UNUSUAL LOCAL SHOPS – Anna Maria Island
THE SEA HAGG IN CORTEZ FISHING VILLAGE – 941-795-5756
The inside of The Gift shop is amazing. You will see some of most interestIng floor to ceiling Nautical curiosities, antiques and gifts. If you’re looking for an unusual, one-of-a-kind piece, this place will have it.
I found some cute mermaid and seahorse decorative soaps as well as coffee mugs priced very reasonably. I thought some items were priced high, but asked myself, could I find them somewhere else? The answer was, probably not.
The Sea Hagg will ship items (domestic delivery) to your doorstep, please ask them about International delivery.
VILLAGE OF THE ARTS IN DOWNTOWN BRADENTON – villageofthearts.com
Located only five blocks from downtown Bradenton in a quaint residential-commercial area.
The Village of the Arts is full of 1920’s restored bungalows. These colourful bungalows are home to galleries, restaurants, studios and specialty shops. This vibrant art community has lots of unique venues. The Village offers an eclectic mix of art, ranging from pottery, paintings, metal work, jewellery music, gourmet cuisine, fashion and literature.
It is amazing to go into these artists own homes/studios to view their products. We found so many different types and styles of art on display and were amazed how talented all these artists are. The variety of art and artist is beyond impressive. All the neighbours we met were very friendly and the artists were very talkative.
There are several restaurants to choose, the following are my favourites, Bird Rock Taco Shack, Arts and Eats and Orytgia.
Businesses are open year round, seven days a week, but each has different daily hours. We found the best time to go is the First Friday night or Saturday afternoon of the month (First Friday Art Walk) as most places will be open. I recommend calling the galleries and the restaurant you’re planning on visiting the day before because this is a live/work community and many places are by appointment only. Most places in Village has easy access to free street parking.
We love the Village of Arts and the mom and pop feel of a genuine live/work neighbourhood along with the sincerity of the unique artists and vendors.
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