A showcase for exquisite glass

Murano Lighting & Decor is a jewel of a store, a showcase for

exquisite Murano glass lighting and art objects by La Murrina of

Italy.

Robert and Anahita Marquetant own this beautiful showroom of

one-of-a-kind art in Newport Beach. In Italy, La Murrina is one of

the oldest manufacturers of Murano glass, with more than 200 stores.

Each handcrafted design from La Murrina represents generations of

painstaking skills in glass art.

“Each piece is a labor of love,” Anahita Marquetant said. “Every

single detail is hand-finished.”

La Murrina can customize the color and size of any design. The

showroom features something for everyone; it’s the perfect place to

find gifts, from a grouping of hand-blown fruit for $75 to a

spectacular $29,700 black chandelier.

Choose from classic and contemporary designs and famous European

designers, including Denis Santachiara, Oscar Tusquets, Paolo

Deganello and Studio Sottsass.

Lighting choices include vibrant and luminous pendant lights,

chandeliers and hard-to-find corner lights in distinct leaf designs.

Objects of art include candle holders, vases, bowls, jewelry, perfume

bottles, frames and mirrors.

Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Monday

by appointment only. 2043 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach. (949)

650-1511; o7robert@murano-lighting.comf7.

THREE’S A NEW CROWD

Costa Mesa Courtyards has added three more shopping choices --

BevMo Beverages and More, Styles for Less and Crossroads Trading

Company.

BevMo is expected to open Friday. It’s a chain for wine, beer and

spirits. Inside BevMo, you can choose from more than 3,000 wines,

1,200 spirits, 800 beers, 1,000 specialty foods and 150 cigars. There

are also bar accessories and glassware.

Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. 1835 Newport Blvd., Suite

B129 in Costa Mesa. (949) 548-4919; o7www.bevmo.com.f7

Styles for Less just opened. It specializes in youthful fashions

for girls and women at bargain prices. Choose from casual wear and

evening attire: skirts, gauchos, tops, jeans, tanks, tees,

accessories and more. Sale racks feature current markdowns that

include $9 and up denim and $7 and up tanks.

Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7

p.m. Sunday. (949) 515-9423; o7www.stylesforless.comf7.

Crossroads Trading Co. is the place to buy, sell and trade

fashion’s hottest labels for women and men. It also carries

accessories and shoes.

The L.A.-based resale store knows what labels sell. It requests

styles in good condition from True Religion, Hudson, Antic, Marc

Jacobs, Ben Sherman, YSL and Dolce & Gabbana.

Shoppers can find current styles at fair prices. Consignees can

receive 35% in cash for clothing or 50% in trade. And there’s no need

for an appointment: They accept clothes every day.

Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 7 p.m.

Sunday. 1835 Newport Blvd., Suite B123 in Costa Mesa. (949) 722-0777;

o7www.crossroadstrading.comf7.

CUTS LIKE A KNIFE

Plaza Cutlery could have the West Coast’s largest selection of

cutlery. It’s one the mall’s oldest independent stores.

Specialties include high-quality kitchen knives, even the

hard-to-find Kyocera ceramic knives favored by celebrity chef Ming

Tsai. Other knives include collectors’ handmade knives, multitool

knives and sporting knives. Firemen and policemen can buy

easy-to-open knives for cutting seat belts and ropes.

Other items available include wall clocks, barometers, manicure

sets and Anheuser-Busch steins. There are sharpening services for

kitchen knives at $1 per inch and for sporting and utility knives at

$2 per inch.

It’s family owned and offers expert service.

Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Level Two at South Coast

Plaza. (714) 549-3932; o7www.plazacutlery.comf7.

IT’S CHOCOLATE HEAVEN

Belgium’s Godiva Chocolatier at South Coast Plaza is a chocolate

lover’s paradise.

It’s famous for assorted truffles with classic milk, ivory and

dark chocolate flavors, as well as not-so-classic flavors such as

raspberry, honey-roasted almond and cappuccino. Sea-theme chocolates

are delicious too: oysters, starfish and scallop shells.

New products include the blondie -- a blond version of a brownie

-- toffee bars, peanut butter cups and new iced chocolate drinks. The

made-to-order chocolixer comes in three flavors: dark chocolate

decadence, milk chocolate latte and white chocolate raspberry ($4.50

each).

Godiva chocolates sell for $39 per pound or are priced

individually.

Open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to

7 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Level 2, at South Coast Plaza.

(714) 556-9055; o7www.godiva.comf7.

* BEST BUYS appears Thursdays. Send information to Greer Wylder at

o7greerwylder@yahoo.comf7; at 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA

92626; or by fax at (714) 966-4679.