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
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.
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 LOS ANGELES
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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.
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• 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).
• 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.
• 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…
• If you can’t get a table reservation,
try your luck at the bar.
• 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.
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• In emergencies, don’t scream
and holler, call 911.
• Tipping is mandatory, though it
doesn’t guarantee better service.
In restos, as a minimum,
double the tax.
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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.
www.tenover6.com
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LUXE INSIDER
Joe Cole
1) WHERE DO YOU
RECOMMEND FRIENDS
STAY WHEN IN LA?
3) WHAT ARE YOUR THREE
FAVORITE SHOPS? WHAT DO
YOU LOVE ABOUT THEM?
5) WHAT’S A TOURIST
TRAP IN YOUR CITY
TO AVOID AND WHY?
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.
TENOVERSIX. It is a destination
unique to LA and brings a bit of
Corso Como to the left coast.
Pinks Hot Dogs. Do you really want
to wait in a line several hours long
for a hot dog?
www.tenover6.com
www.pinkshollywood.com
www.chateaumarmont.com
Heath Ceramics. Amazing Cali
ceramics resurrected and reimagined
plus great overall stuff for the home.
www.heathceramics.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.
www.sunsettowerhotel.com
Book Soup. This is what buying books
should be like. Get offline and go have
a literary shopping experience.
www.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.
www.giorgiobaldi.us
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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.
BESTIA
ARGYLE SALON & SPA
Dining
Spa
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).
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.
STRANGE INVISIBLE
PERFUMES
Shopping
2121 E 7th Place / Downtown
+1 213 514 5724
Sunset Tower Hotel
8358 W Sunset Boulevard / WeHo
+1 310 623 9000
www.argylela.com
Discover the Abbot Kinney enclave
where botanical perfumer Alexander
Balahoutis has been since 2000
handcrafting truly unique, sultry scents
that adhere to her purist, eco-friendly
philosophy. Try the limited edition
fragrances like the Caribbean-inspired
‘Vacances’, or go bespoke and bottle
your own creation.
1138 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice / +1 310 314 1505
www.bestiala.com
www.siperfumes.com
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HAMA SUSHI
CHATEAU
MARMONT LOUNGE
Dining
DAY AT THE BEACH
Activities
Bar
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
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.
8221 W Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood / +1 323 656 1010
LILY ET CIE
www.geoffreysmalibu.com
www.parks.ca.gov
www.neptunesnet.com
www.malibubeachinn.com
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.
9044 Burton Way / Beverly Hills
+1 310 724 5757
www.lilyetcie.com
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.
Dapper New York-based suiting label
opens in a multi-level Melrose space,
filled with their eponymous ready-towear 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.
8618 Melrose Ave / West Hollywood
+1 310 657 1620
www.seizesurvingt.com
SHUTTERS ON THE BEACH
Accommodation
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.
1 Pico Boulevard / Santa Monica
+1 310 458 0030
www.shuttersonthebeach.com
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BERGAMOT STATION
SPAGO
HOLLYWOOD BOWL
Activities
Dining
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.
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 Colorado lamb chops
and Chinese roasted duck) shine.
This awesome amphitheater,
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.
176 North Canon Drive
Beverly Hills / dinner Mon-Sat
2301 N Highland Ave
Hollywood / +1 323 850 2000
www.wolfgangpuck.com
www.hollywoodbowl.com
THE REDBURY
GJELINA
Accommodation
Dining
Nightlife king Sam Nazarian
teamed up with fashion photographer
Matthew Rolston to create a
Hollywood haute-tel, 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.
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 well-curated selection of
wines and artisan beers, and a great
weekend brunch.
2525 Michigan Avenue / Santa Monica
+1 310 453 7535 / closed Sun-Mon
www.bergamotstation.com
HOTEL BEL-AIR
Accommodation
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.
701 Stone Canyon Road / WeHo
+1 310 472 1211
www.hotelbelair.com
1717 Vine Street / Hollywood
+1 323 962 1717
www.theredbury.com
1429 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice / +1 310 450 1429
lunch Mon-Fri, weekend brunch,
dinner daily
www.gjelina.com
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TRAFFIC
POLLUTION
MARCH IN LA
A million lanes, a billion exits,
a zillion cars, useless signs and
rude drivers.
The weather may be warm and
sunny year round, but the air
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 LOS ANGELES
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quality is atrocious.
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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.
www.adventurehelicoptertours.com
www.bhrentacar.com
BEACH DAYS
TOMB TIME
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 canine-friendly
beach, so bring the pup! Woof!
www.parks.ca.gov
www.hollywoodforever.com
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Romantic
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-a-Car (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
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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 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
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at Little Door, 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 Bel-Air (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.
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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,
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
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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
Men 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 carpetworthy hair flip, you’re ready for the
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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.
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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, slather on the SPF
and start in Santa Monica with 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, 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
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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 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
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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.
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The Essentials
ROMANTIC ITINERARY
HOLLYWOOD STYLE ITINERARY
• Mulholland Drive
Hollywood
• Rose Bowl Flea Market
1001 Rose Bowl Dr / Pasadena
+1 323 560 7469 / 2nd Sun of month
www.rgcshows.com
• Kitson
115 S Robertson Blvd / WeHo
+1 310 859 2652
www.shopkitson.com
• Intelligentsia
3922 W Sunset Blvd / Silver Lake
+1 323 663 6173
www.intelligentsiacoffee.com
• Lisa Kline Men
123 S Robertson Blvd / WeHo
+1 310 247 0488
www.lisakline.com
• The Ivy
113 N Robertson Blvd / WeHo
+310 274 8303
www.theivyrestaurants.com
• Dry Bar
8595 W Sunset Blvd / WeHo
+1 323 843 4777
www.thedrybar.com
• Melrose Avenue
Hollywood / WeHo
• Katana
8439 Sunset Blvd / WeHo
+1 323 650 8585
www.katanarobata.com
• Beverly Hills Rent-a-Car
9732 S Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills / +1 310 274 6969
www.bhrentacar.com
• Farmers Market / 6333 W 3rd St
WeHo / +1 323 933 9211
www.farmersmarketla.com
• La Brea Bakery
460 S La Brea Avenue / WeHo
+1 323 939 6813
www.labreabakery.com
• Beverly Hot Springs
308 N Oxford Ave / Hollywood
+1 323 734 7000
www.beverlyhotsprings.com
• Fred Segal
8100 Melrose Avenue / WeHo
+1 323 651 4129
www.fredsegal.com
• Tower Bar
Sunset Tower Hotel
8358 Sunset Blvd / WeHo
+1 323 654 7100
• Lily et Cie
(see LUXE loves)
• Hollywood Bowl
(see LUXE Loves)
• TenOverSix
8425 Melrose Ave / WeHo
+1 323 330 9355
www.tenover6.com
• Chateau Marmont
8221 W Sunset Blvd / Hollywood
+1 323 656 1010
www.chateaumarmont.com
• Little Door
8164 W 3rd St / WeHo / +1 323 951 1210
dinner daily
www.thelittledoor.com
• Hotel Bel-Air
(see LUXE Loves)
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The Essentials
BEACH ITINERARY
• Coast
Shutters on the Beach
(see LUXE Loves)
• Gjelina
(see LUXE Loves)
• Learn to Surf LA
various locations / +1 310 663 2479
www.learntosurfla.com
• Tortoise
1208 Abbot Kinney Blvd
+1 310 314 8448
www.tortoiselife.com
• The Otheroom
1210 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice
+1 310 396 6230 / beer & wine only
www.theotheroom.com
• Shutters on the Beach
(see LUXE Loves)
• Bergamot Station
(see LUXE Loves)
• Undrest. By the Sea
1136 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice
+1 310 314 1180
www.undrest.com
• Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi
114 W Channel Rd / Santa Monica
+1 310 573 1660
www.giorgiobaldi.us
• Aviator Nation
1224 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice
+1 310 396 9100
www.aviatornation.com
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2014.02.17
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