Santa in L.A. / Think snow-globally, shop locally. But don’t wander the malls aimlessly! You need a plan. Here, we break down four prime shopping districts for holiday gift givers, be they happy or harried.
This season, many Pacific Palisades merchants are displaying window signs with the acronym SHOPP and the words “Shop Pacific Palisades.” We couldn’t agree more. If Santa double-parked Donder and company here for even half an hour, he could make a serious dent in his to-do list but not his wallet.
Swarthmore Avenue, just north of Sunset Boulevard, has a deep bench of independent retailers. Tabitha, a 2-year-old baby and maternity store, has begun branching into other offerings, so in addition to the uber-cute stuffed pigs and octopuses that do double duty as baby-bottle holders and fruit-themed bibs packaged in baby food jars, you’ll find $88 wraps, $108 hobo clutches and an apothecary jar full of chunky, private-label plastic bangle bracelets engraved with cheeky slogans such as “Martini, shaken, not stirred.”
Across the street, Roy Robbins Gifts & Stationery serves up a fantastic assortment of merchandise, including a whimsical figurine whose dress doubles as a cheese grater and Marina del Rey artist Diane Markin’s bent silverware napkin holder. But our favorite (we liked it so much, we put it on the cover) was the assortment of SoCal-specific tree decorations by Ornaments to Remember (it benefits a parenting organization called the Learning Community), which feature familiar local sights such as a Rodeo Drive streetscape.
A few doors closer to Sunset is Rumours, which stocks a range of clothing and accessories, including sweets-themed tween-oriented items such as vinyl coin purses that resemble Hostess cupcakes. For her older sister, you’ll find Local Celebrity T-shirts bearing the slogan “Drama Queen” and a plethora of peace-sign items.
If there’s an XY chromosome on your shopping list, cross Sunset and pop into Elyse Walker Men, where in addition to upscale clothes of every stripe (think Alexander McQueen and Michael Bastian) offerings include deliciously subversive Barker Black ties and skull-emblazoned pocket squares.
Tabitha, 1047 Swarthmore Ave., (310) 454-1086; Roy Robbins Gifts & Stationery, 1030 Swarthmore Ave., (310) 454-0130; Rumours, 1014 Swarthmore Ave. (310) 454-3894; Elyse Walker Men, 15300 Antioch St., (310) 230-8882.
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