Poland - Eastern Europe - page 404

in 2 ródmie 1 cie —look especially along Al. Jerozolimskie and Marsza l kowska. South
of Jerozolimskie, especially in the area around the Plac Trzech Krzy 9 y, you'll find the
best of boutique shopping, with local Polish designers rubbing elbows with the likes of
Escada and Hugo Boss. Trailing south from the Plac Trzech Krzy 9 y you'll find the über-
trendiest of Warsaw shopping streets, Mokotowska, with its low-rise mix of interna-
tional boutiques, fashionable home furnishing stores, and here and there still the
occasional Polish deli or bakery. Mokotowska is currently home to the local branch of
names like Commes des Garcons and Burberry, but check out also Polish shops and
designers like Odzie 9 owe Pole (Mokotowska 51/53) and Finezja Studio (Mokotowska 65).
For more everyday shopping and particularly for picking up anything you might
have forgotten at home, try the Arkadia mall (Ul. Jana Pawla II; & 022/331-34-00;
www.arkadia.com.pl), hailed locally as the biggest indoor shopping center in central
Europe. Hundreds of stores, with everything from high- and low-end fashions, home
electronics, furnishings, and food. You're not likely to find many surprises, but the
sheer scale of the place will shock. The mall also has a 15-cinema multiplex with a
good bet to have several films in English—in case you trapped inside on a rainy or
snowy day.
For English-language books, try looking at American Bookstore, with a couple of
central locations (Koszykowa 55, Nowy 2 wiat 61; & 022/660-56-37; www.american
bookstore.pl). This place stocks a nice selection of Polish authors in translation, as well
as books about the Holocaust, World War II, Solidarity, the fall of Communism, and
other interesting topics.
For cheaper Polish-made products and low-cost souvenirs, try Cepelia (Marsza l -
kowska 99/101; & 022/628-77-57 ), the local branch of a national group selling folk
art, traditional fabrics, leather goods, ceramics, and woodworking. Nice place for a “Made
in Poland” gift, though you may have to pick through some obviously touristy dross.
One of the oddest shopping experiences in Warsaw takes place every day in a sports
stadium across the river in Praga. Check out the Dziesi 7 ciolecia Stadium (take any
tram heading east along Al. Jerozolimskie across the Poniatowski bridge). This is home
to Poland's vast open-air Russian market, possibly the biggest of its kind in Europe.
It's doubtful you'll find a lot worth buying—most of the stuff tends to be aimed at
low-income families trying to make ends meet on Polish salaries—but the atmosphere
is unique.
WARSAW AFTER DARK
Warsaw is a great “after dark” town. The city's opera and classical music offerings are
some of the best in the country, and the availability of relatively cheap tickets means
the performances are accessible to just about anyone. The main opera venue is the
Teatr Wielki (Plac Teatralny 1; & 022/692-02-00; www.teatrwielki.pl). Here you'll
find everything from the Italian classics to occasionally bolder works featuring Polish
avant-garde composers. The theater box office is open Monday to Saturday 9am to
7pm, Sunday 10am to 7pm. For classical music, the first address is the Filharmonia
Narodowa, the home of the National Philharmonic (Jasna 5; & 022/551-71-30;
www.filharmonia.pl). The box office is located at Sienkiewicza 10 and is open Mon-
day to Saturday 10am to 2pm and 3 to 7pm. Try timing your arrival just before show-
time to get cheaper last-minutes tickets.
There's no shortage of cafes, bars, and dance clubs. For cafes and little cocktail bars, try
the strip along Krakowskie Przedmie 1 cie, Nowy 2 wiat, and south of Al. Jerozolimskie to