A Happy Travel Agent

Hi Wendy,
Thank you so much for the birthday card! It was so sweet (and unexpected) of you.
Thanks so much!
-- Best Regards, Loretta [R. A. Travel, Inc.]

Thought for the day

Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends. -Cindy Lew

A Happy Travel Agent

W
Thanks for the special wreath.
It is so beautiful and it smells amazing.
-kim
Kim M. Specht, Kim Holiday Inc, A Tzell Travel Affiliate

Holiday lights and more lights

On Saturday night I was invited to take a drive through Pasadena and neighboring Altadena to look at home decorations. What an amazing journey. There were Santa's, snoopy dogs, snowmen, Grinches, elves, angels, penguins, manger tableau's, Sponge Bob Squarepants and gingerbread men. And some of those characters were in the same scene. Who knew that they knew each other? I'm glad that these home owners still took the time to put up decorations and even happier that I won't get their electric bills.

After the ho-ho-ho, comes the ha-ha-ha

Ever since Eve gave Adam the apple, there has been a misunderstanding between the sexes about gifts. -Nan Robertson

Ornaments

Birds were the theme this year. I clipped little glass sparrows and glittery finches to everything around my apartment. Next year I'm going to add nests. Thank you to my associate, Lisa, who gave me this bubble from Barneys New York.

In the bag

Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list and checking it twice. Gonna' find out who's naughty and nice.

P.S. All my friends are naughty.

A Happy Client

Hi Wendy,
Thank you so much for the birthday card!! :) That's so sweet of you!!
I actually went to Luxe today, but you were on your lunch break and I didn't want to bother you. Hopefully we can meet in the near future!!
Thanks again!! Tomo Morita, Kaz Coordination Inc.

A Happy Travel Agent

Dear Wendy:
My staff and I would like to thank you for the beautiful wreath that you sent. What an unusual gift. We hope that you have a wonderful Holiday Season.
We look forward to working with you in 2009.
Best, Barbara, Phil and Mindy at Tzell Travel

Happy Hanukkah

"Really fun. Spent all day yesterday with family. Tonight we went out to dinner, came back, lit candles, opened presents and now just enjoying the evening. All good." David, age 10

White Christmas

Last night White Christmas was shown at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd as part of Movies with Holiday Spirit. With 13 songs highlighted by Irving Berlin's "Snow", "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep" was Oscar-nominated for Best Song in 1954.

Music on Rodeo Drive

'Tis the season to enjoy carolers and musicians in Beverly Hills. Throughout the week, shoppers will enjoy groups of artists on Rodeo, Beverly and Canon Drives.

Cheers!

tks Wendy And thanks for Sat night - had a great time. Hope you have a terrific Christmas and a wonderful new year. Phil (and Krys) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phil MinosA/g Consul-General Australian Consulate
Los Angeles

A Happy Client

Thanks so much for the party last night. You always have the most interesting friends. What a Hollywood party should be!
xo James, [ComedySportz] LA's Longest Running Show

Holiday party at my home

Be thankful for what you have. Be helpful to those that have lost. Be positive about the future. Be realistic about tomorrow. Spreading holiday cheer and happiness.

Wendy,
THANK YOU for having me to your festive soiree on Saturday.
I really had a good time and was so happy to be there, joining the merry tribe of people who love you! much love, Susie

Thank you Thank you Thank you.......for another super soiree! This year .....you are the holder of the pictures. Very much looking forward to seeing them..... Looking forward to seeing you soon....merci beaucoup, Alexis

Thank you the hostess with the mostess! We had a lovely time and it is always so great to see you and Pamela... xoxo

This is so fun! It is always wonderful to spend the holidays with you. Thanks again. Yvonne really enjoyed meeting you and your fab guests. Pamela

PROST luncheon

It's that time of year when PROST holds its annual holiday luncheon at Lawry's Prime Rib in Beverly Hills. The Beverly Hills CVB hosted a table of hoteliers for our annual catching-up and gossip hour. Cheers to a great new year! And Tim, I'm sorry that you have a green patch over your right eye - I was trying to get the red-eye out.

Going green for Christmas?

Best in Show

Neiman Marcus, 9700 Wilshire Blvd, won Best in Show for the Courier's Holiday Window Decorating Contest. I walked over there to see just what the fuss was about. Each window features a princess in a different environment, magically dressed in fabulous gowns. Here's The Princess in the Garden amid fantastical insects and flowers.

Thought for the day

The phenomenon of corruption is like the garbage. It has to be removed daily. -Ignicio Pagaza

The hardest working women in Beverly Hills...

Publisher, Cecilia Moreno, and I hosted Ladies Night Out in Cafe Rodeo last night to usher in a little Holiday Cheer!

"Dearest Wendy and Cecilia: On behalf of the ETRO GIRLS, thank you SO MUCH for the wonderful evening at the Luxe last night. There really is no other cure to lift spirits than spending time with GOOD Girlfriends. Your thoughtfulness and generosity is greatly appreciated. Here's to the BEST of Holidays! Lots of love and aloha, Janine

A Happy Travel Agent

Dear Wendy,
And thank you for your birthday card and Zodiac info.
I never knew I was a Delft! I'll have to come up with
some way to turn Delft to my advantage. Hmmm...
(any suggestions?)
I hope we can get together after the new year and I
wish you a Happy Chanukah, a Merry Christmas, and a
Happy New Year.
To a healthy and prosperous and less stressful 2009!
Corkie [van Zak CTC, CTIE ] Supervisor, Luxury Travel Protravel International * A Virtuoso Agency *

Miracle on 34th Street

Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" is my favorite seasonal movie but running a close second is "Miracle on 34th Street". Edmund Gwenn won the supporting actor Oscar for his enchanting turn as Kris Kringle who gets a job as Macy's Santa Claus. Last night the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented a digitally restored 35mm print which was recreated from archival elements stored both at the Library of Congress and Twentieth Century Fox. After this Best Picture nominee's credits rolled and the lights came up, there were families slowing milling about and putting on their coats. Like Maureen O'Hara's cynical divorced store executive, we were all a bit restored. I do believe!

Anthropology

Anthropology won "Best Use of Lights" in the Courier's Beverly Hills window decorating contest. See their store on Beverly Drive, just a block east of the Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive. On Friday, December 12th, the Beverly Hills Courier has a special section revealing all of the winners. Can't wait.

A Contented Guest

Thanks Wendy,
I always enjoy my stay at the Luxe, it’s like my home in LA!
Have a nice Christmas and look forward to seeing you again soon.
Jennifer [Angel] www.jenniferangel.com

She won!

Stage & Screen Travel hosted their annual holiday shindig at The Crescent Hotel last night and Justine Liddelow, National Sales Manager, held a drawing for some great travel related gifts. Everyone loves to have a winner in their midst. http://www.stageandscreen.travel/

A Happy Client

hello jennifer!!
thank you sooo very much for the great set up yesterday!!
you and your team really took such good care of us and are always so accommodating , i really appreciate all of your help!!
the rodeo penthouse area is perfect for our group , and will definitely use it again in february for our next show .
thanks again and see you soon!! happy holidays!!
eve :) [eve nicole smalley]
roxy sales southern california

The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live

Last evening, Los Angeles Magazine hosted a marvelous party on the rooftop of the new Grammy Museum in downtown L.A. Surrounded by the best holiday music and delicious bites, the attendees were invited to visit the 3 floors of Grammy memorabilia and interactive programing. It's a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of music, culture and history. We all wished we could have stayed longer! http://www.grammymuseum.org/ Seen here are Sherwin Banda, Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive General Manager, Roger owner of Grace Home, Samantha Greenfield, Luxury Goods Director for LA Magazine and me.

A Happy Client

Wendy,
We love working with you. Have a wonderful Holiday Season! Thank you for everything you do for us. Best, Allison Polumbus, The Kennedy Wilson Multifamily Management Group

Thought for the day

You can take all the sincerity in Hollywood, place it in the navel of a fruit fly and still have enough room for three caraway seeds and a producer's heart. -Fred Allen
Let's hope that SAG settles their contract soon and we all have a peaceful holiday season.

Loteria Hollywood

The Loteria Grill in Hollywood was our destination last night. Owner Jimmy Shaw shared some tequila and micro brew with us before we dined on a delicious meal. The four of us tasted a variety of items while Jimmy entertained us with stories of Loteria, a Mexican game of chance similar to Bingo. The walls of his Hollywood restaurant and those at his Farmer's Market location on Third Street are decorated with cards from the game. Worth a trip to either destination.

Rodeo Drive sparkles...

Come and visit throughout the holiday season. The UNICEF snowflake and Baccarat chandeliers will continue to sparkle through New Year’s Day, and visitors to Beverly Hills will also enjoy two hours of free parking at City parking garages along Rodeo, Beverly and Canon Drives (look for the turquoise blue parking signs). There are some amazing bargains out there!

Seen at the Luxe

Emmy Award winner, Academy Award nominee film director Kenneth Branagh was seen in the lobby today. We look forward to seeing him in the soon-to-be-released thriller Valkyrie.

Strike a Pose

Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913–2008 is the first major exhibition to bring together the magazine's historic archive of rare vintage prints with its contemporary photographs. The exhibition explores the ways in which photography and celebrity have interacted and changed and represents pieces by Cecil Beaton, Harry Benson, Julian Broad, Imogen Cunningham, Annie Leibovitz, Man Ray, Mary Ellen Mark, Steven Meisel, Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts, Edward Steichen, Mario Testino, and Bruce Weber. Things have changed and not changed at all! I was fascinated by the early period, 1913-1936. I had forgotten that Vanity Fair was resuscitated again in 1983, so there was a bonus contemporary section too. Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive is offering a weekend package with two tickets included. Strike a Posehttp://www.luxehotelrodeodrive.com/

Seen in the lobby: Regina Spektor

Born in Moscow, this Jewish-American singer, songwriter and pianist is associated with the anti-folk scene centered on New York City's East Village. Her song, "The Call" appeared prominently in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian as part of the film's finale sequence. Check out Songs for Tibet in which she participated in an initiative to support Tibet's human rights struggle.

A Contented Guest

Dear Wendy,
Happy holidays! Hope you enjoyed your vacation. I had a wonderful stay as always. See you in the New Year! Scott (Ewald) from Bobby Jones Retail

M'ar De Ar Hotels

A special thanks goes out to the staff of both M'ar De Ar Hotels in Evora for their magnanimous hospitality. I read somewhere that "The Alentejo is like an ocean of plains, where the fresh air we inhale is an ocean of stars." The Muralhas and Aqueduto hotels were completely renovated and located in the heart of the area classified by UNESCO as World Heritage. One graced the medieval wall encompassing Evora and the other adjacent to the 16th century aqueduct. They were worth the trip alone! http://www.mardearhotels.com/

Cromeleque dos Almendres

This 4,000 year-old Portuguese Stonehenge stands in the midst of cork trees down a dirt road that's five miles west of Evora. Perhaps a ritual gathering spot for Stone Age sun-worshipers. There were no kiosks to buy souvenirs and no signs; just a few goats grazing near by. Refreshing.

Mingling with the natives

Evora

Evora's subtle yet powerful charm, contained within medieval walls, compelled us to stay a couple of nights before returning to Lisbon. The food was some of the best on the trip. I tried everything, short of marinated pigs' ears and barnacles. Alentejo region boasts some of Portugal's best red wines. The Romans knew exactly what they had going in the second century B.C. So did the Moors and Portuguese kings. Pictured here is rabbit stew.

Sintra

The magical hilltop palace sits high above Sintra and above the Moorish Castle ruins. The Portuguese romantic Prince Ferdinand and cousin of Bavaria's Mad King Ludwig who built this fantasy castle mixed a whole bunch of architectural elements including Gothic, Moorish and Disney!

Sardines

I must admit that I was willing to try everything, food-wise on this trip. These grilled sardines, a very popular dish in Portugal, were my first trial - and error. But the Alfama area of Lisbon was one of the sweetest memories I have of this very 'user friendly' city. One of the oldest parts of the city, surviving the famed earthquake of 1755, the streets aren't car compatible and pass only as alleyways between residences.

Lights, Action, Glow

I spent last week in Portugal on vacation. My girlfriend and I arrived in Lisbon on Sunday, November 16th, checked into the Ritz Four Seasons Hotel and prepared for our first view of this beautiful city. We had noticed that the holiday decorations had been hung across the boulevards and around the monuments. But were wondering all day if they would light up. To our amazement and delight we only had to wait until sundown. And Wha Lah, there were twinkles, balls, strands and strings of lights every where. It was magical.

Thought for the day - Happy Thanksgiving

Take care of those who work for you and you'll float to greatness on their achievements.
-H.S.M. Burns

Seen at the Luxe

Seen in the lobby this evening: The Gipsy Kings. Their music has been described as a place where "Spanish flamenco and Romani rhapsody meet salsa funk". Their 1993 album "Love and Liberte" won the Latin Grammy Award for "Best Pop Album of the Year," and contained the enduring song "Montana," an emotional account of gipsies chased from their birthplace by prejudice and persecution. Volare!

A Happy Guest

Dear Wendy,
My boyfriend Larry and I just LOVE staying at the Luxe. It is our #1 choice when we come up from San Diego. My favorite things are: the wonderful and friendly staff (the best valets in BH!), the front bar area with great people-watching on the street (I always have my friends meet me there because it is so cool) and the great convenience (I can walk everywhere!).
Expect to see us back again soon!
- Robin Stark http://www.starklandcellars.com

Photo Exhibit by the Creators of 24

The Paley Center presents a photo exhibit by members of the cast and creative team of the hit series 24, including Kiefer Sutherland. These photos were taken in South Africa during the filming of the upcoming television movie 24: Redemption, which premieres on Sunday November 23rd and bridges the gap between seasons six and seven. On display from November 12 to January 11, 2009. The Paley Center is just one block north from the the Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive. Check it out!

Seen at the Luxe

Paris Hilton graces the cover of the latest GenLux magazine this issue. Devoted to getting a head start on the holidays, GenLux threw a fabulous party in the Rodeo Drive Penthouse at Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive. [Paris] Seen here with Thomas Haidet, Guest Services, and Conrad Rosales, Front Office Manager.

A Happy Guest

Dear Wendy, Joane and I want to thank you very much for your hospitality and the courtesy you extended to us during our stay. It was greatly appreciated. Hope to see you soon. Best,David

Christmas is around the corner

Seen here at Union Square where they are putting up the Christmas tree and making an ice rink. I stopped by The Grove yesterday in Los Angeles and, again, the tree was going up. Is the holiday creeping up on us a little too early?

Trolley ride

Margit and I just had to say, "What? It costs $5 for a trolley ride?" Was it worth it? For the up hill trek - every penny.

View from my room

Staying in San Francisco, one has to have a view of one of the bridges. This one happens to be the Bay Bridge, near the Ferry Building, and across from the Griffon Hotel [a Luxe Hotel].

Luxe Hotels reception

Margit and I held a reception at Perry's at The Griffon Hotel, in San Francisco, on Thursday night. We were thrilled to be joined by so many representatives of the press and travel managers.

"It sure was a pleasure meeting you. Hope you and Margit had a fun Friday evening.
Thank you for the lovely venue on Thursday night and for sending the photo from that event! Hope to send clients your way and please keep me mind should you need any information regarding our lovely city and wine country." All my best, Alyce [ALYCE M. PAGANO]
Travel Consultant, Conlin Travel

SFO wait

Spent two days in San Francisco doing sales calls with Margit Haut, Director of Sales at Luxe Hotel Sunset Blvd. At this point I was overdo on an audio book by four days. I'm addicted to 'books-on-tape' and I had to finish it before the West Hollywood librarians came knocking at my door. At twenty-five cents per day for late fees, I could afford to keep it for an extra week!

Yes, "Pe-Can" Pie

Celebrated with friends last night. We ate well and slept even better. Thank you, James and Kevin, for a lovely spread.