Recently, a little voice inside my head insisted, “Go south, young woman.”

So in true pioneer spirit, I enlisted my girlfriend Jess, hopped in my car, and bravely explored a new shopping frontier, Waterville, and an old favorite, Augusta. What I discovered was nothing short of a gold mine.

It was one of summer’s perfect shopping days: overcast but not raining. Too yucky to go to the beach, but not stormy enough to lure out a swarm of bargain-hunters. In short, there was little competition. Just the way I like it.

The hourlong drive gave us just enough time to work up an appetite, so we headed to downtown Waterville for a bite to eat. On our way down Main Street, we noticed that all the shops were having sidewalk sales – bonus! We wanted to try the Freedom Cafe, but it didn’t open until dinnertime, so we walked down Silver Street to The Last Unicorn. This place never disappoints, and on this day, my tortellini with a mushroom-sherry-cream sauce was no exception, nor was my friend’s quiche.

We were overstuffed, but our next destination, Sign of the Sun, was just the thing: To get there, you walk up a long flight of stairs that could qualify as a legitimate workout. Inside, both of us could’ve given our credit cards a workout, as well. I considered a $25 poncho, but decided it was a little too flowy for me. Jess liked a blue polo sweater and a brick-red turtleneck. I drooled over the cute corduroy Levi’s bags with embroidered pockets. I also tried on a vintage T-shirt advertising a newspaper’s marathon. Cute, but it didn’t fit right.

Next, we hit Goodwill, which has a small but good selection of clothing and housewares. We liked the sweaters and the jackets, but ultimately, we left empty-handed.

That all changed at our next stop, The Clothing Gallery, an upscale boutique on Main Street that carries such lines as Eileen Fisher, Sigrid Olsen and one of my favorite Canadian brands, Spanner. Jess spotted a soft off-white sweater on clearance for 60 percent off its original $100 price tag. It looked gorgeous, so she got it. I contemplated a suede jacket and a sampler of handmade soaps, but resisted.

Our next stop was Adams & Worth, a beautiful boutique full of home furnishings, decorative bowls and canisters and luxurious linens. The next time I’m in the market for a housewarming gift, this will be my first stop. After that, the sidewalk selection at Earth Bound beckoned us across the street. Full of quirky gifts and cute clothing such as an adorable Putumayo beaded cardigan and a sweet, but ultimately unflattering, lampshade-pleat shirt, Earth Bound is both style-conscious and budget-friendly. I’ll be back.

Ditto for Jorgensen’s, the sandwich shop and gourmet goodie emporium that almost inspired us to eat a second lunch. Jorgensen’s has a great wine selection, and I’ve heard their food is divine. But we were stuffed, so we walked around some more and ended up at Paragon Shop. The pasta bowls in the window lured me in (I have the same set), and I found dozens of other items I liked as well – pretty tableware, candle holders, jewelry, and my first purchase of the day, a modern, blue glass vase for $7.99.

After that, we debated going to the Yardgoods Center, which is a knitter’s and crafter’s haven, but I could spend all day in there and it was getting late, so we headed to Augusta.

Which means we headed to Old Navy. Jess and I both have a little Old Navy problem. It seems that every time we go, we can’t leave without dropping at least $100. Of course, this means that we usually leave with a lot of stuff, so in the interest of rationalization, we’re really getting a heck of a deal. Plus, the clothes fit. And although there’s a lot of teenybopper stuff there, we can find styles that are both inexpensive and appropriate for women in our age group – which is no easy feat.

As usual, I filled an entire cart with flip-flops, jeans, sweaters, casual corduroys, dress pants, skirts, handbags, blouses and camisoles. Jess ventured into red-pants territory (they look fabulous), and I think I talked her out of a fair-isle crewneck. I adored a pair of $26 jeans, but they looked a little college-girl for me, so I skipped them in favor of a much more practical brown cardigan ($26.50). Determined not to spend more than $50, I steadfastly resisted a dusty rose corduroy blazer (now $29.50). It’s only a matter of time before I return to buy it.

We walked three yards to the Eddie Bauer Outlet, where very little appealed to me, but Jess got a chair, so it ended up being worthwhile. A quick stop at Famous Footwear almost led to a Steve Madden pump purchase, but I was strong (God, I love those strappy heels, though). A visit to Gap had me convinced that I should completely blow my budget, buy three flower pins, a velvet blazer, three pairs of jeans, a cardigan and two silk sashes, but reason got the best of me. OK, it was my credit limit that got the best of me. Next, we window-shopped at Eastern Mountain Sports, and I considered yet another poncho at American Eagle Outfitters.

But I was getting too tired to shop – yes, you read it here. Plus, my feet hurt (note to self: don’t wear mules next time), and Jess, despite her resolution not to buy anything, had stuffed the back seat with bags and bags full of purchases. But they were wise purchases, and in true pioneer spirit, we took it in stride. Jess got an iced coffee at Starbucks for the road, and then we rode off into the sunset.

ShopNotes

. Hold on to your stilettos, ladies, because Jergens is giving you a chance to win shoes you can’t even buy here. In celebration of the lotion company’s sponsorship of Fashion Week, (Sept. 8-14), Starting Sept. 1, visitors to www.jergens.com can register to win gorgeous footwear from Giuseppe Zanotti, Manolo Blahnik, Delman, Sergio Rossi, Casadei, Fratelli Rossetti and Christian Louboutin. Good luck.

. Have a passion for fashion in mid-Maine? As part of Downtown Waterville Day, local merchants will put on a fashion show from 11 a.m. to noon today. For more information, visit www.watervillemainstreet.org.

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476. Tune in to ShopGirl at 5 p.m. Fridays on WLBZ-2.

Destination: Augusta-Waterville

Adams & Worth, 74 Main St., Waterville, 872-5424

American Eagle Outfitters, Marketplace At Augusta, 623-0489

The Clothing Gallery, 48 Main St., Waterville, 873-2270

Earth Bound, 48 Main St., Waterville, 873-4810

Eastern Mountain Sports, Marketplace At Augusta, 623-2712

Eddie Bauer Outlet, Marketplace At Augusta, no phone

available

Freedom Cafe, 18 Silver St., Waterville, 859-8742

Gap, Marketplace At Augusta, 623-2530

Goodwill, 24 Silver St., Waterville, 877-0673

Jorgensen’s, 103 Main St., Waterville, 872-8711

The Last Unicorn, 8 Silver St., Waterville, 873-6378

Old Navy, Marketplace At Augusta, 623-1234

Paragon Shop, 36 Main St., Waterville, 873-7760

Sign of the Sun, 22 Silver St., Waterville, 872-7581

Starbucks, in Barnes & Noble, Marketplace At Augusta, 621-0038

Yardgoods Center, Downtown Shopping Center, Waterville,

872-2118