What girl out there doesn't like to shop? What girl out there doesn't like an excellent deal on beautiful items? I think I am one of those girls. I must admit, sometimes lately, I haven't enjoyed shopping too much. Mostly because my "shopping" consists of looking longingly at things that I can neither afford or fit (curse those cupcakes!!). So I have been avoiding this predominately feminine past time because it kind of depresses me. However, when I was invited to do some shopping at Global Village with some ladies at church I didn't think twice about joining them.
I will miss Global Village. Probably a lot.
Global Village is almost like a fair or carnival complete with rides and gigantic lollipops, but it also has pavilions with vendors from all over the world: Philippines, Pakistan, Yemen, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Canada, India, etc. Hence the name Global Village.
Most ladies, myself included, were only focused on one particular country: China. None of us were in the market for cheap electronics. Rather, we all wanted to get real pearls at ridiculously low prices. I came looking for blue-grey pearls to match a pair of earrings that my grandma gave me after my twentieth birthday. The first vendor we visited unfortunately didn't have any the color I needed. I was a bit upset because our gathering organizer had a pretty good relationship with this particular vendor and was able to negotiate even better deals. Luckily for me, someone from our party had another favorite pearl vendor and we headed over there. As luck would have it, he had a nice strand of pearls that we were able to negotiate down to 300 dirhams ($82.00). Now, these are not Mikimoto-perfect pearls, but they are real and they are really pretty.
The next and sadly last stop for me and a couple of others was the India Pavilion. I could have unloaded a lot of cash in this area with all the lovely pashminas and other textiles.
One of my friends, an interior designer, found some beautiful Kashmir rugs and a rocking-elephant for her apartment. While she was busy paying, I fell in love with another Kashmir rug that I just couldn't walk away from.
This rug is a little different than what you are probably imaging about rugs from this region of the world. My mom has a woven (wool and cotton) Turkish rug that is very typical, and incredibly lovely. This rug that I found, however, is embroidered in wool instead of woven. I am not sure if this picture shows off the stitching:
Anywhoo...you can find rugs like this at Anthropologie, but will have to pay handsomely. I once again paid 300 dirhams for this. Such a good deal, I may just have to go back and get some more. I almost like this style a little better than they traditional flying-carpet woven rugs. I certainly like the price. The vendor with the most beautiful silk rugs was selling his for $3000.00. Wow. (His clientele included luxury hotels and former U.S. Presidents.)
I was a little bummed that I only saw a brief smidgeon of Global Village, but fortunately my friends tend to make multiple trips so I should be able to go back a few times before the whole place shuts down on February 27th.
Please contact me with all shopping lists, and payment methods. Because I know you all want a good deal.
5 comments:
I would like a great pearl necklace. What you found are beautiful. Love the carpet.
Hey sis this is Andrea. I would like to have anything that would resembles me in way. I like anything.
OK. send me money.
that bottom rug is very pretty. i like the colors alot.
Great rug and great taste! That really is a beautiful one and you'll be able to do so much with it!
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