Sporting a black leather jacket, skinny jeans, and a pair of black and white Nikes, Rihanna enjoyed some retail therapy on Rodeo Drive yesterday.

And she wasn’t alone… the “Umbrella” singer was accompanied by none other than her uber-expensive Maltepoodle named DJ, as she set off on a spending spree.

The “Good Girl Gone Bad” songstress recently tried to clear up rumors about her supposed relationship with R&B singer Chris Brown. She told press, “I won’t say we’re just friends. Me and Chris are really best, best friends. We both started our careers around the same time. He is one of the only people in the industry … I trust and hang out with all the time.”

Making sure everything was crystal clear, she added, “We are best friends, honestly, like brother and sister. If he was a boyfriend, I would say that.”

Taking a break from her string of charity gigs, R&R hitmaker Rihanna paid a visit to UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion for Saturday night’s Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

And to the surprise of many, the Umbrella singer and her rumored boyfriend Chris Brown walked the event’s orange carpet separately.

Brown, who picked up the favorite male singer prize, kept his distance from the Barbados beauty as they both took separate turns waving to the throngs of screaming fans.

Chris even went as far as telling reporters, “We’re not in a relationship or anything,” before making his way inside the slime-filled ceremony.

Meanwhile, Rihanna was content chumming it up with fellow celebs such as Ashlee Simpson before tending to her presenting duties alongside Brendan Fraser.

Rihanna kicked off what she’s calling “A Girl’s Night Out” in Chicago on Wednesday, performing on stage for 40 minutes at Vision nightclub.

For her charity, The Believe Foundation, Rihanna and Island Def Jam, “got together with a local foundation in three cities and Escada and [the label’s fragrance] Moon Sparkle to sponsor the event,” she told People magazine, adding, “It was amazing.”

“When I was young and I would watch television and I would see all the children suffering, I always said when I grow up I want to help,” she said of why she started The Believe Foundation.

“Not long after I was in the position where I could help. I started to visit all these children’s hospitals and I have a soft spot for kids,” she says. “I just want to help and make sure they are happy. They can come to a Rihanna concert or have toys or gifts at Christmas.”

From here, there are two more concerts planned, the first on March 28 at San Francisco’s Ruby Skye and then on April 9 at New York City’s HighLine Ballroom.