Yule Countdown
For what may be the biggest shopping weekend of the year, here are a few San Fernando Valley sources for bargain gifts:
A nostalgic return to the costume jewelry of yesteryear is a delicious shopping experience at the Collector’s Eye. Pick up a velvet tray when you enter and collect what catches your eye. Just arrived is a big shipment of Russian amber, including milk amber, which at one time was owned only by the aristocracy. A pair of milk-amber earrings can be yours for $21.50. You’ll also find a large inventory of cameos. One shell cameo pendant set in brass is from the 1880s and is $187.50, but there are others that are much less. There is also new and old Indian and costume jewelry in every color and shape from the ‘30s and ‘40s.
* Collector’s Eye, 21435 Sherman Way, Canoga Park. (818) 347-9343.
Not long ago I wrote about Cissy’s, a store that acts as an outlet for many small manufacturers. When I checked for holiday offerings, I found some 100% cotton fleece (sweatsuit material) coats, pants and jackets at great prices. Tops and pants that were $28 are $16, coats that were $74 are $46.40. Anyone would love the pure silk jogging suits for $31.20 (retail $62).
* Cissy’s, 19820 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. (818) 888-1730.
If you’ve already made your perfume purchases, don’t read any farther, you’ll only get upset. At Duty Free the prices are beautiful: a 3.4-ounce eau de parfum of Diva by Ungaro for $39.99 instead of $80. From Hermes comes 24 Faubourg in a 3.4-ounce eau de toilette for $69, which is $41 less than the department store price of $110. You can save big on an old favorite, Quelque Fleurs. Try $69 instead of $140 for 3.4-ounce eau de parfum. For men, there’s the popular Monsieur Givenchy, which at $15 is half the retail price. If your guy is more trendy, he probably likes Davidoff. But if $65 is a bit steep, try it here for $25.
* Duty Free, 15053 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. (818) 906-1234.
L.E.C. World Traders has its usual dynamite deals in toys: Check out Amagogo, a gorilla that bobs its head and arms to the tune of “The Macarena” for $6.50 (retail $15-$20) or Giggle & Shake, a 14-inch bear that giggles and shakes on command for $6 instead of $12. For $7.90 you can give some lucky kid Cosmic, the 61-piece motorized wheel with attachments. Retail on this is $14.95. But don’t bring the kids--this warehouse has very narrow aisles.
* L.E.C. World Traders, 249 1st St., Burbank. (818) 295-3794.
The Doll Shoppe has more than 15,000 dolls in its inventory, most priced considerably under retail. A 22-inch porcelain Dynasty doll of a Victorian lady retails elsewhere for up to $120. The Doll Shoppe’s price is $49.95. Or a set of Zook dolls, a contemporary boy and girl, can bring as much as $200 each, but here the tag reads $175 for the pair. One current special is the Girl Scout doll for $24.95, and, of course, there are lots of Barbies and Madame Alexander dolls at competitive prices.
* The Doll Shoppe, 113759 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. (818) 784-3655.
