Local Shopping: Chinatown bargains from turtles to teapots

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Here at To Live and Buy in L.A., we know you might not have a lot of cash to spend this holiday. How about getting off the beaten path to find some bargains?

Through Christmas, we’ll take you to neighborhoods around Southern California to show you what’s on sale. First stop: Chinatown in downtown Los Angeles.

On a 45-minute stroll on North Broadway, we found good, inexpensive gifts for kids and colleagues. And bonus -- at most shops, sales tax is included in the price. Bring cash, though, because some stores do not accept plastic!

For our top picks, store details, and recommended snack stops, keep reading.

Our Chinatown finds:

Where to go:

Scarves, sake sets, eyeglass cases: A&K Gift & Fashion, 730 1/2 N. Broadway

Teapots and cups: Win Sense Trading, 800 N. Broadway #D

Money trees, lucky bamboo: Golden Gifts Trading Co., 711 N. Broadway #101

And if you get hungry along the way, check out:

Ocean Seafood, 750 N. Hill Street, 213-687-3088. Hong Kong-style dim sum and a la carte dining.

Spring Street Smokehouse, 640 N. Spring St. 213-626-0535. Pork and beef ribs, Texas hot links, brisket and more.

What’s your favorite shopping spot? Tell us about it!

Update: In a previous version of this post we mentioned where to buy the small turtles. Because we have been made aware that such animals are often sold illegally we have deleted where we found them and wrote this post about what makes them illegal and something that you should probably stay away from.

-- Julie Makinen