Doylestown

A week to Christmas!  The closer it gets, the closer to home I like to stay with my shopping.  Doylestown keeps me close while providing a post card-perfect setting for some great browsing & buying.

There are so many wonderful little shops & cozy stores to choose from, way more than I can share.  Will keep my comments to the places I love the most.

First off, take quarters for parking.  This town is not the greatest when it comes to parking.  If you can't find anything, there's a parking lot way down past the Court House, on Broad Street.  Have parked there once or twice - all I can say is it was worth the walk,even though ALL of my fav shops are many blocks away.

Ideally, I'd bag a parking spot on Oakland Street (first main + intersection in D-town central;  one-way to your right).  Ideally, right outside Raymer's Candies.  

Raymer's Homemade Candies is dear to our heart for more than their caramel-covered marshmallows (a must-get in Murphart stockings), luscious chocolate hand-dipped on site & terrific cards.  For several years, Mark & Sue invited John to be their "in-residence" artist on First Fridays.  It was wonderful exposure for John & we always enjoyed their warm hospitality.  It made a difference, hearing all those wonderful comments about his artwork.  As for their chocolates - it's practically impossible to find such top-quality chocolates these days, and finding a place that actually makes them on site...  Incredible!  I swoon over their chocolate-covered orange peel, any of their luscious truffles, and both of us love their caramels.  So worth a visit, especially with kids  - the kitchen area is walled off with glass, so you can watch Mark making his delectables.

Turn left outside Raymer's, walk down to Pine, then up to State Street - turn left.  Voila!  You're at Busy Bee Toys!  Oh, calm my beating heart.  This is NOT a shop to take a doting grandma or grandpa, if you want to leave in under an hour.  Their website says it best ~ Bucks County's Busy Bee Toys is a European-inspired toy store, right in the heart of the Doylestown borough, specializing in Europe- and U.S-made toys with a focus on wooden, battery-free, hand-made, organic and natural playthings.  We are so much more than a toy store.  Come pay Busy Bee Toys a visit and explore a world of discovery, fun, learning, and special kid events - - through the eyes of a child.   Did I mention Busy Bee is home to Cyd Noble's exquisite Waldorf-style dolls?  That alone is worth a long linger.  

Turn left outside Busy Bee.  Shield your eyes from all the shops that will beckon you in.  Steer a clear course for Poor Richard's (there are two Poor Richard's in D-town, but this is the real deal, the original).  Hmmmm...  How to describe Poor Richard's?  It's a large gift shop with a lot of unusual & interesting items to entice.  First place I ever saw Jim Shore's work (still wish we'd bought his bird bath atop a three kitty pedestal).  Every Christmas, John or I or both are shore...  oops, I mean sure to receive a gift from Poor Richard's.  

Heading out from Poor Richard's, turn - you guessed it - LEFT.  Take a moment outside the County Theater to pay homage to a wonderful spot for art house movies, indies & AAA-list new releases.  Turn LEFT into Bucks County Dry Goods. According to no less a source than Fodor's, Bucks County Dry Goods has got the goods—a varied assortment or jewelry, mid-century furniture, house wares, design books, gifts, and hip clothing.

Out the door & turn (sigh...) LEFT.  Cross Main Street and turn...  left, into The Paper Unicorn.  The Paper Unicorn is the Tiffany's of gift stores.  I totally adore it.  It's small, but elegantly packed with treasures, plus the BEST single card selection around.  THE place to come for ultra chic or whimsical napkins & paper goods for that over-the-top elegant party.  Of course, they have an exceptional selection of invitations - ones you can customize on computer or special orders.  The Paper Unicorn defines the word swanky!  It has a large stock of Byer's Choice, Godiva Chocolates, and Crabtree & Evelyn.  The place to go if you're looking for that  "WHERE did you find it?" baby shower gift.  And could do all my stocking stuffer buying in just this one spot.  This place is for me as Busy Bee is to my grandparent friends - you practically have to pry me out.  Not so John, who knows to simply bend over to my ear & whisper two words - Doylestown Bookshop.

Works every time!  Carefully exit The Paper Unicorn (step combo can be a bit tricky), turn RIGHT!!, then RIGHT again.  Walk down a short bit to our dearly beloved independent book emporium - The Doylestown Bookshop (cultivate community, buy indie).  Did YOU know that April 23, 2013 is World Book Night?  You'd know that (and the fact that 04/23/13 is William Shakespeare's b-day) if you were a Doylestown Bookshop regular. Before John & I enter, we agree to how long we'll stay - and we usually only go over that by a mere hour.  Small but savvy selection of books, great cards, unusual calendars, children's toys, and our favorite magazine rack.  All this, plus knowledgeable staff who let me bring in coffee from Zen Den to sip in their small eating area.  About ten chairs - some downright comfy - dot the store, welcoming a long linger over a good book.  We love  you, Doylestown Bookshop!!

Out the door, turn right, walk a short ways down to the light, then back across Main & down Oakland. Think we're going to the car?  So WRONG!  Turn left directly after Raymer's & head up across the tiny parking lot to The Zen Den.  The Zen Den totally earns it's name.  Food is excellent, vibe is mellow, setting is comfy cozy, staff feel like they're your favorite cousins.  This place puts caring into their concept of community ~ ~  military personnel (with i.d.) get FREE coffee or tea; police, firefighters & EMTs get FREE coffee or tea beverages when they're on-duty - if they're off duty, they get a 50% discount;  D-town Hospital employees (with i.d.) get 20% off their entire order; and local D-town merchants get a 20% discount.  The Zen Den is THE best place to rest & restore before heading home.  (With one last stop at Herb's Hobby, if John is with me.)

There is so much more in Doylestown.  Will do a couple bloggy rambles in January to keep up spirits.  Which will mean I'll have to take at least one drive up to confirm winter hours.  Anyone want to ride shotgun?