The Grove, Los Angeles
The Scene:
Lindsay, Paris, Nicole, Jessica, Cameron — names that are regular utterings at the hottest boutiques and shops in LA. Bring your camera, but don’t get in the way or these browsing beauties may bite. Prep yourself with the basics outlined below and you’ll be shopping in the midst of greatness in LA.
The Supplies:
- The largest, darkest sunglasses you can find (you’ll fit in with the trend while hiding the fact that you’re gawking at stars)
- Plastic (you know the kind — gold, platinum, whatever)
- Camera (one of those tiny ones that no one will notice; keep a low profile and your paparazzi tendencies under control)
- Your favorite pages from the latest fashion magazines (you’ll actually find it in LA)
- Water (stay hydrated; trust us)
The Circuit:
Melrose Avenue makes a worthy starting place for your star-hunting shopping trip, especially since it’s home to the famous ivy-covered Fred Segal store. Inside is a collection of boutiques that will have shopaholics instantly drooling. The list of celebrities who shop here is too long to cover. Just know that this is Mecca for famous fashionistas, and therefore your best bet for spotting stars — and great clothes.
Kitson, the “it” boutique of the moment, should also be a destination on your route. On Robertson Boulevard, this fun store is at the cutting edge of trends, hence the frequent visits of late from stars like Sharon Stone and Halle Berry. Also on Robertson are Lisa Kline, Curve, Horn and other shops where hot-off-the-runway looks draw the likes of Kate Bosworth and Jennifer Aniston.
West Third Street is a more down-to-earth area, but it’s a no less stylish place to stalk notables who are shopping on the down-low. Favorite shops like Milk and Aero & Co. are only a taste of the treasures found here. And don’t forget The Grove, where beautifully designed grounds make customers — even high-profile shoppers — feel like treating themselves to some prize purchases. The nearby Beverly Center is also a favorite among the celebrity set.
In the San Fernando Valley, Ventura Boulevard is packed with boutiques and shops full of unique clothes and one-of-a-kind treasures, such as Tryst and Dungarees. Concentrate your efforts on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City. The Valley also has some of LA’s largest and most inviting shopping malls, including the Glendale Galleria, the Woodland Hills Promenade, Fashion Square Sherman Oaks and the Sherman Oaks Galleria.
No celebrity shopping circuit would be complete without a visit to Sunset Boulevard. Here shops like Tracey Ross — which displays pics to prove Madonna and Jennifer Lopez shopped there — offer the promise of fabulous finds and the possibility of a celeb sighting.
