Hotel Review: In researching fabulous destinations for a “Memorial Day Girl’s Getaway,” I ultimately set my sights on Santa Monica’s iconic Hotel Shangri-La– a landmark 71-room art-deco hotel that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. This luxurious seaside reprieve, mere minutes on foot to the sand, has been a Los Angeles institution since 1939. But, with its recently completed […]

Restaurant Review: Santa Monica’s iconic Hotel Shangri-La offers more than just admirable accommodations amid a spectacular seaside setting. The venerable property also offers divine dining options both indoors and out. Indeed, Hotel Shangri-La allows its guests to dine alfresco at The Courtyard located next to the hotel’s swank new pool deck. This outdoor culinary experience is an […]

San Diego Dining: When considering where to go with your fun-and-food-loving friends for a girl’s night out in downtown San Diego put The Melting Pot in the historic Gaslamp Quarter at the top of your list. This restaurant offers novel table-top fondue-style cooking combined with a lively atmosphere, stellar service, high quality fare and premium libations. While multi-unit […]

City Guides: In the ever-changing Los Angeles nightlife scene, two hotel-based venues are currently making an indelible mark: Drai’s at the W and SKYBAR at the Mondrian, both in West Hollywood. These two highly distinctive clubs offer exclusive and extraordinary experiences, including mixing and mingling with the bold, beautiful and often famous patrons that make the town tick. […]

City Guides: Perched atop a bluff right off the Sunset Strip in the heart of Hollywood sits Chateau Marmont, a fabulously over-the-top hotel modeled on an infamous royal residence in France’s Loire Valley. Over its 81-year history, Chateau Marmont has famously hosted A-list Hollywood stars among other power players in its 63 secluded bungalows and cottages, glamorous […]

Centrally located in the eclectic and kinetic Gaslamp Quarter, Hyatt Hotel’s newest Andaz San Diego location (formerly the Ivy Hotel), which opened this past February, is already making its mark. The newest Andaz hotel in the burgeoning brand’s global family, now with properties in London, West Hollywood and New York City, Andaz San Diego’s recipe for […]