ALL
TRAVEL
STAR
LA
Live like an A-lister—if only for a day or two—with this insider’s guide to Tinseltown.
The rooftop pool deck at the Andaz West Hollywood.
by CHRIS URANKAR
WEST HOLLYWOOD Called “WeHo” by its hip inhabitants, this vibrant city in LA County is home to the iconic Sunset Strip and shines brightest during entertainment awards season (January to March). AM Los Angeles has gone bananas for cold-pressed juice so kick-start the day at Pressed Juicery on Santa Monica Boulevard (Nicole Richie is a fan). Then head to Robertson Boulevard to shop at Kitson, a favourite among the Kardashian Klan and Emily VanCamp, thanks to its designer fashion and kitsch collectables. Homewares more your thing? Design maven Kelly Wearstler has a flagship store on Melrose; it’s a glittering treasure trove of her signature mixed-metal pieces. Last stop: Skin Laundry for the signature laser facial. The treatment gets stars like Whitney Port camera-ready in 10 minutes flat.
BED The Andaz West Hollywood (approx. $329
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The courtyard at No Vacancy.
The famous postcode, 90210, has built on its reputation, adding new high-end shopping, dining and fashion hotspots to its line-up. AM Luxury shopping strip Rodeo Drive was made famous by Pretty Woman and those in the know make a beeline for Vera Wang and Jimmy Choo (both unveiled opulent new boutiques this year). While you’re there, check out the Walk of Style, the sartorial equivalent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which includes a plaque honouring InStyle and Audi Women of Style Award winner Catherine Martin. For afternoon tea, you can’t beat Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge, which has played host to Marlene Dietrich and Nicole Kidman. The three tiers of scones, sandwiches and cakes are heavenly.
Culina at the Four Seasons Los Angeles.
chef Curtis Stone’s intimate, 25-seat Maude is still abuzz since its February opening and boasts a ninecourse offering (no menus!). Italian cuisine also rates highly. Our picks include Scarpetta at the Montage Beverly Hills (book a spot at the chef’s table and order the vanilla caramel budino) and Culina at the Four Seasons Los Angeles, where you’ll get modern Cali-Italian fare. Try the crudo (raw bar) then hit the sweet spot with a visit to the world’s first Sprinkles Cupcakes ATM; just swipe your credit card and a sweet treat is yours whenever you wish.
into Hollywood for Mediterranean share plates at The Redbury Hotel’s Cleo (where scenes from Entourage were filmed). Around the corner, No Vacancy (a haunt of Robert Pattinson) justifies LA’s love of small bars, though this one takes it up a notch with high-wire acrobatic shows.
Celebrity magnet Kitson boutique on Robertson Boulevard.
Cupcakes are on tap 24/7 at Sprinkles Cupcakes ATM.
BEVERLY HILLS
PM Beverly Hills is a magnet for fine dining. Aussie
PM Make like Scarlett Johansson and cross the border
per night; westhollywood.andaz.hyatt.com) on the Sunset Strip features views of either the LA skyline or the Hollywood Hills from every room. Design touches, like vinyl records, are a clever nod to its former incarnation as a hangout for rockers such as The Rolling Stones.
The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
BED Expect mid-century glamour at The Beverly Hilton (approx. $367 per night; beverlyhilton.com), the site of the Golden Globes since 1961. Ask for a pool-facing room and be sure to book a Red Carpet Ready Facial at the Babor Beauty Spa.
Australian chef Curtis Stone’s Maude restaurant.
The elegant lobby at The Beverly Hilton.
TRAVEL
EDGE OF GLORY Add these lesser-known gems to your itinerary. The Apartment Suite at The Line Hotel.
Koreatown at sunset. Greenhouse eatery Commissary at The Line Hotel.
ACE HOTEL DOWNTOWN LA This design-driven boutique hotel has seen the likes of Zoë Kravitz and Chris Martin through its doors.
ABBOT KINNEY This Venice shopping strip has emerging designers sitting beside seasoned names like Rag & Bone.
KOREATOWN
On the outskirts of LA’s Downtown, this diverse neighbourhood is the latest to get a cool makeover.
JW MARRIOTT LA LIVE Catching a Lakers NBA game at the Staples Center? Stay at this five-star accommodation just steps away.
AM Bordering Hollywood and Downtown, “K-Town” is the increasingly hip antithesis of LA’s plastic-fantastic stereotype. Peruse the markets then snack on a Korean-fusion taco from food truck Kogi (check Facebook for its location).
PM Head to Park’s BBQ for sizzling Korean or Guelaguetza,
A slice of Cuba at La Descarga bar.
a Mexican restaurant famous for its mole (sauce). For a nightcap, Cuban-inspired bar La Descarga evokes sultry Havana nights and does great rum cocktails. The county’s most densely populated district is also home to LA’s largest concentration of 24hr businesses; Wi Spa offers excellent microdermabrasion facials (at 3am, if you fancy!).
BED The Line Hotel (from approx. $305 per night; thelinehotel.com) is a collaboration between Kogi creator Roy Choi and New York’s NoMad Hotel and the result is seriously Instagram-worthy. The 388 rooms exude an industrial vibe with exposed concrete walls, custom art and furniture by Knibb. There’s a lush pool on-site and five eateries serving everything from hotpot to market-fresh vegetarian fare by Choi. Qantas flies to LA from Sydney and Melbourne (on the A380) and Brisbane; qantas.com.
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SANTA MONICA TO VENICE Hire a bike from Perry’s Cafe on the Santa Monica Pier and cycle beachside to eclectic Venice Beach.