There's no better place to kick start a St. Paddy's Day weekend than at Feirin O' Eire, a boutique specializing in Irish clothes and souvenirs. The piles of smaller items work as stocking stuffers or, if gift-buying time of year is months away, as a good, inexpensive way to indulge yourself while waiting for the giving season to arrive. Hand-made knit hats and sweaters look as though they came straight from the other side of the Atlantic, and are fantastic finds regardless of the continent.

Although Feirin O' Eire is tucked into a relatively small space, shoppers can spend hours examining each item in the inventory. If they need a little companionship while they search, the resident cat, often relaxing from the front window, is unafraid to rub up against them. And, unlike its competitor stores, Feirin O' Eire's wares don't cost the equivalent of a plane ticket to Dublin.

Centerstage Reviewer: Patrick Corcoran