Bloomingdale's

Presenting a range of stock that falls somwhere between middlebrow Macy's and upmarket Neiman Marcus in the pricing stakes, Bloomie's  specializes in just-about-affordable designer clothing (Calvin Klein, DKNY, Alice + Olivia and others), jewelry, shoes and accessories: it's strong on handbags and, perhaps inevitably given the location, there's an excellent selection of sunglasses. The Santa Monica boasts a second-floor restaurant and one big advantage over its east coast counterparts: it sits right on the beach.