I have a lot of friends in retail but you must go visit 2 of my dear friends on Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles. Helene owns Ige, a wonderful, whimsical lifestyle boutique. Helene also designs her own line and it’s just lovely. www.igedesign.com. Down the street from Ige is Beige where you can find my friend Kelly. www.beigestore.com. At Beige you’ll find unique fashion brands mixed with some very special vintage pieces. There’s a bag I’m coveting and I’m hoping that I’ll sell enough of my own line to afford it.  I told you I have a lot of friends in retail (and you’ll hear more about them in the future) but the reason why I mention Helene and Kelly is because you’re all missing out on the Beverly Blvd. experience. East of Fairfax there’s some amazing boutiques. Mixed in with the usual suspects — Modernica, l.a. eyeworks — there are some lovely gems for shopping. And there’s Grace restaurant for an elegant drink at the bar, Milk for a morning coffee and a great salad or sandwich for lunch. El Coyote for a good old Margarita and Angelina Osteria for rustic, wonderful Italian fare. Ita-Cho, next to Angelina Osteria, is also very good for unusual Japanese delicacies. The point is that you can park your car (yes, you can actually find parking) and walk several blocks, shop, eat, drink and enjoy LA.