Shop till you drop in LA

WHETHER you want to browse the racks with celebrities or find the best bargain buys, Los Angeles has stores to suit all tastes, trends and wallets.

Experience the lights and sights of shopper's heaven Rodeo Drive. Picture: Escape

ONE of the most famous shopping moments in movie history is the scene in Pretty Woman in which a snooty store manager snubs Julia Roberts, only to realise she has turned down some serious sales.

The scene was filmed on location at fashion store Boulmiche (9501 Santa Monica Blvd), just a few steps from Rodeo Drive.

Every visitor to LA wants to wander Rodeo's row of swank designer boutiques, from Prada to Ralph Lauren and Tiffany. Men's fashion store Bijan (420 North Rodeo) is said to be the world's most expensive shop: you need an appointment just to get in the door.

Budget buys
There's much more to shopping in LA than this, however, and those with a more modest budget needn't miss out. With its many distinctive neighbourhoods, there's no shortage of eclectic shopping opportunities in the capital of consumerism.

Start off at the top end of town in Beverly Hills if you must. You'll find not just Rodeo Drive but Beverly Blvd, with furnishing outlets and vintage clothing, watch and footwear stores. Robertson Blvd is also popular, with movie stars regularly seen hunting through the racks of its hip boutiques.

Trendy West 3rd St has some charming bookstores. Sit in a rocking chair and have a cup of tea in The Cooks Library (8373 West 3rd) as you browse a huge range of cookbooks, then move on to Travelers Bookcase (8375 West 3rd), one of the best travel bookstores in the country.

German retailer Taschen (354 North Beverly Drive) has an interior designed by Philippe Starck, with handmade glass walls and bronze bookshelves. The arty books are superb and the prices just as amazing.

You won't need to look at price tags at lively Farmers Market at the eastern end of West 3rd, where you'll find fresh produce and a huge range of eateries where you can refuel before more shopping.

And so to Hollywood. Hollywood Blvd is popular for its Walk of Fame but take time to browse its excellent memorabilia shops selling old movie posters, scripts and fan magazines.

Better than the Hollywood tourist strip is Melrose Ave. It's down-at-heel but great fun, with peculiar clothing shops and funky fashions on the cutting edge of American trends.

Don't forget to look down
The most overlooked part of tourist LA is Downtown but there are good reasons for shoppers to stray here. This is where savvy locals plunder the thousand-odd stores of the Fashion District. Bargain hard (it's expected) for clothing, sunglasses and accessories.

Grand Central Market (317 South Broadway) brings a taste of Latin America with its fresh produce, spices and Mexican restaurants. Olvera St sells anything made south of the border, adding mariachi bands to the lively mix at weekends.

In Little Korea you'll find bargain stores, electronics shops and malls. And Sawtelle Blvd in Japantown offers Asian-American pop culture art, books and accessories.

As for Chinatown, it has shops stuffed with teapots, porcelain, silk slippers and Asian arts and crafts. Chung King Rd has intriguing galleries highlighting local artists.

It isn't quite Rodeo Drive but then nor are the price tags: proof that there's something for everyone, and every budget, in LA.

More: www.visitcalifornia.com.au; www.discoverlosangeles.com