Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Saratoga Springs: More than Fancy Hats and Fast Horses

My husband, Chris, and I spent most of our holiday weekend visiting his family in Saratoga Springs, NY. While there, of course, I took a long afternoon to check out the local shopping scene and was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

Saratoga Springs, best known for its summertime horse races, is exactly what you might expect. Neighborhoods are lined with historic estates, all of the lawns are manicured to perfection and multihued lawn jockeys stand tall at every doorstep. A bonus: if you manage to wake up before 10am you can catch the thoroughbreds trotting around the practice tracks.

Despite its small-town feel, the Saratoga shopping scene keeps pace with cities 10x its size. Checking out Broadway Ave (the main shopping drag) I found boutiques carrying pieces from DVF to Alexis Bittar to Papillon Bleu, displayed alongside items reflecting the local equestrian culture (hello, tall black riding boots and Hunter satchel bags).

When talking about Saratoga I can’t forget to mention all of the natural hot springs that dot the area. You can actually walk right up to these springs (they’re setup to look like water fountains) and take a drink; the water tastes like a cocktail of tonic water and rotten eggs, but you have to try it at least once because it’s “so good for you.” The water actually is very high in minerals and there are many local spas that take advantage of these little springs by offering relaxing mineral baths and scrubs, a welcome treat after a long day on Broadway.

This week I’ll be profiling some of the best boutiques in Saratoga, after you see some of the finds you’ll want to make a trip of your own. Luckily, being just slightly over 3 hours from both Boston and New York City, Saratoga makes a perfect destination for a weekend road trip with your ‘other’ or a bunch of girlfriends. August is most definitely high season for those wanting to hit the Travers, but check it out anytime of the year and indulge yourself in some unique shopping; just don’t be surprised when everyone in Cambridge stops you to ask where you got that cherry red riding jacket.