RED BANK IS A "MONEY" FIND

What used to be a port where steamboats would bring commuters to and from Manhattan in the 1800's is now a place that is still attracting Manhattanites hundreds of years later...Red Bank, New Jersey! Now much more easily accessible (NJ Transit or about an hour car ride from the Lincoln Tunnel), Red Bank is definitely worth jet setting to and checking out. Located on the Navesink River there is a "Bohemian" and quiet town feeling here...but, don't think that means there isn't much going on in this town. Red Bank has many parks, restaurants, boutiques, antique shops, designer clothing and home stores...and there's even a Tiffany&Co! The town is very easy to navigate on foot. The main area where things are located are on Monmouth, Broad and Front Streets. My family and I decided to check out the town of Red Bank on Sunday (the same day as a wonderful Street Fair was happening), and were really happy with what we discovered:

We had lunch at Buona Sera- an Italian restaurant on Maple Avenue with delicious antipastos, pastas, and entrees.

Then we checked out three great clothing stores: Rok and Lola- a women's and men's clothing store on Broad Street with the same flair as clothing stores in NYC's Soho. They have great leggings, jeans, tunics, t-shirts, fun handbags, and even a vintage section. Another great find was I C Gold Boutique on Front Street- a store after my own heart! It has trendy clothing and accessories for the young woman "who finds fashion as her treasure"...that's me for sure! They have a lot of great tops by some of the designers the stars in L.A. are wearing.
And 4B- a store so beautiful I thought I had been transplanted to L.A.'s Robertson Boulevard and forgot I was in Jersey! And for good reason...the owner, Mimi James, is originally from California and opened this boutique to aim towards the shopper who appreciates the great fashion cities of New York and L.A. She has truly AWESOME dresses, jewelry, accessories and clothing. I got two gorgeous necklaces from this store...and can't wait to go back for more great stuff! Red Bank has so much to offer! There is another event happening this coming Sunday 09-20-09 called TASTE OF RED BANK. From 12-4p.m. you can taste great dishes from 30 Red Bank restaurants and food businesses...advance tickets are $25 for adults ($30 day of the event) & $10 for children. If you decide to check it out...we might just see you there!

{photos: RedBank.com, Rok and Lola, I C Gold Boutique, 4B}