Wouldn't it be lovely to get every bit of your holiday shopping done all by your lonesome? You could pop into whatever store you wanted just for hoots, take all the time you needed, and heck, even pick up a few things for yourself, trying on a new winter sweater here, a pair of ankle boots there, maybe stopping for a cappuccino to treat yourself after a long day of retail therapy.
Fat chance.
For us, most of our holiday errands involve kids in tow … especially during an outing to the mall. Luckily, if your shopping list brings you to Westfield Garden State Plaza, you'll have plenty of sweet treat stops to reward your pint-size companions with. Here are three to keep in mind.
Lolli & PopsCandy doesn't get much more beautiful than it does at this luxe confection shop. There are pretty packages of artisan chocolates along with tins of perfect peppermint bark, glass jugs of hot cocoa mix and specialty items like snowflake marshmallows and champagne truffles. (Hello, New Year's Eve midnight snack.) Best of all, since Lolli & Pops does all kinds of fabulous gift boxes, you can justify stopping in as part of your official shopping duties. (located on Level 1 in between Neiman Marcus and Macy's across from Swarovski)
Rolling CowThai-style ice cream roll shops have been popping up around the country, so it was only a matter of time until one arrived in a neighborhood near you. (Rolling Cow's first location is in Brooklyn, lending even more credibility to its cool factor.) The shop uses an all-natural crème anglaise as the base of its rolled ice cream and offers flavors like vanilla, chocolate and Japanese matcha. Then it customizes the creations by rolling in and topping with other ingredients. From the tame – Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, berries, and Oreo cookies, for example – to the more adventurous, like sesame, dragon fruit, and a condensed milk drizzle. (located on Level 2 near Iviva)
Bell the Ice Cream TruckFor when you're just dying for that plain-and-simple classic soft serve you used to order as a kid or maybe a frothy shake or sky-high sundae (hey bikini season's over last time we checked), this old-fashioned ice cream parlor is just the ticket. And while your brood is indulging and you've got a captive audience, you can tell them stories about how there was a time when you could actually still enjoy your dessert without texting your friends about it. (located on Level 1 near the food court and Macy's)
