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The
king of retail shopping in Orange County remains South Coast
Plaza with its sister complex South Coast Village. This is
one of the premier shopping centers of the world, ranking
among the top metropolitan markets in every retail category
measured--from bejeweled watches to Italian suits.
Over 270
of the world's most prestigious retailers-- Hermès, Valentino,
Prada, Fendi, Chanel, Gucci, Mikimoto, and Christian Dior,
to name just a few--are interspersed throughout this shopping
mecca which was created and developed by the Segerstrom family
in 1967 on what had been bean fields. There are also over
two dozen great restaurants in the Orange County South Coast
Metro district, including the much-lauded Troquet, Chat Noir
Bistro & Jazz Lounge, Wolfgang Puck Café and Antonello
Ristorante.
Just down
the street from South Coast Plaza is The Lab Anti-Mall where
you can get a henna tattoo or one of the finest Cuban meals
in the southland. Overlooking the California coastline is
Fashion Island in Newport Beach, the most successful open-air
shopping center in the country with over 200 shops, restaurants,
and department stores including Bloomingdale's and Neiman
Marcus. The Shops at Mission Viejo strives to provide customers
with a host of stores to meet all your shopping needs. New
to their shopping center are LEGO, Chinese Laundry, Chick
Pita Mediterranean Grill, Ruby Thai Kitchen and an expanded
Forever 21.
The Irvine
Spectrum Center and The Outlets at Orange are have added a
number of unique retail and entertainment options to Orange
County shopping and entertainment. The Irvine Spectrum features
the Edward's 21-screen theater complex, one of the largest
in Southern California, and a six and a half story, stadium-style
IMAX theater, plus fascinating dining emporiums like Dave
and Buster's, where in addition to feasting on St. Louis-style
pork ribs, you can enjoy a number of interactive electronic
games at The Million Dollar Midway. The Outlets at Orange
features the best names in retail including Last Call by Neiman
Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, DKNY, Calvin Klein, Tommy
Hilfiger, and H&M, as well as high quality entertainment venues
including AMC 30 Theatres, Dave & Buster's, Vans Skatepark,
and Lucky Strike Lanes and various themed restaurants.
But not
all of the County's unique shopping and dining experiences
will be found at these mega-malls. Old Towne Orange is known
as "the antique capital of California" with more than three
dozen stores filled with collectibles spread out around a
'50s-style downtown plaza. Little Saigon, in Westminster,
shows the County's diversity with a mind-boggling array of
Vietnamese restaurants, bakeries, delis, and shops.
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