Wednesday, March 2, 2011

L.A. Garment District

Today I ask for help. 

It looks like I will head to the Garment District for some much needed creative buying.  It is funny how I can justify traveling for the sake of fabric and trims.  I will always be this way. 

The last time I was in L.A., my sister and I met there to hit the textile show.  Being the people we are, we decided to walk to the show.  So we exited our Korean Hotel (we were the only "English as first language" people there) and started walking to the "tall buildings" in the distance.  In our little experience, big cities have one area with tall buildings.  The first set of buildings turned out not to be our destination.  There were others in the far distance.  I guess we didn't see them due to the curvature of the earth.  Go figure.  We walked and walked and walked like the true pioneer stalk we are.  It was a very hot day, which was to our benefit, because come to find out, we were in a questionable part of town.  Lucky for us, on that hot hot day, no one had the energy to pester two girls walking where we shouldn't have.  We finally had to get a cab, because we were on the wrong side of a major freeway.  For the record, we almost made it there. 

Of course the rest of the trip was just as memorable as the walk.  My sister got to see the "other side" of me.  I guess I can be quite shrewed while dealing with fabric reps.  We dinned on beautiful food that night, found more fabric the next day, and flew out. 

So now I will be returning.  I don't know my way around the L.A. market.  NYC's Garment District is much more familiar to me.  Does anyone have a favorite place there?  Is there some breathtaking restaurant we need to try?  I imagine SOMEONE knows SOMETHING about the area.  I would love some input!  

4 comments:

Mandy said...

Oh if I could just take a week off and join you... we could be lost all day and still have a fantastic time together!

Annie said...

Melissa! I live in LA now, and had you told me I would have offered my guest bedroom to you! So, if you have time, these are some of my favorites in the area:

- Toast (VERY good food)
- Sprinkles (very very good cupcakes)
- Magnolias (Also very good cupcakes)
- Huckleberry (Great brunch! Get the green eggs and ham)
- Pinkberry (tast fro-yo)
- The Grove (fun shopping)
- L.A. Museum of Art (they are featuring the fashion now! you would love it)
- 3rd Street Promenade (santa monica, I live here call me if you are close by!!)
- Hollywood Hike (see the hollywood sign in nature!)
- Rodeo Drive (fun to walk down)
- LA Temple visitor center is brand new and great! (watch the video on family's - you will cry, i did!)

When you do you get in town?

Anonymous said...

I actually did a little research on this this past summer when I was in L.A., and in my few minutes of Googling I learned that: it will be very crowded, you should be prepared to pay cash, and that mixed in with the good stuff there will be lots and lots of name brand knockoffs and cheap junk.

I opted not to go since we were on a family trip and I didn't want to drag my kids through that and didn't have time nor inclination to brave it alone. But here are some of the types of sites I found while researching it:

http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?id=091608

http://www.alleycatscratch.com/Shop/LA_Garment_District_Tips.htm

http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-fashion-district-los-angeles

-Zina

Taryn said...

i just moved to utah from san fran, and am wondering where i can buy apparel fabrics around here? do you know of any great stores in utah valley or slc area, or do you always travel out of town or order for your fabrics? thanks!!

tarynmerkley@gmail.com