What did you buy on a trip that you still use or enjoy regularly?

[Karen Frerichs]

I'm very sad that my big feet don't fit into most French or Italian size shoes... but I always look.

However, I just discovered a last, hidden away, box of sable cookies... always buy a stash when in France, but didn't think they'd qualify as they usually disappear quickly once I get home. Maybe this box makes the "enjoy regularly" category, even if they won't last much longer now.

And stuff from BHV is so incorporated into my kitchen that I'm not sure I can itemize anymore...

 

[scottw]

My Havana Joe shoes! I've got a pair of brown and a pair of black, and wear them every day. They're next to impossible to find outside of Spain (where they are made by hand), so I always pick up at least one pair whenever we're in Spain. It's a bit of a double-edged sword: they last for years so don't "need" to buy a new pair as often as I'd like to visit Spain.

 

[scottw]

Good to see my knack for killing a thread is still intact!

It occurred to me that I bought a leather laptop bag in Venice a few years ago, that I continue to use on a daily basis. Have received lots of compliments.

 

[Chris]

I just looked down at my desk, which reminded me that I always try to buy new mouse pads at art museum gift shops. My current one is from the Picasso Museum in Barcelona.

 

[Pauline]

My Havana Joe shoes! I've got a pair of brown and a pair of black, and wear them every day. They're next to impossible to find outside of Spain (where they are made by hand), so I always pick up at least one pair whenever we're in Spain. It's a bit of a double-edged sword: they last for years so don't "need" to buy a new pair as often as I'd like to visit Spain.

I envy your ability to buy shoes on a trip. My shoe size is one size larger than I can find anywhere in the UK, Italy or France.

I bought a set of bathroom towels in Spoleto on our last visit. We needed towels and I thought it would be fun buying them there. It was and they are nice towels, made in Portugal.

 

[italian excursion]

My favorite Italian items: small water colors purchased from street artists in special places around my house; my morning coffee in ceramic mugs from Deruta & other spots; some ceramic dishes from Florence, Orvieto, Deruta; replica Etruscan pieces from a friend in Civita Castellana and Sovana; from the Garfagnana a couple of woven textile pieces, olive wood cooking utensils & cheese board; of course, OLIVE Oil! Oh and a couple of carved/painted wooden trays on my dressing table.

From France: some yummy scents in blown glass bottles (hardly use them anymore); a small favorite porcelain bowl for special jewelry; napkins from Provence.

From Scotland; a lovely scotch that sits in the cupboard for special guests.

From England: a lovely woven wool scarf from many years ago; a tea cozy.

Off to work now! This was fun........

Cheryl
www.italianexcursion.com

 

[SMJ]

Many, many big scarves from Florence; many Murano glass earrings from Florence, all in different colours but mostly heart shapes; leather wallet from Florence; many many leather handbags from Florence; and quite a few prints from Italy and Scotland that we have framed on our walls.

 

[PatrickLondon]

I've just remembered some more to add to my previous list:

- sometimes food (I went through a phase of bringing back honey from different places I visited)
- sometimes art (some tiny watercolours from Ibiza are in my hallway)
- sometimes very practical: in a rather dingy antiquey/junkshop in one of the lesser-regarded Passages in Paris, I found a framed tile with coathooks attached that fits just right in my hallway (it needed a good scrub), and I'll usually have a look in BHV in Paris or even Tati for things I know I'll need sometime, for instance some old cushion covers were getting frayed and I saw just the thing I needed in BHV, and Tati is good for the tea-towels of a design I wouldn't find here, or sometimes cheap shirts and the like (even if they're made in China, they still look a bit French to me).

 

[italian excursion]

I forgot to mention the antique guide book for Italy I found in a rare book shop in the Cotswolds!

 

[Ian Sutton]

and another - a good solid wood/metal coffee tamper bought from Amsterdam about 15 years ago. For a while it was used irregularly, but for the past 5-6 years it's often put to daily use.

 

[PatrickLondon]

Mentioning coffee things bought in Amsterdam......

I found a big plastic spring-clip labelled Koffiepak-clip in the local equivalent of a pound-shop, which holds my opened coffee packet firmly shut.

And there's a great general hardware shop in the Albert Cuyp Market with all sorts of kitchen gadgets - I still have a string shopping bag from there (always useful to have to hand).

 

[Cameron]

I envy your ability to buy shoes on a trip. My shoe size is one size larger than I can find anywhere in the UK, Italy or France.

I hear you! I purchased a pair of Repetto shoes in Paris. They had trouble finding a size 40 (9.5 US).

 

[CharityB]

My favorites are the beautiful woven textiles bought directly from the wonderful women artisans in Mexico and Guatemala.
Pillow covers, bedspreads, napkins, tableclothes, and clothes.
I also feel good that I'm supporting these women who need the money to send their children to school.