Los Angeles Shopping

The so-called Golden Triangle holds more wealth and fine stores than most small countries. At its center is the renowned Rodeo Drive. It is the street on which Julia Roberts had her shopping spree in "Pretty Woman." It is the street that sports designer stores such as Tiiffany's, Cartier, Chanel, Bally, Gucci and other well-heeled notables. This is also the street that few people who don't spend their life in front of the camera can afford. On nearby Wilshire Blvd., there is the Regent Beverly Wilshire (seen in "Beverly Hills Cop"), Niketown, Barneys, and, yes, the "Winona" Saks Fifth Avenue. And throughout the Triangle, you will see a curious collection of nouveau riche types sauntering about that will make you feel like you're watching an episode of "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous: The Reality Show."

This small street could be seen as a diorama for hip Los Angeles. Featuring the exclusiveness of Beverly Hills and the cutting-edge cool of Melrose, this small stretch is where Hollywood hipsters with real money shop. There are Curve's modern edgy outfits, high-end Maxfield's discount outlet, Maxfield Blue, an Industry MAC store, and a shimmering Georgio Armani Home store. Slip into some Hogan shoes, or grab a gift at Kitson's, which has items for everyone from 6 months to 60. This is also the place to spot celebrities, usually noshing at the Ivy, one of the best restaurants in the city, or the Newsroom Café across the street in a building housing New Line Pictures and a great kids bookstore named Storyopolis.

This is the tale of two streets. Since the early '80s, the stretch of Melrose between Fairfax and La Brea avenues has defined hip shopping in Los Angeles. The storefronts alone are works of pop art, and the approximately dozen blocks are still packed with hipsters trying to score the latest cool attire. Check out Red Balls, Slow, and Von Dutch for great clothing. Aardvark's and Wasteland specialize in secondhand items. On west side of Fairfax Avenue, Melrose has emerged as a high-end paradise. Lower-key stores such as miu miu, the legendary Fred Segal's, Costume National, and Forinara all have made it a deserving alternative to the Robertson Boulevard experience. Everything from lingerie at Agent Provocateur to great home accessories at designer Jonathan Adler's store round out this definitive L.A. shopping experience.

A quieter, more sophisticated cousin to its northern neighbor Melrose, this sleepy street features an eclectic array of stores. There is Beige, one of the best boutiques in the city, the men's store K. Bond, and Naked, which features exclusive selections from European designers. The latter is like the boulevard on which it sits: cool and laidback, and there is no pressure to buy. Erewhon is an upscale health food store whose deli has great food served by extremely rude food jockeys. That's what happens when you're a frustrated actor. And from the "Only in L.A." file, at Fifi and Romeo you can buy matching sweaters for you and your dog.

This street has grown to become a great shopping walk. There are a slew of fantastic antique stores, wonderful boutiques such as Aero & Co and Polka Dots & Moonbeams, and specialty stores such as Zipper's modern home accessories and unique gifts. Grab a healthy bite at Real Food Daily, some diner fare at the tiny Who's on Third, or some succulent tapas at the Spanish eatery Cava. Further east down the street is the new upscale restaurant A.O.C., owned by the chefs behind the acclaimed Lucques and Border Grill. And if the trip down this quaint street isn't enough, score a guidebook to virtually anywhere else in the world at the small-but-packed Travel Bookstore.

This street tucked away in Santa Monica caters to mostly the "Industry" types who flock to this sunny oasis of stores sequestered in a secluded upscale neighborhood. Cafes and quiet boutiques provide a backdrop, as the upscale clientele lazily stroll down the street, many walking pooches or window-shopping. The gem in this street's string of stores is Pearl, owned by Jack's daughter Jennifer Nicholson. Check out her own cool line of clothes as well as accessories from the hottest new designers.

This boulevard is seen by most as a major north-south tributary and by others as a east-west dividing line between the west side of L.A. and the rest of the city. So it is easy to overlook the many fine establishments. If you want to uncover that rare piece of hardware for your house (Liz's hardware), a great skirt or jeans at L.A.'s best vintage store (Jet Rag), some simply great duds (American Rag), an obscure foreign film (Rocket Video), or the best hot dog in the city (Pink's), you can find it here. You can even do lunch at a flower shop (Rita Flora) or find amazing Peking Duck (Lucky Duck).

The fashion district of L.A conjures images of sweatshops, but in reality there is a fascinating collision of cultures that makes this area a great microcosm of Los Angeles in all its shine and grime. Called a bargain hunters paradise, Santee Alley features lots of knockoffs of designer shoes and clothing at really low prices. A great time to go is the first Friday of every month, when the California Mart has sample sales. And the wares aren't limited to clothing. You can find everything from reams of fabric to Powerpuff Girl piñatas.

Eurotrash, tourists, and celebrities populate this chi-chi stretch of Sunset Blvd that is dotted with outdoor cafes and boutiques. The Coffee Bean here is like a clubÑpickup your coffee and your next date. But if you are not one of the beautiful people (or at least rich), you will be left holding a lukewarm latte and a broken heart. Many of the top boutiques, such as Madison and Anna Sui, can be found here, as well as new kids on the block, like O, which features Ann Cherico's stunning accessories. Or just grab a seat at one of the many European cafes of the Chinese fast food Chin Chin and let your eyes focus on all the beautiful people. Tip: Nearby at the hip Standard hotel, you can get low-cost, cuttingÐedge salon services.

In the early '80s, before Universal Citywalk or even Century City had theaters, this small five-block square retail village used to pack in up to 100,000 people a night. It was, for a brief shining moment, L.A.'s answer to Times Square. A fatal gang shooting in 1988 changed all that instantly, making it a virtual ghost town overnight. It used to be the place where a great percentage of Hollywood films opened, their national launch determined by how well they were received by the UCLA students who crammed into the numerous theaters, which in total feature close to 20 large movie screens (none of those wimpy nouveau multiplexes). Now it is a far sleepier Village, with its uncomfortable mix of low-end stores and eateries catering to students and elegant clothing stores catering to wealthier clientele from the surrounding upscale neighborhoods. If you don't want to join the students in grabbing a donut at Stan's donut shop or a falafel at Shwarma King, you can make your way to a gorgeous old bank building at the heart of the Village that has been converted into the pricey, white-hot Eurochow restaurant.

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