Speed Bump

Year of the Snake

Marion Kukurudz and I always muse over those paper placemats at Chinese restaurants. Why is it that I’m not meeting any roosters or oxen? Sharing almond chicken and some sizzling beef for an hour or so, we caught up on our travels, family and hotel gossip. What great fun to have friends with whom you can laugh, drink too much tea and wonder who writes those fortunes?

A Contented Guest

I had a great time, thank you Wendy, for having us over!! The hotel looks great as ever and the food was fantastic!

Happy Monday!

xx
tom

(Tom Mesquit, United Talent Agency)

Mods & Rockers

As a teen I always had this romantic fascination with San Francisco. I imagined wearing flowers in my hair and long flowing dresses. But alas, I never got there until long after the magic was gone. So I went to see a few selections from American Cinematheque’s Mods & Rockers film festival which returned stronger than ever for its 8th annual edition. It’s packed with original English mod movies from the 1960’s, rare music videos and the latest rock culture films. This year at the Egyptian is a special focus on films that document the manifold delights of rock and pop culture. There’s enough Beatles, Twiggy, Elvis and Jimi Hendrix to satisfy any LA hipster. “Only the strong survive.” Through August 1st.

Full details and updates on celebrity attendance on the American Cinematheque website.

Soup to Dessert

At the end of the day, we can say we tried everything. I had coffee in the morning with two rug dealers from Turkey. Followed by lunch with a group of Argentinean journalists who were writing a story about the restaurant. Topped off by dinner with three Travel Managers from William Morris, UTA and Endeavor. Our Executive Chef, RaShon Smith, outdid herself creating new dishes and updating a few old favorites. What a wonderful day of tempting my waistline and delighting the palate.

Pictured: Peppered ahi with grilled eggplant, kalamata olives, caperberries, arugula and tomatoes

A Contented Guest...

Thanks for the follow up. It’s not often you see customer service and follow up like this.

I’ll be coming back to stay with you for a couple of days next week. Dates to be confirmed but I’m looking forward to it already.

Regards,

Gareth Barlow
Senior Manager
Macquarie Holdings (USA) Inc.

No Reservations

If you've ever worked in a kitchen or waited tables, No Reservations, will provide more laughable moments than for most audience members. In my first hotel job, I remember a burley Austrian chef, his clogs clomping across the tile floor, chasing a dishwasher through the kitchen with a butcher knife.

Fortunately for me I was the concierge so my duties were mostly restricted to the lobby and guestrooms.

Last night, I attended a screening of No Reservations, directed by Australians in Film Ambassador, Scott Hicks (Shine, Snow Falling on Cedars).

It was a completely enjoyable evening that made us all hungry for a good plate of pasta and quail with saffron sauce!

Pictured (left to right): Janine Masaki, Etro Boutique Manager, me, Phil Minos, Deputy Consul General of Australia and his wife, Krystin

A Contented Guest

Thank you I love the hotel and will be back on August 2nd, looking forward to it.

Sincerely,

Marie-Christine Kollock (Owner, Look Model Agency)

The Beverly Hills Farmers' Market

The Beverly Hills Farmers' Market is a weekly outdoor certified market which provides the community with the finest of California-grown, fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables, juices, breads, specialty items and more in a festive outdoor street setting. The market hosts more than 60 farmers and vendors every week.


The market is located on Civic Center Drive, and is open each Sunday from 9am to 1pm, rain or shine. Free shuttle service is now offered every Sunday starting at 9 a.m. Pick up at the corner of Dayton and Crescent. Shuttle continuously runs until close of Market at 1 p.m. Each week features a special event such as a petting zoo, Kid's Zone, Ask the Dietitian and more.

Seen in Café Rodeo

Sofia Vergara (Columbian actress) dined alfresco on the Café Rodeo patio and looked fabulous.

A Contented Guest...

Hi Wendy,

Thank you so much for your recent hospitality shown to our Show Group Fam Group. It was great to see you and everyone absolutely loved your hotel. It makes such a difference to actually see the hotel and the area that it is in, so we can recommend it with confidence.

Everyone is excited to start selling your hotel and hope we can send some more bookings your way.

Lyn Keep
National Product Manager
Show Group

Goya's Ghost

The AFI Directors screening of “Goya’s Ghost” last night was the highlight of my social calendar this week. Producer, Saul Zaentz, and his wife invited me to see his newest film about the life of Francisco Goya. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown and a chronicler of history. He is regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and as the first of the moderns. The subversive and subjective element in his art, as well as his bold handling of paint, provided the basis for the introducing the story to the audience.

We were engaged throughout the 2 hour account of genius, madness and faith. In 1997, Zaentz received the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award ‘for a consistently high quality of motion picture production’ with good reason. He makes very fine pictures. When traveling, add The Prado to your list of must-see museums. It's one of the best in Europe.

Pictured above: Goya's Los desastres de la guerra ("The Disasters of War"), 1810-14

All' Angelo

Dining after the screening was another challenge as so many restaurants in Los Angeles close their kitchens at 10! Thank goodness for my knowledgeable friend, a restaurant journalist, who tipped me off about All' Angelo on Melrose Avenue. What a find! Chef Mirko Paderno, Stefano Ongaro and Carlo, couldn’t have been nicer when they got my panicked call asking them to keep the kitchen open for a group of late diners. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. Every course was better than the last and our party of ten ate very bite! The new menu of Venetian, Sardinian and Sicilian dishes and the Italian all-star team, is reason enough to run [don’t walk] to this new fine dining gem. 7166 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, Dinner Monday to Saturday, 6 – 11 PM

Another Contented Guest...

Hi Wendy!
It was great seeing you last week. Roshaun made the best dish for me.
I will start coming to the Luxe more often. I miss 360 and Otto.
Thanks for last week.

Karen Lewis

Seen in the Luxe Lobby

Barbara Mori has appeared in over a dozen movies and TV shows and is probably best known to North American viewers for her work in the steamy romance La Mujer de mi hermano (2005).

Aside from the fact that she’s flat-out gorgeous, Barbara’s penchant for supporting important causes, such as breast cancer, makes her an ideal role model for her many fans.

Luxe Hotel Sunset Blvd.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences organized a pre-Emmy nominee announcement mixer, hosted by the Luxe Hotel Sunset Blvd. last night. The crowd of 400 enjoyed great food and drink, fabulous raffle and the gorgeous setting by the pool with their fellow Television Academy members where they mingled and mixed until 9:30 PM. Shown here is Chef, Olivier Rousselle and me at the buffet table. Rousselle just took over as executive chef at On Sunset, the renovated restaurant at the Luxe Hotel Sunset Blvd. Rouselle, most recently executive chef at Michael’s in Santa Monica specializes in market-driven California fare with a French twist. Congratulations to Chef Olivier, Margit Haut and Judith Feldman for pulling off a memorable fete.

Another Contented Guest...

FROM:

Ms. Thayer, Michele

Query regarding: reservations

Details: First I LOVE and am completely impressed with this hotel and its service. I travel a fair amount and this is the nicest hotel I've stayed in some time. Do you have a rewards program- if so I'd love to join!!

Regards Michele Thayer

Hotel name: Luxe Beverly HIlls

SICKO

If you want to stay healthy in America, don’t get sick. Filmmaker Michael Moore’s SiCKO is now playing at local theaters. SiCKO sets out to investigate the American healthcare system and shed some light on the complicated medical affairs of individuals and local communities to show us just how broken our healthcare system is. If you live in California and want to send a short letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger letting him know how important this issue is to you, please do so at www.govmail.ca.gov or governor@governor.ca.gov.

With a Little Puck

It was Friday night and I found myself at the 21st Annual Shakespeare Festival in Los Angeles waiting for A Midsummer Night’s Dream to begin. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels was the backdrop and the sun was setting over the bronze doors to my left. Founded in 1984 with a mission to enchant, enrich and build community through theatrical traditions that are accessible to all, the festival is an integral part of the Los Angeles cultural landscape. At our performance, non-perishable canned goods were collected, advancing the notion that theater can feed more than the soul. A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs from July 11 to 22nd at the Cathedral and from July 25 – 29 at the South Coast Botanic Garden. Set on Central Avenue, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” Quote (Act I, Scene I)

At midnight, it was the original Tommy’s for a late night snack on the way home. I’d never been there before and my enchanting host, Gerry Furth, suggested that I take the burger plunge for $5.60, including a cold root beer and fries. Even better, try The Village Idiot burger for $11. The $10 martini is extra. The Village Idiot has great traditional pub fare and the bar stays open until 2:00 AM.

A Contented Guest...

Hi Wendy,

Hope you are still enjoying your LA summer. We are now back in an Australian winter and it's wet and cold outside :(

Shell and I just wanted to email and say thank you so much for showing us around your hotel and having us for breakfast. We really appreciate you taking the time to show us around - and coming in early especially for us.

We all enjoyed having a look around Rodeo and Beverly Drive's after leaving you. There are definitely some amazing shops there.

Both Shell and I look forward to dealing with you on future clients bookings.

Bec and Shell :)

Rebecca Normand
Travel Co-Ordinator - Melbourne Office
Show Group Enterprises Pty Ltd

Hooray!

Everyone at Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive welcomes our new Guest Services Director, Tal Golan. She comes to us from our sister property on Sunset Blvd. where she trained with Sherwin Banda for the past two years. She speaks three additional languages, Hebrew, Dutch, Italian and poquito Spanish and is looking forward to bringing her 12 years of hospitality experience to our Front Desk. She’s got that Four Tops attitude, “Whenever you need me, I’ll be there.” We’re happy to have Tal on our team.

Blackman Cruz

Last night I attended Annie Kelly’s book signing at Blackman Cruz Gallery on La Cienega Blvd. It has always been a favorite stop of mine along the Avenues of Art and Design. Full of curiosities, artifacts and unique furniture, the gallery has some of the best viewing after the Natural History Museum. But in this case, the collectibles are for sale! You too can own a signature lamp made from a bronzed skull or a collection of tiny felt hats from a 19th century haberdashery.

The $12 ticket

Ironic that Queen Latifah’s soon-to-be-released CD is “Travelin’ Light” as that is just what I did last night trudging a mile and a half to the Hollywood Bowl to get a $12 seat! Traffic around the Bowl was particularly impacted last night by the ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theater and by construction on Highland Blvd. At one point I almost gave up finding a place to park. But I’m glad I persevered. Queen was charming and soulful, singing many of her songs from “The Dana Owens Album” of 2004. As her final number, Latifah chose Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life”. Written by 16 year old Strayhorn, “Lush” imbues such bittersweet sentiment that it seemed composed by a much older world weary man. It felt as though she had found a musical home for her warm timbre and vocal range. What a beautiful night under the stars!

SHOW Travel

Enjoyed the company of Lyn Keep, National Product Manager for SHOW travel, 6 agents from their offices in Australia and New Zealand and a representative of Air New Zealand for breakfast this morning. Lyn is infamous in the travel world and is much adored by hotel sales managers world over! I’m so glad that they got a chance to take a site inspection and enjoy breakfast al fresco on the Café Rodeo patio. Thank you to everyone for your gracious appearance at 8 o’clock and for considering the hotel for your many clients traveling to Beverly Hills.

Pictured here: Lyn Keep, Seth Horowitz, General Manager Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive, and agents.

Seen in the Luxe Lobby

‘The Hives’ checking out of the hotel this morning. Buzz.

The Show on Vegas

Having missed the opening reception, I made a point of viewing The Show on Vegas which showcases 50 years of Las Vegas’ finest photography. Images include a lone slot-machine player by Elliott Erwitt, William Claxton’s Marlene Dietrich, Bruce Weber’s Siegfried and Roy and friend, Arne Svenson’s Statue of Socrates, Caesar’s Palace. Who can resist Ann-Margaret soaring on a motor cycle in the desert?

Not to be missed. Through September 8th, M+B Gallery, West Hollywood.

NocTOURnals

In the words of Elton John, “Saturday night’s alright”. There’s only one more Saturday night for NocTOURnals which includes experiences at four cultural institutions at night – MOCA Grand Performances, Walt Disney concert Hall and REDCAT with viewings, moonlit garden tours, live performances and screenings.

I began my evening at MOCA Grand Avenue where I took an art making class and a docent tour of The Art of Richard Tuttle. I had a chance to create my own sculpture inspired by Tuttle’s fascination with everyday materials such as light bulbs, string, paper, cardboard and plywood. There was a seven-year-old boy across from me who was enthusiastically handling a hammer and nails. I had to borrow it from him a couple of times and weave my neighbor’s scraps into my piece. Little did I realize that there was a table with buckets of stuff to incorporate and there I was nipping leftovers. Wha La – only 45 minutes and I was an artist!

REDCAT was next on my stop where they were offering tours of the auditorium. There was also a fascinating installation by Renata Lucas’ Falha made of plywood, hinges and handles. Within moments, I could see that there was an opportunity to manipulate the space by lifting one section and lowering another. Falha is made from raw plywood which gives it a feeling of being unfinished exposing the possibility of deconstructing boundaries through something as simple as moving a wall or divide. So of course, with the help of my docent, I moved a number of planks and made my own version of Falha (Failure).

Walt Disney Concert Hall was my last stop of the evening. While waiting to put a group together we were offered an outdoor silent film, shown on the polished metal walls. It was a Buster Keaton film about construction and destruction, pianos dropping and ladders tipping; an apt subject with all that I had observed so far. Keaton needed to borrow that hammer! The outdoor public space at the Hall was a request by Mrs. Disney when she provided $25 million in seed money to begin the construction. All of the trees and plants are drought resistant and able to sustain themselves in planters. From the fragrant gardens we proceeded to the magnificent concert hall with its boat-shaped walls and ceiling of douglas fir, perfecting the orchestra resonation from balcony to mezzanine. There isn’t a bad seat in the house!

I wandered back to the MOCA to hear the DJ and people-watch and called it a night, all the while planning to come back for a Grand Performance.

A Contented Guest

Dear Wendy,

Thank you for your kind thoughts for my birthday. Had a lovely relaxing day, coffee with friends then lunch with Alan, and we took our daughters out for dinner in the evening, very spoilt.

We will see you soon, as we arrive on 25th July.
Very cold and wet here, so it will be nice to be warm for a while in Los Angeles.

Keep well,
Love Diana Pinkus
Pinkus Shoes

POW! BANG! Bursts of light. AHHH!

Another Fourth of July has come and gone. I hope everyone had a safe and relaxing day. As for me I took advantage of sleeping in mid-week and staying cool. In the late afternoon I went to the home of some good friends who recently moved to Highland Park, just south of Pasadena. Wow, what a night of fireworks. I haven't seen such celebrating since I was in Naples on New Year's Eve, 2001. Bursts of light flared, dashed and dotted every block and hill around their home. It was the best night of fireworks, ever!!

Photo montage by Georg Fick, from bedroom window, east view

Seen in the Luxe Lobby

Jim Caviezel on his way to pick up his pants from Valentino.

Blue Moon

Saturday afternoon I rushed to Santa Monica in the late afternoon to catch the scheduled shuttle bus to Rancho Sol del Pacifico in Malibu for a wedding. Along the 35 mile drive, our driver told stories of movie star homes, famous Pacific Coast highway arrests and romantic hideaways. It all seemed very much like a Hollywood Tour until we reached the dry narrow scrub-filled landscape along Yellow Hill Road which winds up to a private estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The setting was lush and elegant for the wedding of new friends, Shannon and Stephen.

By 10 o’clock, the blue moon, which the groom had noted in a loving dedication to his new wife, had risen over the top of the red tiled roof and stately palms. Whether or not the moon, steeped in folklore, had anything to do with magic of the night is uncertain. But calendar blue moons occur infrequently, hence the saying, once in a blue moon used to describe a rare event. Because of the mis-match between the solar and lunar cycles, every two to three years, there are thirteen moons in a year. June 30th was the second of two full moons in the month.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at even tide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.” Kahlil Gibran

See blog entitled: Here Comes the Bride, May.

Seen in the Luxe Lobby

Alexandra Von Furstenberg