Back-to-school shopping with a twist of hip

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As a kid, back-to-school shopping always signaled a bittersweet time. I never considered the end of summer something to look forward to, but the start of a new school year and the prospect of lots of new gadgets was always promising. In honor of back-to-school season being upon us once again, I decided to dodge those run-of-the-mill supermarket trapper keepers and pencil holders for some more unexpected gear that works for all ages.

Sanrio at the Fashion Show Mall carries a huge variety of merchandise from Hello Kitty, Peanuts, Badts-Maru and Chococat, to name a few, and really delivers when it comes to the "Hey, why didn't they have that when I was a kid?" factor. Merchandise ranged from individual pens and pencils (45 cents-$6), and notebooks, note pads and letter sets ($1.50-$8) to Hello Kitty hair dryers ($26), toasters, sandwich grills and coffee pots ($35 each) and a variety of backpacks and messenger bags ($24-$48).

The store also carries Hello Kitty television sets ($190 or $250 for TV/DVD player combo), luggage (large hard shell suitcase, $140; two-piece soft roller set $120) and bicycles ($265-$275 for adult bikes, $100 for kids version) all perfect for the college student -- or shopping columnist -- with an ironic sense of style.

The store also had some more whimsical items like a notebook-size Chococat calculator ($17.50), a Chococat electronic organizer ($19.50) and a Hello Kitty combination calculator/pencil case ($13).

Five Little Monkeys in Mandalay Place carries humorous items like a pencil sharpener in the shape of a life-size nose for $1 -- sorry, no points for guessing where the pencil goes for sharpening -- enormous pencils ($4) and erasers shaped like peanuts (50 cents) and pastries, including pies and donuts ($1) and Karl the Monkey pencil toppers (75 cents).

There was also a selection of unusual lunch boxes, including a giant vinyl Chinese take-out box ($25) and metal lunch boxes adorned with hula girls ($15) and Superman ($10).

Urban Outfitters, also in Mandalay Place, carries Polaroid cameras ($48) and Oregon ThinCam digital cameras ($140), and reminded me that a camera, particularly a Polaroid or digital version, is a must-have for the first day of school -- and this item may appeal just as much to moms who don't want to let go of their babies on that first day as it does to snap-happy tots, teens or college students.

I also found lots of all-purpose bean bag pillows ($16), an Ion portable turntable ($100) and the JBL On Tour Portable Music Box ($100), and round shag rugs in a variety of colors (2.4 feet, $20; 5 feet, $100), all of which will go a long way toward festooning a drab dorm room.

Urban Outfitters also carries a wealth of leather-bound sketch pads with a built-in set of colored pencils ($22), leather-bound notebooks with pen/pencil slot (small, $22; large $38), ecot notebooks ($5) and, of course, the oh-so-artsy black Moleskine notebook with expandable pocket ($12) -- practically a must for the aspiring writer, philosopher or anyone taking a semester abroad.

Maria Phelan is a reporter for the Green Valley and Henderson Views. Retail information appropriate for mention can be sent to mphelan@viewnews.com.