Columnist Muriel Stevens: Getting back to shopping, post-vacation

Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999 | 9:42 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' shopping column appears Wednesdays. Her dining column appears Fridays. Reach her at muriel@vegas.com or 259-4080.

Three weeks in Boston and New Hampshire were sublime: gorgeous weather (New Hampshire, not Boston), cool enough at night for blankets, warm enough during the day for swimming in Silver Lake or to just sit on the deck with a book. I spent a lot of time loon watching, but only once did I catch a glimpse of these grand water birds.

Very few of the houses on the lake are available as summer rentals. Most have been owned by the same families for generations. The friends I visit, Harriett and Seymour Shapiro, have owned their lakeside summer home for many years.

New Hampshire is filled with small hotels, B&Bs and other summer vacation options for those not fortunate enough to have welcoming friends.

The New Hampshire Tourist Office can supply information.

There are many factory outlet malls in the surrounding areas. Vermont and Maine are filled with large outlets. Some require more driving time than we cared to do in one day, so we limited our shopping to stores in the immediate area.

New Hampshire has no sales tax. Think of the savings, especially on luxury items.

Plan ahead for an extended visit to New Hampshire. The best places are booked months ahead.

Dead battery, lively service: There is nothing more frustrating than discovering the battery in your car died while you were away. A knowledgeable friend charged the battery for me, but warned that if I turned off the motor, the car would not restart.

In past years I'd had good service at the Ted Wiens Firestone location on Maryland Parkway, but it had been a long time ago. I'm happy to report that the same caring, expert service is still offered here.

I'd called ahead to make certain they had the battery I needed. They did, and the price was considerably lower than buying it from the dealer. When I arrived I told service rep Gary that I had an appointment and needed the fastest service possible.

Thirty-five minutes later I was on my way. Of course, I was lucky it was early in the day and the mechanic was available, but the courtesy and consideration was exactly as I remembered it.

After writing up the order Gary told me there was a mistake in the price of the battery. I braced myself for the bad news. Instead I was told the battery was $10 less than I'd been quoted. That's the kind of mistake every shopper hopes for.

Public pampering at private club: For a limited time Anthem Country Club Salon and Spa is available to the public. Services include massage therapy, facials and hair and nails. For more info call 914-3052.

Chanel sparkles plenty: Chanel's Eclat Cosmiques (created by Dominique Moncourtois and Heidi Morawetz) is a unique line of makeup that gives the shimmery look that was featured on the models at the Fall/ Winter Paris fashion showings.

Each product is composed of two shades: an outer circle of copper bronze and a central portion with a silver glitter effect (do not use near the eyes). The face products are long lasting and give a lovely gleam to lips, cheeks and temples. Eclat Cosmiques are available at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Chanel at Bellagio.