it was a great experience me and my girlfriend had a great time and felt comfortable. and it's nice…read moreto create something that you never knew you could create

It was my first time at Penn & Beech in Carmel and the experience was quite relaxing yet a little…read morestressful. Relaxing because I was able to go at my own pace with the help of the knowledgeable staff to select up to 4-5 scents out of over 100 scents to add into my "pour your own experience" candle. Stressful because, how do I narrow down my selection of scents to use and what matches good with each other?! But I made it work. I think i found one of my favorite local spots for self-care time. The space is bright and welcoming, and smells amazing as soon as you walk in. It's perfect for a date night or small gathering. Plus, the candles are high quality with lots of different "vessels" to choose from that range in price value. Or fun thing to know, you can bring in your own vessel to use. One of my favorite parts was stirring up the candle to mix the scents to my liking, felt like a chemist without the labcoat though...goof times. I also found the parking to be easy and I would easily come back to make another candle. Thank you for a fun afternoon in Midtown Carmel.

If you're wondering where to get a cauldron for your next batch of spells, this is the place…read more All jokes aside, The Playful Soul is wonderful, and I can't believe I just discovered it recently. Yes, they do actually have little cauldrons available for purchase, but they also have lots of crystals and gems, books on yoga and wellness, incense and holders, oils, jewelry, clothing, smudge sticks, tote bags, a few foods and beverages and lots more. The retail store is small but they carry a lot of goods made by local craftspeople and purveyors. You can tell that every single item on display has been carefully considered and lovingly chosen. The place smells heavenly, the lighting is lovely, and the air is peaceful in here. It's a nice place. I want to come back and attend one of the yoga classes that they offer each week. They also offer meditation classes, sound baths, reiki and other services.

I just had the most amazing experience at the playful soul. I was guided to do a reiki session and…read morefound the playful soul again. I had an hour reiki session with Larry and he is most certainly a master. It's only been a few hours since my session and I already feel healed and grounded. Thank you playful soul ~ I Love You and thank you Larry you are the BEST

Fun selection of items and gifts. Great for special events. Gifts and just around the houseread more

If you like finding unique gift ideas for yourself or friends, I suggest stopping by this little…read moreshop that sits on the Sullivan Hardware property. After walking through the hardware store, this shop is on the south end of the property. After climbing a few stairs to enter, the house turned shop has lots of nooks and rooms for a wide variety of items. Gift cards, holiday items, women's clothing, themed socks, kitchen items, etc. can be found inside. If you need help finding anything, the staff seemed helpful and answered questions. I found a few items and the checkout process was smooth and quick. I'll bring my wife next visit so that she can check out the merchandise. Review #3439

The staff and store are amazing. They are always so helpful and friendly. The store has so many…read morecool things and some very eclectic items too. They have a precious jewelry section with some really unique items too. One of my go to stores I highly recommend it

I'm a longtime fan of New Age People, though the first thing to note is that this location has now…read morechanged its name to Inner Path. If you're familiar with the business, you already know the same team is behind southside Indy's Inner Path and this has now become Inner Path's north location. As was true in 2016 when I did my original review, I'm simply not on this side of town that often and don't get here as much as I used to. However, a couple years ago I did complete Reiki training here and am now a Reiki Master. Billed as the largest spiritual store of its kind in Indiana, this is located in a rather lengthy strip center that includes Celtic Cross, Original Pancake House, Oakley's Bistro, and Puccini's among other retailers. It's always been a positive energy place for me and it's where I've gone to renew my energy or pick up items that will support my healing. As I recently started chemo treatments for bladder cancer, I decided I would explore some natural healing options here. I think the name Inner Path actually better describes this place than New Age People. While New Age is certainly a major aspect of what you'll find here, it's really about the inner path and you'll find a wide variety of spiritual paths represented. It's a store that emphasizes the wide diversity of spiritual journeys and does, in fact, carry a pretty wide ranging collection of books, music, clothing, jewelry and other materials from spiritual paths ranging from traditional New Age to Buddhism to Christianity, with a special emphasis on the more progressive and mystical side, to Native American spirituality and a whole lot more. While you're not going to find Crowder Band in here, you will find a wide assortment of music with a strong emphasis on more meditative and instrumental music. I would acknowledge what several folks have noted in their reviews - Things here can be a tad pricey and, yeah, it seems to have grown since their move out of their original Broad Ripple roots (in the building that houses the Vogue) to their current location. Can you get reasonably priced items? Absolutely. However, for most of their artisan-created items you're going to put out some dough - this includes jewelry, home interiors, musical items, art and more. Do I think it's unreasonable? Nope. While I may not shop in these areas often, the market largely supports their pricing point and, unlike some places, you are actually getting quality products. There are also a variety of extras offered including massage, a variety of classes within the realm of spirituality, psychic services, and other special events. They have regular psychic fairs where you can try out the whole psychic scene if you're new to it and wondering about it. They had one going on this weekend when I visited, though I did not go that direction as I was very specifically exploring healing tools. I did break down and buy a "Mean People Suck" bumper sticker. I've always been a fan of their incredibly wide selection of candles and incense. You can get incense across a variety of price points - easily affordable and comparable to any other place that sells incense or candles. I'm not talking your generic mass quantity incense, but actual Indian-made incense or items made in other Asian countries where they actually understand producing incense for spiritual/meditation purposes (there is a difference!). On Today's visit, they were packed. Yet, it still felt very peaceful and energizing. Employees here are friendly without exception (I've seriously never had a bad customer service experience here). When I published my very first book, they were one of the first places to actually carry it despite the book being a tad edgier than their usual material. They truly supported it and I've seen them treat others that way as well. The store is in a strip center that has multiple curb cuts, accessible parking spaces and easy wheelchair access. On this visit, things were a bit tighter than usual in terms of access (thus sticking with a 4-star rating rather than going up). There were a couple aisles I couldn't access and a couple more where I had to wait for people to move. This is made better by the super friendly employees, however, access was definitely a notch below the usual this time around. You can also get some teas and snacks in a snack area here (nothing major) and you can definitely linger. Every time I come here I wonder why I don't come more often. The same was true today. The name may have changed, but this is still one of Indy's true gems.

Global Gifts is unexpectedly interesting and filled with exquisite artisan gifts and goods that are…read moreguaranteed fair trade. The shop is a hidden gem in a tiny strip mall in Nora. We stopped by after visiting a neighboring restaurant. The clerk was part of a volunteer staff and was friendly and welcoming. She told us about the sourcing of the merchandise. She also reminded me of their second location on Mass Ave. Several things caught my eye, especially the hand crafted "quilled" greeting cards. The handmade dresses and shirts are colorful and lovely. Handmade baskets, carvings and stuffed animals were among the merchandise. Prices are reasonable. I snagged a dark chocolate candy bar before leaving and have my eye on a pair of earrings. There's plenty of parking in the strip mall lot. Worth a visit.

In a weird way, I've grown up with Global Gifts. Global Gifts is an Indy-based fair trade and…read moreethically made gift shop. It's a non-profit organization that has grown since it's first location opened in 1988 on north Michigan Road. At the time, I was a fumbling and bumbling adult and the manager, Julie, was a kind-hearted soul who welcomed my presence even though my income at the time meant I hardly ever spent anything. Global Gifts now has multiple locations and the Michigan Road spot is long gone. I now live in Lawrence and this spot is likely my closest option. I believe the other two locations still open are Mass Avenue here in Indy and a spot in Bloomington, IN. Global Gifts began in the 1980's as a project of First Mennonite Church with a commitment to Fair Trade products. 30 years later, Global Gifts continues its strong commitment to fair trade - this means the products you buy at Global Gifts support fair wages, gender equity, and dignified working conditions. They work with some familiar names, such as Equal Exchange, while also including lots of other individual and organizational vendors from around the world in offering products that are reasonably priced and free of a lot of the ethical concerns so often associated with coffee, jewelry, and other products from around the world. As a non-profit, a good number of the folks you encounter in the stores in each location are volunteers with a few paid staff that work across the organization and manage the retail centers. As I noted, this particular shop relocated recently from a spot in in the same strip center as Whole Foods. Due to some decisions by Kite Realty, several of the longtime vendors have departed and Global Gifts found this spot in a small strip center just south of East 86th Street on Westfield Boulevard. They are directly next to the new Illumine Coffee. Global Gifts is at the north end of the Strip Center. There's a ramp right at the end of the building and it's better to use than the south end (though the south end is more visible, I noticed multiple obstacles to access on the strip center's sidewalk. It's an older strip center and the sidewalk is somewhat narrow). Global Gifts noted during my visit that they'd already noticed a problem with accessibility when their door is open due to the narrow sidewalk. It's nice visiting businesses who are aware. This location is a bit longer than its predecessor. However, it's a tad more narrow. That said, I found this location MUCH more wheelchair friendly. No comparison. It may be how products are placed, but I was amazed how much it felt like I could wheel around without being concerned about hitting anything. The store itself is usually packed with a wide variety of goods made from around the world. While you can certainly spend a decent chunk of cash here, the prices are easily below many retail outlets in most cases and, again, you're supporting indie artisans and a non-profit organization. There's a strong "craft" vibe here with items ranging from jewelry to paper goods to home interiors to coffees, teas, and candies to children's toys to books and much more. I'm not quite ready to say that Global Gifts is 100% Fair Trade, given that they do support and carry some items from local people (especially in books) but I can easily say the vast majority would qualify as Fair Trade and I know the shop itself is certified as Fair Trade. There's a progressive spirit here - for example, their book options nearly always celebrate banned books and indie publishers. There's only a few books here, however, they're always great ones. While I'm a lot less bumbling than I used to be, I still love the staff and volunteers here. I learned today that the assistant manager actually drives from Lafayette to work here. That's commitment. A word of caution to the "quick" shopper. As most of those staffing the store and the cash registers (there are two) are volunteers, you may not necessarily get the hyper-speed of your usual retail outlet. Sometimes, volunteers have questions or have something happen they don't quite understand. It's helpful to have just a little bit of patience here. I've never reached the point of frustration myself here, but those more geared toward quick in-and-out visits may want to lower expectations a notch. They also have a rewards program that is worth signing up for. You can also order an awful lot online. Overall, Global Gifts remains one of my favorite places to shop for just about any occasion and for myself. The shop is small, but the mission is large and with a 30+ year history they've clearly succeeded in building something special here. If you're in the area, give them a try and now that they're next to an awesome coffeeshop this is just a great corner to visit.

I had a wonderful time exploring this store. They have a wide selection of unique gif worthy items…read morefor any celebration. I must say some items seemed on the pricier side to me. The service was wonderful! The staff is so helpful and courteous. They answered our questions and took the time to take us around the store as needed.

My daughter loves Silver in the City, so this is where I go when I want to pick her up a special…read moregift. I usually shop at the store on Mass Ave, but I was in Carmel, so decided to check it out. The clerks were busy stocking shelves for Christmas when we entered, but welcomed us with big smiles. The shop seems a bit smaller that their other location, but still carries most of the same merchandise. They are known for their silver jewelry by various artists. Currently, they are featuring charm necklaces. An Indiana theme runs throughout the store with everything from Indiana necklaces to Indiana kitchen towels. It's a great place to pick up a gift with candles, art and even some local foods. I even saw a few toys and puzzles today for the kids. I was looking for a funny card and they have a small selection of cards but they were somewhat inappropriate to give a daughter. But they do have lots of crazy socks. There is street parking or parking behind the building.

Used their online site to order Sympathy flowers for my ex mother in law in CA. Ordered and…read moreGUARANTEED delivery on Saturday. Never arrived. Annoyed. I called their 317 number Sunday and they said to call back on Monday and speak to distribution center. And they said that once they push it along to a CA shop (not even a McNamara shop but a local shop) they NO LONGER TRACK IT. Really? My husband called Monday for me bc I had to work and they said that they would follow up AND if need be send to another vendor and deliver that day, Monday. NEVER arrived! Now very annoyed. I reached out to my ex husband and he just said that the thought was nice and don't worry about it. Get a refund and avoid the hassle. I ended up calling McNamara back and cancelling the order. These were sympathy flowers. You'd think a large company like this would do better to track their orders. I should've just used a CA site but my husband recommended this company. I won't use them again. Annoyance on top of grief is not the outcome I want.

I ordered a Mother's Day arrangement to be delivered same day to my mom…read more Easily these are the most beautiful flowers I've ever sent, and delivery through their website was a breeze. Highly recommend!

Is it a bit pricey? Yeah.... Is it worth it? Absolutely!!! I…read morelove the various workshop and events they offer, such as Plant Bingo & Terrarium Building. Also they not only offer the common plants, but some rare finds. But the most important part is the staff is very passionate about their plants and will give you advice on the care on just about every plant you may be considering. This way you will know before your purchase if this particular plant is a good fit for you. Personally any plant requiring a lot of attention and watering mor than once a week is not going to survive in my house.

I was gifted a gift card to Alice's Garden as a Christmas gift and redeemed part of it for the…read moreValentine's Day cake decorating class. I had been constantly checking their website for classes and finally found one that fit my schedule. I thought decorating a cake on Valentines morning would be a great way to spend a few hours with friends. The bungalow they use for classes is so adorable, and it is so fun that they offer such a range of topics and content. They also give you a discount on any purchases you make in the nursery after your class. I really like the selection of plants they offer, especially even in winter. Most nurseries are empty, but Alice's had air plants and indoor plants and they all looked so healthy and thriving.

This was my first opportunity to check out The Accent Shop in its new location after a move from…read morethe Nora area. The Accent Shop has been around since 1958 when Dick and Jane Bridgins opted to move out of their department store setting in an effort to bring a more modern style store to the Indy area offering furniture, lamps, tabletop and more. Today's The Accent Shop definitely still focuses on contemporary design, though they have a strong focus on bridal and gift registry items including dinnerware, flatware, glassware, serving pieces, collectibles, jewelry, and a bunch of other fun stuff. This new location is a little more relaxed than was Nora. For the most part, it seems a lot more spacious until you get into the Collectibles area where everything is really packed in. The employees have always been helpful here, though it's definitely in a more reserved way. In terms of accessibility, I'd likely quibble a bit with Yelp's listing that "wheelchair accessible" is one of the amenities here. While it definitely has some of the basics - for example, nearby accessible parking, appropriate curb cuts, and a level to the ground entry - The store itself is for sure a little bit hit-and-miss in terms of interior design. As I noted, this is especially true in the collectibles area where even my small manual wheelchair struggled and had to detour my path multiple times due to far too narrow aisles. I can't imagine a power chair being successful here. That said, the front of the store is vastly superior to the Nora location in terms of space and design. That was nice to see. I also really love the options here. I think the collectibles section bugged me in terms of access precisely because that was my favorite area of the store. From Christmas wares to a surprisingly large (and unique) Halloween section, I was really impressed here. I loved some of the candles. I loved the garden flags. The glassware was awesome. I think my two favorite sections are likely the kitchenwares and the seasonal collectibles. I can easily see myself returning come Halloween. Prices vary. You can sure spend a modest amount here, though there are also some higher-end items. There's something special about a shop that reminds you of the value of in-person shopping. I really enjoyed shopping here and loved the diversity of the items. Overall, I'd easily return and I very likely will during both Halloween and Christmas. While I do wish the layout was a bit more wheelchair friendly, there's an obvious effort here and I'm guessing 3/4 of the store is easily accessible and for the most part going very slowly and with care I was able to see most everything I wanted to see.

The Accent Shop is a charming local family-owned gift shop on 86th Street. The shop is filled with…read moreHalloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas gifts and decor. An entire wall is filled with beautiful glassware, perfect for wedding presents. They carry a lot of traditional decor, that is hard to find now. I bought several cute cards. Prices are reasonable. Peg, the clerk, was engaging, helpful and ambassador for the area. (She sent me to the nearby cupcake shop after I checked out.) She also made sure that we had an invite to their upcoming holiday open house. There is plenty of parking in the strip mall lot.