ESCAPES
AS SLASH SO SUCCINCTLY FRAMED IT, ‘‘IT’S THE ONLY HOTEL AROUND L.A. THAT’S MAINTAINED ITS COOL FACTOR SINCE 1963.’’ Pasta and jotting and reminiscing. I giggled to myself as I thought about the last time I stayed in a Villa at the Sunset Marquis for an Oscar week in the early 2000s and going to party at Paris Hilton’s bachelorette pad overlooking Sunset Boulevard and practically being molested by James Brown’s widow in the kitchen. True story! James Brown’s widow wanted me to mount her. Suffice to say - that never happened. But such is the mood of creative fecund that sweeps the sense from my perch in the groovy communal dining al fresco scene of the in-house Cavatina restaurant. It’s easy to feel and understand mentally why this place has been so integral to writing and creating. And then there is its one-a-kind locale. It is no cliche to say that the best way to discover any city is by walking the city you visit. But how to do that in a city like Los Angeles where you look like the only loser by wanting to stroll around? Taking up residence at the Sunset Marquis is the truly exceptional way to quash that worry. Just a brisk stroll up the hill to Sunset Boulevard and you can quickly become the cool Los Angelenos, so sit and order a latte at the Coffee Bean or the Starbucks and people watch. And there is nowhere to people watch the most beautiful folk in L.A. than in West Hollywood. So, feel no shame in holding court by that still au courant coffee spot, or maybe it’s lunch at still popular eateries all along Sunset Plaza like the Chin Chin or Le Petit Four where you can ogle the Lululemon beauties strutting in and out of the vast Equinox complex next door. On your Day 3 perhaps, one could go about shopping and power walking at the same time with a visit to start the afternoon at the coolest boutique on Sunset Plaza in H. Lorenzo and then stroll to the iconic Dries Van Noten boutique on famous La Cienega Boulevard before strolling onwards to the
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Beverly Center a mile or so away from where it is a must to first stop by the Concierge Desk to L.A.’s most famous shopping mecca to find out which stores have special discounts for visitors to the city. On your Night 4 perhaps, you will want to just stroll the most famous movie billboard corridor in the world! At night the twinkle and sparkle of the lights of Hollywood and the huge, glorious billboards of all the latest movie stars truly throttle the senses. You stroll it to feel it -- yes baby, you are truly in Hollywood. It is the most intoxicating rush ever. And time to show off the fruits of the shopping spree by getting glammed up for dinner at the most craved sushi restaurant in town called Sushi Park, a five-minute walk once again to Sunset Blvd. Do not be surprised at all if you find yourself at Sushi Park seated next to Angelina Jolie picking over sea bass nigiri whilst batting her eyelashes at her new friend The Weeknd. On your Day 5 after the morning latte, a visit to one of the world’s most famous bookstores in the Book Soup is a must to, not only pick up the morning Los Angeles Times or New York Times, but a few hardcovers for reading and sunning by either of the two pools at your disposal when you get back to the hotel. You could even do the macabre Hollywood tribute before all that and lay a rose by the Viper Room where to this day fans still leave wreaths and such at the site where River Phoenix overdosed decades ago. And you can then stroll by the most fabulous art gallery devoted to all things Andy Warhol at The Revolver Gallery. Later, an early evening drink or meal is a five-minute cab ride or Uber to the Polo Lounge of the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel, where the perfect Instagram moment awaits. And end the day with another round of shopping at the iconic L.A. boutique Fred Segal which has brand new headquarters just up the hill from your hotel room. Wear that perfect hoodie to the Abbey before
The current face, literally, of the hotel is the current modern myth figure of the Sunset Strip definition of cool is the rocker Dave Grohl who actually met his wife at the famous Whiskey Bar now revived postpandemic as Bar 1200. This Foo Fighters face is on every hotel room key card.
3/11/22 12:38 PM
