Los Angeles - Citi® Card Benefits

Citi Prestige
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Los Angeles
P1
The cult pocket city guides and mobile
apps for the busy, sophisticated traveler
CITI PRESENTS LUXE CITY GUIDES
luxecityguides.com
WITH A CALENDAR PACKED
FULL OF SUN-KISSED DAYS,
PALM TREES, OCEANS AND
CANYONS, THE BEAU MONDE
AND THE RED CARPET...
as entertainment capital of the world.
The charms of this celebrity-studded city
spread far and wide, from ritzy Beverly
Hills to beachy Malibu, across to Venice
and stylish Downtown, so prepare to
drive, drive, and drive some more. Ladies
and gentlemen, start your engines...
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LUXE LOS ANGELES
Intro
Los Angeles certainly lives up to its
moniker of City of Angels. But this
fountain of eternal youth, beauty and
paparazzi also boasts other ports of call:
a first-class food scene, art and culture
galore, and boulevard upon boulevard of
retail-vana, plus Hollywood’s lofty status
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• LAX to Hollywood: approximately
1 hour / $60 by cab
• Traffic is at its worst 6-10am and
3-7.30pm Mon-Sat
• Rent a car: what you drive matters
in LA, and make sure it has GPS –
you’ll be lost without it and no one
knows how to give directions (or
stops for you)
• Denim rules, and is considered
dressing up for many
• International country code is +1 and
there are no less than five phone
prefixes, which you must dial even
for local calls: Hollywood is 323,
WeHo to the beaches is 310
• If you can’t get a table reservation,
try your luck at the bar
• In emergencies, don’t scream and
holler, call 911
• Parking: it’s valet, or the highway. All
hotels, most restaurants, bars, clubs
and some shops and spas force you
to use it. If there’s no valet, park
on the street and have coins for the
meters, but check the signs
• Tipping is mandatory, though it
doesn’t guarantee better service. In
restos, as a minimum, double the tax
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LUXE LOS ANGELES
Intro
• Prime LA getaways include a day at
the beach and a trip to Pasadena
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LUXE INSIDER
Joe Cole
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Joe is president of LA fashion concept
store TENOVERSIX and creative director
for eyewear brand Lookmatic. With
years of experience as a writer, director,
producer and entrepreneur, Joe has also
worked as a creative consultant and
commercial director for many brands, and
had a short film screened in the Tribeca,
LA, Toronto and Berlin Film Festivals.
tenover6.com
lookmatic.com
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LUXE INSIDER
Joe Cole
WHERE DO YOU
RECOMMEND FRIENDS
STAY WHEN IN LA?
Chateau Marmont. There are more
luxurious options but this one is
unique to our past and current culture.
It’s hard to question Helmut Newton’s
architectural muse.
WHERE DO YOU GO FOR A
DATE NIGHT OUT?
The Tower Bar at The Sunset Tower
Hotel. It’s steeped in old school deco
romance. And though it’s upscale you
can still feel like a ‘regular’ by cozying
up to the bar. Also, it offers some of
the best evening city views in town, as
well as killer cocktails.
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LUXE LOS ANGELES
Intro
WHAT ARE THREE OF YOUR
FAVORITE STORES?
TENOVERSIX. It is a destination
unique to LA and brings a bit of Corso
Como to the left coast.
Heath Ceramics. Amazing Cali
ceramics resurrected and reimagined,
plus great overall stuff for the home.
WHAT RESTAURANT
DO YOU VISIT FOR A
SPLURGE?
Il Ristorante di Georgio Baldi in
Santa Monica. It looks casual but
it’s not – you’re likely to be seated next
to Hollywood royalty while enjoying
off-the-hook classic Italian fare.
Book Soup. This is what buying books
should be like. Get offline and go have
a literary shopping experience.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST
TOURIST TRAP IN LA?
Pinks Hot Dogs. Do you really want to
wait in a line several hours long for a
hot dog?
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DE KAS
Dining
Locavore lovers flock to this stunning
nursery and glasshouse restaurant
situated in the middle of Frankendael
Park, which serves solely organic,
locally sourced and homegrown fare.
Leave the growing to the greenthumbed owner, and exchange that
garden rake for a knife and fork.
PALIHOUSE SANTA MONICA
SIXTY BEVERLY HILLS
ACE DOWNTOWN
Hotel
Hotel
Hotel
Surfer sister to the WeHo original,
Palihouse Santa Monica is a colonial
revivalist vision melding Moorish
influence and Malibu sensibility, with
38 sunny suites situated five blocks
from the beach, all-day dining, and
bike rentals from Linus’ adorable line
of Dutch-inspired two-wheelers.
Mixing East Coast style with West
Coast attitude, Sixty oozes clubby
sophistication. Rooms are a sleek
vision of dark leather, chrome and
mirrors, accented with Steven Klein’s
glam prints. There’s deco-influenced
Caulfield’s for steak and a perfectlyperched rooftop pool for slinky dips.
Only grown-ups need apply.
Hollywood not your scene? Check
into the Segovia-inspired, Spanish
Goth beauty that once housed the
iconic United Artists Theatre, and is
now home to hipster franchise Ace
Hotel. Opt for a suite with kitchenette
and private terrace, then take bites
at locavore LA Chapter and tipples
at Upstairs bar, complete with great
Downtown city views and sizzling
sundowners poolside.
1001 3rd St / Santa Monica
+1 310 394 1279
9360 Wilshire Blvd / Beverly Hills
+1 800 441 0505
palihousesantamonica.com
929 S Broadway / Downtown
+1 213 623 3233
sixtyhotels.com
acehotel.com
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BESTIA
SPAGO
REDBIRD
Dining
Dining
Dining
This rustic Downtown Italian eatery
pairs an industrial canteen vibe with
fuss-free but delightful food – from the
husband and wife duo behind kitchen
doors comes a menu of house-cured
meats, creative pizzas and pastas,
and all manner of waistline-destroying
pastries (try the bittersweet chocolate
budino).
Following the sophisticated overhaul
that waved goodbye to Spago’s
formerly bronzed and flamboyant
interior, Wolfgang Puck has unveiled a
modernized, contemporary iteration,
in which the 7,000-bottle cellar and
revamped Asia-meets-California menu
(think bone-in Maine monkfish and
grilled Colorado lamb rack) shine.
The second coming of Neal Fraser
(of now defunct Grace) takes the
form of a beau mod-American bistro
aptly set within... well, a cathedral.
The Downtown newcomer combines
divine design with produce-driven
fare (praise-be for the sea urchin with
wasabi snow), top local drops and
some riotously sinful cocktails.
2121 7th Pl / Downtown
+1 213 514 5724
176 N Canon Dr / Beverly Hills
+1 310 385 0880
114 E 2nd St / Downtown
+1 213 788 1191
bestiala.com
wolfgangpuck.com
redbird.la
CONNIE & TED’S
CHATEAU MARMONT
LOUNGE
CURE SALON & SPA
Dining
Spa
Bar
Chef Michael Cimarusti (of Water Grill
and Providence fame) continues to
capture the hearts and satisfy the tums
of LA diners, now with stellar seafood
by way of his nostalgic-slick casual
‘clam shack’, inspired by childhood days
in Rhode Island. Try the three-clam
chowder taster menu!
8171 Santa Monica Blvd / WeHo
+1 323 848 2722
While social moths flitter and flutter to
get into next-door Bar Marmont, you’ll
find us sipping discreetly and enjoying
live jazz under the lofted stone arches
and vines of the romantic, candlelit
Chateau lounge and terrace.
Luxurious 6,600 square foot haven
with hammam and signature baths,
beauty salon and massage, plus
medical spa for laser, dermal fillers,
and surgery consultations. They do it
all and they do it best.
8221 W Sunset Blvd / WeHo
+1 323 656 1010
Sunset Tower Hotel
8358 W Sunset Blvd / WeHo
+1 310 623 9000
chateaumarmont.com
curemedspa.com
connieandteds.com
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BERGAMOT STATION
DAY AT THE BEACH
HOLLYWOOD BOWL
Activities
Activities
Activities
Once a trolley depot, now a one-stop
enormous art complex for all things
contemporary, with 30+ fine art
galleries, plus design and architecture
firms and the Santa Monica Museum
of Art under its wing too.
Head north up to sunny Malibu,
and start at oceanfront institution
Geoffrey’s for lobster salad and
mimosa, before driving to pristine
and canine-friendly Leo Carillo Beach
(see Drab vs. Fab). Later, claim a
picnic table at surf shack Neptune’s
Net, and stroll through the sands for
a classic California sunset. If your
day turns into a stay, call coastal chic
Malibu Beach Inn, and settle into your
oceanfront abode.
This awesome amphitheater, with
exceptional acoustics and sylvan
gardens for picnics, is host to
everything from children’s shows to
rock concerts to the LA Philharmonic.
The Bowl is only open June to Sept,
and if picnics aren’t your thing, book
box seats with full meal delivery
service.
geoffreysmalibu.com / parks.ca.gov
neptunesnet.com / malibubeachinn.com
hollywoodbowl.com
2525 Michigan Ave / Santa Monica
+1 310 453 7535
bergamotstation.com
STRANGE INVISIBLE
PERFUMES
2301 N Highland Ave / Hollywood
+1 323 850 2000
LILY ET CIE
SEIZE SUR VINGT
Shopping
Shopping
Don’t miss this A-lister’s favorite haunt
for ravishing, museum-quality, Oscarfriendly vintage gowns and couture.
All garments are guaranteed red
carpet ready, but be prepared for the
red carpet prices that follow! Owner
and curator Rita is happy to tailor
to fit.
Dapper New York-based suiting label
opens in a multi-level Melrose space,
filled with their eponymous ready-to­
wear and made-to-measure collection.
What’s more, the LA flagship is also
home to their high-tech 3D fitting
camera, which sends real time footage
to tailors in Italy.
9044 Burton Wy / Beverly Hills
+1 310 724 5757
8618 Melrose Ave / WeHo
+1 310 657 1620
lilyetcie.com
16sur20.com
Shopping
Discover the Abbot Kinney enclave
where botanical perfumer Alexandra
Balahoutis has been handcrafting
truly unique, sultry scents that adhere
to her purist, eco-friendly philosophy
since 2000. Try a signature
fragrance like the island-inspired
‘Peloponnesian’, or go bespoke and
bottle your own creation.
1138 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice
+1 310 314 1505
siperfumes.com
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MARCH IN LA
POLLUTION
TRAFFIC
Unless you’re invited to the Oscars, every
hotel and restaurant will be booked
The weather may be warm and sunny
A million lanes, a billion exits, a zillion
cars, useless signs and rude drivers
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LUXE LOS ANGELES
Intro
year round, but the air quality is atrocious
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CAR HIRE
BEACH DAYS
TOMB TIME
Queuing with the travel-weary at
the airport arrivals terminal to rent
a car is nothing short of exhausting
if you’ve flown long distance, so try
calling Beverly Hills Rent-a-Car, and
having one delivered right to your
hotel doorstep. Smart!
Trying to lie back and relax at alwayscrowded Paradise Cove or Zuma
Beach can be a frustrating business,
so why not hightail it to close-by,
pristine, and far less crowded Leo
Carillo Beach. This is also the county’s
only canine-friendly beach, so bring
the pup! Woof!
Visiting the Hollywood Walk of Fame
alongside every other tourist is all
very well, but for some real silver
screen glamor try heading instead
to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery,
where you’ll find the last resting place
of DeMille, Valentino, and scores of
other Old Hollywood legends. On
Saturdays in the summer Cinespia
hosts outdoor screenings too.
UP AND AWAY
INSIDER SIPS
Attempting to sightsee while
navigating the city’s notorious traffic
is not only difficult, but fraught with
danger, so ditch the road altogether
by getting wham-bam city vistas with
Adventure Helicopter Tours. Efficient
and super-exciting!
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Clamoring to get past the rope with the
rest of the social moths at Bar Marmont
is a thing of the past when you’re sipping
discreetly with those in the know, just
next door on the pretty lounge and
terrace.
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LUXE ITINERARY
Romance
Lovers abound in Los Angeles, reveling
in its endless sunny days and balmy
nights, its storied Hollywood glamor and
modern romance. To feast your eyes
on the city’s loveliest sights, start by
putting foot to pedal and zipping off on a
romantic morning ride along Mulholland
Drive, which boasts miles of curvaceous
road and stunning city vistas from atop
a mountain. Perhaps you’ve arranged a
convertible with Beverly Hills Rent-aCar (see Drab vs Fab), so you can drop
the top and let the wind tousle your
hair. Head next for lunch at the semialfresco local Farmers Market, packed
with aisles of restaurant-quality food
stands selling everything from crepes to
tacos to Texas BBQ. There are plenty of
tables both indoors and out, so take a
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seat and savor your meal before stopping
at nearby La Brea Bakery for divine
pastries to go. Later in the afternoon,
settle in at the Beverly Hot Springs for
some couple’s R&R, before climbing out
of the bubbles and back into the car for
a quick drive over to Tower Bar, with
winning city views on its poolside terrace.
Hopefully you’ll have arrived at sunset,
so you can enjoy snacks and sips against
an evening sky so beautiful it’s sure to
melt your heart. In the summer months,
the historic and happening Hollywood
Bowl (see LUXE Loves) beckons, so grab
a blanket and a bottle and catch a live
show under the stars in the awesome
amphitheater gardens. Stay under the
open sky with dinner at Little Door, which
has a terrifically romantic outdoor patio
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that’s perfect for kindling flames over
the exquisite French-Med fare. Following
your candlelit dinner, find urban oasis at
revamped icon Hotel Bel-Air (see LUXE
Loves), which offers a serene escape with
its private garden patios, where you can
take nightcaps while you canoodle by the
swan lake.
LUXE Loathes
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Hollywood Style
Home to world-renowned Hollywood and
the A-est of A-listers, Los Angeles is a lush
natural habitat of screen and style stars.
If you’re in the city for the celebrity scene,
wake early for the huge and truly varied
monthly Rose Bowl Flea in Pasadena,
and don’t be surprised if you run into
a stylish star or two while digging for
vintage finds. Hopefully your rummage
proved fruitful and you scored a couple
of bargain deals, but now caffeine calls
at hipster hangout Intelligentsia in Silver
Lake, where the cozy outdoor patio is as
much a draw as the stellar cappuccinos.
For lunch, the ultimate celebrity safari is
at The Ivy, a white picket-fenced eatery
with a menu of American comfort food,
but be prepared for a heavy helping of
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paparazzi on the side. Sunglasses on,
brave the flashes and head next for a
shopping session on Melrose Avenue,
with stops at Lily et Cie (see LUXE Loves)
for pristine and pricey yesteryear couture,
and TenOverSix for edgy accessories.
If you’re feeling extra affluent, try LA
essentials Kitson for the latest denim
and designer casuals. Shopped out?
It’s just time to primp and prepare for
the big night out, so do as the divas do
and pop into Dry Bar, offering no cuts
and no color, just fab starlet-approved
blowouts. Once you’ve mastered a red
carpet-worthy hair flip, you’re ready for
the velvet-roped veranda at deeply sultry
Katana, ground zero for babes dressed
to kill and industry bigwigs footing the
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bill. Skip the sushi for top-table fare from
the robata grill, which sets this spot apart
from the others in sushi-saturated LA.
Stay on the Sunset Boulevard scene at
legendary Chateau Marmont (see LUXE
Loves), where you’ll bypass the bar and
head directly to the terrace to sip with the
stars before bedding down in the famous
castle hideaway.
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Beach
With the glorious Los Angeles shoreline
stretching over 70 miles from Malibu
South all the way down to Long Beach,
it’s no surprise that all things sun, sand
and beach are integral parts of the
Angeleno culture. For a day spent soaking
up the Vitamin D, you’ll have arranged
to wake up in Santa Monica at Shutters
on the Beach, a Los Angeles institution
known for its ocean views, spa tubs, mini
balconies, and of course, pancakes or
omelets at Coast, a beach patio retreat
of blue stripes and creams. From there,
rev the engine and it’s off to Venice for
a morning amble along Abbot Kinney
Boulevard, where you’ll find Japaneseimported décor and accessories at
Tortoise General Store, lingerie and
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bikinis at Undrest By the Sea, and
beach- and surf-wear at Aviator Nation.
At lunchtime take a seat on the adorable
deck at nearby Gjelina, a laidback
Cali-Italian eatery serving up delicious
mini-courses at communal tables. Get
to know your neighbor over pizza, then
get your wetsuit on and work it all off at
Learn to Surf LA, with helpful, easy-going
instructors who will have you standing
aboard in no time. When you’ve dried off,
time for a culture fix at Bergamot Station
(see LUXE Loves), a former trolley depot
turned contemporary art complex, where
you’ll be wowed by the sheer number
and variety of the galleries, but do make
sure to see the excellent Santa Monica
Museum of Art before departure. It’s
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back to the beach for dinner at coastal
trattoria Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi,
a celebrity favorite for its divine Italian
home fare. Post-prandial, a leisurely night
stroll along the shore will bring you to
The Otheroom, an East Coast import
serving just wine and beer in an intimate,
always-packed industrial alehouse. Finally
when bed beckons, let the sound of the
waves outside your window lull you into a
sweet slumber.
LUXE Loathes
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The Essentials
ROMANCE
HOLLYWOOD STYLE
• Beverly Hills Rent-a-Car
9732 S Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills
+1 310 274 2669
bhrentacar.com
• Rose Bowl Flea Market
1001 Rose Bowl Dr / Pasadena
+1 626 577 3100 / 2nd Sun of month
rgcshows.com
• Katana
8439 Sunset Blvd / WeHo
+1 323 650 8585
innovativedining.com
• Intelligentsia
3922 W Sunset Blvd / Silver Lake
+1 323 663 6173
intelligentsiacoffee.com
• Chateau Marmont
8221 W Sunset Blvd / Hollywood
+1 323 656 1010
chateaumarmont.com
• Farmers Market
6333 W 3rd St / WeHo
+1 323 933 9211
farmersmarketla.com
• La Brea Bakery
468 S La Brea Ave / WeHo
+1 323 939 6813
labreabakery.com
• Beverly Hot Springs
308 N Oxford Ave / Hollywood
+1 323 734 7000
beverlyhotsprings.com
• Tower Bar
Sunset Tower Hotel
8358 Sunset Blvd / WeHo
+1 323 654 7100
sunsettowerhotel.com
• Hollywood Bowl
(see LUXE Loves)
• The Ivy
113 N Robertson Blvd / WeHo
+1 310 274 8303
theivyrestaurants.com
• Lily et Cie
(see LUXE loves)
• TenOverSix
8425 Melrose Ave / WeHo
+1 323 330 9355
tenover6.com
• Kitson
115 S Robertson Blvd / WeHo
+1 310 859 2652
shopkitson.com
• Dry Bar
8595 W Sunset Blvd / WeHo
+1 323 843 4777
thedrybar.com
• Little Door
8164 W 3rd St / WeHo
+1 323 951 1210
thelittledoor.com
• Hotel Bel-Air
(see LUXE Loves)
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The Essentials
BEACH
• Shutters on the Beach
1 Pico Blvd / Santa Monica
+1 310 458 0030
shuttersonthebeach.com
• Learn to Surf LA
various locations
+1 310 663 2479
learntosurfla.com
• Coast / Shutters on the Beach
• Bergamot Station
(see LUXE Loves)
• Tortoise General Store
1208 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice
+1 310 314 8448
tortoisegeneralstore.com
• Undrest. By the Sea
1136 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice
+1 310 314 1180
• Aviator Nation
1224 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice
+1 310 396 9100
aviatornation.com
• Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi
114 W Channel Rd / Santa Monica
+1 310 573 1660
giorgio-baldi.com
• The Otheroom
1201 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice
+1 310 396 6230
beer & wine only
• Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice
+1 310 450 1429
gjelina.com
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