BY DESIGN : THINK GLOBALLY / SHOP LOCALLY : For Unique Gifts, Browse In Your Own Back Yard

It doesn’t take a passport, luggage or a Berlitz crash course to go on a global shopping spree, L.A.-style--just a willingness to make an adventurous detour around the conventional mall scene.

To incorporate a little cultural diversity into our annual gift-buying binge, we hit an Iranian bookstore in Westwood, an Indian shop on Fairfax, a Thai boutique in Hollywood. Our sleigh was piled high with plenty of bargains and more than a few conversation starters--such as the clock made from a map of Iran and a box of henna hand tattoos.

During a repeat visit to Chinatown, we spotted more silk robes and pajamas than ever, at wonderfully low prices, and a popular Ethiopian store yielded a cache of beautiful silver, cowrie and amber jewelry.

Perhaps the nicest part of global shopping is the fragrances that waft through the air. Most places we visited are either next door to eateries or inside them. A food market adjacent to the Indian shop is filled with the smell of curry.

On Hollywood Boulevard near Western Avenue is a whole pocket of Thailand culture. Near a Thai market and restaurant is a huge bookstore filled with Buddhas, books and stacks of perfect holiday gifts.

A few pointers for venturing beyond the mall’s outer limits, though: Watch out for smaller sizes, especially in shoes. A Size 7 is really more like a Size 6. And don’t be afraid to ask questions. The merchandise may not be displayed as clearly at these shops as it is in a department store, but who knows? You might find some buried treasure.