COOL SOUVENIR . . . This is for all those kids who go to Stanford football games to collect used, sweaty chin straps and other neat artifacts from the football players. Now at the Track House Sport Shop on the Stanford campus, you can buy a real used practice jersey . . . actually worn to practice by real Stanford football players. The mesh jerseys are cardinal red, of course, with big white numbers, but no names. Some are torn, some are faded, some are creatively altered with heavy white athletic-type tape. According to assistant equipment manager Ron Yamaguchi, the practice jerseys have big floppy sleeves. The players, especially linemen, don't like to get held or tackled by the sleeves, so they tighten up those floppy sleeves with tape, making the sleeves harder for opponents to grab. The jerseys are only available in extra-large and extra-extra-large for $12.95, tape included! The Track House Sport Shop is on Galvez Street and Campus Drive, just past the football stadium.
IMAGINE THAT . . . Imaginarium at Stanford Shopping Center has a gift-with-purchase deal for kids. With a $25 purchase of any science or nature items in the store, you will receive a free child's extra large T-shirt. Purchases can include software, books, science kits, butterfly kits, bug houses, etc. The white T-shirts feature a colorful animal design and are 100 percent cotton. While supplies last, naturally.
FEED THE SOUL . . . Feeding the literary soul can be expensive . . . or not. At Kepler's Bargain Annex you can find literary classics for 95 cents. Penguin Books is celebrating 60 years in the business by publishing 60 unabridged titles in a not quite miniature paperback format. The books are about 4 by 5 inches, small enough to fit in a greeting card envelope. Titles include "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens," by J. M. Barrie, "The Time Machine," by H.G. Wells, "Baa Baa Black Sheep," by Rudyard Kipling, and some 57 others. You'll also find bargain children's books, bargain books on travel, health, cooking, gardening, even bargain reference books at the Annex. Kepler's Bargain Annex is next to Cafe Borrone, which is next to Kepler's at 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park.
DISCRIMINATING PLATES . . . Mill Street Antiques owner Merle Sanderson has discriminating taste in plates. She hunts for individual cake or salad plates, made by Haviland Limoges before 1900. The plates usually have a floral design in soft colors. Sanderson says she has looked through 2000 plates to find 20 she wants. After the search, she puts together wonderful gift sets that consist of an antique plate to act as a candle holder for a white beeswax pillar candle which is tied with beautiful wired ribbon in just the right coordinating color. The set is gift boxed and packed in old fashioned curly wood shavings, for $45. It makes a unique engagement or wedding gift, housewarming or birthday present. Mill Street Antiques is at 1131 Chestnut St. in Menlo Park, just off Santa Cruz Avenue.
--Dona van Bronkhorst
Send tips about store openings and closings, great deals and places to buy interesting things to Dona van Bronkhorst, Shop Talk, Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302. You can also leave a message for Shop Talk 24 hours a day at 326-8291, ext. 357, or send e-mail to shopping@paweekly.com
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