Don’t have time to commit to a full-length vacation? Travel hassles not worth the get-away? Enter The Great Escape, the Coast version of a “staycation” or “daycation” (or, if you’re British, the “holistay”). The idea of a staycation is not to replicate other places you could be. If you wanted a taste of Italy, you’d go to Portofino. Craving steak with pomme frites? Have them in Paris, under the shadow of “La Tour Eiffel.” The Great Escape is about taking advantage of the fabulousness available in our own backyards.
So buckle your seat belt. Make a great playlist. Find your favorite podcast. Immerse yourself in history or architecture or natural beauty – or why not all of them? This is California. We are living our dreams, making our way, finding our fortunes. Let’s go West in style.
First stop this month: Beverly Hills.
The golden Age of Hollywood with a Cutting-Edge Twist
Pickford, Fairbanks, Chaplin, Valentino…Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Elizabeth Taylor and Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. Imagine what Beverly Hills was like in the heyday of Hollywood, from the ’20s to the ’60s. Perfectly turned out stars, driving through the streets with the top down, sitting by the pool in hotel robes and corseted swimsuits.
So maybe the star system was inevitably suffocating, the studios making all of the decisions, creating gods out of mortals. But in this over-stimulated age, isn’t it nice to consider having a handler? Someone shaping your persona, making sure you are always impeccably put together, effectively squashing every faux pas before it happens. Consider this list a well-curated Run of Show, with you as the star.
(All you have to do is hand this list to your assistant.)
Noon Friday: Leave the office early. Pack a toothbrush. Maybe your favorite pair of sneakers. If you want. Or not. You’re going to Beverly Hills, baby. Everything you need will be at your fingertips. This weekend, you’re the star. The town car is waiting at the curb to take you to Atlantic Executive Terminal at John Wayne, where you’ll jump in the chopper. You’ll be in Santa Monica in 20 minutes.@ochelicopter ($1750-$3800 per hour)
The driver is already waiting on the other end for you to land, leaning on the front bumper of a 1965 Lincoln Continental. A car that’s been been featured on film so many times, it should have its own star on Hollywood Boulevard. Step through those iconic suicide doors and settle in. The drive to your hotel could take you anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes.@regencycars www.regencycarrentals.com
Don’t forget your playlist:
Charles Bradley, Sinatra, The Black Keys, Roberta Flack, Leon Bridges, Dean Martin, Otis Redding and Nina Simone. Patsy Cline. Al Green, Irma Thomas and Curtis Mayfield.
And your podcast:
“You Must Remember This” exploring the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century. (http://www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com/)
3 p.m.: Hotel check-in: Beverly Hills Hotel
Offering 5 star luxury for more than a century, where else would you stay but the city’s namesake? It’s not like The Rat Pack invented the “Pink Palace,” but The Beverly Hills Hotel did become their LA haunt in the 50s.
Travelling with the boys? Then it’s Bungalow 22 with the grand piano, private patio and monogrammed crystal. Your lady? Take Bungalow 5. Not only was it Liz Taylor’s favorite, it has its own pool. Into architecture? Paul Williams designed his own suite and is alse responsible for the hotel’s famous banana leaf motif. (Starting at $4,200/night)
www.dorchestercollection.com, @bevhillshotel
Evening plans: By the time you check in, private shopper Catherine Bloom has set herself up in your hotel room. Everything Neiman Marcus has to offer. (Call her ahead of time to tell her what you’re into, style wise. She’ll bring the couture and the caviar.)
Be sure to pick a few looks for day and night. Maybe an unstructured velour tuxedo for her, cashmere for him, black skinny jeans, v-neck tees, some Gucci slides. Keep in mind that you have tomorrow to shop and Beverly Hills is lousy with flagship designer stores.
Catherine_Bloom@neimanmarcus.com, @catherinelbloom
Tonight will be casual. Pop into the Polo Lounge or Bar Nineteen 12. You could head over to Wally’s for a tasting if you decide to leave the property. Have the bread pudding at Boucheron. Back at the bungalow, sip a shot of Jack by the fire. Swim naked in your own private pool. Slip into those bespoke bed linens. You’re in good company. Sleeping here is so good, Esther Williams demanded that a permanent guest pass be written into her MGM contract.
Sweet dreams, sweethearts.
@wallysbeverlyhills @bouchon_bistro @bevhillshotel
Day Two: Rise and shine.
It’s Saturday morning in the “9021-OM.” The Beverly Hills Hotel offers yoga classes every Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 am with celebrated yoga instructor Amy Rose. Not feeling social? Call an instructor to your bungalow. Looking for something more active? Blue Clay Fitness will meet you at your front door. There’s also a Physique 57 on Canon Drive if you’re interested in sweating with celebrities.
@iamdiva__ www.generationdiva.com, @blueclayfitness www.blueclayfitness.com, @physique57 www.physique57.com
11 AM: You’ve done your due diligence, now it’s time to grab some sun, a Cabana Bowl, and a glass of Green Envy back at the hotel pool (reserved for hotel guests only.) After you eat, leave your man at the pool and meet the Lash Diva in your room. There’s nothing like a full set of falsies for a night on the town. Make sure you shower first, though, you don’t want to get them wet. And don’t drink too much coffee. The twitchier you are, the longer it takes for Courtney to attach each individual eyelash.
When you’re done, throw on a hat and a pair of shades for a tour of Greystone Mansion with Bikes and Hikes LA. You can have Million Dollar Listing: L.A.’s Josh Flagg guide you through a room by room commentary, sharing the house’s dark history. Learn how Lucy Doheny’s lavish parties carried on in secret throughout prohibition after her husband’s mysterious death. Talk Beverly Hills real estate, now and then. Perhaps you’ve decided that you’d like to own your own piece of Hollywood history.
@bikesandhikesLA www.bikesandhikesla.com
2 p.m.: You’re hot. You’re tired. It’s time for a lie down. One that will literally take years off of your face. Erika Lazar will meet you in the SkinStyle Beverly HIlls penthouse office, ready to customize your treatment for that “after SkinStyle glow.” Don’t feel like freezing time? Go for a deep freeze instead. Three minutes in the cryosauna at Beverly Hills Cryo Clinic decreases inflammation, boosts your mood and your immune system.
Take your glow to the Rodeo. Drive, that is. Wander the strip. Look for fitted silhouettes, heavy lace. A structured bodice, a mid-calf hem, gartered stockings. Velvet and crepe. Skinny tie, shiny shoes, white shirt; cuff links. A pocket square. You can do it all here. Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Chanel, and Dior. Agent Provocateur and Harry Winston. Have a glass of champagne on the roof of the Vuitton flagship store (you’ll need a bag for all of your new things) and then it’s back to the bungalow to get ready.
@skinstylebh www.skinstylebeverlyhills.com, www.cryotherapyclinicla.com, www.rodeodrive-bh.com
Later: Back at the bungalow, lay out your spoils, slip into that cashmere robe, pour yourself another glass of champagne, a nip of scotch, and prepare for some primping. Think sculpted waves, winged eyeliner and a red mouth for her. And for him? A hot, scented towel, a straight razor shave, and buffed nails. Who to call:
Hair: Mimi Cotrell (@thehaironess)
Makeup: Daniela Babcock (@danielabmua)
Nails: Debbie Leavitt (@debbiedoesnails) www.nailinghollywood.com
Shave: Pascal’s Barber Salon www.90210barbershop.com
Dinnertime: Call the car now that your primped, primed and ready. It’s off to The Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Tonight it’s about 100 percent Japanese wagyu and bold California reds in bowl-sized glasses. Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck delivers again at CUT, a contemporary twist on the classic steakhouse. Reserve the private dining room, Petit CUT, for the full VIP experience.
Tonight, there will also be scotch, so after your final bite of Frog Hollow Farm Apricot Tatin (for two!) make your way across the street to The Montage. £10 is the secret bar above Scarpetta, devoted to the rarest of Macallan scotches. Settle into one of the 35 seats. Opt for the fireside patio and ask for service from Cash Black (his daddy was a gambler.)
Wrap your hands around a dram of 40 year old Sherry Oak, or a 1968 Highland Park in a Lalique rocks glass. Listen to the clink of a sphere of ice flown in from Scotland. Sample the platter of crispy bacon, masala seasoned pecans and 26 month aged gouda, offered to bring out a different flavor in the scotch.
If you haven’t done so already, you might want to call the Pink Palace and request a late check out. Tonight it’s anyone’s guess what time you’ll get in.
CUT www.fourseasons.com (310) 777-3711
£10 tenpound@montagehotels.com (310) 906-7218
The Morning After
What is that sound? Someone knocking on the door? What happened? What day is it?
It’s Sunday and that sound is your hangover cure: IV vitamin therapy. A representative from My Concierge MD Executive Health is here with your Myer’s cocktail, a powerful blend of restorative vitamins and minerals delivered intravenously and designed to get you up on your feet. Open the door to your very own Dr. Feelgood.
www.myconciergemd.com
Now that you’re walking upright again, pick out something elegant to wear. Linen, maybe a floral pattern, some horizontal stripes, a head scarf. Pile the Vuitton cases in the backseat of the Lincoln and set out for home. But be sure to stop for brunch at the Peninsula. Executive Chef David Codney is turning out Mediterranean-inspired dishes with a focus on locally sourced ingredients (there are gardens on the roof!) and wild-caught seafood at The Belvedere. A Peninsula Bloody Mary with truffle cheese, horseradish and stuffed olives is the best way to say goodbye to Beverly Hills.
http://beverlyhills.peninsula.com/en/fine-dining/the-belvedere
