James McCarthy gets starry-eyed as he takes a trip to Tinsel Town.
>>> “Isn’t that Paris Hilton?” I ask my erstwhile travel partner, Abdulla Alnouri, as I nudge him with more enthusiasm than is probably cool, while pointing excitedly across the dancefloor. It turns out it is, but my attempt to get close enough to coax her into giving me an interview is met with a stoney resistance from her hefty minders, one of whom is holding what looks like, in the dim lighting, a disgruntled looking Chihuahua, though it could just be her handbag. I return to my table to find Abdulla in deep conversation with a man who he is convinced is Johnny Depp. While Paris was real, if somewhat unapproachable, it turns out that “Johnny” is actually “Hank” and no longer as interesting.
This is what (probably) passes for a normal evening in Los Angeles, especially if, like Abdulla and I, you are enjoying the hospitality of Playhouse, one of the city’s top nightspots and a notoriously difficult velvet rope to bypass - unless you are Sur la Terre, that is. I am in the City of Angels, courtesy of Turkish Airlines, which invited SLT to experience its inaugural flight linking Istanbul with the entertainment capital of the world. That, of course, is exactly what Los Angeles is: The epicentre of the pop culture universe. Los Angeles is unique insofar as it is a city where you can be completely lost, but know exactly where you are, simply because you will recognise nearly every street, landmark or building. The entire
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place is a movie set, meaning that wherever you find yourself, you will be standing in a location from any one of the hundreds of movies and myriad TV shows that we, as an entertainment-hungry population, visually consume throughout our lives. This, for many, is the major draw to the city and there is plenty to cater for those in search of a little stardust from the world of the silver-screen. That is exactly what we got on our first day there, thanks to the carefully-planned itinerary put together by our hosts. Teaming up with Starline Tours, we took to the streets of L.A. for a full city tour, starting from our Hollywood Hotel and finishing at Universal Studios. Our tour guide, Jason, a former paparazzi and soon-to-be TMZ TV presenter, was not only incredibly well-versed in Tinseltown’s rich cinematic and cultural history, but pretty knowledgable about the darker side of this sometimes unforgiving city as well. With stories of seedy Mafia-run speakeasys to lurid accounts of scandal, blackmail and murder, the plot-line that has guided L.A. from rural village to global entertainment hub is as enthralling as any tale that Hollywood has transposed to celluloid over the last 100 years. It truly is a perpetual tale of art imitating life imitating art and there is legend oozing out of every pore of this wonderfully surreal place. But that is just the touristic side to this sun-drenched Californian metropolis. Behind the Hollywood veneer is a great lifestyle destination that really must be experienced at least once and, if possible, for an extended period of time. With Hollywood’s A-list comes fine dining, more high end shopping than you can shake a Birkin Bag at and, of course, high-walled, gated palaces that populate plam tree-lined boulevards. These were my next ports-of-call, as I was to be given a tour of some of the most sought after sanctuaries in town by realtor to the stars, Greg Moesser. Greg has been selling houses to the wealthy residents of L.A. for more than a decade and his company, L.A. Classic Estates (under Rodeo Realty International), has some of the city’s most desirable dwellings on its books.
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THE REAL(TOR) DEAL It was obvious from the outset that Greg is good at what he does, if not from his affable demeanour, then by the stunning dark blue Bentley Arnarge in which we ascended the Hollywood Hills. “I don’t think prices will get any lower than they are right now,” he tells me as he steers his beautiful luxo-barge around a tight corner on a steep incline. “With the infrastructure we have here in L.A., it makes for a great investment.” He explains that the “low” prices are the result of some lean years on the back of the global economic crisis. “I would think that prices have dropped about 20 to 25 percent from the peak of the market, but it has been pretty level for the last six months, so there is a feeling that we have hit the bottom.” Luxury housing, though, is doing really well, Greg explains. He tells me that the market for houses in the over $10 million category has nearly doubled since the middle of last year. “We are seeing a lot of international clients coming in and buying properties, in fact. I would say around about 50% of our deals these day are cash transactions.” He adds that there is a steady interest from the GCC, with regular inquiries from places like Saudi Arabia. “I think it’s because they love the weather here and it is such a sound investment,” he notes as we pull into the driveway of a stunning “Italian” villa high above Hollywood.
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Called the “Le Dome” Villa, it is easy to see where it gets its name when you enter through the large front door. The ante-room is beautiful in its simplicity, perfectly circular with just a Grand Piano to share the glory of a stunning domed and skylit roof. The Villa was designed by Italian Architect Pierluigi Bonvicini and is stunningly appointed throughout by prestigious local interior designer Tracy Butler. All around its 7,800 square feet, there are Italian accents, from the imported Bisazza tiles to the Murano Venitian chandeliers. As well as its breathtaking minimalist design, this $6.5 million property also offers a state of the art gym and a professional home theatre system. The master bedroom is simply gorgeous, with its spectacular en-suite bathroom, complete with free-standing tub, adding that extra “wow” factor.
As if the interior isn’t breathtaking enough, the Italian-style gardens will definitely blow you away. Not only is there the obligatory California infinity pool and hot-tub combo, but the wonderfully landscaped three-quarter acre grounds also boast a rose garden, Koi pond and an orchard. It truly is a staggering property and no surprise that several of Hollywood’s elite have shown an interest, among them criticallyacclaimed director, Guy Ritchie. The only thing that must have put him off making the investment in this amazing piece of real estate was probably the huge art-canvas print of his ex-wife, Madonna, hanging above the guest bed.
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From the Hollywood Hills, we head to Beverley Hills and the Montage Hotel & Residences, situated in the uber-fashionable shopping district next to Rodeo Drive. The minute you pull into the courtyard, you feel the kind of quality that resides here. In one corner is a 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo lined up next to a brace of beautiful Rolls Royce Phantoms. It was hard not to feel at home climbing out of Greg’s Arnarge. We were here to see the amazing condominiums that Montage residences had to offer. It is a concept that will not be alien to readers living in the Gulf. Opulently furnished (with singly the biggest walkin wardrobe I have ever seen), the apartments are are fully serviced by the hotel. As well as exclusive access to all the hotel’s facilities, there is a fantastic rooftop restaurant and family area, situated around an azure blue pool and offering possibly some of the best views of Beverly Hills and the Hollywood area. Among the five-star services, which are no more than an elevator ride or phone call away, is a stunningly designed Turkish Spa, with its perfectly tiled, sun-lit pools and attentive staff ready to customise your experience to the “nth” degree.
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A library/tea room, two bars (offering some seriously delicious signature cocktails) and Scarpetta, one of L.A.’s hottest restaurants, make the Montage one of the city’s most complete living spaces and lifestyle destinations. By the time we had finished sampling all of the delicacies that Montage had to offer, the sunlight was dropping behind the hills and it was time to meet Abdulla. Friday night is the time to explore the after-dark playgrounds of the privileged. EPIC MEALTIME Before we hit the town, though, dinner was on the cards as I had been cordially invited to sample the flavours of Scarpetta. It is a very earthy, yet modern Italian restaurant and, while all the trappings of luxury dining are present, perhaps the best seats in the house are in the heart of the workshop. There is a chef’s table right in the middle of the cooking space as well as a bar skirting the perimeter of the kitchen which allows inquisitive diners to enjoy their food while watching Chef Scott Conant’s team preparing another epicurian masterpiece. For starters, Abdulla and I we were both seduced by the Roasted Sea Scallops. This is one of the wisest food choices I have ever made.
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I am pretty sure that the scalding white porcelian plate these glstening white medallions arrived on had done most of the cooking. With a texture like butter in the mouth and an explosion of flavour on the tongue, they were simply sublime.
I wanted to create an adult playground; to take the inner fun of my clientele and give them a space where they can go crazy,” Vinokur explains. “Before I got here, if you wanted to go crazy, you had to go to Vegas.”
Opting for something a little less simple for my main, I waded straight in with the somewhat extravagant choice of Duck & Fois Gras Ravioli with marsala reduction. Truly an exceptional plate, the home-made ravioli was lighter than you might think, given the richness of the filling - a real palette pleaser. So too was the Aged Sirloin of Beef with roasted baby potatoes, forest mushrooms and barolo reduction. With occasional sighs of pleasure and moans of delight, it was heartily being shovelled away by an equally rapturous Abdulla.
“We have state-of-the-art everything, we are a unique venue in the city. We have the best lighting, the best sound system and only the best international DJs come and play here. Every night of the week is different at Playhouse.”
I finished up with the panna cotta, which anyone who knows me will attest, is one of my favourite desserts. However, the Coconut Panna Cotta with guava soup & caramelised pineapple that was laid in front of me was perfect to the point of being otherworldly. While I was savouring every spoonful of my epiphanic sweet course, Abdulla was being dwarfed by the fruit plate he had chosen.
You enter through a thin mirrored hallway with a very low ceiling. The muted bass beat pulsates hypnotically through the walls and the odd sliver of a strobe light cuts through the gloom. Just when it starts to get uncomfortable, the corridor opens up into a massive, multi-level space. The music comes into sharp focus, you are bathed in coloured light and below you a vast dancefloor is like an undulating human sea. Skirting the sides of this soup of rhythmically throbbing humanity are raised platforms with VIP and reserved tables where the bold and the beautiful of L.A. sit sipping on their drinks in designer-clad perfection.
So engrossed were we in the fabulous repast, Scarlett Johansson could have been sat right next to us and we would not have noticed, though while sipping on coffee, Abdulla was pretty convinced the gentleman dining behind me was “that guy from The Breakfast Club.” PLAYTIME Nightlife in L.A. starts late. If you are hitting the dancefloor before midnight, you will have acres of space to throw your shapes. There is plenty of choice in the city, but many of the top spots are located in Hollywood and our blacked-out Escalade was headed for the city’s hippest after-dark hangout, Playhouse. The brainchild of nightlife veteran, Rob Vinokur, Playhouse is one of the most unique offerings on Hollywood Boulevard and was recently voted the fourth best nightclub in the world in a Reuters poll. Think Ibiza meets Las Vegas and you are only just scratching the surface. “When I got to L.A. in 2004, there were no big clubs, just lounges.
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“This was an old theatre, so it’s great.” Vinokur says, “The designers, who are friends of mine, and have designed some of the top restaurants and clubs in New York, helped to create a space that no matter where you stand, you can see everything that’s going on in the club.” Behind the DJ booth, a set of steps leads you up to a second room, a more loungy space populated by beautiful people with matineeidol good looks. The cherry, quite literally on top, is the retractable roof above the dancefloor, allowing the fresh California air to cool the room and starlight to mix with the strobing lasers. Every few minutes, waiters and waitresses, clad in Star Trek-esque attire take to the stages, cages or, in some cases, even the ceilings to perform daredevil acts of acrobatics, or circus-style feats of entertainment for the baying crowds. “Every member of the team is employed because they have a performance skill, not just because they can serve food or pour drinks,” notes Vinokur. “Some of them do some pretty crazy stuff. We have a waitress who is a contortionist. She gets up does her stuff for ten minutes and then goes back to serving drinks.” I can just about see one such display taking place above a serving station through the jets of Ozone that are being pumped onto the dancing masses to cool them off. If you are a VIP, and you want in, Vinokur will arrange a car to discreetly come and pick you up from your digs and drop you at a special entrance, away from prying eyes and paparazzi lenses. He will meet you personally at the door and give you the royal treatment. In fact, I think everyone who meets him feels like a VIP. It’s testament to his years in the hospitality business in New York, one of the world’s most demanding cites, because he has the uncanny ability to make you feel like you are the most important person in the room. You will regularly see him walking around the club, chatting, laughing and shaking hands with his patrons. With a huge smile and a hearty handshake, he goes off to do just that, disappearing into the crowd in a flurry of handshakes and smiles, leaving Abdulla and I to enjoy the ambiance of Tinsel Town’s coolest club.
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STARSTRUCK This is where we came in - the disappointment of mistaken identity and no nearer to getting the intellectual opinions on the world’s ills from Paris Hilton. I look around me as Hank departs and Abdulla just shrugs and starts nodding his head to the beat of the music. I chance a glance at my watch to see that the hands have swept around, inexorably, to 3am. We spill out onto the Boulevard with the rest of the club’s patrons and, as Paris’ car speeds past with a small dog’s head hanging out of the rear window, Abdulla and I take to one of the world’s most famous pavements and start the short walk back to the hotel. The greats of entertainment past and present pass by underfoot with every step down the walk of fame, and I reflect on what a truly unique place L.A. and, more specifically, Hollywood, really is: A glittering city of dreams and contradictions, where the one real truth is making fiction, and where luxury is the lifestyle, regardless of means. It is also the only place on earth where even the street sweepers have stars in their eyes.
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LA CONFIDENTIAL
PROPERTY
WHERE TO HANG YOUR HAT: Montage Hotel and Residences Beverly Hills 225 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills www.montagebeverlyhills.com
If you want to check out some of L.A.’s hottest properties, then Greg’s your guy. Charming and affable, he will happily take the time to show you some of the city’s finest properties for long term lease and sale. He is a full one-stop shop and has attorneys on staff to deal with the legal stuff. If you need to move money internationally or if you need financing, he can sort that too. Most importantly, though, he has access to every property on the market, so you only have to work with one broker. Greg Moesser, ACA - +1 310-770-9014 www.LAClassicEstates.com
W Hollywood 6250 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood www.whotels.com WHERE TO EAT: Scarpetta 225 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills www.scarpettarestaurants.com The Original Johnny Rockets 7507 Melrose Ave., Hollywood www.johnnyrockets.com WHERE TO HANG OUT: Playhouse 6506 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood www.playhousehollywood.com
SHOP TILL YOU DROP If it’s the high end of haute couture and the top labels you’re after, then Downtown L.A. or Rodeo Drive is where you need to be heading. However, for some unique chic, check out the boutiques on Melrose Avenue. For lots of Boho and street fashion that you won’t get anywhere else (and a What Not To Wear makeover experience you won’t forget either), look for Flasher and Speed. Clothing genius, Cosmo, will have you sized-up (with superhuman accuracy) with a single glance. In a flurry of clothes, footwear and diva arm waving, he will create a look in minutes that will have even the most jaded Hollywood fashionistas throwing you a second glance. Flasher - 7609 Melrose Ave., Hollywood +1 323 655 3375
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