Macy's Passport

Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive and Luxe hotel Sunset Blvd were excited to participate in Macy's Passport 25th anniversary last evening. We were one of many sponsors honoring Passport's unwavering dedication and support in the fight against HIV/AIDS since the epidemic began. This year's goal is to raise $2 million for prevention, treatment, care and research. The iconic event is the result of a fantastic combination of fashion, compassion and generosity. Founding Chair, Dame Elizabeth Taylor, opened the evening with encouraging words and the Spirit of Uganda personified the resilience and promise of Africa's next generation. Dita Von Teese, one of the faces of MAC Viva Glam, proved she was the Queen of Burlesque in her closing performance. Pictured here: Michelle Ishida Orne, Time Warner Hotel Program Administrator and me

Overheard in Cafe Rodeo

Courtesy of denisedorrance.com

Brooks Brothers

As the first guest designer invited to create a collection for Brooks Brothers, Thom Browne has brought some very preppy chic to the venerable Brooks Brothers house. The new Black Fleece label was showcased at an event this week at the Beverly Hills store. Thom Browne was looking particularly dapper and enjoying the evening among his many admirers and the newly converted. The price points are definitely high fashion. He’ll surely shake things up a bit and add a new dimension to the grey flannel suit. Pictured here is the fabulous Thom Browne.

Smythson of Bond Street

Smythson of Bond Street recently opened a store in Beverly Hills embracing their heritage of fine leather goods, bags, albums, diaries and stationery with the trademarked featherweight pale blue paper. They have added an array of new products in a rainbow of colors, including the lucious must-have Nancy Bag. Last evening Smythson had a sparkling party to introduce themselves to a few lucky individuals! Thank you, Store Director Mark Hersh, for including me. Pictured here are Jo Campbell Fuji, Associate Publisher of LA Confidential magazine, Thomas Bouleuc, Director for Veuve Clicquot.

Worldview Travel

Last night we hosted a cocktail reception for 22 travel agents from Worldview Travel, Pat Walker Travel and Travelcorps. We mingled for two hours and showed off our rooms and our new bar menu!

Just wanted to say THANK YOU again for a wonderful night last night!!!

Corey Slee

Operations Manager

WorldView Travel Beverly Hills

449 S. Beverly Dr.,Suite 104

Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Otto at Bar360

Dear Wendy,
Great service from Otto. Thanx,
Debra Rogers, Store Manager, Faconnable

A Happy Guest

Dear Wendy, My stay at your hotel was amazing!My favorite details that I found in my hotel room would have to be the ipod alarm clock and the cool LA magazines.There was a server/room service staff member who was great, unfortunately I have since forgotten her name. I do remember that she was Canadian like myself, long blonde hair and tan - My roommate and myself really liked her.

CHEERS!

Samantha DenbowRetail Sales and Training Manager Midwest

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Dove Chocolates

As the official Chocolatier of the 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, DOVE Chocolate is sharing their premium chocolates with us! As Hollywood gears up for one of the biggest nights in television, the smooth taste of DOVE will add to the indulgent retail experience that Rodeo Drive offers.

Please find your favorite flavor in a big bowl at our front desk. Help yourself! My personal favorite is the caramel.

Eastern Promises

Australians in Film screened Eastern Promises last week. This dramatic thriller follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen). His character crosses paths with Anna (Australian, Naomi Watts). Thank goodness they were serving vodka after watching this harrowing chain of murder, deceit and retribution!

Pictured: Pamela Tretter, director, Kevin Dobson and me

Speed Bump

Carousel

The old fashioned carousel at the Milwaukee zoo offered horses, lamas, ostrich, zebras and a camel. But both nieces seemed to prefer the galloping ponies. Aunt Wendy was feeling a bit queasy but the girls seemed to love it!

Photo: Chloe and Maclaren

The Janice Dickinson Show

The second season of Oxygen’s popular show picks up where the first season left off: with model-turned-mogul Janice Dickinson still striving for the success of her Hollywood modeling agency. Unlike many "reality" shows, the action at The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency isn’t created from fake contests or contrived situations. It’s a real business with real personal, financial, and professional stakes on the line for Janice. So when the cameras rolled today, we were all waiting for a dose of that fearless, wickedly funny and brutally honest Janice to show up.

An Evening with the Mayor

The Honorable Jimmy Delshad, Mayor of Beverly Hills, gave the state of the city address to a large crowd this evening at Greystone Mansion: “All is well in Beverly Hills”.



Photo taken in the lush gardens above Greystone Mansion

A Contented Guest...

My experience was delightful. The entire staff excellent and helpful. No one stood out from that crowd, or to put it another way, everyone stood out. So no questionnaire is necessary.

Richard Maltby
J.B. Freyberg Productions

Bar Nineteen 12

Happy birthday, Fabi. What great fun to celebrate Fabi’s birthday at the new Bar Nineteen 12 at the Beverly Hills Hotel! We’re still talking about the great looking people and smart setting.


Pictured L to R: Me, Fabi O & Janine Masaki of Etro

South Pacific

Performed a full length version of South Pacific with my nieces while I was vacation, too. Maclaren staged a dock in the living room made from cardboard boxes and fish nets. Pictured here is my blond niece, replete with mustache, in her sailor costume. I also played a sailor, as did my brother who wore a coconut bra for the “honeybun” number. He told me that he’d kill me if I posted it. Sorry you will miss it!

Drive-in Theater

If you remember going to the drive-in as a kid and want to relive a piece of your youth, don’t put it off too much longer*. There are a lot of reasons for their demise in the 1970’s. And as I drove 45 miles to the Jefferson, Wisconsin, I could think of a few. For starters I was about to sit in a four passenger car with my brother and my two squirrelly nieces for four hours!! But I was wrong. It was a beautiful summer night at the Highway 18 Outdoor Theater and the girls were intrigued with the idea of sitting in the car (or on the grass) and seeing two movies for the price of one, enjoying ‘speakers on a pole’ under a sparkling canopy of stars next to a cornfield. Life seemed simple and it felt like heaven.

Some die-hards trust that the drive-ins will make a comeback. I can’t say. But I’m glad that the 18 Outdoor was recently restored and that I got a chance to share the experience with my two favorite girls. When was the last time you got to go to the movies in your pajamas?

*By the 1950’s, there were 3,775 drive-ins nationwide. Today there are less than 900.

Pictured: Chloe, the birthday girl, intently watching “Underdog”

My Night at Burger King

I had every good intention to be in my home town of Milwaukee late on Thursday night and to wake up with my nieces. The dear girls waited up for me only to get the bad news around 11 PM that I would be detained in St. Louis due to thunderstorms in the Midwest. In all the years I’ve traveled, I’ve never spent the night in an airport. I hope that the experience isn’t repeated any time soon. The molded plastic benches at the Burger King the main terminal are really hard and uncomfortable. Armed with a PGA (pretty good attitude), a group of stranded passengers found our way to the King where the lighting was more subdued, located near a public restroom and the seating unobstructed by arm rests. A charming 6 year old boy offered me three sticks of red licorice for dinner which I supplemented with a mozzarella cheese stick from the bottom of my purse. I admit I didn’t sleep an ounce and instead, struggled to read for five hours until little by little, person by person, the terminal came to life and I was standing in line for a flight to Memphis, TN. Then onto MKE where there were two delighted girls awaiting me who didn’t mind that I was in the same underwear for 24 hours.

Strange Brew

A Happy Guest...

Hi Wendy,
Yes sorry we missed each other, but I'm sure I'll be back in LA, and you should definitely call next time you're in New York.
I had a great stay at the Luxe, and you have a great service oriented team.
Kind regards,
Kate
Macquarie Bank