Now, the Shop Tart realizes you might not want to run into your friends from high school, but really, isn’t it time to get past that? Go get your hair done, put on a nice outfit and go out to lunch. You might see someone fun (even if they weren’t fun in high school) and end up making plans for the evening. After all, you can only share so much holiday cheer with your family. The Shop Tart never fails to see old friends in these lunch spots:

• The Gourmet Shop. It’s always bustling, you can pick up a few last-minute holiday gifts and the food is scrumptious. Now that you’re older, you probably think you should order the Seasonal Green Salad, no bread, no croutons, with a side of smoked salmon. Delicious choice, but why not pretend your metabolism is back in high school and go for the Brie and Bacon Croissant? Just this once, for old times’ sake.
  



• Mr. Friendly’s. You’ll run into people you know and they might be with their parents. You are now mature enough to say hello to the parents and act interested, m’kay? Have a burger and fries or dig in to any one of their fab specials. You won’t really have time to eat though, because you’ll spend the whole time chatting with everyone in Columbia.
  



• Groucho’s. It’s a classic. You can order the STP Junior, but you know you want the whole thing, so go for it. And the ice - oh, the marvelous ice. The Shop Tart craved it like crazy when she was pregnant. You’re not pregnant, are you? That would be an interesting piece of news!
  



• Motor Supply Company. It’s still warm enough to sit on the enclosed porch and it’s perfectly acceptable to share a bottle of wine at lunch. What a fab way to fuel your Christmas shopping. Carol Saunders Gallery, right next door, is sure to have the perfect thing for your mom, like a piece of jewelry or some hand-blown wine glasses. Just don’t carry the wine glasses yourself if you drank most of that bottle.
  



• Adriana’s. You met one of your best friends when you worked there in high school. She introduced you to people who remain your best friends. In fact, she introduced you to your husband, a union that resulted in three adorable sons. You went to her wedding in Italy and had a blast. Not quite? Well, that’s what happened to the Shop Tart, so she has a special spot in her heart for Adriana’s. And their food is actually good now - really good - and they have great coffee and free wi-fi, so you can pretend to be working instead of looking up your high school friends on Facebook. Cool!
  

Last, but not least, Goatfeathers is not a lunch spot, but after a long day of shopping, chatting and behaving in a generally polite and cheery manner, don’t you need a drink or three? Happy Hour is calling your name. Goatfeathers is open when others are not and you’ll always run into someone you know. It’s nice and dark, so you can be as sullen as you were in college and no one will notice. Hooray!

In other news…

• Capes and skirts at LaRoque are 50% off. The Shop Tart thinks a lovely evening cape would be the perfect gift for someone special!
• Next week’s wine tasting at Simply Savory will be on Monday instead of Friday. They’ll also have a bubbly tasting on the Monday before New Year’s Eve. Fun!
• After a great run, Tickled Pink is closing for good. Everything is 40% off through Saturday.
• Some things in the Coplon’s sale are up to…gulp…80%. The Shop Tart is saying this very quietly, since she can’t get there until after 11 and is pretty sure people will be busting the doors down. They’re bringing merchandise from their other stores. The sale lasts for three days, through Saturday. The Shop Tart is shaking with excitement.
• Looking for a way to give back? Columbia’s Free Medical Clinic always needs your help. Count your blessings if you have a job and health insurance and do your part to help those who don’t.

Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!

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• Shop Tart Live!

  The Shop Tart and Kristian Niemi of Rosso talk yams. And crack themselves up.
  
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