Tarzana’s Shopping Renaissance : Small but budding Brown Center offers fashion boutiques, trendy salons and chic eateries.
At the corner of Yolanda Avenue and Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana, a kind of renaissance is occurring at Brown Center.
This little U-shaped enclave of shops is home to fashion boutiques, coffee emporiums, trendy salons and cutting-edge restaurants. If you want to indulge in an afternoon of shopping and dining, it’s the perfect place. Admittedly, the shopping area is in transition. There are some empty storefronts, but it’s only a matter of time before they join the new kids on the block. There also are some boutiques just across the street that are worth careful perusal. Metered and free parking is available in the back lot, just behind Ventura Boulevard.
Noon: The skinny on the Thin’s In Cafe, prominently located in the center, is that the size of all the portions on the menu are controlled, based on the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Assn. Though calories are not listed on the menu, dieters will be familiar with the “exchanges” featured there. Chicken Salad, for instance, consists of two protein exchanges and one-half of a fat exchange. The restaurant features a generic Marie Callender-style ambience that offers a perfect opportunity for a tete-a-tete with friends or loved ones--so much so that many diners actually whisper their way through lunch. There are several tempting “desserts without guilt” that are made in such a heart-healthy manner you won’t even feel compelled to share.
Thin’s In Cafe, 18706 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 776-0229.
1 p.m.: Walk to the end of the block and cruise through The Gap, dedicated not only to adults, but children and even babies. Aside from the indigo and brightly colored denims you’ve come to expect on the shelves and in the racks of this store, with its white walls and hardwood floors, there are also backpacks, belts, roomy sweaters and great-looking yet sturdy stuff for park-bound kids and industrious infants.
The Gap, 18728 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 343-2671.
1:20 p.m.: Work your way back toward Appassionata, a veritable treasure-trove of body-conscious lingerie and at-home ready-to-wear that manages a tasteful balance between really sexy and ultra-sophisticated. Elegant chemises, cotton bras, dainty panties and fitted tops and pants line the walls of this compact yet luxe boutique. Prices range from $10 for underwear to $160 for a French bodysuit.
Appassionata, 18678 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 774-1210.
1:45 p.m.: Inside Laurie Weir, shoppers will find versatile separates, jeans, dresses and unusual accessories. Overall, the looks featured are funky yet not too way-out. Names you’ll know--not often found in San Fernando Valley boutiques--include Betsey Johnson, Mica and Laundry. Prices range from $26 for a T-shirt to $195 for a dress. Best of all, owner Weir offers a 30-day layaway, which few stores do anymore.
Laurie Weir, 18664 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 708-9124.
1:30 p.m.: Don’t skip The Basketmaker even if you are not in the market for a gift. The shop sells original, fabulously priced home accessories and personal luxuries individually. There are cow-printed ceramic garden pots starting at $5.95. In addition to the Seinfeld calendars and mugs, there are miniature-chair candleholders, temporary tattoos and a variety of edibles (ever try watermelon or kiwi jelly?)
There are items for the kids too, such as a book called “Kids Shenanigans.” It comes with a real live whoopee cushion for those n-yuk n-yuks your kids may need but you would just as soon the grandparents didn’t see.
The Basketmaker, 18666 Ventura Blvd., (818) 996-9900.
2 p.m.: Few boutiques personify California chic as a.b.s. designer boutiques do. The casual ready-to-wear collections designed by Allen Bruce Schwartz (note the store carries his initials) are affordable takes on the elegant Armani-esque style worn by Hollywood celebrities and Beverly Hills socialites. Prices range from $40 for some of the accessories to more than $300 for some of the jackets. Another of the boutique’s pluses: The shop is as beautiful to behold as the merchandise inside, and the service is friendly and helpful.
a.b.s., 18660 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 343-8770.
2:20 p.m.: Walk across the street and into another world, namely that of Kirsten of Copenhagen. The bubbly owner’s love of her homeland is reflected in the collectibles and gifts that line the walls in this quaint shop. There are Scandinavian modern teak salad bowls, Kosta Boda crystal goodies, Royal Copenhagen collectibles, Farmers’ Rose dinnerware from Norway and Arabia dinnerware from Finland. And just so you know what to put on the plates, the owner also stocks cookbooks and edibles, such as cloudberry preserves. Items range from $2.50 for a kitchen magnet to $300 for a crystal vase.
Kirsten of Copenhagen, 18663 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 996-2147.
2:40 p.m.: Buffalo Too is one of the Valley’s oldest designer boutiques dedicated to outfitting men and women. If you haven’t been inside in a while, you’ll notice many changes--especially in the price structure--since it opened in the mid-’80s. Today shoppers can find skirts for as low as $45 and embellished designer suits for $495. Men will find a wealth of trendy casual sportswear and dress suits as well.
Buffalo Too, 18663 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 345-5526.
