ELLICOTTVILLE — If a woman designed heaven, it might feel a little like Ellicottville, a gem of a town about an hour south of Buffalo. While Ellicottville may, at first, rouse only fantasies of swooshing down the powdery slopes at Holiday Valley, this village is also home to world-class boutiques, an earth-friendly spa, fine dining and Blou the dog.

Not only will a trip here before the holidays allow you to shop for unique gifts you’d never find at a mall, it is a perfect place for a stress-relieving day out with the girlfriends or a chance for some “alone time” pampering at the spa. Either way, Ellicottville is a guilt-free indulgence you won’t want to miss this holiday season.

My travel companion Dena and I arrived early one morning in time to have breakfast before our appointment to meet Blou, a 13-year-old border collie and local celeb. We stopped in at Dina’s on Washington Street in the heart of town. Decorated in a Prairie-style motif, the faux-painted walls are reminiscent of cave drawings, with buffalo and horses frolicking across an earth tone background. Sconces and pendulum lamps of amber glass and an authentic pressed tin ceiling from the late 1800s give the place a subtle glow and provide a perfect setting for the elegantly prepared meals served here.

Dena chose Dina’s Favorite Omelette, a two-inch-high fluffy creation filled with sun-dried tomatoes, basil pesto, pine nuts and cheddar jack cheese which she pronounced “a little bit of heaven” after the first bite. My buckwheat pancakes, infused with a hint of cinnamon and served with pure maple syrup produced locally at a farm in Otto, had a creamy texture in the middle and a bit of crunch at the edges for perfect contrast.

All warmed up and ready to go, we met our friend Pat, an Ellicottville local who had arranged an introduction to Blou and his human companion, Jay Monti, at the Market Place on Monroe Street. A calm canine with penetrating, intelligent blue eyes who has been animated by Nickelodeon’s “Wonder Pets,” Blou won our hearts even before we knew his history.

After escaping from a farm, Blou met up with Monti, a photographer who began taking photos of him and giving them away to folks who met and loved Blou. Eventually, these photos became the ground stone for a series of note and greeting cards, with all profits donated to the Pet Emergency Fund of WNY. Over the past four years, this project — Code Blou — has contributed thousands, including a good deal toward animal rescue in New Orleans after Katrina.

Right in Blou’s backyard stands Gado Gado, a perfect boutique to begin our shopping spree. In Balinese, gado gado means “a potpourri,” which is exactly what this shop carries. It specializes in fair trade merchandise — multicolored purses from India and Guatemala, soapstone from Africa, wooden sculptures from Thailand and pottery from around the world. It also sells a variety of “green” natural products.

At 30 E. Washington St., we discovered another great little shop, Earth Arts. Inside, owner Avis King displays distinctive works by local and global artists and craftsmen. We checked out the wind chimes glistening in the window, smiled at Santa riding a motorcycle along a shelf, ran our hands over smooth wooden bowls, and gazed at pottery fired to deep green hues. In the back of the store in a mirrored case sat several Kookieclox, imaginative handcrafted wooden clocks. One was a solarscape fronted with purple aliens, another a tropical scene replete with flamingo, palm tree and setting sun.

A couple of doors down, we came across Kazoo II. If you have a book lover on your Christmas list, don’t miss this place. It stocks books ranging from Buddhist philosophy and advice from the Dali Lama to specialty books for dog and cat lovers. Also featured is a large collection of pewter items, picture frames and turquoise jewelry.

Ready for a bit of a rest, we stopped at Ellicottville Brewing Company on Monroe Street. Normally, about seven different recipes are crafted here at any given time, a blackboard on the wall listing the brews and their alcohol content. We sampled a delicious blueberry beer and a heartier Octoberfest lager.

As we sipped, Norm Koch explained the history of the brewery’s centerpiece: a 30-foot black walnut bar fronted with a marble railing six inches in diameter which was built 107 years ago for The Shining Light, a Buffalo tavern on Genesee Street. Norm had purchased the bar many years ago, and when the bar was dismantled to be moved, he discovered a 35 cent ticket stub from Shea’s theater under a brass hanger for the marble bar rail. The antique stub now hangs on the wall next to the bar in Ellicottville.

Food here includes Shepherd’s Pie and Chicken Pot Pie, along with the traditional burgers, sandwiches and steaks.

Our next stop was the Gin Mill, a bar/restaurant frequented by the locals. With worn wooden floors, brick walls and a knotty pine back bar populated with mounted wildlife, this place is a taxidermist’s dream. When was the last time you had the chance to scope out an owl with outstretched wings, a snarling raccoon standing on two legs, a non-human weasel and a life-like shark while waiting for your meal? The homemade potato chips here are light, crispy and delicious, and the cherry cobbler could satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.

We strolled over to Earth Worn Body Company (168 Monroe St.), a spa dedicated to “physical, emotional and spiritual health and wellness.” New owner Launa Yonovich shared her vision of helping people heal on multiple levels. Using all natural and organic products in their treatments, she believes “reflects our focus on health and reconnects us to the good Earth.”

The scent of ylang-ylang and peppermint permeates the muted tangerine toned massage room, and haunting notes of Native American flute music drift through the air. Glowing candles line a mirrored ledge on one wall and tranquil photographs work to enhance this placid environment. Book a classic European Facial, a Dead Sea and Chamomile Body Wrap, or an Earth Worn body massage and you’ll be relaxed and ready for more power shopping before you know it.

Reinvigorated, we decided to visit a few more shops. At Alexandra (10 Washington St.) we found an amazing assortment of fancy hand-painted wine and martini glasses and champagne flutes along with Thymes Company lotions and Porto soaps. The line of European clothing at Apres (23 Washington St.) could, according to the owner, be found nowhere else in the village. The Holiday Shop (13 E. Washington St.) boosted our Christmas spirit with an array of Santa and snowmen figurines, holiday platters and sparkly ornaments.

If you are looking for unique western-style furniture, don’t miss Gone Wild at 25 Washington St.. A huge log bed, night stand and dresser looked like they could have been claimed from the set of Northern Exposure. Another place worth a visit is Tangled Twigs (1 Monroe St.), where walking through the doors is like a visit to a cozy woodcutter’s cottage. Bright orange and yellow-leafed grapevine wreaths hang next to lovely silk floral arrangements and are sold along with lamps, candle holders and other accessories.

Don’t leave town before you duck into the new antique shop The Purple Doorknob (9 Monroe St.), run by Urania Shakleo and her husband, Ben. Wooden skis crisscross the walls upstairs and the first floor showcase holds some beautiful German porcelain and vintage jewelry. We poked around here long enough to find a pie safe with screening to keep baked goods “safe” from flies, an oversized wooden doll house, and an early primitive rocking horse, treasures all.

We finished off our trip with a delicious steak at Tips Up (32

W. Washington St.), already considering our return for the annual Christmas Stroll on Dec.

6. Choirs will stroll in the streets and the village will come alive with white Christmas lights and a Winter Wonderland Fireworks display. What better gift could there be this holiday season than experiencing Ellicottville with a group of girlfriends, a trip sure to provide memories — and perhaps some primo purchases — that will last well into the New Year.

If you go

For information:

www.ellicottvilleny.com

Holiday events: “Christmas in Ellicottville,” 10 a. m.-7 p. m. Friday through next Sunday.

Christmas Stroll, 4-7 p. m. Dec. 6.

Winter Blues Festival, Jan. 2-3. Great blues music at more than a dozen venues.

Directions

(From Buffalo) Take the I-90 West to Route 219 South.