enjoying life at a leisurely pace

Last weekend I decided to spend some time in one of my favorite spots in dsm, the east village. This decision was spurred partly by the fact that I was downtown for work anyway, and partly because I'm scoping out things for my family to do when they come visit me next month. :) I spent a total of six hours strolling down the streets, browsing in shops and just relaxing and enjoying the weather. I made a few discoveries as well. One thing that absolutely fascinates me is old books, and I found a place that sells antiques, vintage stuff and more. Check it out here: http://www.foundthingsdsm.com/ This store had something that would interest every member of my family, and was arranged artfully. Then I ducked into a little european style bath boutique because it was raining. Its a corner storefront with plenty of character, including wood flooring, exposed plumbing and an intricate ceiling. There were some amazing scented candles, but I decided to save my pennies for another shopping trip. Just across the street an entirely different cultural experience awaited. Since I was starting to get hungry I decided to grab a snack from the asian market (which sells whole bullfrogs if you are interested). I purchased some chips, a strange neon green-colored fanta, a white peach and pretzel sticks to dip in creamy chocolate. The rain was sporadic, so I made my next stop at a little tea place that has over 150 different kinds of loose leaf tea. The special of the day was the silver bullet, which turned out to be a very good choice. It was a white tea with a subtle floral hint. I sat, wrote in my journal and sipped tea for the next hour or so. I honestly don't know the last day I was this relaxed. I had no obligations, nowhere to be and no time constraints. Sweet freedom!










Later, I enjoyed the terraced gardens below the capitol building and had myself a little picnic. Eventually, I packed up, walked to my car and headed home. Someday soon I shall return...let me know if you want to come along. :)