Travel Fact: Rose Bowl an Economic Juggernaut

Between tickets and T-shirts, hotels and hot dogs, college football bowl games will help generate about $1.1 billion over the next week or so for their host cities. Nowhere is the economic impact of a bowl game and its accompanying activities felt more than Pasadena, Calif., home to the self-proclaimed "granddaddy of them all." The Rose Bowl and the Tournament of Roses Parade is expected to pump more than $225 million into Pasadena and its surrounding cities. That's about six times the average amount generated by the nation's 28 college bowls, the Football Bowl Association reports.

Relax or Shop

What to do today?  Go shopping or stay at home with leftovers?  Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Blvd are two perfect destinations for those after-Christmas bargains.

I guess the kids liked their presents

Santa on the Road

It seems Santa was on the road last night delivering toys and well wishes to the world.  Hope you have a blessed Christmas Day with family and friends.

Apple of my Eye

Treated myself to the new iPhone 5 - best thing I've purchased for myself in a long time.

A Happy Client

Hello Wendy,
Thank you so much for looking after us during our recent FAM trip to Beverly Hills. It was such a fantastic, although quick, trip!  I have previously sold the Luxe to clients so I was excited when I saw that that was where we were staying. I will be thrilled to sell again in the future. Have a fabulous Christmas, enjoy the holidays and I look forward to visiting again very soon.  Best Wishes,  Lisa [Personal Travel Manager,"Your referral is my best compliment" TravelManagers Australia]

Best Dressed Windows

Neiman Marcus wins again this year for the best dressed windows.  It really feels like the holiday season when the shops decorate their windows along Wilshire Boulevard with glittering gowns and festive borders. I walked down the street and visited all of the department stores on Saturday, late afternoon, in the rain. And I wasn't the only person, umbrella in hand, enjoyed the sights and lights.

End of the World

The end of the world has come and gone.  I hope the rest of your weekend is uneventful.

Her Majesty

Taschen held a royal good party for the launch of their latest coffee table book, Her Majesty, this week.  A portion of the evening's proceeds was give in support of The British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA).   It's a compilation of photos from some of the best.

Most travel advice still happens face-to-face.

Marketers everywhere are rushing to tap into the power of consumer word of mouth, and many assume that the keys to unlock this power are found online.  While the power of online advice in travel is undeniable, it may surprise you to learn that only 10% of travel-related  word-of-mouth takes place online, while about 90% takes place offline, primarily face-to-face.  Yes, the dominant way people share is not online, but rather in person they seek advice and share their travel experiences with family, friends, and colleagues at work.  It turns out that the real relationships still rule, even in a digital marketplace.

Jolly Hour

As the song says...

Have a holly jolly Christmas.

It's the best time of the year

Well I don't know if there'll be snow

But have a cup of cheer

There's no better place to enjoy "The Jolly Hour" than On Rodeo Bistro & Lounge.  Now through January 2nd, enjoy 50% off shared plates; plus holiday inspired cocktails, wine and beer selections at special prices. Daily from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.  Ho! Ho! Ho!

A Happy Client

Hi Wendy,
Lovely to hear from you and apologies I have not been in contact to say thank you very much for having our fam group come and stay at the Luxe! We all have an absolute ball and the feedback I have had from agents is all positive and can guarantee they will be selling the Luxe! Have a very Merry Christmas and New year. I will certainly let you know when I am back in the States!   Kind Regards,  Sarah [Finn, Business Development Manager / Delta Air Lines]

Luxe Party Reached New Heights

The scene is set and the Luxe employee holiday party is about to begin.  Picture the Rodeo Penthouse overlooking all of Beverly Hills as the intimate setting for this happy gathering.  Everyone will be celebrating with a delicious buffet created by Chef Jonathan, welcome speeches, prizes and dancing.  A very merry holiday season to all!

Another Candle on the Birthday Cake

I hope you are well?  I wanted to say thank you very much for the birthday messages which I received in the post this week, it genuinely brought a smile to my face and it was a pleasure to receive. Thank You!!  Wishing you a very Happy Holiday!  Best regards, Simon [Contracts Manager - West Coast USA, Virgin Holidays]

Thought for the Day

Give a book as a present - you can always borrow it back!  - John Gratton

Oh tree sublime

 It's a task I find daunting each year: finding the perfect size Douglas Fir.  It has to be the right height for my apartment, easy to decorate without climbing to the top if the ladder.  There were a lot to choose from.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
How steadfast are your branches!
Your boughs are green in summer's clime
And through the snows of wintertime.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
How steadfast are your branches!

Another Candle on the Birthday Cake

Hi, Wendy. Hope all is well.  I love the hotel…never saw a photo before…..so cute….very boutique!
Happy Holidays! I’m sure you’ll be spending time with your nieces.   Take care. Xoxo Babs [Protravel International]

Savory and sweet on Christmas Day

If you're in the Los Angeles area on holiday or just looking for some where festive to celebrate Christmas Day with your loved ones, treat yourself and your family to the delectable Christmas Day menu at Luxe's own On Rodeo Bistro & Lounge.  Executive Chef Olivier Rousselle has planned a three-course menu with a wide range of options for everyone to enjoy.  Desserts are so good that Santa makes a special request for us to leave him treats by the tree!  e-mail: dining@luxehotels.com, go on www.opentable.com to make a reservation.

Happy Hanukkah

Santa Visits Paley Center for Media

Upon visiting The Paley Center on Friday, I noticed Santa Claus' chair was empty.  Not to fear, he's scheduled for the next two weekends, from 10AM to 4PM, in Beverly Hills.  Good luck.  I know that I was good this year.  What about you?

Bulgari Takes the Walk of Style

Seen here with Marcus Mueller, Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel General Manager and Michelle Sharp, Catering Manager.

This evening, Bulgari was the 20th recipient of the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style award.  LVMH-owned Italian jewelry brand Bulgari was honored at a ceremony in Beverly Hills tonight, with actress Drew Barrymore presenting a Robert Graham-designed torso statuette to Nicola Bulgari and the city's mayor reading an official proclamation declaring Dec. 5, 2012, "Bulgari Day." Bulgari will be commemorated with a permanent (but yet-to-be embedded) bronze sidewalk plaque bearing Nicola Bulgari's signature and the quote: "Style is an everlasting impression and jewelry is a passion that is passed through generations."

Seen in the Luxe lobby

"Brilliant, sensitive, Gianni always catches the soul."—Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor: The Queen and I is a remarkable collection of photographs taken by Gianni Bozzacchi , most of them previously unpublished, capturing her as a film star, a woman, and a personal friend. It was 1965 when Bozzacchi, an impetuous twenty-two-year-old, was given the chance of a lifetime. The streetwise kid from Rome was sent to Africa as special photographer on the set of The Comedians, a movie starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Alec Guinness, and Peter Ustinov. As the film wrapped, Taylor offered Bozzacchi a job as her personal photographer. Elizabeth Taylor was the world's most famous woman at the time and undoubtedly its most glamorous [still].

In a Perfect World

Seen here with Tammy Warren, Warren PR

In a perfect world, everyone attending tonight's fabulous event at Jimmy Choo would be strutting their stuff in a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes!  [Actually, I think everyone was!]  Choo and Daphne Wayans drew a beautiful crowd for the launch of the Cruise 2013 Collection.  A portion of the event proceeds went to benefit In a Perfect World www.inaperfectworld.org inspiring compassionate responsible leaders.

Quote for the Day

"I travel light. I think the most important thing is to be in a good mood and enjoy life, wherever you are." - Diane von Furstenberg

A Happy Guest

Hi Wendy,
I'm sorry I missed you while I was in LA - that's how those meetings tend to go, you barely get out of your conference room. Anyway, I did get a chance to meet Michelle & just wanted to let you know that we had a great stay & enjoyed everything. We will definitely be back in the future.  Thanks for all your help & I hope to see you the next time around-- Thanks, Christina [Training & Employee Relations Manager, Wolford America, Inc.]

Another Candle on the Birthday Cake

Hi Wendy,Thank you very much for a very lovely B-Day Card. Best regards, Agnes [The Swatch Group U.S.]

Beverly Hills Sparkles

The sights and sounds of the holiday season surround you as you stroll down Rodeo Drive this year.  Speakers are strategically located along the three blocks creating a symphony of cheer.  Twinkle lights abound and red spot lights make the palm trees shine.  Many boutiques are open late for your shopping pleasure.  And the new cocktail menu at On Rodeo is the best way to end the day.

Another Candle on the Birthday Cake

Good Morning Wendy,  We went to Germany for a couple of days for Thanksgiving and back to work today.  Your card totally made my day. Thank you so much. You are just so thoughtful to remember me on my birthday. I really appreciate it!  Enjoy the rest of your week!!  Regards, Abby [Product Development Executive, Quikbook]

Finnish Design Pops

Marimekko, the Finnish design company with the happy colorful prints as now opened in Beverly Hills.  With everything from women's clothing to sheets, children's duds, napkins and placemats.  At the corner of Brighton Way and Canon Drive, step in for a dose of cheer. us.marimekko.com

Another Candle on the Birthday Cake

Hi Wendy,  You are amazing the way you always send something for our birthdays.  Thank you and I love receiving it.  Sometimes too true though!  Hope all is well with you.  See you soon.  Kindest regards, Penny [Managing Director, Spencer Travel Pty Ltd]

Oh La La Dior

"It was worth the wait. The 5,000-square-foot space is so stunning, it’s indisputably the new gem of Rodeo Drive, the kind of place you want to drop in just to see. The interior designed by Peter Marino is in keeping with the design concept featured in Dior’s worldwide flagship in Paris on Avenue Montaigne. This atmosphere has a residential feel, with 18thcentury-inspired furnishings and fixtures mixed with contemporary art commissioned by the house." [LA TIMES, October 25, 2012]

with Michelle Sharp, Catering Manager

I couldn't wait to take a look around myself.  Seated on the Johnny Swing couch made of welded half dollars and stainless steel, I'm relaxing after a full tour of two floors of the most glamorous couture clothes and art pieces.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

To give thanks in solitude is enough. Thanksgiving has wings and goes where it must go. Your prayer knows much more about it than you do.  - Victor Hugo

Thanksgiving Rush

AAA forecasts an increase in 2012 Thanksgiving travel. Travel numbers for Thanksgiving weekend will improve from last year as more Americans regain confidence from an improving economy, AAA predicts. The number of road travelers going on trips 50 miles or more from home is expected to rise 0.6% over last year. The group says it expects about 3 million Americans to go by air, rising 0.7% from the previous year.

A Happy Client

Wendy – I wanted to let you know what an amazing time my friends and I had staying at The Luxe! The food and drinks were great and all of the staff were so kind and helpful. Thanks again!  Pamela Allen [The Paley Center for Media]

Thought for the Day

But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling, like dew, upon a thought produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions think. - Lord Byron

Budapest

Just returned from a week in Vienna and Budapest.  If it's 11:30 tonight it must be 8:30 in the morning where I just came from.  There was an abundance of old grandeur, rich heritage, stunning architecture and beautiful museums to have made a month-long trip challenging.  My girlfriend and I packed as much culture as we could in eight days!

Thought for the Day

I feel about airplanes the way I feel about diets. It seems to me that they are wonderful things for other people to go on.  - Jean Kerr

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

Seen here with Michelle Sharp, Catering Manager
and Marcus Mueller, General Manager.

All things that sparkle are found at Van Cleef and Arpels.  Tonight was their official re-opening after almost a year of remodeling.  Ladies wore bracelets, necklaces and brooches from the famed jewelry house.  Champagne and delicate savory and sweet appetizers were shared. Congratulations to boutique manager, Chris George, and his team for setting this reception above the rest.

Autumn

Yes there are signs of autumn in Los Angeles.  Found this lovely tree in the La Cienega Park, Beverly Hills, on Sunday to prove it.

Bold and Visually Innovative

This evening the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences saluted the great Stanley Kubrick in association with the first major retrospective of the legendary filmmaker's work. Hosted by Malcolm McDowell, clips from his films ranging from science fiction to war, lust and war were shown along with fascinating interviews with special guests who had the the great pain or pleasure to work with Kubrick.   Stanley Kubrick explores the uncompromising vision of one of cinema's greatest directors with annotated scripts, photography, props costumes and film screenings through December 15th at LACMA.

Another Candle on the Birthday Cake

Hello my dear friend, Wendy,
I am always so touched and humbled when I receive your personal birthday message during my favorite time of the year! You are wonderful, and I appreciate you so much for keeping me in your contacts after all these years. I have not been back to California in a long while, hence, not staying at my favorite place away from home, the Luxe Rodeo Drive. How are you? Are things still fantastic and exciting on Rodeo? I still have day dreams of my days back there and wish I could just click my heels and be right back in the environment I so enjoyed. I plan to get back there in 2013, and will be back at the Luxe.   Always, bev

Getting out the Vote!

To both candidates: May the best man win!  Best of Luxe.

Thought for the Day

When I discover who I am, I'll be free. - Ralph Ellison

Don't forget to vote!

Voting is a privilege.  Please don't forget to participate in shaping our future.  I remember my grandmother, born 1898, telling me about women's suffrage and earning the right to vote at the age of 22!  It was a very important day in her life and she celebrated it every election year until she died, at the wonderful age of 109.  [The election of 1920 was the first election in which women had the right to vote in all 48 states.*]
*the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment was August 18, 1920.

Halloween Carnival

Hundreds of thousands of Halloween revelers are expected to flock to Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood tonight for the 2012 Halloween Costume Carnaval.  It's one of the world's largest Halloween celebrations - under an almost full moon! 
Q:  What happens when a ghost gets lost in the fog? 
A:  He is mist.

Postcard from Nashville

Here's a postcard from Tour Connection.  Just got back from two days of meetings and greetings.  Maria Bowers, Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel and me in the photo booth.

Pumpkins Get Carved

My nieces goofing around.

Pumpkin carving kicks off the Halloween season.  After getting past the stringy insides and the hundred seeds, the best tools include a good knife and a lot of stamina.  I used a melon baller for the first time this year - whatever works.  Our employee luncheon is taking place on Monday and I'm sure that the Sales Office is going to have the winning pumpkin carving contest this year!  

Getting More Exercise

After I finished two cardio express work-outs this morning I came across this cartoon.  Although I know it's good for me, there are times I'd rather be sitting in a lounge chair watching television.  But the other half of my brain protests and I get out and going for the day so I don't turn into a zombie.  For good work-outs check out www.beachbody.com and look for Debbie Siebers. Plus she's from Wisconsin; so what else can I say?  Happy Halloween!

Taschen fully loaded

Pre-order your copy of The James Bond Archives now!  In anticipation of the new Bond movie, Skyfall, our local TASCHEN Store is offering a chance to win a pair of tickets to the advanced screening of the new 007 action film.  All orders must be placed between now and November 6th thereby entering a chance to win one of five pair of tickets.  Limit one entry per customer.  Contact the store for details, store-beverly@taschen.com 

Inside Out at Italian Cultural Institute


 

'Musicantica' performing music from Southern
Italy's oral tradition.

This evening the Italian Cultural Institute held a lecture in conjunction with their exhibition, "Inside Out, Pompeian Interiors Exposed" which featured and introduction by Isotta Poggi from the Getty Research Institute and a fascinating presentation by Giacomo Chiari from the Getty Conservation Institute.  Since the discovery in the eighteenth century of the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, archiologists have been working to preserve their finds.  These lavish villas offer us a fascinating view of ancient Roman life.  Available for viewing through November 7th in Westwood.

Thought for the Day

All politics are based on the indifference of the majority.  - James Reston

"The whole notion of the American dream described a mass upward mobility that is just a lot harder to achieve right now."  FRANK LEVY, an M.I.T. economist, on conditions that have contributed to middle class income stagnation in the United States.

Beverly Hills is New York Bound

R/A Travel well represented

Seen here with Aileen, Sales Manager at
Peninsula Beverly Hills and two agents from
Rakuten.

Every year the Beverly Hills hotels converge on new York City to promote Beverly Hills as a destination.  During the week we participate in sales calls, publicize what's new in our beautiful city and hold a reception for top travel agents.  The event was held at Le Cirque where representatives of the City including Mayor William Bryant bestowed fabulous 'visit Beverly Hills' prizes on select agents.

New York in Color

This past week was filled with sales calls on our favorite clients and the chance to make some new ones.  I traveled uptown and downtown with my subway pass in pocket.  Everywhere there were signs New Yorkers were in full autumn mode.  One day as I walked past the two lions that guard the famed New York Library, gardeners were removing begonias to make way for chrysanthemums. Pumpkins smiled back at me from windows and a few light showers washed fallen leaves in gutters.

Mad about Gonzales

Seen with Nancy Gonzales and her son
Sebastian Gonzales.

Pink Alligator

Today I had the great pleasure of joining some fabulous ladies for brunch at Neiman Marcus where they were showcasing Nancy Gonzales' latest collection.  Hurray for pink alligators!!  Models wearing the latest from Giorgio Armani strolled with stylish clutches and handbags in pastel colors.  A slice of quiche and salad later, everyone is contemplating which Gonzalez creation to add to her collection.  Hmmm, orange or green?