensive; they are happy to tackle the sentimental as well. We turned over a Maori greenstone pendant that had sadly broken in two and without scoffing at our superglue band-aid, one conservator made it right without as much as a visible seam. Granny's broken porcelain isn't a problem either. Poppy's cuckoo clock? It can live on. Making the old new again? ARI can do it.

If you're cool with using the men's bathroom at your favorite dive bar, then you're probably willing to shear your locks at a local barbershop. Floyd's 99 Barbershop isn't just some hole in the wall but part of a cool chain across the country with more than 40 locations. Magazine cutouts and music posters are standard wall decoration. And barbers and cosmetologists with tattoos and bright-colored Mohawks are the norm. The West Village location sees about three women to every 10 male customers. The stylists are then happy to give those brave females a smart cut for just $27.

Sure, the city of West isn't exactly a suburb, but if you're like us, you pass through at least a few times a year en route to Austin, San Antonio or beyond. A few miles past the world-famous Czech Stop you'll find the Style Station, located on the southbound side in an old building surrounded by rusty old gas pumps and broken-down cars. Owners Art and Rebecca DeVitalis have stocked the joint to the rafters with vintage Western wear and assorted other '60s and '70s attire--all for half the price you'd pay in a high-falutin' big-city vintage store. (Need a cool vintage cowboy hat for less than $20? This is your best bet.) Perhaps the best part of visiting Style Station is listening to Art's breathless retellings of his various run-ins with Texas music royalty, whether it's the story about playing bass in Augie Myers' band or the one about his friend kicking Jerry Jeff Walker's ass. (You know he had it coming, right?)

Lisa Nguyen is a small woman of Native American and Asian descent obsessed with hair removal. She waxes her entire face because peach fuzz "is not cute," she says. Not that she's going to judge you if you decide to keep those tiny hairs that maybe serve a kind of evolutionary purpose. But if you want passion, then you should meet Lisa. She's not a subtle waxer, however. Expect people to notice that your eyebrows look "professionally done." Most women don't have a problem with that. If you do, try someplace else. Also there is a second Salon Pompeo location on McKinney Avenue.

Discovering something uniquely cool or fun is exactly what the spirit of shopping at flea markets is all about, and the place with the hippest junk in town is easily Junkadoodle. Owners Bettyann Nugent and her brother Jimmy Henley are dedicated to cramming as many funky items under one roof as possible, with the overflow such as patio furniture pouring into the side yard. Everything from restored chairs, offbeat art, curtains, religious items, light fixtures and guitars can be found among the décor highlighted by pink flamingos. And if they don't have it, Nugent and Henley will hunt it down for you. It's a cool and quirky place to save some dough and have a ball.

We don't have to always buy new new things. We don't have to throw out perfectly good furniture just because it has a stain on it or some ugly piping. We can appreciate the good bones of an old sofa; see the potential in a ripped vinyl chair. Together with Leslie Pritchard, proprietor of Again & Again, we can do it. Stop wasting money and perfectly good furniture, people. Visit the little house on Bonita and Henderson Avenues and take a gamble on a vintage gem. Buy it for less than a new piece, take it home as-is and get creative, or pay a bit more and arrange with Pritchard and her crew to have it stripped of past indiscretions, restuffed, recovered and reborn. Pritchard is known among regular patrons and the city's designers for searching out quality pieces from the past...quality pieces that will, no doubt, last much longer than something flat-packed that assembles with an Allen wrench.

Central Market is a Texas conceit. It's huge and has a personality all its own. A regular grocery store is organized by aisles (dry pasta in aisle 10, anyone?) But here you have to wind around corners and mosey from the produce section to probably the best beer selection in Dallas. From the bulk sale of granola to coffee beans, this is a store that's all about you. You choose what you want. Central Market also dresses up the usually terrible experience of shopping by highlighting the week's "foodie finds," which are like staff picks at a local bookstore.

If there were a sliding scale for store clerk helpfulness, big-box stores would be at the bottom, of course. ("What? Me a sales person? Nah. I just wear this uniform because it's cool-looking.") And Lakewood Hardware would be at the top. The owner/proprietor, Khandoo Nagar, and his two top sales people, Scott and Kevin, have a century of hardware experience between them. But that's maybe the least of it. You walk in this place holding a whatchamacallit before you in one hand like a talisman. A salesperson drifts forward wordlessly, takes it from your fingers, studies it closely, then leads you to exactly the thing you need to fix your problem. It's a good place to visit even when you don't need anything, just to remind yourself how the basic retail customer service model was supposed to work.

The allure of the dollhouse is apparent: A place where the dollhouse owner can carefully control the environment and actions of each doll, building an entire fantasy world with no outside influences or real-life repercussions. Also, tiny stuff just looks cool. Whether you're staging a complicated sociological drama with your dolls or simply creating your dream house, a visit to Through the Keyhole is a necessity. The shop is crammed full of miniatures in every category: food, bedding, decor, furniture, textiles, lighting and more. If you're starting from scratch, Through the Keyhole can also outfit you with an empty dollhouse or a dollhouse kit. You may feel like a powerful giant as you hold a ceramic plate on your fingertip or squint at a small-scale newspaper, but just be a benevolent dictator to your dolls, OK?

When owner Fleetwood Hicks and operations director Harvey Herr opened Fleetwood's Kit Kat across the street from SMU in February, business was expectedly slow. But as spring came and word-of-mouth spread, the two knew the beginning of something special was afoot. Specializing only in cruiser bikes, which Herr calls "the ultimate urban bike," Fleetwood's made a breakthrough when they started mixing parts, allowing customers to fully customize their bikes. And for those looking to rent a bike for a day on the Katy Trail, they offer rentals at only $15 for the first hour and $5 for each additional hour. Hicks claims he's already one of the largest cruiser dealers in the Southwest, and with a new Web site on the way, he'll be selling bikes nationwide by the end of the year.

Don't take our word for it. Go to www.dannahscolors.com/Dannahscolors/Stewpot_Artists/Stewpot_Artists.html and take a look at some of the work being offered by artists in the Stewpot mission's Open Art Studio program for homeless artists. Some of the artists at the Stewpot, a feeding mission for the homeless downtown, produce very "outside" paintings and sculpture—primitive untrained work—but you will also find more sophisticated pieces, well worth the asking prices. The program is a form of art therapy for the three dozen or so street people who take part. Their work offers a powerful window on their world for the rest of us—sometimes beautiful, sometimes painful, always intriguing. To see it, call Cynthia Brannum at the number above or look for upcoming events in the Bishop Arts District or at the downtown Central Library.

If we die and go to heaven—hey, it could happen—we don't want a harp, wings or an angelic choir singing hallelujah. Nope, our idea of bliss is a never-ending summer's day and us, 40 pounds lighter in tailored clothes. We're forever zipping about on a scooter around a gushing fountain with a gorgeous, black-haired, olive-skinned girl riding sidesaddle behind, the wind whipping the hem of her designer dress. "Ciao," we'd say to all the picturesque children splashing in the fountain, giving them that cool Italian backhanded wave. We may never make it to heaven, but we can at least get one step closer with a stop at Vespa Dallas, purveyor of all things smart, stylish and scooter-ish. Their showroom floor, lined with a complete variety of imported Vespa, Piaggio, Genuine and Aprilia bikes is as colorful as a box of jellybeans and just as mouthwatering. (Plus, they finance.) There's a full line of accessories, from helmets and racks to leathers to custom Louis Vuitton seats, plus clothing and caps. Their repair shop around the corner on University Boulevard can add all the special touches you need to trick out your ride and begin living the la dolce vita—with the possible exception of Sophia Loren. Her, you'll have to find on your own.

This store is strictly for men, though we recommend it highly to any woman who has tired of her man's old, threadbare boxer briefs that, having been washed thousands of times, scream for a spicier set of replacements. There's everything from your basic navy and white briefs and boxers to Speedo-style designs covered in hotdogs, roosters or superheroes. You can also opt for a risqué lace-up swimsuit or briefs covered with the American flag. And of course, there's the underwear with the requisite flamethrower front and center. A friend, while showering praise on the shop, says he has only one complaint. "It's clearly the best place to buy underwear," he said. "Now, if I could just stop leaving them at people's houses."

Hundreds of rustic clay pots are stacked high into the sky at the Amigos Pottery outdoor lot near the farmers market. Owners Benito and Elsa Reyna have been selling pots, fountains, talavera (the colorful hand-painted ceramics), outdoor statues, mirrors and even margarita glasses for 12 years at that spot. They also have a location in Plano. Mostly they sell to designers, landscapers and apartment complexes, but individuals also brave the heat for the good deals. The Reynas own the factory that produces the rustic pottery in Tonala, Mexico, so the cost stays low. They sell everything from a five-tiered garden fountain for $1,000 to a small pot for a house plant for under $10.

Some of the simplest toys are the most enduring. From the "Automatic Binding Brick" developed in 1949 to the sophisticated Technic and Mindstorms products available now, Lego has unleashed the imaginations of several generations of kids and adults. Likewise, the new Lego store at NorthPark entrances li'l ones and big ones. Pose with the store display (recently, a life-sized Indiana Jones, complete with translucent-Lego "crystal skull") or marvel at the wall of pick-a-bricks, 60 bins holding Lego bricks and components in a wide array of colors and sizes. With prices ranging from impulse (a simple starter set for $15) to car payment (the Mindstorms NXT robotics set for $279), imaginative builders of all ages will find a way to blow a little cash.

What, do people not replace their laces any more? The lace breaks, so they throw the shoes away? Must be, because it's impossible to find a good selection of replacement laces. You wind up prowling the aisles of a Tom Thumb grocery store, where two out of three clerks don't even know what laces are. The answer to your shoe lace prayers, then, is Cobblestone—a full-service shoe repair store that even smells like shoe glue. Ahh, what a wonderful aroma, better than the pines of Canada. They have half a wall of laces—everything from dress laces in leather and cloth, casual laces and all kinds of boot and athletic laces. Where else could you get white leather laces? Plus, the guys behind the counter can tell you things like how to clean up a spot on a suede shoe.

Whether you're catching a movie at the Angelika Theater, grabbing a meal or visiting one of the other stores at Mockingbird Station, you're likely to have some spare time on your hands. This is where Francesca's Collections comes in handy. It's the perfect place for a gal to do some quick shopping or for a guy to buy his date an impromptu gift. Heck, he'll score points just for taking her in there for some window shopping, where Francesca's features some of the most stylish and affordably priced jewelry and apparel around. And nothing can help you both rebound faster from sitting through a dud on the big screen than a pair of fashionable $10 earrings!

We used to think TABC stood for Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, but now we're starting to wonder if it really means Thugs Against Beer Consumption. The state's insanely complex alcohol code favors big-business distributors at the expense of craft breweries—which is why the country's thirstiest beer-drinking state has so few of them. Thanks to Homebrew Headquarters, you don't have to get the approval of those jackbooted goons (yet) to brew your own. You can get anything from a barebones starter kit to an ounce of Cascade whole hops to a Wortchiller Counterflow. Best of all, the staff is patient with foam rangers of all experience levels and tastes and won't belittle you if you don't know a hop from a malt or want to brew up some light lager.

After losing 30 pounds, a friend found himself facing an entire wardrobe that no longer fit. How would he possibly replace his duds without spending a fortune? Someone told him about Rethreads and he hit the jackpot, returning with suits, dress shirts and a plethora of new pants. The place is full of pricey designer clothes that appear to have been worn just once or twice and then discarded for the next season's style. There are racks and racks of designer dress shirts and smart stylish suits for men and women, many of them by designers like Giorgio Armani and Anne Klein. On a recent visit, we couldn't resist buying a fantastic black skirt suit by Donna Karan. That's the thing about this place—if you go, you just can't help yourself, so beware!