Shoes - my fifth love (after Hubby and children)

Shoes, Shoes and more shoes

To say I love shoes is probably and understatement.  At them moment I have four pairs on my wish list.

The first are the lovely red soled Christian Louboutins www.christianlouboutin.com  that I am wanting for my impending milestone birthday.  My husband doesn’t like my current favourites, what do you think?

Then there are the two pairs I eyed up on my last trip to Auckland.  The first from Mi Piaci http://www.mipiaci.com/, these also come in red with black trim.

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The next pair is from a great shop called Briarwood www.briarwood.co.nz which I can’t find a picture for so will do my best to describe them.  They are a grey ballet flat but in a giraffe print.  So cute!

The final pair, which I am not sure whether I will buy or not, is a pair of patent leather flat laceups. I haven’t researched into these.  So I will have to go and find what I love and post them later.

Off now to finish the next blog on shopping in Waikiki Hawaii.

This one isn't as detailed as it is many years since I have been to NYC. So if you can add anything please comment below.

New York Shopping

Century 21 – Discount Designer Shopping

22 Cortladt St New York 10007

(Between Church and Broadway)

Open weekdays 7.45 to 9.00

Open weekends 10.00 to 8/9pm (Sat/Sun)

Filene Basement – surplus and end of line designer outlet http://www.filenesbasement.com/

2222 & 2228 Broadway
Corners of 79th and 80th Streets
New York, NY 10024

Woodbury Commons Premier Outlet (same group as Carlsbad) is 1 hour out of Manhattan. Has a number of designer outlets.

Definitely go to

Saks Firth Ave

, Bloomingdales and Macys (Macys have public toilets which are rare in NYC).

Don’t forget Magnolia Bakery for cupcakes (made famous by Sex and the City).

401 Bleeker St, New York

FAO Schwartz - The toy store from the Tom Hanks movie “Big”. http://www.fao.com/

767 5th Avenue

@

58th St.
New York, NY 10153

LA Shopping

I have been asked a number of times about where to shop in LA so here it is.

LA Shopping / California Shopping

The Grove – 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles

Outdoor, has a historic farmers market and nice boutique store and chain stores.

Example of Shops

Fashion

Has a great Gap www.gap.com

Banana republic http://www.bananarepublic.com/

Zara  http://www.zara.com/

J Crew http://www.jcrew.com/

Victoria Secret http://www.victoriassecret.com/ I would recommend getting a fitting at VS, they measure you then give you all the styles available in your size to try.  You pick your favourites and they take you around the store and show you what colours, patterns etc are available.  Lots of fun.

Homewares

Crate and Barrel http://www.crateandbarrel.com/

Pottery Barn http://www.potterybarn.com/

The Grove has some American restaurants – The Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano’s

If you need to buy something special for a young girl you can get a “Just Like Me Doll”

from American Girl http://www.americangirl.com/ .

Strip Shopping

Melrose Ave

– know for Kitson and other boutiques.

This website has a list of shops and restaurants that are well know on

Melrose Ave.

http://www.seeing-stars.com/shop/melrose.shtml

The Beverly Centre

8500 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048

This mall has great Chain Stores, High End Designers and Departments Store. I have not been personally to this mall so can’t tell you whether it is better than South Coast Plaza but will be much closer for you.

Examples of Shops (see below for websites)

·         Ann Taylor

·         Banana Republic

·         Burberry

·         BeBe

·         Victorias Secret

·         Prada

·         Bloomingdales

·         Macy’s

South Coast Plaza (nearer to Anaheim)

This is a mall like Chadstone - chain stores, department stores and high end stores. There is a bridge near Tiffany that takes you across to extra shops; this is where you will find Ann Taylor Loft.

Department stores

• Bloomingdales http://www.bloomingdales.com/
• Macys http://www.macys.com/  (We got Hudson Jeans for $85USD – approx $400AUD)
• Nordstoms http://www.nordstroms.com/
• Saks http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/
• Sears http://www.sears.com/

Womens Clothings

• Abercrombie & Fitch http://www.abercrombie.com/
• Gap
• Banana Republic
• Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor loft (younger version of Ann Taylor) http://www.anntaylor.com/
• J Crew
• The Limited http://www.thelimited.com/
• Ralph Lauren http://www.ralphlauren.com/

• Calvin Klein http://www.calvinklein.com/
• Tiffany http://www.tiffany.com/ (definitely cheaper than Australia)
• Bally http://www.bally.com/
• Prada http://www.prada.com/
• Roberto Cavalli http://www.robertocavalli.com/

Homewares

·         Williams Sonoma http://www.williams-sonoma.com/

·         Crate and Barrel

·         Villeroy and Boch

·         Macys Home

·         Pottery Barn

Outlet Shopping - California

If you are going to San Diego I would recommend Carlsbad Premium Outlets (30 mins north of San Diego).

5620 Paseo del Norte,

Suite 100

Carlsbad, CA 92008

Example of Shops

• Coach http://www.coach.com/ (great deals at the outlet - $700AUD bag for $139USD)
• Ralph Lauren
• Nine West
• Gap
• True Religion http://www.truereligionbrandjeans.com/
• Barneys Outlet http://www.barneys.com/
• Fossil http://www.fossil.com/
• Swarovski http://www.swarovski.com/
• Crate and Barrel
• Le Creuset http://www.lecreuset.com/
• Lancome http://www.lancome.com/

If you sign up online as a VIP member you can get extra discounts. 

I personally like Ontario Mills Outlet better – it was a 40min drive from Anaheim but a lot longer back as traffic was bad.

One Mills Circle
Ontario, CA 91764

Example of Shops

• Levi’s
• Banana Republic
• Gap (better store than Carlsbad)
• Ralph Lauren
• Saks Off Fifth Ave – great for designer discounts
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Off Broadway Shoes (designer shoes)
• Nine West
• Sketchers
• Footlocker