Belles and Whistles

Beloved Belle by Kristel

Union Square - (BTT) For an item of clothing that is ideally only purchased and worn once, the wedding dress really exists a word apart from other apparel - it's hard to imagine a cable TV show devoted to people bickering over the perfect pair of tube socks after all. This author won't pretend to understand the difference between eggshell and ivory, but the employees of Beloved Belle have encyclopedic knowledge of every shade of white out there. As elegant on the inside as it is on the exterior, this shop has everything needed to make brides-to-be the center of attention on their special day. Upstairs, two apartments (and a neglected attic) fill out the rest of the building, hopefully with sufficiently soundproofed floors for the times tempers run hot below.

Coming Up Clutch

Courtesy Coveted Clutch by kjw010

SoHo, Manhattan - (BTT) It's quite the dilemma. Do you just go to Canal Street and haggle for a "genuine" Louis Vuitton handbag, hoping against hope that no one looks too close at the tag and crossing your fingers that you'll never need to carry more than 3 ounces of stuff at once or risk the bottom from falling out? Or do you bite the bullet, walk those few blocks north, and invest in something quality made. Coveted Clutch, housed in this stately monochromatic masterpiece, features all the designer handbags you can shake a credit card at; upstairs lives the designer herself, the pastel interiors playing well off the dark grey street facade.

Streamline and Seam Lines

Courtesy Streamline Moderne Shop by snaillad

Century Drive - (BTT) Not all Art Deco buildings are cut from the same cloth. Trading decorative panels and sharp angles for smooth surfaces and elegant curves, this Streamline Moderne shop is the perfect showcase of the style. Speaking of style, those wanting to make a fashion statement are strongly encouraged to step inside and pick up one of their signature pieces - perhaps not cheap, but can you really put a price on looking so good?

Smells Like Success

Courtesy Perfume Shop by alex54

Aroma Avenue - (BTT) Despite having taken many trips on public transportation that suggest otherwise, people are willing to shell out big bucks to smell like something more appealing than an armpit - thankfully this Perfume Shop will make sure you are stimulating the olfactory glands of your peers in all the right ways. Virtually anyone even remotely famous seems to have his or her own signature scent, so if you've always dreamed of smelling like a Kardashian (hopefully not, but this author is not one to judge), then look no further. On the upper floors of this art nouveau stunner is an apartment absolutely flooded with light thanks to the oversized windows of the facade and skylight on the roof.

Four Wheels Good, Two Wheels Better

Courtesy Urban Moto by gotoAndLego

Chopper Alley - (BTT) While some people (this author included) prefer to use a mode of transportation that won't require skin grafts should something unexpected happen, there are others who wouldn't travel any other way. The open air, the roar of the engine, the always stylish leather jackets - there are certainly upsides to motorcycle ownership, and the great folks at Urban Moto are more than willing to sell you everything a biker needs except an intimidating nickname. Should your ride need a tune up, just pull into the ground floor garage where an appropriately greasy mechanic will have her purring like new in no time.

Regent Business

Courtesy Blueberry Hill Shopping Centre by spacecolonel

Regency Square- (BTT) As is the trend, outdoor malls are becoming all the rage these days. You can look at all of the unique facades, while not feeling trapped in the routine blandness of a regular mall. Walking along one, it's quite easy to see why the new format is preferred, and this MOC is blazing the path of the outdoor mall. With signs advertising its goods, beautiful bark blue striping, and mellow an accents, this business draws in customers by the dozens. The lettering up top, as well as the platform it sits upon is nothing to shake a stick at either.

Also, happy Father's day to all of the AFOLs out there who are/ are soon to be dads! Enjoy your day.

If the Shoe Fits...

Courtesy Star Athletic Shoe Shop by L. G. Orlando

1 Towncenter Drive- (BTT) According to the shop's catalogues and weekly inserts, Spring has sprung, and what better time to trade out that grimy pair of sneakers at home for a fresh, shiny and new pair? When you've got a hankering for slightly overpriced footwear, stop at the beautiful Star Footwear and Apparel shop. From the amazingly well-executed shoe sign on the second floor, to the professional-quality stickers, L. G. Orlando crams about as much detail as anyone would care to try to add to his open-backed buildings. This one is no exception.