New Yorkers famously love to hate on Los Angeles. I think they’ve created this defense mechanism because if they went West and experienced life among the palm trees, beautiful surfers, and year-round perfect weather, there’d be no one left in New York.
Sea and I debarked for our LA adventure last week. We almost didn’t make it – we arrived late for check in and were nearly stampeded by a gaggle of supermodels wielding St. Laurent bags. Note to self- always arrive early enough to grab a coffee and leisurely peruse the sunglass offerings.
We caught the next flight and five and a half hours later – we landed at LAX. First stop was picking up our rental car as everyone knows you can’t get around LA without your own set of wheels – even though Uber has certainly made that easier. Hungry and ready to explore, we set out for celeb hot-spot The Ivy on Robertson for lunch. Everyone at The Ivy looks like someone: the women are all gorgeous with perfect blowouts and ensembles which don’t require a bra and the men equally so, outfitted in crisp dress shirts and classic Persol sunglasses.
After lunch, we stopped by Chanel in Beverly Hills to check out the new collection of Chevron backs and take selfies in the famous black and white bathroom. Shopping continued at Kitson, the exclusive home to my collection of vintage and one-of-a-kind handmade necklaces.
The last stop on the shopping express was the uber-upscale boutique Maxfield where we browsed the collection of Rick Owns, Baha East, Haider Akerman and signed Andy Warhol books. If you appreciate the rare and super-luxurious, this place is a must-visit.
Shopping mission complete, with a new Zimmerman coverup to wear that evening, we checked into the Sunset Tower Hotel. The Sunset Tower Hotel is famous for having hosted the Vanity Fair after-party for years, though VF recently decamped in favor of the Wallis Annenberg Center. The Sunset Tower exudes old Hollywood glamour with an art deco exterior and super-luxurious rooms. The bar and restaurant are also notoriously packed with celebrities. That evening as Sea and I shared pre-dinner tea in the lobby, we spotted John Mayer and a slew of other somebodies. One more thing to rave about the Sunset Tower Hotel – the make your own Sunday is the perfect way to indulge at the end of the night.
DAY 2
Another beautiful, sunny day in paradise. Getting in some work, I stopped by my West Coast agent team at LA Models for some face time before Sea and I headed to USC to check out the campus for Sea. I was totally impressed by the state of the art Steven Speilberg and George Lucas film center.
Sea had been looking forward to visiting the famous Nobu in Malibu that opened two years ago, so we hopped back in the car and headed West, cruising down the PCH. We let the windows down and breathed in the fresh Pacific air. Nobu is a truly breathtaking place, situated right on top of the beach so you can enjoy signature rolls while watching the waves roll on below you. Superstar hairstylist Sally Herschberger ate with a table of friends as we salivated over crispy rice and rock shrimp. Speaking of hair, I stopped into Drybar for a straight blow out – I think I’ve got to give the curls a rest.
We got in a little shopping at the Malibu Lumber Yard just down the street. This is a great place to enjoy an afternoon, browsing the shops like Lanvin, Planet Blue, RRL vintage collection, Chrome Hearts, and many more. There’s also a GROM Gelato for indulging your sweet tooth.
Dinner that night was at another Old Hollywood classic: The Polo Lounge at The Beverly Hills Hotel. I had the famous McCarthy salad and we couldn’t pass up the mouthwatering soufflés in chocolate and pistachio for dessert. I fit right in wearing my Bally Swiss pressed leather dress and fringe Manolo Blahniks.
Back at the Sunset Tower, I am pretty certain I saw Johnny Depp exiting just as we got home. Though on the other hand, everyone sort of looks like Johnny Depp in Los Angeles right now.
Day 3
Coachella! Sea and I set out on the open road (along with a few thousand other people clogging the 10 freeway). Check out our experience at the music festival in the last post. On the way back, we stopped at the In N Out drive through (no LA trip is complete without one)
Day 4
Our last day in La La Land. Lunch was at Joan’s on 3rd for the best Chinese chicken salad, we had to take our food to go as New York as calling and our flight was ready to bring us back home. This New York is definitely an LA fan.
