TAKE US TO EASY STREET

STUDIO CITY

BOHO BOULEVARD

--

From the car window, the stretch of Ventura Boulevard just west of Laurel Canyon looks a lot like the local shopping mall, with chain stores Gap, Banana Republic, Chico’s and Urban Outfitters. But take to the sidewalks, and you’ll discover boutiques with a bohemian bent, and unique gifts for everyone on your list. For your free-spirited girlfriend, LTH Studio has jewelry by local artists, including Native American trade bead bracelets by Stormie ($70 to $395), each imbued with a different meaning, such as love, healing, etc. (And God knows we can use those sentiments around the holidays.) Then there are Jules & Co.’s amoeba-shaped silver earrings scattered with pink semiprecious stones ($475), right on par with spring’s nature-inspired jewelry trend. If you’re on a budget, don’t fear: Craggy, sparkling amethyst candle holders pack a big punch at $38.

LTH Studio, 12182 1/2 Ventura Blvd., (818) 985-1278.

For just $25, you can pick up a colorful, Japanese print hair clip at Ryu, a Japanese import store with far more than the requisite tea sets and kimonos. A $145, hand-painted pink cashmere shawl would thrill Mom, as would a $115 metallic, etched leather clutch. The best part? The store’s colorful shopping bags are so beautiful, each one hung with a paper crane, there’s no need to gift wrap.

Ryu, 12322 Ventura Blvd., (818) 766-8058.

For the well-dressed baby or toddler, Naked Baby is a walk-in closet of Trumpette cowgirl socks ($28 for a box), Trunk Ltd. Beatles tees ($63) and Splendid sweats ($38). But the most unusual gift may be one of the charming, do-gooder tees by Tiny Revolutionary, the best emblazoned with the slogan “Drive a Hybrid -- Save Some Green for Me.”

Naked Baby, 12334 Ventura Blvd.,(818) 760-8851.

For more gifts that give back, Storyopolis is a treasure trove of children’s books. Not sure whether your best friend’s kid will like “Goodnight Moon” or “Where the Wild Things Are”? You can let the owners do the work for you. Just tell them the age of your giftee and they’ll do the rest, creating a basket of books, stuffed characters and more.

Storyopolis, 12348 Ventura Blvd., (818) 509-5600.

Buying clothes for someone else can be a gamble, but it’s worth it at Yak & Yeti, which stocks Nepalese handicrafts that are suprisingly chic. Hoodies, $27.99, are artfully decorated with scraps of tapestries, while vibrant $59.99 patchwork print circle skirts are reminiscent of designer Dries Van Noten. And at $8.99, the ethnic scarves could have walked straight off the Balenciaga runway. The only problem? Getting the smell of patchouli out of them. Then again, maybe that’s not a problem.

Yak & Yeti, 12406 Ventura Blvd., (818) 754-1938.