A Girl’s Guide to Fairfield part 2
Its official… the holiday season is here! The Fairfield square has been lit up like a Christmas tree and the gingerbread houses are in shop windows. I’ve been trying to squeeze in some holiday shopping before its too late. I love shopping for gifts even when I have some challenging people to buy for. Number one on that list is my mom. I headed to Thymely Solutions to see about creating a gift basket for her that would be useful as well as meaningful. I ended up having the best time putting together a spa basket with lots of herbal creams and lotions including French lavender soap,
a therapeutic eye mask, some aromatherapy oils and lots of imported chocolates. I think she will love it and I may even get to help her out with the chocolate! My favorite thing? The Amrita Aromatherapy roll-ons… I’ll take “stress-free” please! 
After crossing my mom off my gift list, I decided it was time for some “Me” time. And nothing says “Me” time like warming up in a steam bath at Skin Essence. Jeanne does such a great job creating a cozy atmosphere in her shop. And the steam bath was a great way to chase the chills out (seriously folks… its -5 degrees today!). Once I warmed up, I headed across the street to Natural Selections for a little more shopping. 
I picked up some Fruit Pigmented Lip and Cheek Tint for my nieces; the colors are great and I think it will be a big hit. I also found some really warm sweaters that had me very tempted. Is it too soon to buy a holiday gift for myself?
If you have any doubt about how close the holidays are, just take a walk into Simplicity Florist, now located on the square. This place is brimming with greenery of all kinds and the scent of cinnamon and pine are everywhere. It’s a bit like being in a Christmas rainforest.
My fav? The ivy topiaries. 
(There’s just something appealing about plants that have been trained into a shape!)
My lunch for the day was the avocado veggie sandwich at Istanbul Grill. The sourdough bread alone is to die for. The food here always tastes fresh and flavorful and the service is fast. The menu choices are clearly international and they offer things you will not find anywhere else in town. For dessert? I headed to Revelations Café for a piece of their incredible chocolate cake and a cup of herbal tea. Ahhhhh. The holiday season can be very rewarding.
Tags: fairfield ia, girl's weekend, holidays, Istanbul Grill, Natural Selections, Revelations Cafe, shopping, Simplicity Florist, Skin Essence, Thymely Solutions
