Living in a land of vintage rhinestones, antique stained glass and artists as colorful as their paintings, I never have to see the beach to feel like I'm on vacation. As an A-1 professional-grade shopper of vintage objects (bordering on clinical), and a glutton for original art, I relax by finding a bargain on an antique brooch or losing myself in pop art.

A melting pot of rural Southern heritage, international cosmopolitan flavors and Northern retirees, Florida is an antiques and art lover's dream. Compared to the North and the West Coast, antiques retail relatively cheaply here.

Many world-famous artists call Florida home, and if you visit local galleries you just might discover the next James Rosenquist (who happens to live in Aripeka).

Put on some comfortable shoes, pack your wallet, grab a shopping bag and follow me to my favorite Florida antiques shops and art galleries.


COUNTRY SOPHISTICATION

First stop is historic Havana, where treasures echo the exotic tastes of the area's former land barons and the country flavor of its Southern farmers. Named for its tobacco farming, Havana has since become north Florida's antique town. You can find everything from a 13th century Asian bowl at Mirror Image and a mission-style pie chest at The Planters Exchange, to candy cigarettes and jaw breakers at Little River General Store, all within a short walk.

I'm drawn to the traditional Antique Center and come across a floor-to-ceiling walnut china cabinet that's big enough to hold every dish, pot and pan I've ever owned. Unfortunately, it will also take up one-third of my house. I leave my husband, James, to the manly relics of baseball and militaria inside Mirror Image and sneak into Cindy's Chapeaux to look at vintage rhinestones. I say "sneak" because James issued a moratorium on my bling-bling purchases. Being an obsessive-compulsive vintage jewelry collector, I can't stop myself and am tickled to find a bargain-priced Weiss rhinestone brooch like one I regretted giving away last year. Karma.

As I shop, I discover many other exotic and cosmopolitan surprises in Havana and purchase a handmade abalone pendant at Traditions. Inside the Florida Art Center and Gallery, James and I spot an original Rembrandt etching along with local art. We get lost in the adventures of the Wanderings gallery owners. They've traveled to some of the world's most exotic places to find the furniture and décor they sell. The handmade furniture and crafts are divided into regional sections, accompanied by the owners' scrapbooks from those areas.

By the time we finish our shopping, we feel like we've hiked the world. We stop at the area's finest steakhouse, Nicholson Farmhouse, and shell complimentary boiled peanuts as we wait for our steaks. Afterwards we drive to nearby Quincy, where an antique brass bed awaits us at the historic McFarlin Bed & Breakfast. The grand, former land baron estate has an original Tiffany window. No better way to cap off an antiques shopping trip fit for a baroness.


ANTIQUING TO THE MAX

 No place makes more of old age than Renninger's Antique Center in Mount Dora. This antiques bazaar and its winter extravaganzas are legendary, drawing dealers and shoppers from around the world. Even super-shopper Michael Jackson has reportedly spent thousands here in one day.

Unfortunately, I don't have his wallet, but I like to pretend I do. During a non-event weekend (the center is only open on weekends), I wander wide-eyed through the cavernous 40,000-square-foot air-conditioned marketplace. I spy a solid oak buffet that I attempt to psychically transport to my dining room until my husband physically removes me from the booth.

On the off chance you can't find what you're looking for in the center, schedule a trip during one of the fairs and extravaganzas. The fairs, held the third weekend of every month, attract an additional 200 dealers. If you still have no luck, mark the third weekend of November, January and February on your calendar. The extravaganzas take place then and bring out 1,000 extra dealers who pitch tents to shelter their wares.

Be sure book a hotel reservation in advance. My favorite, the historic Lakeside Inn, is within walking distance of quaint downtown galleries, vintage bookstores, restaurants and more intimate antiques shops.


VINTAGE ORLANDO

Beyond the shadow of mouse ears I find Orlando's Ivanhoe District, reminiscent of bohemian Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. Antique coffee tables and chairs are spread alongside the sidewalk outside Flo's Attic. Appropriately named, there's no telling what treasure you might snap up in this two-story warehouse.

A youthful lunch crowd fills the redbrick patio of the White Antique coffee tables and chairs are spread alongside the sidewalk outside Flo's Attic Wolf Café, while inside people dine under chandeliers with dangling price tags. Across the street at Rock 'n' Roll Heaven I find a vinyl Beatles White Album that I wished I hadn't tossed at the advent of CDs.

I gravitate to a rack of bell bottoms and chiffon '50s dresses outside  Déjà Vu Vintage and spend an hour trying on duds from the past, including a '70s polyester jumpsuit. (A fashion mistake both then and now.) Welcoming a jolt forward, I visit the contemporary furniture and floral arrangements of Saxon-Clark Home Furnishing and Interior Designs. Eventually, the call of the wild beckons, and I step into the Fly Fisherman, which sells nifty fishing lures and high-end outdoor gear. Then it's off to the Wildlife Gallery to look at some pricey pieces of wildlife art and sculpture.


A JAMES STEWART HOLIDAY

 Year 'round, Dade City has the charm of It's a Wonderful Life. During the holiday season this aura is even stronger with storefronts decorated with garland, strands of light and red bows. Angels of various materials are common in the gift shops and galleries.

Complete with a town square footed by a red brick courthouse, Dade City is more laid-back than Renninger's, and more traditional than Orlando's Ivanhoe District. I relish parking spaces along storefronts and no long lines. Several distinctly feminine shops beautify the district. Lori Anne's sells lace curtains and crocheted doilies, and Quilts Oh So Plum takes me back to my grandmother's quilting parties.

Filled with reproduction antiques and housewares, After Thoughts, Old & New is just what its name promises. My sister is sure to love the cat and mouse brass weathervane I pick up. A must-visit is Lunch on Limoges. In business since 1908, this historic café shares space with a mercantile and is part of William's Fashion Center, an accordion of stores selling home décor and women's clothing. For dessert, amble down to Olga's Bakery & Deli, right next to the Florida Women's Bowling Association State Office.

Along with impressive museums, the St. Petersburg area has enough galleries and openings to fill your social calendar from January to December.


HOME, THOU ART

 After a whirlwind shopping tour around Florida, my adventure doesn't end when I return home to St. Petersburg, known as the "city of the arts." Along with impressive museums, the St. Petersburg area has enough galleries and openings to fill your social calendar from January to December. To hit the highlights, my first stop is the P. Buckley Moss gallery in downtown St. Petersburg. I catch sight of a print that I can't live without. Feel the Breeze, a portrait of a horse, my favorite animal, comes home with me.

On the second Saturday of the month James and I go to the monthly Art Walk, sponsored by the St. Petersburg Downtown Arts Association. We stroll through galleries, view art, talk to the artists, nibble cheese and sample wine (a light and easy dinner). At my favorite Central Avenue gallery, Florida Craftsman, a co-op of artists from around the state showcases everything from pottery to artisan-made jewelry. Only a few steps away, The Arts Center sells contemporary artwork.

Some of my art havens are off the beaten path. Local artists brood, create and display their masterpieces of varied media in their studios at Salt Creek Gallery, just south of downtown St. Petersburg. For hipsters, there's the Vitale Gallery, housed in a 1940s Quonset hut near downtown, where you can buy playful neo-pop art and locally designed Clothing.

St. Pete Clay, inside a former train station, is another gallery where you can watch artists at work. Pick out a unique bowl or vase, and maybe catch a potter with her hands covered in clay. Nationally renowned jewelry artist Evander Preston creates his jewels within walking distance of the sands of Pass-A-Grille Beach. I walk the shore, wistful for one of his spectacular rings (hint, hint, James). Like many a conniving woman, I lure my husband there under the guise of looking at Preston's eclectic collection of antiques and artifacts. Come Valentine's, I'll see if James got the sparkling suggestion.


AUCTION FEVER

 One of the most exciting and sometimes cost-saving ways to buy antiques and art is through auctions. Florida has numerous auction houses, but a few stand out for the quality and provenance of their merchandise.

Arthur James Galleries in Delray Beach has auctioned items for everyone from Zsa Zsa Gabor to Donald Trump. Here a Degas sculpture or 2.5 karat diamond ring may sell for less than retail. If you're uncomfortable bidding, set your limit and let someone at the auction house bid for you. Auctions are held monthly, though dates vary.

Some bidders have snagged Highwayman paintings for less than $1,000 at Burchard Galleries in St. Petersburg. Generally the items may not have the impressive provenance of Arthur James Galleries, but quality is typically on par.