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Treasure Hunting in Belize and a Trip to the Office

by tacogirl 17/04/2015
written by tacogirl 17/04/2015
belize

If you live here or plan to move here then consider this: Unless you leave often or have a herd of mules coming in, you will need to buy clothing at some point. While we do have a few new clothing stores in San Pedro, I know several people who will agree that the second hand shop win hands down for name brand choices. You do, however, have to be in the mood for a treasure hunting adventure when shopping.

I used to go to yard sales and “seconds” shop with my dad as a kid so I grew up with an eye for finding quality gently used things at remarkable prices. I was introduced to the art of the used clothing industry on a deeper level several years back when I lived in downtown Toronto. My old neighborhood has a great vintage clothing district, and since I was friends with a few shop owners, I even got to visit the factory or “Pick” as they called it. Believe it or not there is an art to finding the right stuff, beyond just knowing quality brands. When looking at jeans it was scanning for Levis with a big “E” that would be similar to hitting triple cherries on the slots. At the time (15 years back) they could net as high as $500 and were a real treasure to find. The pieces in those shops had all been handpicked and often there was a reflection of the owner in the store. At my friend Darcy’s shop, it was plaid shirts and Carhart coats. The boys I hung out with at the time had great collections of both. Mine was vintage dresses and aprons – Lucille Ball style.

In Belize, they get bales of clothing shipped in on the mainland. My friend Dennis has friends who imports the bales and then has a sorting station to sell by the pound. As the week goes on their pricing goes down.  On Ambergris Caye, smaller bales get delivered to the shops on Saturday’s and often the stores are busy with shoppers wanting to get first pick as soon as the goods are put out.

In true treasure hunting spirit, you never know what you’ll find, but there are definitely opportunities to score well-known labels such as Old Navy, LL. Bean, Anne Taylor, Tommy Bahamas, sometimes original Hawaiian shirts, and if you are really lucky, Lulu Lemon.

Over the years I have scored many great deals here, and my outfits led me to becoming an occasional personal shopper for a few girls on Ambergris Caye, one in Corozal, and soon to be two in Placencia. Sue, who was one of the first that I have shopped for, asked me if I was willing to take a bunch of girls out on a shopping excursion. I was “all in” because after all, treasure hunting is always more fun when you have someone to share your score with, and with 7 of us there was a bunch to share.

Gap, Ralph Lauren and Armani Exchange were among the labels we scored on our travels which were chock-full of irresistible deals. We had a priceless moment at store number 3 when Sue walked up to a rack out front of the store and picked out a dress with the same print that Linda was wearing – what are the odds?

Shopping works up a thirst, and not only that, the shoppers were also hungry. So we decided on food at The Office since we were in the area.

Our spending range was $4 – $17 BZD, but those who spent more kept pulling piece after piece out of their reusable shopping bags when we did our show and tell at lunch. We all oohed over each others finds and our conversation was all over the map, ranging from shopping and Kardashian craziness to personal opinions on men’s facial hair.

If you have not been to The Office it’s a great place over the water on the lagoon-side of San Pedro. The view is nice, their staff is friendly, prices are good and best of all, there’s no sargasso smell.

Here are pictures from our super fun morning.

living in belizebelize cost of livingliving in belizeliving in belizeliving in belizebelizebelizebelizebelizebelizebelize cost of livingbelizebelize cost of livingbelize cost of livingbelize cost of living

Another upside to the second hand shops is they make great for Halloween Costume shopping. I scored my Study 54 disco ball outfit there last October.

living in belize

Studio 54 disco ball dress picture taken by Matt Hoy

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tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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1 comment

Otter 17/04/2015 - 1:46 pm

Hubba Hubba! Who’s the looker?

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Delvin Kelly
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18:38 22 Jun 22
I just returned from my trip to Belize in mid-June 2022. I had been planning the trip weeks / months in advance and... Laurie (taco girl) wasextremely helpful in preparation for my trip. Her intimate knowledge as an expat who was ONCE a tourist, really helps because she is able to share first hand knowledge of how a tourist can explore Ambergis Caye like a "temporary local". An example of this, was she recommended 2 yoga classes for my wife to enjoy while on vacation that we would not have known about otherwise and the class was far better than a class arranged by a hotel, as you get the local experience not a staged one. In addition, she was helpful in providing recommendations for dinner and sharing some discounts she has arranged with local retailers. Reviewing the taco girl blog and reaching out to Laurie is like having a tour guide, but more important a tour guide that KNOWS Belize.read more
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22:52 16 Jun 22
From the perspective of a couple preparing for a permanent move to Belize, Laurie has been enthusiastically helpful in... both answering our questions and connecting us with local resources for our move. Highly recommend you contact her and make use of her valuable services!!!read more
Darrell Moore
Darrell Moore
13:15 18 Apr 22
Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
B W
B W
18:01 08 Feb 22
Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
Kristi Palm
Kristi Palm
20:40 12 Oct 21
We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
D Zep
D Zep
12:39 01 Oct 21
Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
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Kelley Adams
20:19 21 Sep 21
We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
Pamela Nixon
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I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
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Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
Ty Willingham
Ty Willingham
01:47 20 Aug 21
I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
Greg Cox
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I am very glad I found you and asked you a question about a spice in Belize. You helped me figure out the name of it... and where i could buy it. You went above and beyond to help. Thanks again.read more
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I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
Greg R
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tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
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As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
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18:29 02 Jun 21
We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
ksniegoc1
ksniegoc1
17:45 02 Jun 21
It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
Myra F
Myra F
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I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
Corey Holm
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04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
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Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton!I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
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21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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