La Brea

Home/Art/Fash Big and busy strip, but avoid Sun when stores close. Start at the Bonobos guideshop / 101 S La Brea (1st & 2nd Sts) / 323 954 6800 / bonobos.com / a C.21st shopping service for dapper dudes. Exit right and cross to #111 Undefeated / 323 937 6077 / undftd.com / for rare, limited-edition kicks. Nip into #123 Steven Alan / 323 938 1542 / with casj m/w closet essentials, and pause at baked goods heaven #143 Sycamore

Kitchen (see Lunch) for a tasty thigh-buster. Continue to #159 What Goes Around Comes Around / 323 933 0250 / whatgoesaroundnyc.com / with a rock n’ roll selection of luxury vintage, denim and military rags; and #161 Aether / 323 746 5147 / aetherapparel.com / offering intrepid outerwear completely unsuited for LA. Upgrade your shades at #165 Garrett Leight / 323 931 4018 / garrettleight. com / then get lost in ultra-hip #171 A+R / 800 913 0071 / aplusrstore.com / houseware haven. Refill your meter, then cross at W 2nd for mod minimal men’s den I Love Ugly at #170 / 323 857 7072 / iloveugly.co.uk / and sidestep into the Merry

Karnowsky Gallery / mkgallery.com / in the same bldg. Dive next door to LA staple American Rag at #150 / 323 935 3154 / amrag.com / for both retro and on-the-pulse apparel, plus glam label jeanie World Denim Bar. Drier than Paris in prison? Sip un café at the adjacent Café Midi / #148 / 323 939 9860 / also peeping Francophile homeware at Maison Midi / 323 935 3157 / maison-midi.com / then Plantation is at #144 / 323 932 0511 / plantationdesign.com / for custom furny. Recharge your chakras at #124 Liberation Yoga / 323 964 5222 / liberationyoga.com / and hit nostalgic optical emporium Jacks

Eyewear at #120 / 323 933 9800. Crossing W 1st, the street becomes N La Brea, with the unique #145 Sonos Studios / sonos-studio.com / ‘acoustic gallery’. Cross for yet more denim – this time Japanese repro – at #144 jean queen Self

Edge (see Adv. Shop.), and #162 Fat Chance / 323 930 1960 / fatchancemodern.com / for mod homeware. Grab the car and cruise past W 3rd for Liz’s Antique Hardware at #453 (see Advanced Shopping), and on to mega Diamond Foam & Fabric (see Advanced Shopping) at #611 for a quick nest-feather. Now motor down S La Brea, swing a right onto Wilshire Blvd and take the second right for Des Kohan at 671 S Cloverdale Ave / 323 857 0200 / deskohan.com / a refined, well-edited cache for cool chicks; official proof that LA has more than Juicy suits and flip-flops. Retrace left onto Wilshire, and back onto S La Brea to #351 Vienna Woods / 323 954 9595 / closed Sat-Sun / viennawoodsla.com / for handcarved Euro n’ Bieder-meier repro. Phew! La Brea Bakery is at #468 / 323 939 6813 / labreabakery.com / for a pastry break. Last push, Pam. At #360 Silk Trading Co. / 323 954 9280 / silktrading. com / has piles of ace interior fabrics; The Way We Wore at #334 (see Standout Stores) is an immaculate yesteryear stash, plus by appt only library/archive for designers and stylists. Fire on north past Melrose to Romaine, then hang a right and gird your wallet for Just One Eye at #7000 (see Standout Stores), specialising in art-meets-fash one-offs. Done! Scoot back to La Brea, right on Melrose, and reward yourself at virtuous, macro-biotic devotee #7119 M Café

de Chaya / 323 525 0588 / mcafedechaya.com / on the right. Like OMG, you are so totally, totally amazing. Now breathe.