If you are like most people this weekend brings some much anticipated time off. Yay! The family is in town, you are rested after your Thanksgiving dinner and you are ready for some fun. I was just reading an article in Women’s Wear Daily, a magazine for  the retail trade. The consensus is that people are tired of all the retail hype that takes place this weekend. After what has happened with the economy they want to go back to simpler times. Big companies are trying to bring nostalgia to their ad campaigns  that strike an emotional note. People want this season to be meaningful to them, and the shopping frenzy, “sale” mind-set of years gone by is not part of that picture. It seems that we are looking for those little things that bring joy to our hearts – a fun, new piece of clothing, a pedicure, trying out a new restaurant.

Enter Montrose. We have never gotten caught up in that crazy scene. This is a place where you will easily find a parking place. You can stroll the beautiful outdoor, peaceful streets. Enjoy the Christmas windows, and pop in the stores. You always find the best stuff when you are not looking, just relaxing. If you get a little hungry, stop by Montrose Home Bakery for some delicious apple strudel. This will keep you going until you make it to one of our many, one-of-a-kind cafes. Now this is the way to spend a memorable Thanksgiving weekend. It’s good for the soul! Your family will love you for it.

So we welcome you to our safe, special, little Montrose world this season. Surely if there were soft flurries of snow  they would be falling on Montrose this weekend. Let’s pretend, O.K.?

In the meantime,  the best Santa in all of So. Cal, played by local artist Vince Takas, will be seen strolling our streets this weekend! Say “hi” to him for me!

Mary Dawson owns Revelation Tops and serves on the MSPA board of directors.