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Shopping Information
Los Angeles might be the home of mega malls, but there's
a good deal for the shopper to explore than the polished interiors
of chain stores you can find on the High Street back home.
Film fans, vintage lovers, followers of fashion and kooky
folk with an eye for the original - you're bound to find a
bargain in Southern California's shopping metropolis.
The
Markets of Los Angeles
Rose Bowl Flea Market
Dubbed 'America's marketplace of unusual items', the Rose
Bowl is one of the most famous flea markets in the United
States, and almost certainly the largest. The second Sunday
of each month sees 20,000 shoppers flock to the parking lot
of the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, about 20 minutes drive
from downtown LA, to storm the aisles on the lookout for bargains.
With over 2,200 vendors turning out for the occasion, you'll
find any collectable you've been hankering after and much,
much more besides. There are three main sections to the market:
- Antiques
Antiques from every era (vintage clothes and records, art,
furniture, ornaments toys and knick knacks) sold by vendors
who have been coming from as far afield as Arizona and Utah,
every month for more than 20 years. Professional buyers and
die-hard collectors come early to bag the best stuff, but
as the day wears on vendors are eager to offload their goods
at any price and the casual late-comer can get a great price
on whatever they leave behind.
- Household and junk
Household clearance items and used clothing. Occasional vendors
clearing out their attics do a swift trade in tat and castoffs
at the Rose Bowl. If you know your stuff, you may unearth
some unwanted items of real value here.
- Crafts & jewelry
The outside perimeter of the stadium is the territory of craftspeople
who spend weekdays fashioning trinkets, jewelry and creative
items, and weekends selling them to artsy customers at the
best of California's swap-meets.
For more information on buying or selling at the Rosebowl,
contact:
RG Canning
Attractions
PO Box 400
Maywood
CA 90270
Tel: 323 560 7469
Shops
Of all the malls and shopping streets in Los Angeles, Rodeo
Drive is the most exclusive by far. The rich and famous
flock to these three blocks in the heart of Beverly Hills
to blow bucks on designer garb from Tiffany, Chanel, Cartier
or Gucci - while the rest of us mere mortals must content
ourselves with a window shopping and star spotting.
Bijan
The average Bijan customer is reputed to spend a staggering
$100,000 in a single visit to this exclusive menswear and
perfume boutique - mere pocket money for the super-rich regulars
whose names are engraved along the bottom of the window (Steven
Spielberg, Warren Beattie, Elton John, Al Gore and HRH Prince
Charles amongst them).
Shopping at Bijan is strictly by appointment only, so those
of us not rich or well connected enough to peak inside must
be content with the fabulous window displays, which change
on a regular basis. In fact, Bijan's displays are so creative
that the canary yellow shop front with custom custard-coloured
Bently parked outside is a tourist sight in its own right.
Designer Bijan Pakzad emigrated to the United States
from Iran in 1973. A young and ambitious designer, he set
up business designing clothes, perfumes and jewellery for
the wealthiest gentlemen in the world. Charismatic in the
extreme and self-promoting to the last, Bijan retains control
of every aspect of his business and his controversial advertisements,
in which he usually appears, are all his own concept.
Every client is attended by Mr Bijan in person and since
every outfit must be absolutely for the occasion for which
it is intended, he takes time to study their lifestyle and
the social scene in which they mix.
Bijan
420 North Rodeo Drive,
Beverly Hills,
CA 90210
Hollywood Memorabilia
The movies are one of the first things that spring to mind
when you think of Los Angeles, and there's a hundred years
of movie-making history in the city. Visit one of our featured
shops and take a piece of the limelight home with you:
Baby Jane of Hollywood
Whichever star is the object of your obsession, Baby Jane
of Hollywood is the one place you're most likely to unearth
a coveted signed photo, rare poster or even a paparazzi shot
of your adored in the nude. Selling the kookiest of souvenirs
(cancelled checks… earthquake rubble from celebs' houses…
genuine once-worn underpants), this tiny shop situated within
the vibrant French Market restaurant is a stalkers paradise.
Baby
Jane of Hollywood
7985 Santa Monica Blvd. ( in the French Market)
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Tel: 323 848 7080
Reel Clothes
Reel Clothes is a warehouse store which sells clothing, cast-offs
and props from films and TV shows straight to the public.
The 1000 square foot store sells off items worn by background
actors, and pristine garments never actually used for filming
- they may be identical to the pieces worn by the stars, only
minus the bullet holes! Prices are extremely reasonable, making
Reel Clothes the place to come for bargain good quality, smart
clothing.
The warehouse out back stores hundreds of collectable costumes,
each indisputably worn by one star or another, ready to be
despatched to on-line buyers through www.reelclothes.com.
Nothing is unique, since costume designers must supply several
of everything, just in case a costume gets wrecked in the
first take. But the thousands of dollars you may pay does
include a Letter of Authenticity, guaranteeing who the item
was worn by and in what movie.
Reel
Clothes
5525 Cahuenga Boulevard
North Hollywood
CA 91601
Tel: 818 508 7762
Tri-Ess Sciences
For the past five decades Ira Katz, aka 'Chemist to the
Stars', has specialised in supplying out of this world SFX
& props for Hollywood blockbuster movies. Though California
law restricts the sale of pyrotechnics to people with a license,
his Burbank store is a science buff's idea of heaven. School
kids and teachers come here to buy small quantities of chemicals
for experiments, and you can also purchase off-the-shelf products
to stage your own sci-fi movie - including liquid latex, fake
snow, blood effects, transparent cows, skeletons, eyeballs
and bottled organs.
Tri-Ess
Sciences
1020 W. Chestnut Street
Burbank
CA 91506
Tel: (818) 848-7838
Fax: (818) 848-3521
Posh Pups of Venice Beach
It's not only the stars who dress to impress in glamorous
Los Angeles, it's their pets too. Posh Pups of Venice Beach
sells outfits and accessories for every occasion, and every
breed under the sun.
Equip your pet for the beach with a pair of adjustable UV
rated shades and a sun hat. Get them in the Christmas mood
with Santa outfit, dress them up like Mae West or launch them
with the astronaut look. Where your dog is more than an accessory
- it has accessories of its own!
Order online at www.poshpups.com
Just Tantau
An unusual and exquisite gift shop on Venice's trendy-but-tucked-away
Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Just Tantau is currently the only
retail store stocking Posh Pups' innovative garments. Why
not pick up something for your pooch whilst souvenir-shopping
for the two-legged folks back home?
Just Tantau
1353 Abbot Kinney
Venice
CA 90291
Tel: 310 392 9878
Remix Vintage Shoes
Vintage clothing and accessories are big news in style-conscious
Los Angeles, but Remix Shoes is a one-of a kind shop dedicated
to vintage footwear throughout the ages. Owner Philip Heath
has been buying up unsold, unworn stock from wholesalers for
the past nine years, and his collection of old soles spans
seven decades - from the 1920s to 80s.
Vintage aficionados and budding Imelda Marcoses come from
all over to try on the latest of the ever-changing stock for
size. And since some styles remain such die-hard favourites,
Philip has begun marketing his own reproductions of the most
popular vintage styles.
Remix
Vintage Shoes
7605½ Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles
CA 90036
Tel: 888 254 1813
Accommodation &
Travel
Holiday Inn Hollywood
Los Angeles is studded with luxury hotels fit for the stars
when they fly into tinsel town. But if you'd rather spend
your hard-earned in the shops than on a place to sleep don't
despair - even budget accommodation in the United States is
of a high standard.
Our crew stayed at the Holiday Inn Hollywood, ideally located
just a few blocks from the Hollywood and Highland in the heart
of theatre-land. You can check out what's new at the near-by
brand new, megalithic shopping centre, and spot your favourite
star's star on the Walk of Fame. Frequent movie premiers in
the area mean you may even catch a glimpse of them in the
flesh.
Holiday
Inn Hollywood
2005 North Highland Avenue
Hollywood
CA 90068
Tel: 323 876 8600
Fax: 323 876 3272
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
It's impossible to experience all the shopping opportunities
of offer in LA without access to a car. Our crew rented with
Enterprise Rent-A-Car. They have branches throughout the United
States and Canada, and you can book your vehicle online at
www.enterprise.com.
Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau can help you
make the most of your visit. Plan your trip online using the
handy online Vacation Planner Tool on their website, or drop
by the Visitor Information Centre:
Downtown
Los Angeles Visitor Information Center
685 Figueroa St. (between Wilshire Blvd. and 7th St.)
Los Angeles 90017
Hours: Weekdays 8 am - 5 pm
Saturdays 8:30 am - 5 pm
Tel: 213 689 8822
Fax: 213 6241992
Hollywood Visitor Information Center
The Janes House at Janes Square
6541 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood 90028
Hours: Mon-Sat 9 am - 5 pm
Tel: (213) 689-8822 |
LOS ANGELES BAZAAR
