Shopping til You Drop in Visual Studio .NET

Generator DataMatrix in Visual Studio .NET Shopping til You Drop

Ardent shoppers won t lack for diversions in Los Angeles What follows are LA s finest hunting grounds For a visual reference, see the Los Angeles s Shopping Neighborhoods map on p 404

For the average tourist, this charming beach town offers the best shopping possibilities, with a range from affordable to movie-star wealthy, and all of it in pleasant walkable settings

This sunny pedestrian-only walk is a real crowd-pleaser, with something for everyone: record shops, bookstores (mostly chains), and familiar clothing chains and one-off boutiques It s a browser s delight, and most stores stay open for after-dinner shopping Take the 10 freeway to Fourth Street and park in a structure between Fourth and Second streets

This hip, casual strip is the place to find the beach vibe in Santa Monica shopping The nice mix of national favorites, one-of-a-kind boutiques, and sidewalk cafes between Rose Avenue and Strand (north of Ocean Park Boulevard) makes for a lovely stroll Check out the Web site at wwwmainstreetsmcom

Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave (% 310-829-5854), is the city s top stop for contemporary art, with 20 beautifully browsable galleries running the gamut from Japanese paper to jewelry, painting, and sculpture Take the 405 to Cloverfield/26th Street, turn right on Cloverfield Boulevard, and right on Michigan; parking is free and plentiful

This grown-up shopping strip at the upscale north end of town is wonderful for one-of-a-kind browsing The best boutiquing is just east of Ninth Street, where you ll find lots of casually elegant clothing boutiques for women Visit wwwmontanaavecom for a rundown

This world-famous corner of couture is more accessible than you may think You may not be able to afford it, but good for you if you can! Anchoring the retail area north of Wilshire Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Rexford Drive are three high-fashion department stores, NYC s Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue, plus Texas couturier Neiman Marcus, sitting like ducks in a row between 9500 and 9700 Wilshire Rodeo Drive is the most famous and most exclusive of the shopping streets, with two Euro-style, piazza-like couture malls (2 Rodeo and the Rodeo Collection), plus top designer boutiques such as Chanel, Van Cleef and Arpels, and many more But you ll find plenty of reasonably priced booty throughout the easily walkable area, too For a list, see wwwbeverlyhillsbeherecom Though the city of Beverly Hills offers two hours free parking in their underground lots, those can fill up quickly, so expect to pay for a parking-lot space bring quarters!

Right in the shadow of the famous Beverly Center mall (% 310-854-0071; wwwbeverlycentercom), which sits like a prison at Beverly and La Cienega boulevards, is one of the city s most appealing shopping streets Running east from La Cienega, West Third s shops are whimsical, accessible, and just upscale enough, such as Traveler s Bookcase, no 8375 (% 323-655-0575), and the Cook s Library, no 8373 (% 323-655-3141), two of the best specialty bookstores around; and Freehand, no 8413 (% 323-655-2607), a first-rate crafts gallery You should find meter parking, although perhaps a couple blocks or more from precisely where you want to be Mall rats will enjoy the Grove (% 888-315-8883 or 323-9008080; wwwgrovelacom), with its dancing water show, 14-screen theater designed to look like an Art Deco movie palace, and plenty of upscale chain stores and eateries located at Third and Fairfax, just east of the Farmers Market

Sunset Plaza is one of the oldest and poshest shopping districts in Los Angeles It lines both sides of Sunset Boulevard, from 8720 Sunset to 8589 Sunset, anchored on the southwest by the former Le Dome, home away from home for many a now-bereft celebrity, and the celebrity caffeination spot Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on the northeast (Britney Spears, Mark Wahlberg) There you ll find superstar retailer Tracey Ross, 8595 Sunset Blvd (% 310-854-1996), whose clients include some of the brightest stars in Hollywood Jeweler Philip Press, 8601 Sunset Blvd (% 310-360-1180), offers fine platinum, colored stones, and diamonds, while Armani Exchange, 8700 Sunset Blvd (% 310-659-0171), and other boutiques beckon With over a half-dozen restaurants offering sidewalk brunching, lunching, and dining (expect smokers on the patios), Sunset Plaza provides a wealth of people-watching and a cosmopolitan flair But don t park here unless you re shopping here; guards are vigilant and they will tow