Top 10 cities for shopaholics
6. Los Angeles
Ever wonder where your favorite celeb gets her to-die-for designer duds? Depending on how old she is, it’s either Melrose Avenue (Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton) or high-end Rodeo Drive (Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones). Still, you needn’t spend a fortune to get dressed in Los Angeles, as downtown’s Santee Alley is loaded with affordable knockoffs of brand-name merchandise. Otherwise, LA is one of a handful of major cities to boast popular outdoor shopping centers — The Grove, for one, is chock full of stores selling everything from fresh vegetables to iPod accessories, while the three-block, pedestrian-only Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica has familiar brand-name stores interspersed with funky boutiques.
7. Marrakesh
Shopping in the souk in Marrakesh is truly an experience of a lifetime — and one of the more challenging shopping excursions you’ll ever have. Bargaining over goods is a way of life for Moroccans, which can be a daunting but worthwhile experience, especially when you walk away with a piece of clothing, jewelry, pottery, or carpet at your chosen price — and substantially less than you’d pay for the same item back home. Even if you don’t buy anything here, this vast bazaar is easily one of the most atmospheric places in the world in which to lose yourself: its narrow cobblestone streets are suffused with such exotic sights and smells — stained-glass lanterns hang beside meat and vegetables, carpets lie next to mounds of spices — that you’re in for an altogether heady experience no matter what.
8. New York
From high-priced designer fashions to discount chic, and from electronics to rare books, New York City has it all, from the exclusive boutiques of Madison Avenue to the knock-off stalls along Canal Street. Manhattan’s mega-stores, like Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy's (which bills itself as the world's largest department store) offer the utmost in one-stop shopping. But more personal shopping experiences await in NoLita and SoHo, where big-name boutiques mix with one-of-a-kind shops and high-end street vendors. Chelsea, meanwhile, is the go-to spot for original art works (at a hefty sum); the Lower East Side attracts fashionable young things to its exclusive shops; and bargain-hunters fight over cut-rate designer fashions at the discount mecca of Century 21.
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9. Paris
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The creativity that goes into Parisian window displays — whether to front a high-fashion house or a neighborhood chocolatier — is unmatched anywhere in the world, and reflects the locals’ philosophy that shopping should be seen as a pleasure, not a chore. One of the best neighborhoods to experience this attitude is the Marais, where a medieval maze of streets harbors trend-setting boutiques, shops, and galleries near the Place des Vosges. But you also shouldn’t miss the 8th arrondissement, and the international haute-couture labels along two streets in particular — the famed rue du Faubourg St-Honoré and avenue Montaigne — though you’ll spend fewer euros at the city’s grand magasins (department stores); two local favorites, the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, are found side by side on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th.
10. St. Barths
The French-owned St. Barthélemy, affectionately known as St. Barths (or St. Barts — both are correct) has earned a reputation as playground for the jet-set, but also as the capital of the Caribbean shopping scene, thanks to its duty-free status and 200-plus boutiques. The delightful capital, Gustavia, is a high-end retail haven for shops like Dior, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Cartier, and Hermes (many of which stock items that aren’t available stateside) while the beach resort town of St. Jean tucks posh shops into La Savane Commercial Center and La Villa Créole. It’s not all high-fashion on this celebrated isle, mind you: Local women do peddle traditional island handiwork — hand-woven palm hats, baskets, bags, and more — from their verandas, ensuring you’ll go home with something truly Caribbean after all.
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