A & E

Not all dates have to be romantic escapes for two lovebirds. The best dates can be a girls' night -- or day -- out.

Sewickley has the perfect opportunity to indulge a group of women friends for an entire day of pampering, eating and shopping. All stops on this ladies' date are in Sewickley Village district within just a few borough blocks, either along or near Beaver Street.

10 a.m.

Meet your girlfriends for a sweet breakfast at The Ultimate Pastry Shop, a quaint bakery at 445 Beaver St. Try the coffeecake, Danish patries, muffins, scones or other breakfast treats. Girl-power pink rules in the flamingo theme of the eatery.

11 a.m.

Head across the street, then turn right on Broad Street, and check out TravelWares (429 Broad St.). Sadly, the store is closing, but it will be having a huge blowout sale for the next few weeks. At this store, you and your girlfriends can find all kinds of specialty gifts, including sunglasses, caps, scarves, purses, jewelry and travel pillows. It's a fashion lover's paradise. Bring your credit card and indulge. It's your last chance to get these items at a bargain price.

Take your bags back to your car, which probably is parked at a meter along Broad Street; you still have a long day ahead of you, and you don't want to be lugging all the TravelWares goodies around.

Spoiled Chics (350 Beaver St.) offers a youthful exuberance in exciting accessories, handbags and jewelry. Perfect the Unique Boutique stocks designer denim in jeans, skirts and jackets.

Check out the sale going at the Sewickley Pendleton (424 Beaver St.), which has adorable wool jackets, skirts and pants. Walk down the street, and you'll see a few other clothiers you'll want to check out, like Chico's and Talbots.

12:30 p.m.

Now that you've worked up an appetite shopping, it's time for a little lunch. Try The Cafe Gourmet Provisions (409 Beaver St.). It has a cozy atmosphere and an open kitchen where you and your friends can watch the chefs at work. The cafe has plenty of gourmet sandwiches -- like an eggplant wrap, ahi tuna club, grilled salmon, and tomato mozzarella. The tomato dill soup is a local favorite, perfect to warm up on a chilly day.

1:30 p.m.

OK, it's time for the best part: spa pampering, for the ultimate girl date. Here's where planning helps: Be sure to make advance appointments.

Head to Van Salon -- an Aveda lifestyle salon, spa and store -- at the corner of Beaver and Broad streets. You and your friends can enjoy Van Salon's new nail spa, which includes two state-of-the-art pedicure stations. It will be fun to get your feet pampered side by side, giggling as your toes are tickled, and just gabbing about life.

There are more than a half-dozen salons spas around Sewickley -- but again, be sure to make an appointment.

One of these spas is Esthetics of Sewickley (402 Beaver St.). Try a Swedish massage, vitamin C facial, herbal body wrap or one of many other treatments. Another is The Sewickley Spa (337 Beaver St.), where you can get everything from facials and massages to waxing and body wraps.

3 p.m.

Now, it's snack time, if you're craving sugar. Who cares if you already had an indulgent breakfast? This is your girls' day out, so enjoy.

There's a great ice cream shop down the road, Sewickley Confectionary (600 Beaver St.). And it's never too cold for ice cream -- especially when the parlor has autumn-flavored frozen treats. Try the Pumpkin Ice or Caramel Cow Tracks ice cream, or the homemade Pumpkin Gelato, with pecans. Imagine yourself as poodle-skirted girls in the 1950s as you enjoy the ice cream while surrounded by beige pin-striped walls in a quaint, retro atmosphere.

Or indulge your inner child at Village Candy (344 Beaver St.), where candy favorites from your childhood rival the huge selection of soda pop.

4 p.m.

After pampering your body, why not stimulate your mind?

Try Penguin Bookshop (420 Beaver St.), where you and your friends can browse novels or books about current events or relationships. The store, which recently reopened after a remodeling, has a good selection of picturesque 2009 calendars.

For the spiritually minded, go across the street to The Open Mind Bookstore & Wellness Center (439 Beaver St.). The store carries New Age-themed items like spirituality books, yoga DVDs, meditation CDs and aromatherapy items.

Stop in Elan Fine Art Gallery (427 Broad St.) and browse through the latest exhibit, "Shine: Drawings by Michael Changnon." The works by late Slippery Rock University art teacher include 7-foot-tall "Tulips."

5 p.m.

Did someone say cocktails? Imbibe a classic martini at Sewickley Hotel (509 Beaver St.), where you can squeeze into a cozy booth. Or go Belgian with a brew from The Sharp Edge (510 Beaver St.). Both offer plenty of nibbly appetizers -- and terrific meals -- to finish off your day.

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