Who can resist souvenir shopping while traveling? Whether you’re returning from New Orleans with a bag of that chicory coffee, snagging a hat in Santa Fe, or finding the perfect Hermès silk scarf at their flagship Paris store, there’s nothing better than toting back a reminder of your time away. Here, some intrepid women share the favorite thing they ever brought back from a trip.
Read more: Best Restaurants in Paris: A Guide 40 Years in the Making
Braving the Elements
“One of my favorite purchases from a trip was a pair of handmade cups and saucers from Sifnos, Greece. They were wrapped in what felt like a million layers of bubble wrap, and I carried them around like they were priceless treasures (which, to me, they were!). I even remember being on a boat to the mainland, and the ride was so rough that I actually lost my breakfast a few times. But through it all, I clung to those cups like a champion, taking them with me to the bathroom every time I heaved because I was determined not to let them out of my sight. It’s a funny memory now, but I still have those cups. In fact, I had my coffee in one of them just this morning!”
–Lisa Bisk, New York
Spicing Things Up
“I’ve purchased a lot on vacation—especially in Mexico, where I’ve been over a dozen times: artwork and jewelry mostly. But it’s the foodie items I love most. When in Mexico, I always get a cup of fruit on the street sprinkled with Tajin Clasico (a chili and lime spice). I brought some Tajin home and love serving papaya, mango, and pineapples with it.
And I’ve started a tradition I learned in Oaxaca (land of wonderful chocolate) where I shave a little Oaxacan chocolate into my coffee every morning. It adds a lovely rich cinnamon-like flavor to the coffee.”
—Laura Baer, New Jersey
I brought home some Tajin Clasico (a chili and lime spice) that I learned about from Mexican street vendors and love serving papaya, mango, and pineapples with it.
Take a Seat
“The best and craziest thing we bought was a hand-painted game table and chairs at an art gallery in Sedona. It was far more colorful and whimsical than any of our other furnishings — but it opened my mind to the concept of functional art. We were living in New York then, so it had to be shipped cross-country but how great was it when it arrived?!”
—Debra Holstein, California
A Golden Moment
“A number of years ago, I was in Florida for the Miami Beach Antique Show, where I was invited to give a talk about my great-grandfather, Gustav Manz — a jeweler during the Belle Époque… While there, I spotted a gold panther ring which matches a fighting panthers drawing in his archive. I couldn’t help but snap it up for my collection and the connection to him.”
—Laura Mathews, Rhode Island
Collecting Cups
“I collect Starbucks ‘Been There’ mugs; they have the same basic look, but they come in different colors, and each features several main attractions from the city or country. So the Mexico one has some pyramids and a skull (representing the Day of the Dead), while the Bangkok one has images of a longtail wooden boat and the red giant swing. If I see a Starbucks during my travels, I’ll pick up a mug; they’re my daily reminder of wonderful vacations, so I start each day with gratitude. My favorite is the one from Bangkok because my son and I took a detour in the rain to find it. It’s a fun memory of our escapade.”
—Samantha Cassetty, New York
My favorite Starbucks mug is the one from Bangkok because my son and I took a detour in the rain to find it. It’s a fun memory of our escapade.
Donkey Rides, Revisited
“On my trip to Greece last fall, I stayed on an island (Hydra) where the only mode of transportation is by donkey. While there, I bought two pillows for my sofa, designed by a Greek woman, Elena Votsi, who has a wonderful little boutique overlooking the harbor. One of the pillows has a donkey across the front. It makes me smile every time I look at it—and, to borrow a cliché, I’m instantly transported.”
–Kim Goad, New York
Très Chic
“When I graduated from college in the 1980s, my parents gifted me a trip to Paris, one of their favorite places on the planet. It was an incredible adventure for me, and I went to the boutique Agnès B. while there and bought myself a little snap-front cardigan that made me feel so fashionable and worldly. I still have it, all these years later, and whenever I wear it, it reminds me of that moment of being 21 and discovering myself and the possibilities of life and style while in France.”
—Sarah Adams, Illinois
Stay Covered
“I went on a trip to India, and in Rajasthan, I bought a white quilted and appliqued cotton bedspread. It’s just so simple and perfect. A lot of the colorful items I bought in India have faded, but this one didn’t because it was white to begin with! I am so glad I can still enjoy it and the memories of those travels.”
—Maria Ricapito, New York
Snack Attack
“Years ago, when I was in Barcelona, trying to stretch a small budget, I subsisted on these hard wholegrain crackers that looked like mini baguettes cut in half, lengthwise. They were really satisfying because of the crunchiness, on top of being healthy and tasty (particularly with cheese or Boquerón’s, a kind of anchovy). I remember being so excited the first time I saw them stateside, at Ikea, I bought half a dozen bags–and they were gone in as many days. While I no longer see them on Ikea’s site, there is a Swedish version of the crackers on Amazon. Delicious!”
—Caroline Hwang, New York
On vacation in Turks and Caicos, my husband and I saw the sweetest little Potcake, as these dogs are called, at the local SPCA. She was named Eve because they rescued her on Christmas Eve.
A Brand New Friend
The best thing I ever got on vacation was my sweetie Evie in Turks and Caicos. My husband and I were there for the winter holidays and went for a drive and happened to pass the local SPCA. We both love dogs and had been harboring the idea of getting one, so we pulled in and met the director who told us how easy it was to adopt. She asked if we wanted to drive to this house with her to see the sweetest little Potcake, as they are called, that was rescued by the coast guard.
Her name was Eve because they had just found her on Christmas Eve; we were warned that she wasn’t going to be super pretty because she was being treated for mange (two kinds!) so she didn’t really have fur. At the foster house, little Evie came out and promptly peed in front of me. I was smitten. My husband, not so much. The day we were leaving, I was sulking, and he said, “Let’s go get her.” And we did. I cried….She’s now gone, but our Evie was so wonderful.”
—Nancy Lee, Florida
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