For the Serious Shopper : Charming enclave of stores along the Boulevard in Encino offers a wide and varied collection of wares. It also sports well-dressed patrons.
You may not know that Plaza de Oro is one of the hautest places to shop on Ventura Boulevard.
When you’ve carved out serious shopping time, travel east to Louise Avenue and make a left into the charming enclave of shops. Be advised: Most shoppers in this Encino center tend to dress up.
10:30 a.m.: Stop for shopping fuel at Bagel Nosh.
11 a.m.: Expect to cover a lot of territory inside Jolie, a shop filled with dressy and casual clothing, accessories and custom jewelry designed by owner Jolie Alpert and such designers as Los Angeles’ Tina Hagen and Platinum.
Sueded rayon separates, elongated crocheted cotton vests and a large assortment of au courant, ankle-grazing floral chiffon dresses, evening dresses and elegant costume and fine jewelry keep customers coming back for more.
Prices range from $35 for a lace top to $1,500 for one of Alpert’s custom necklaces, featuring an impressive Australian opal.
17159 Ventura Blvd., Encino (810) 501-1148.
11:30 a.m.: You may wish you hadn’t pigged out at Bagel Nosh when you reach the door of Bea’s Swim & Sport, but suck in your stomach and go in anyway. Familiar brand-name one- and two-piece swimsuits by La Blanca, Baja Blue, Roxanne, Citrus, Too Hot Brazil, De Weese, Gottex and the like range from $45 to $100.
17159 Ventura Blvd., Encino (818) 981-3138.
Noon: The merchandise inside Sara’s Lingerie Boutique--including the only La Perla French intimate apparel collection in the Valley--makes the offerings at Victoria’s Secret look like bargain-basement wares. Unfortunately for the budget-conscious, the price tags are just as incomparable. An exquisite sexy Chantal Thomass cocoa-brown lace bra and matching bikini cost $230, excluding tax.
The store does offer free alterations on bras, a service rarely found in most lingerie stores. There is also an impressive selection of trousseau-worthy robe and gown sets and sexy lace bustiers in hard-to-find large sizes up to 38 D. Prosthetics for women who have undergone mastectomies are also custom-made here, starting at $195. There are whimsical pajama sets, boxer shorts and ample grooming supplies for the man in your boudoir too.
17211 Ventura Blvd., Encino (818) 990-1270.
The understated elegance at frandori is echoed in the crisp career sportswear by Emanuel Ungaro, and in many of the other designer secondary lines featured. Merchandise runs the gamut, from Alfred Sung jeans to elegant black tie and mother-of-the-bride formal wear. Prices range from $40 to $2,000. Everything is so beautifully hung and elegantly displayed your heart will ache for a closet make-over.
17215 Ventura Blvd., Encino (818) 789-5523.
12:15 p.m.: Next door, one door leads to three stores--Tight Moves, purveyor of active wear; Marianette, home to unique jewelry, and Cartouche, where unusual gifts may be found. In Cartouche, “ooh” and “aah” over the Natura line of herb and floral-infused bath products and one-of-a-kind hats. Unusual lamps made from silver-plated teapots topped with quaint shades are $295. A non-electric, votive-holding model is $75.
Inside Tight Moves--and sharing the same address and phone number--is Marianette. This counter features a variety of accessories, including sterling silver and turquoise one-of-a-kind jewelry. Most of the stock ranges from $30 to $60, but an assortment of hatpins featuring antique replica stones are $22 to $32, and a basket houses a plethora of trendy woven leather bracelets for $10 apiece.
Tight Moves, a dance studio and active wear emporium, offers a variety of casual clothes and exercise apparel. San Francisco CityLights is the prominent active wear collection. There are soft jackets, skin-tight leotards and tailored sweat pants in a variety of muted brights and earthy basic shades. Prices range from $30 to $60.
In the adjacent studio, no-membership exercise classes for children and adults are $7.50 to $8.50 and include Step Reebok, muscle conditioning, stretch and tone, low-impact aerobics, children’s creative dance class, and jazz for kids.
Tight Moves and Marianette, 17223 Ventura Blvd. (818) 783-2331. Cartouche, 17223 Ventura Blvd. (818) 783-4446.
12:45 p.m.: Men--and the women in their lives--will find wardrobe ideas and covetable clothing inside Mel Fox, where costumers gather fashionable ensembles for the cast of NBC’s “Seinfeld,” ABC’s “Home Improvement” and “Beverly Hills 90210” on Fox, among others.
Start at the upper tier of the store, dedicated to casual weekend wear. Ralph Lauren Polo shirts are enshrined in their own cubically divided wall; virtually every shade, texture and pattern dazzles the eye. There are Lauren Windbreakers to match, khaki and corduroy pants of every shade, size and vendor, and even a few pairs of wool flannel trousers. Hugo Boss sport coats ($425) flank areas dedicated to “cheap chic” items such as Calvin Klein’s beefy white T-shirts ($32.)
There is also a vast selection of suits, primarily from Italian designers. The store stocks the Mani collection by Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss and Zanella, among others. Scattered throughout the shop are some interesting accessories, such as the Cole Haan suspenders featuring George Washington’s mug off the dollar bill (with a price tag of 110 real Washington greenbacks.)
17207 Ventura Blvd., Encino (818) 995-1264.
1:15 p.m.: Wrap up your afternoon of conspicuous consumption at Flair, a hip clothing boutique, and the adjoining Body Scents, a fragrance emporium recently relocated from Sherman Oaks specializing in custom-scented products, ranging from $3 for a two-ounce bottle of lotion to $15 for a 16-ounce size. Custom perfumes and gifts also are available. 17201 Ventura Blvd., (818) 905-6744.
Revel in Flair’s owner Cissy Wechter’s incredible knack for finding affordable cutting-edge fashion at prices people are willing to pay. Roomy striped and solid cotton tops run $42 to $54. The Societe line, which features roomy vests, tunic and pant ensembles, is as fresh-looking as the runway fashions in New York. Beautifully tailored jackets ($164) and trousers ($95) in seasonless ivory and black rayon crepe are reminiscent of pricier designer styles. Another plus: the small but noteworthy assortment of girls’ fashions. 17237 Ventura Blvd., Encino (818) 986-0707
