I’ve always wondered what the point was of the Zagat New York City Shopping guide. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love my Zagat restaurant guide — it’s one of the most thumbed-through books on my shelf. But with clothes and products, most people go out looking for a particular thing — so, say I want to buy one particular Margiela Tabi shoe, it’s not like going to one place to buy it will give me a better version of that shoe. Margiela Tabi shoes are, after all, not creme brulee.After reading, skimming, searching, and thumbing through the new shopping guide, however, I did learn a few things — like did you know there is a Crocs store on the Upper West Side?? — and turns out, there are good reasons to get it. A list of good points about the Zagat New York City Shopping Guide 2008:– For each store, the guide lists the closest subway station and corresponding line.- The “In-Store Dining” category listing of stores is actually really helpful. Who knew there was something to eat inside the Bond No. 9 perfume store!- New stores you didn’t know existed: Crocs, for example, and the new Theory-owned Helmut Lang store (not quite the original Greene Street Helmut in quality or style, but I was intrigued to learn there even was a store)in the West Village, the new Oak location in downtown Manhattan, not Brooklyn.- Notes on stores to watch for: Topshop, Kira Plastinina, Bogner.The really great pull-out color map in the back of the book, first introducted last year.