Prestige - Citibank

Prestige
la
Citi presents LUXE City Guides
The cult pocket city guides and mobile apps for the busy, sophisticated traveler
www.luxecityguides.com
With a calendar packed full of sun-kissed days, picture-perfect nights, palm
trees, oceans and canyons, the beau monde and the glamorous red carpet, Los
Angeles lives up to its moniker as the 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 nirvana, plus Hollywood’s
lofty status as entertainment capital of the world. The charms of celebrity-studded Los Angeles
are spread far and wide, from ritzy Beverly Hills to beachy Malibu, across va-va Venice and stylish
Downtown, so prepare to drive, drive, and drive some more. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines…
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LUXE LA
Intro
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
blah blah
LAX to Hollywood: Approx
1 hour / $60 by cab
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)
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 metres, but
check the signs.
Peak hour traffic may seem to
last all day, but is worst from
6-10am and 3-7:30pm Mon-Sat
Denim rules, and is considered
dressing up for many
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LUXE LA
Intro
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LUXE Insider
If you can’t get a table
reservation, try your luck
at the bar
Tipping is mandatory, though
it doesn’t guarantee better
service. In restos, as a minimum,
double the tax
Prime L.A. getaways include
a day at the beach and a
trip to Pasadena
International calling 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…
In emergencies, don’t scream
and holler, call 911
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE insider
Joe Cole
Joe is president of L.A. fashion concept store TENOVERSIX
and creative director for eyewear brand Lookmatic.
com. 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, L.A.,
Toronto and Berlin Film Festivals.
tenover6.com
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LUXE LA
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE insider
Joe Cole
1) 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.
www.chateaumarmont.com
2) Where would you go for a date night out and why?
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.
sunsettowerhotel.com
3) What are your three favorite shops? What do you love about them?
TENOVERSIX. It is a destination unique to LA and brings a bit of Corso Como to the left coast.
tenover6.com
Heath Ceramics. Amazing Cali ceramics resurrected and reimagined plus great overall
stuff for the home.
heathceramics.com
Book Soup. This is what buying books should be like. Get offline and go have a
literary shopping experience.
booksoup.com
4)When you want to splurge, what restaurant do you go to, and why?
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.
giorgiobaldi.us
5) What’s a tourist trap in your city to avoid and why?
Pinks Hot Dogs. Do you really want to wait in a line several hours long for a hot dog?
www.pinkshollywood.com
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LUXE LA
Intro
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE loves
Dining
A.O.C
An oenophile’s must-hit for a slice
of New York City in laidback L.A.style, with wood-burning oven, stellar
charcuterie, and lip-smacking small
plates, all paired expertly with wines.
Try the wine-paired Flights & Bites
on Monday nights.
8022 W 3rd Street / WeHo /
+1 323 653 6359 / dinner daily
aocwinebar.com
Spa
Argyle Salon & Spa
Luxurious 6,600 square foot, all-suite
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.
Sunset Tower Hotel / 8358 W Sunset
Boulevard / WeHo / +1 310 623 9000
argylela.com
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LUXE LA
Intro
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE loves
Shopping
Dining
Tortoise
Hama Sushi
Discover this covetable Zen selection
of Japan-imported art, vintage,
jewelry, out-of-print books, furniture
and ceramics. Sister store Tortoise
General Store is just down the street
and stocked full of home goods
and kitchen wares, and runs crafts
and cooking workshops.
Sushi lovers pack into this hole-in-thewall at all hours, but it’s worth the wait
for the simple, tasty and flip-fresh fish.
There’s no menu, so just take a seat at
the bar and let the chef loose.
347 E 2nd Street / Downtown /
+1 213 680 3454 / no res /
no weekend lunch
1342½ Abbot Kinney Boulevard /
Venice / +1 310 396 7335
tortoiselife.com
Bar
Activities
Chateau Marmont Lounge
Day at the Beach
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 at the romantic, candle-lit
Chateau lounge and terrace.
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
to 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.
8221 W Sunset Boulevard / Hollywood /
+1 323 656 1010
www.geoffreysmalibu.com
www.parks.ca.gov
neptunesnet.com
www.malibubeachinn.com
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LUXE LA
Intro
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE loves
Shopping
Dining
Lily et Cie
Little Door
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.
A lush four-room fantasy decorated
with gothic chandeliers, bamboo
and fountains. Bypass the piano and
blue rooms and spring for a table
on the romantic patio, where you’ll
share rustic, organic Mediterranean
dishes, or savor the prix-fixe French
Moroccan Sunday Special.
9044 Burton Way / Beverly Hills /
+1 310 724 5757
www.lilyetcie.com
8164 W 3rd St / WeHo / +1 323 951 1210 /
dinner daily
thelittledoor.com
Hotel
Activities
Shutters on the Beach
Bergamot Station
A Los Angeles institution for good
reason – expect ocean views, spa tubs,
mini balconies, and soft sand beneath
your feet the minute you step outside.
Plus there is patio-chic seafood at
Coast and divine One the Spa for
extra pampering.
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.
1 Pico Boulevard / Santa Monica /
+1 310 458 0030
2525 Michigan Avenue / Santa Monica /
+1 310 828 4001 / closed Sun-Mon
bergamotstation.com
www.shuttersonthebeach.co
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LUXE LA
Intro
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE loves
Dining
Activities
Providence
Hollywood Bowl
When your agent is paying, try for the
coveted white booth in this popular
but understated wine and diner. The
charming, porcelain shell-dotted
surrounds and soft jazz set the mood
for plate after plate of Chef Michael
Cimarusti’s stellar seafood.
This awesome amphitheatre,
with exceptional acoustics and
sylvan gardens for picnics, is host
to everything from children’s
shows to rock concerts to the L.A.
Philharmonic. The Bowl is only open
June to Sept, and if picnics aren’t
your thing, book box seats with full
meal delivery service.
5955 Melrose Avenue / WeHo / +1 323
460 4170 / dinner daily, Fri lunch
providencela.com
2301 N Highland Ave / Hollywood /
+1 323 850 2000
www.hollywoodbowl.com
Hotel
Hotel
Hotel Bel-Air
The Redbury
Following a two-year revamp, the newly
re-opened legendary hotel preserves
its status as an urban oasis, with its
serene, lush gardens and unique swan
lake. That the suites come with private
garden patios, fireplaces and Jacuzzi’s
helps to explain why this spot is an
A-lister’s favorite romantic hideaway.
Nightlife king Sam Nazarian teamed
up with fashion photographer Matthew
Rolston to create a Hollywood hautetel, and the result is eclectic to the
max – 57 vibrant apartments, each a
study in ‘more is more’, with Persian
rugs, ikat, paisley and lashings of
color throughout, plus a kitchen,
living and dining room, and private
balcony for all.
701 Stone Canyon Road / WeHo /
+1 310 472 1211
www.hotelbelair.com
1717 Vine Street / Hollywood /
+1 323 962 1717
www.theredbury.com
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LUXE LA
Intro
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE loves
Dining
Gjelina
A rustic-chic, Cali-Italian neighborhood
staple frequented by laidback locals
looking to sample seasonal small
plates and share pizzas at the indoor
communal tables or at the few prized
tables on the patio. There’s also a wellcurated selection of wines and artisan
beers, and a great weekend brunch.
1429 Abbot Kinney Boulevard / Venice
/ +1 310 450 1429 / lunch Mon-Fri,
weekend brunch, dinner daily
www.gjelina.com
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LUXE LA
Intro
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE loathes
Traffic
A million lanes, a billion exits,
a zillion cars, useless signs
and rude drivers
Pollution
The weather may be warm and
sunny year round, but the air
quality is atrocious
March in LA
Unless you’re invited to the
Oscars, every hotel and
restaurant will be booked,
and people will pay even less
attention to you
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LUXE Loathes
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Prestige
Drab vs. Fab
Hire Car
Up And Away
Insider Sips
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!
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!
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 at Chateau
Marmont’s pretty lounge and terrace.
bhrentacar.com
adventurehelicoptertours.com
Tomb Time
Beach Days
Visiting the Hollywood Walk of Fame
alongside every other L.A. tourist
is all very well, but for real silver
screen glamour try heading instead to
Hollywood Forever cemetery, where
you’ll find the last resting place of
DeMille, Valentino, and scores of other
Old Hollywood legends. In the summer
there are even outdoor screenings.
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 caninefriendly beach, so bring the pup! Woof!
www.parks.ca.gov
hollywoodforever.com
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Intro
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE ITINERARY
Romance
Lovers abound in Los Angeles, reveling
in its endless sunny days and balmy
nights, its storied Hollywood glamour
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 on 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 semi-alfresco
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 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
12 LUXE LA
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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 on the awesome amphitheater’s
gardens. Stay under the open sky with
dinner at Little Door (see LUXE Loves),
which has a terrifically romantic outdoor
patio that’s perfect for kindling flames
over the exquisite French Med fare.
Following your candlelit dinner, find urban
oasis at the recently re-opened Hotel BelAir (see LUXE Loves), offering a serene
escape with its private garden patios, and
where you can take nightcaps while you
canoodle by the swan lake.
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE ITINERARY
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, 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 paparazzi on the
side. Sunglasses on, brave the flashes
and head next for a shopping session on
Melrose Avenue, with stops at Fred Segal
for right-now It-girl fashions, 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
and Lisa Kline for the latest denim
and designer casuals. Shopped out?
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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
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
the legendary Chateau Marmont (see
Drab vs Fab), 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.
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
LUXE ITINERARY
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, slather on the SPF and
start in Santa Monica with pancakes or
omelettes 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 (see LUXE Loves), lingerie and
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 (see LUXE Loves),
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
14 LUXE LA
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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
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,
check into Shutters on the Beach (see
LUXE Loves), and let the sound of the
waves outside your window lull you into a
sweet slumber.
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
The Essentials
Romance
Mulholland Drive
Hollywood
Beverly Hot Springs
308 N Oxford Ave / Hollywood /
+1 323 734 7000
Beverly Hills Rent-a-Car
9732 S Santa Monica Blvd / Beverly
Hills / +1 310 274 6969
www.beverlyhotsprings.com
www.bhrentacar.com
Tower Bar
Sunset Tower Hotel / 8358 Sunset Blvd
/ WeHo / +1 323 654 7100
Farmers Market
6333 W 3rd St / WeHo /
+1 323 933 9211
Hollywood Bowl
(see LUXE Loves)
www.farmersmarketla.com
Little Door
(see LUXE Loves)
La Brea Bakery
624 S La Brea Avenue / WeHo /
+1 323 939 6813
Hotel Bel-Air
(see LUXE Loves)
www.labreabakery.com
Hollywood Style
+1 323 560 7469 / 2nd Sun of month
Kitson
115 S Robertson Blvd / WeHo /
+1 310 859 2652
www.rgcshows.com
www.shopkitson.com
Intelligentsia
3922 W Sunset Blvd / Silver Lake /
+1 323 663 6173
Lisa Kline
123 S Robertson Blvd / WeHo /
+1 310 247 0488
www.intelligentsiacoffee.com
www.lisakline.com
The Ivy
113 N Robsertson Blvd / WeHo /
+310 274 8303
Dry Bar
8595 W Sunset Blvd / WeHo /
+1 310 442 6084
Rose Bowl Flea Market
1001 Rose Bowl Dr / Pasadena /
www.thedrybar.com
Melrose Avenue
Hollywood/WeHo
Fred Segal
8100 Melrose Avenue / WeHo /
+1 323 651 4129
Katana
8439 Sunset Blvd / WeHo /
+1 323 650 8585
www.katanarobata.com
Chateau Marmont
8221 W Sunset Blvd / Hollywood /
+1 323 656 1010
www.fredsegal.com
Lily et Cie
(see LUXE loves)
www.chateaumarmont.com
TenOverSix
8425 Melrose Ave / WeHo /
+1 323 330 9355
www.tenover6.com
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LUXE LA
Intro
Blah Blah
LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
The Essentials
Beach
Bergamot Station
(see LUXE Loves)
Coast
Shutters on the Beach
(see LUXE Loves)
Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi
114 W Channel Rd / Santa Monica /
+1 310 573 1660
Tortoise
(see LUXE Loves)
Undrest. By the Sea
1136 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice /
+1 310 314 1180
www.underst.com
Aviator Nation
1224 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice /
+1 310 396 9100
www.giorgiobaldi.us
The Otheroom
1210 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice /
+1 310 396 6230 / beer & wine only
www.theotheroom.com
Shutters on the Beach
(see LUXE Loves)
www.aviatornation.com
Gjelina
(see LUXE Loves)
Learn to Surf LA
various locations / +1 310 663 2469
www.learntosurfla.com
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries
Prestige
YOUR LUXE notes
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LUXE LA
Intro
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LUXE Insider
LUXE Loves
LUXE Loathes
Drab vs. Fab
LUXE Itineraries