T Stop:Charles/MGH

Sometimes, I stop and think to myself, if I were twenty years older and had loads of money and time where would I go? What would I do with my lavish bad self? Strut my stuff down Charles Street, that's what.

Almost an extension of Newbury street for the jogging yuppie, Charles St. has it all from antique shops (there were over six) to fine furniture to actually well-kept vintage shops. But those price tags are a killer. I can almost see the future now, some bully taunting my imaginary kid. Who's a killer? Yeah yo' mama's a killer. What is up.



Seventh Stop: Charles MGH



To begin with, I must say that everything looks better when coated in sunshine. Getting off the T and looking down at the snow quietly melting on the red cobblestone streets, the world seemed alive again. It was the first day since October I could walk around Boston without a coat and on this special day prices seemed more for play than for purpose.

For example, take Wish (49 Charles St, 617-227-4441), an upscale, hip, beautiful clothing store, that ordinarily I would have balked at. But not today, the store's name fit it perfectly. So what if one dress cost $275? I walked around in a daze; I gazed wistfully around the store, at the $65 tank tops that my hand dared to graze and at all the other customers who were seriously browsing. Luckily, I was with a friend who yanked me out of the store before I officially blocked one of the aisles in my stupor.

Hands in my pocket I continued down the street, thinking about all the women in that packed store who didn't hesitate to spend loads of money on a dress. What were the rest of their lives like? Did they stop by Twentieth Century Limited (73 Charles St, 617-742-1031) to buy tiaras and pretend to be actual royalty?

The man at the counter was awfully friendly and, when asked about the jeweled crowns, was more than happy to open up the glass case and let you examine them. Priced from $35-$1500, they could have come straight off Grace Kelly's head. If you play it right, you might be able to try them on-not that anyone I know has, um, ever done that...

Maybe the glamour girls walked further down the street to the mecca of cutlery, otherwise known as Seasonings, Inc (113 Charles St, 617-227-2810). Inside, there were little itty bitty eggs in nests, wreaths of eggs and whisks a plenty. Isn't "whisk" just a great word? It's almost like whistling-in word form. Oh, but I digress.

Most assuredly they went around the corner to The Beauty Mask (617-720-1555) at 92B Pinckney Street. With all kinds of organic and fashionable finds including soothing bath soaps ($22) to Lola pressed powder ($28), it seemed like a place for ze ladies. And can I just say that as for d?©cor: teal. I kid you not; it was like a trip to the ocean with all the aromas swirling around. Makes a person feel perty and dreamsicle.

Now for the store that I still cannot believe exists, Fi-Dough: a deluxe doggie delicatessen (103 Charles, 617-723-3266). While inside, I was reminded of the scene in Lady and the Tramp where the owners and their dogs walk by and they look exactly alike. I pictured women with poofy hair and their adjacent poodles, perhaps indulging her dog in a 'Pawkerchief'($7.99). Or, maybe she spritzed it with some White Dalmatians. "If you like White Diamonds, your pet will love White Dalmations," the tag read.

And suddenly I was struck at just how gross this store was, how completely unnecessary it was in the world. I like pets as much as the next guy -- once upon a time I had a hedgehog named Casper -- but there are limits to puppy love. There should be limits to frivolity. For Charles St., the dog biscuits shaped like cannolis were mine.

However, in terms of non-traditional fare, there were some alternatives on money-bags lane. Tibet Emporium (103 Charles, 617-723-8035) had some interesting and colorful garbs. Meanwhile Leing & I (145 Charles, 617-227-3320) worked as a nice Thai food restaurant that served it up efficiency style (i.e. $6.25-$10, entrees).

Finally, there was the most incongruous of shops on Charles Street, Nino's Pizza (79 Charles Street, 617-523-3972). It wasn't the prettiest shop. It wasn't the nicest. But it had the most class. A small, family owned pizza place (I'm pretty sure I talked to the Nino Man myself), the pizza spots on the table made me feel at home. For a while it strived to maintain the Charles Street nonchalant attitude with one of the rarest deals I have ever seen at a pizza parlor: two pizza slices & a GLASS OF WINE for $6.50. It was just a sweet, cozy lil place with red plastic booths.

So maybe I won't be the queen of class in twenty years. Maybe, I'll be the princess of plastic. And that's aight by me, yo.