One in five people in Sarasota, Florida, a small city on the state's unhurried west coast, is said to be a millionaire. With the city's perfect beaches, glorious year-round weather and outstanding restaurants, it's no wonder the ultra-leisure class wants to winter here. The shops most frequented by the upper crust are found on storied St Armand's Circle, built in 1926 by Sarasota's most famous resident of the time, John Ringling (of Ringling Brothers' Circus fame). It has since become a fancy shopping area.
Despite some excessive 'cuteness', there are unique enterprises among the stores of St Armand's Circle. The one with the most eye-catching fashion is the new Verdiva (below left; 368 St Armand's Circle, tel: 1 941 388 3622). Owner Shirin Rahimipour is on a mission to make tradition-bound Sarasota hip, challenging the fashion status quo with a nod to celebrity style. The boutique stocks high-end trousers from the likes of Kirsten Jade, whose 100 per cent silk, hand-embroidered ball gowns cost from US$700. Swarovski-crystal accented jeans fetch US$495 and handbags and belts are US$125 to US$195: a steal.
com) has the domestic trinkets to lend sparkle to your nest. With glass and pottery from 400 artists in the United States, you'll find signed and numbered hand-crafted glass paperweights made from volcanic ash at US$72 to US$130, and Raku-style pottery vases in metallic colours from wizards of clay Tom and Nancy Giusti. Prices for their super-sized vessels range from US$75 to US$350.
On the subject of sin, a St Armand's boutique crawl must end on the sweetest of notes at Kilwin's Chocolates and Ice Cream (312 John Ringling Boulevard, tel: 1 941 388 3200). Just follow the smell of fresh fudge to where talented confectioners melt and stir chocolate in big copper pots, then lay out slabs of fudge on marble tables. The sweet stuff comes in 22 flavours, from peanut butter fudge to fudge laced with mint chocolate chips.