Outing: Vintage Orlando

Mad Men is all the craze these days, and current fashion trends reflect that.  But what's better than the original?  Whether you're looking for everyday clothes or something specific for a Halloween costume or theme party, you'll find it at one of Orlando's many consignment shops.

In fact, there's a whole street devoted to all things vintage: Antique Row.  In this area along North Orange Ave, also known as Ivanhoe Village or Ivanhoe Row, you can find some of the most unique clothes, records, furniture, antiques, and art around - not to mention some very good restaurants.

Food  If you ever drive with me down Orange Ave and I say "This is where Rachel Ray ate on her show!", I'm talking about the White Wolf Café.  It embodies the bohemian spirit of Ivanhoe Village and offers satisfying meals with quality ingredients (as well as many vegetarian choices).  Most lunch entrees hover around $10.95, but the restaurant boasts a selection of sandwiches from $6 to $9.  An interesting fact: Most of the things you see at White Wolf are for sale.

Fun  Antique Row (obviously) gets its name from the many antique stores along this stretch of Orange Ave.  But these aren't your grandmother's antiques.  Unless, of course, she did a stint at The Factory.

Deja-Vu Vintage Clothing
This is a nice place to browse for clothes, hats, jewelry, and accessories from a variety of decades.  Also, men (or people looking for men's clothes) will be pleasantly surprised to find a decent selection of vintage attire for guys.  The staff is friendly and the prices are fair. 

Rock & Roll Heaven
This is the place in Orlando to buy records, with a huge selection of vinyls from just $1 up.  You'll find every type of music medium, from records to CDs, spanning all your favorite time periods and genres.  Also, don't miss  the memorabilia and music accessories.

1618 Something Different
When Goodwill and Craigslist fail to provide you with that missing piece of retro furniture, 1618 is there to help.  While it's pricier than your average used furniture store, you know you're getting high-quality, authentic mid-century modern (1940s - '60s) furniture and decor. 

Boom-Art by Glenn Rogers
Like one reviewer said, entering Boom-Art is like entering a comic book.  Browse through hundreds of individual works of art at very affordable prices.  I recommend this gallery for people interested in pop art, op art, comic books, nostalgia, and anyone ready to hear a good story told by the artist himself.




Of course, these are only a few of the businesses in the Ivanhoe Village district and only a few of the many second hand shops in Orlando.  Do you have a favorite that's not listed?  And if shopping isn't your bag, take a walk along beautiful Lake Ivanhoe, feed the ducks, and watch rich people zoom by on jet skis.

See the larger map for more stores.

Dessert  For dessert, stop by Twisted Bliss ice cream shop.  Prices start at just $2 for a small gelati (soft serve twisted with one of 20 flavors of Italian ice).    

Total Price for lunch, window shopping, and ice cream: $12.00+ per person.

PS:  Don't forget to check out the Ivanhoe art walk, held on the first Friday of every month from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

PPS:  If you're in the neighborhood, be sure to see what's playing at the Theatre Downtown, located on the north end of Ivanhoe Village.