CASA COLONIAL

If you’re in need of a Caribbean vacation, but are unable to break away, relax in palm-frond and floral-print pillows decorated with coral and coconut accents from Casa Colonial. Rita Vazquez Banos and Sara Vazquez, the designers behind Havana 1515, a tropical home-decor line carried at Neiman Marcus, recently opened their first retail spot on Peak Street in East Dallas. The store seems to exude nostalgia, as frames show charming black-and-white photographs of the sisters’ Cuban grandparents. It’s also a great source for beautiful shells. What impressed me most, though, was the neighborhood. It seems the Peak and Bryan area might be on the up-and-up, with new retail spots and generally cleaner surroundings.