This big news in L.A. right now is the grand opening of the 7,100-seat, state-of-the-art NOKIA Theatre (www.nokiatheatrelalive.com), which officially opened when the Eagles and Dixie Chicks took the stage in October, 2007. Located across the street from STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center, L.A. LIVE will ultimately become the primary event center in Southern California. The NOKIA Theatre is part of the immense 27-acre L.A. LIVE sports, residential and entertainment district, which will also eventually house a 54-story, 1001-room hotel (combining JW Marriott and The Ritz Carlton brands), The Grammy Museum, Club Nokia, and a 14-screen Regal Cineplex.
Where to Stay
The name's absurd but the room rates aren't: With room rates starting at $129, the new Custom Hotel (8639 Lincoln Blvd; tel. 310/645-0400; www.customhotel.com) near the Los Angeles airport offers everything you'd never expect from a 250-room LAX-convenient hotel, including nightly DJs, poolside cabanas, a pool bar and grill, themed guest rooms, and even a bazaar. All this, and you're just a short drive from the beach towns of Venice, Santa Monica, and Manhattan Beach.
Nearby at the The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey (4375 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey; tel. 310/823-1700; www.ritzcarlton.com), the new Boutique Spa at The Ritz-Carlton has just opened, featuring eight relaxing treatment rooms, manicure and pedicure services, steam room experiences, relaxing lounges, a spa retail shop and a new state-of-the-art cardio/weight studio furnished with high-tech equipment.
Over in Santa Monica, one of my favorite old-school accommodations, The Georgian Hotel (1415 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica; tel. 310/395-9945; www.georgianhotel.com) has renovated all of its guestrooms with new furniture and electronics, including flat screen TVs in the suites; and the Sunset Marquis Hotel and Villas (1200 N. Alta Loma Rd, West Hollywood; tel. 310/657-1333; www.sunsetmarquishotel.com) has poured $20 million into a major expansion that includes 40 new villas, a gym and spa facilities, and The Studio, one of the best-equipped commercial recording facilities in the world (ergo, if you want to stay amongst the celebrities, the Sunset Marquis is a safe bet).
Where to Dine
If you're looking to spot celebrities or at least hang out with the "in" crowd during dinner, here's the scoop: Sexy servers donning alluring outfits designed by Project Runway winner Jeffrey Sebelia have people talking about the new ONE Sunset (8730 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood; tel. 310/657-0111; www.onerestaurants.com). The sultry Sunset Strip space features design influences of Southern Spain and North Africa combined with New American cuisine, but don't expect stellar service. After dinner hours, the space transforms into a lively lounge scene, so keep your bar tab open.
Another sure place to spot celebs is the new Katsuya Hollywood at Hollywood and Vine (6300 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood; tel. 323/871-8777). Celebrity designer Philippe Starck has given the interior an edgy, hip vibe highlighted by a provocative photograph of a geisha's crying eyes and sushi knives suspended from the ceiling. After shabu-shabu for two, retire to the moody, low-lit Dragon Lounge for a Burning Mandarin, a mixture of Absolut Mandarin infused with Serrano chili.
Then again, if you care more about L.A. kitsch than spotting Kutcher, Ketchup (8590 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; tel. 310/289-8590; www.dolcegroup.com/ketchup) will appeal to your inner child with comfort-laden American dishes such as Momma's Meatloaf, Shake 'n Bake Chicken, and Kobe Sliders served in a starkly futuristic white-and-red setting that looks as if it belongs in a sci-fi flick. Even the cocktails are mixed with Kool-Aid and Yoo-Hoo (if only the steep prices were retro as well).
But my favorite kitschy newcomer to the restaurant scene takes aim at one of our favorite childhood indulgences: cereal. The JuJu Cereal Bar (1248 Westwood Blvd, Westwood; tel. 310/474-8571; www.jujucerealbar.com) is just what the sign says -- a place that serves nothing but cereal. Two scoops of Honeycomb, Smacks, Coco Puffs, Fruity Pebbles, Cream of Wheat, oatmeal and at least two dozen other blasts from your childhood past can be combined with your favorite topping -- fruit, nuts, sweets, dollops & drizzles -- and choice of milk for a mere $5.75.
After Dark
Among the hottest hidden celebrity hotspots of the moment is Winston's (7746 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood; tel. 323/654-0105), a tiny bar from uber-hip owners Andy Fiscella (of Dime fame) and GQ editor Chris Huvane. The décor is pure 1920s tinseltown with DJs spinning vintage '80s and '90s music for young starlets like Lindsay Lohan, Mary Kate Olsen, and Jessica Alba.
If you're not cool enough to get past the door at Winston's, everyone is welcome to rub shoulders with the celebs at the glamorous Bar Nineteen 12 at The Beverly Hills Hotel (9641 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills; tel. 310/273-1912; www.barnineteen12.com). Suck on an apple martini popsicle while striking a pose on the golden-toned velvet sofas.
Another good hotel nightlife option is the Glow Lounge at the Marina del Rey Marriott (4100 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey; tel. 310/578-4152), which Playboy.com recently ranked as one of the top ten lounges in the U.S., joining the ranks of notable nightlife hot spots such as The Tropicana Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood and The Palms Pool and Bungalows in Las Vegas.
On October 15, Valentino Restaurant owner Piero Selvaggio -- one of the nation's leading experts on wine and Italian cuisine (and quite the suave charmer) -- debuted his highly anticipated "V-vin bar," specializing in attractively priced flights of older vintages and rarely seen labels from American and international wineries. If you're a connoisseur of fine wines (particularly European wines), it's well worth the drive to Pico and Bundy, and if you're lucky, Piero might even take your on a tour of his award-winning wine cellar (3115 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica; tel. 310/829-4313; www.valentinorestaurant.com).
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