Hot Spots for Global Holiday Shopping

Looking for unique holiday gifts? Check out the shopping in some of L.A.’s diverse neighborhoods:

Chinatown:

Golden Dragon Gifts (452 Gin Ling Way, [213] 687-3974) has silk pajamas from $39; decorative tins of tea, chinoiserie-patterned kimonos and mandarin-collared shirts, as well as Bee and Flower brand soaps for 40 cents. Across the street, Imperial Dragon Gifts (451 Gin Ling Way, [213] 628-4782) is filled with beaded velvet slippers, silk cosmetics and coin purses--all for less than $5, and tea sets starting at $11.99. Combine wooden massage rollers ($3.99) with soaps and tea from Golden Dragon to make a relaxation gift set. Hello Kitty and other character pencils, stickers and coloring books from Import Bazaar (486 Gin Ling Way, [213] 620-8808) make good stocking stuffers.

Crenshaw District:

Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza (Crenshaw and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards) has all the traditional mall stores you’d expect, along with the unique African Marketplace Boutique ([323] 293-3277), which offers beaded bracelets and earrings, calendars and cookbooks, cards, clothing and dolls from the annual African Marketplace celebration. In nearby Leimert Park, Kongo Square Gallery and Gift Shop (4334 Degnan Blvd., [323] 291-6878) has jewelry, cards, collectibles and jazz music. African Color Scheme (4341 Degnan Blvd., [323] 298-8662) carries African fabrics and clothing, including head wraps and sandals.

Little Tokyo:

Kinokuniya Book Store (123 Onizuka St., Suite 205, [213] 687-4480) stocks titles in Japanese and English about Japanese comic strips and cartoons, martial arts, cinema and more, as well as beautiful origami paper, instruction books and gift sets. Bun-ka Do (340 E. 1st St., [213] 625-1122), a Japanese Import House since 1945, has a wide selection of sake sets, teapots, decorative pottery, books and jewelry. The Japanese American National Museum (100 N. Central Ave., [213] 625-0414) has a good gift shop with art books, textiles and collectibles. Strolling Japanese American Plaza, you’ll find many shops, including the Plaza Gift Center (111 Japanese Village Plaza, [213] 680-3288), which carries everything from sushi earrings to rice cookers.

Artesia:

Artesia is known as L.A.’s unofficial Little India. Park on Pioneer Boulevard and stroll 183rd to 187th streets. Fashion Galleria (18327 S. Pioneer Blvd., [562] 402-7525) has colorful bangle bracelets in wood and metal, with sequin and mirror inlays. Prices start at $2. Put together an exotic food tin with sweets from Standard Sweets & Snacks (18600 S. Pioneer Blvd., [562] 860-6364). Try the carrot halvah and rasmalai (spongy-textured cheese, sweetened with cream, topped with pistachios, and flavored with rose water).

Huntington Park:

A walk down Pacific Boulevard in Huntington Park reveals a festive shopping environment with music--mostly Spanish--blasting out from many stores. The shops offer everything from casual clothes such as jeans and shirts to baby strollers and wedding and quincean~era gowns--which sellers say make perfect Christmas gifts, since they are cheaper during the winter than in the spring and summer.

But locals will tell you the shopping district, on Pacific just south of Slauson Avenue, is best known for its numerous shops catering to the urban cowboy. Finn’s Exotic Boots (7016 Pacific Boulevard, [213] 585-5141) is one of about 20 boot-selling shops within a few blocks featuring both Mexican and American styles. Some shops also sell other Western wear such as belt buckles and jeans. Also of note is La Mexicana (6713 Pacific Blvd., [213] 587-4140).

3rd Street, between La Cienega and Fairfax, Los Angeles:

In the shadow of the Beverly Center lies 3rd Street, a veritable treasure trove of shops. Between La Cienega and Fairfax are nonchain stores offering everything from antiques to clothing, furniture, books, candles, clocks, jewelry and handmade pottery, plus some great bakeries and restaurants. Check out the two Polka Dots & Moonbeams stores (8381 W. 3rd St., [323) 655-3889, and 8367 W. 3rd St., [323] 651-1746) for new and vintage clothes, Piecemaker (8358 W. 3rd St., [323] 658-7030) for handmade Shaker-style furniture, Cook’s Library (8373 W. 3rd St., [323] 655-3141) for cookbooks and New Stone Age (8407 W. 3rd St., [323] 658-5969) for handcrafted gifts.