I hope I’m not alone when I say that sometimes when I’m riding somehwere I see things I’ve never seen before…on roads I travel every day.

It’s fun just to ride sometimes and look around for once instead of being so engrossed in your thoughts, and, you know, manuvering that big vehicle.

I’ll even admit to the fact that I’ll look directly at shops along my route, but not realize what they are. The other day my husband and I were driving to work and I saw a store that I’ve looked at a million times, but I’ve never “seen” (and don’t think I didn’t hear about it from him, “And how many times have you driven this road?!”)

Such is the case with the boutique critique this week. Kristi, located in bearden on Kingston Pike is one of those stores you could look at one hundred times, but the glance has to be so quick or the thoughts can be so entrenched that it doesn’t register what it is. When I saw the name, something registered in the back of my mind, but I wasn’t quite sure where to place it, and I definitely didn’t have it on my regular shopping route.

I will now. This past week Kristi participated in Fashion Week here in Knoxville by hosting a trunk show by Sheri Bodell, so it seemed to be the tidiest excuse to stop by and check the whole thing out.

The store was really beautiful. Gorgeous clothes everywhere, and a little black and white dog running around to add to the charm.  The staff was super helpful the moment I walked in (sometimes places like this one can be a little “Pretty Woman-ish” *ifyaknowwhatImean) but this one was not.

Gorgeous clothes all over from big name designers like Michael Kors, Diane Von Furstenburg, and BCBG-to name a few. And with prices ranging from $50-$250 it’s not as unconceivably expensive as I might have first thought.

There was even a consingment maternity section (definitely something to remember for future purchases) and while it seemed like other parts of the store might also be consignment it wasn’t clear.

Also in one section were some local jewelery peices, and the ever important *drum roll please* sale section, that I consistently try to meander to slowly rather then doing the barrell run that I always want to do.

Overall it’s a place I’m sorry hasn’t been on my radar sooner, and will definitely become part of my route-the part that I pay attention to that is ;)