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44 | HOLIDAY 2014 bcliving.ca travel Midtown: 57th Street and 5th avenue Ask anyone what they think of when you mention shopping in NYC and chances are they'll respond "Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's!" This swath of Midtown is under- standably crowded with pilgrims en route to New York's most famous retail establishments (you might even see some partaking of danish and coffee by the Tiffany windows), but make no mistake: natives walk among the throngs, and they take these shops very, very seriously. Bergdorf Goodman Did you know that ready-to-wear clothing was invented in New York City? So was the art of window dressing (by none other than L. Frank Baum, the creator of e Wizard of Oz). Bergdorf Goodman's famous holiday windows are reason enough to visit the storied shop, but you owe it to yourself to explore this mecca outside in. If you really mean business, book an appointment with personal shopper Betty Halbreich. And why not reserve tea at the elegant BG restau- rant, where you can rest your tired shop- per's legs and take in the incredible view of snowy Central Park? 754 5th Ave.; berg dorfgoodman.com Norma Kamali On West 56th Street and 5th Avenue, you'll find Norma Kamali's HQ. e designer, whose body-conscious and corporate-femme ensembles put her on the map in the 1980s, is still going strong, offering everything from bikinis to pantsuits to workout gear to ball gowns. Kamali's ensembles are easy to wear, sim- ple to mix and match – exactly what busy, on-the-go women require. 11 West 56th St.; normakamali.com Argosy Book Store e 89-year-old Argosy Book Store on nearby East 59th Street is where Bill Clinton does his holiday gift shopping, according to a recent article in e New Yorker magazine. e shop's six floors are brimming with rare and out-of-print books. ere's also a terrific autographs section, which includes letters and private papers of celebrities from all spheres, politics to sports to music. Don't forget to peruse the outdoor bargain table by the entrance. 116 East 59th St.; argosybooks.com Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue's shoe department is so big it was given its own zip code: 10022-SHOE. You'll find pumps, ballet flats, oxfords, loafers, booties, slingbacks – and likely glass slippers – all by shoe gods like Louboutin and his ilk, as well as lesser-known geniuses like Pierre Hardy and Tabitha Simmons. If your "winter feet" are not prepared, pop into Saks' Advanced Skincare Day Spa and ask for Georgette for a pre-shoegasm pedi. 611 5th Ave.; saksfifthavenue.com Dover Street Market e newest addition to the city's "concept store" offerings is Dover Street Market, the brainchild of Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo. A spectacular retail expe- rience, it functions like a museum with objects culled from around the world. Says Kawakubo: "I want to create a kind of market where various creators from various fields gather together and encounter each other in an ongoing atmosphere of beauti- ful chaos: the mixing up and coming together of different kindred souls who all share a strong personal vision." is ambitious vision comes with price tags to match. Sure, you can grab a pair of Converse- CDG sneakers, but DSM also boasts some of the most amazing, expensive togs in the city. 160 Lex- ington Ave.; doverstreet market.com Bergdorf Goodman Norma Saks Fifth Avenue Argosy Book Store Did you know that ready-to-wear clothing was On West 56th Street and On West 56th Street and Saks Fifth Avenue's shoe department is so big it was e 89-year-old Argosy Book Store on nearby 1 4 2 3 5 lexington ave 5th ave e 50th St e 30th St W 56th St e 59th St 1 4 2 3 5 ensembles put her on the map in the 1980s, is still going strong, offering everything pantsuits to workout gear to ball gowns. Kamali's ensembles are easy to wear, sim- ple to mix and match – exactly what busy, 11 West 56th St.; normakamali.com with price tags to match. Sure, you can grab a pair of Converse- CDG sneakers, but DSM also boasts some of the most amazing, expensive togs in the city. ington Ave.; doverstreet market.com