A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to have a girl’s weekend in one of the most fab cities in the world – Beverly Hills. For those of you that join me in Bravo’s reality obsession with all things BH – Real Housewives, Rich Kids, Shahs of Sunset, etc. I was pleased to see the town is pretty well depicted. Fabulous restaurants, amazing shops and no car on the road under $100k. It’s like a movie set you can live in! If you ever have the opportunity to spend the day there (or the weekend!) here were some of our highlights:
Hotel:
This place is next level (I mean Kourtney Kardashian had her baby shower here and Kim even stayed there during her wedding to Kris Humphries – RIP.) – it personifies luxury. From the amazing cheese plate with candied bacon and champagne upon arrival, to the personalized monogrammed pillows at turndown service this place leaves no detail untouched. The chocolates on your pillow? Hand painted. No seating at the pool and they accidentally seat someone before you? Right this way to your complimentary cabana! Oh and did I mention we had access to a Rolls Royce to cruise around town in during our stay? Our driver Sean even helped us pose for cheesy pictures at the end of the night. They really pull out all of the stops… If you are ever in the mode to treat yo self, this is the place.
Restaurants:
Urth Cafe – This was a great little spot for breakfast sandwiches and the most massive smoothies. They are known for the organic coffee and teas, and their pastries looked amazing. Despite its relaxed vibe there was a line out the door, so apparently everyone else is into it too.
Il Pastaio – Our driver had mentioned this restaurant as being a hot spot on our way to dinner one night and after seeing a popular blogger had recently dined there I knew we had to try it. We shared a heaping bowl of pasta and it couldn’t have been a better cheat meal. I’m still dreaming about it. PS wait for a patio seating… the people watching is worth it.
Crustacean – The hotel had recommended this restaurant and it apparently has been on some Housewive episodes, but E and I found it underwhelming. The decor was a little cheesy (i.e. the floor has a fish tank river throughout the restaurant), and while the food was delicious (their garlic noodles are world famous and rightfully so), there are too many great spots to try before this one if you are only there for a limited time.
Spago – This was our “fancy” meal, which is hilarious considering we ate at so many fabulous and gorgeous restaurants, but Spago is one of those places where everyone is celebrating something. Wolfgang Puck really outdid himself with his menu and our waiter did a great job of guiding our ordering. We loved their cocktail menu, and really enjoyed the tuna tartar cones (on their secret menu… just ask for them), oysters and innovative sea bass. We REALLY enjoyed the surprise chocolate and cookies that we are still confused why we were lucky enough to receive them but who are we to turn down free dessert?!
Vanderpump 3 – We were those girls and were sure to hit all 3 of Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurants our first night there. Villa Blanca wasn’t very lively so we grabbed a drink (from our very sweet bartender) and headed on Pump where the outdoor dining space looks magical but the bar area, not so much. We spent the majority of our time at Sur where Jax made us cocktails and we tried to track down the rest of the cast of Vanderpump Rules.
Polo Lounge – If you like brunch this is the spot for you. One thing we learned is BH likes to sleep in. Sadly in our attempt to cram in as much fun as possible our timing wasn’t always ideal of maximum people watching aka celebrity sightings, but we were so happy to enjoy the gorgeous garden, old school vibe and delicious belinis at the Beverly Hills Hilton. A live jazz trio plays on Sundays which was really lovely.
Sugarfish – We meant to go here for dinner Friday night but heard it wasn’t a “dress up” place, which is true… but I am almost happy we kept pushing back this meal (until lunch the day we left) because I would have struggled not going back multiple times (my sister’s last visit to LA resulted in her going 3 times… and I don’t blame her). They are known for their “Trust Me” menu option which for $25-30 gets you a multi course lunch/dinner of sashimi, nigiri and hand rolls. The fish was the best I’ve ever had and I am convinced it could convert any non-fish eater. SO GOOD.
Activities:
Walk down Rodeo Drive – And if you are lucky enough, treat yourself to your Pretty Woman moment and score something from the best stores in the world!
Olive & June – We enjoyed the best mani/pedi’s we’ve ever had at Olive & June, and couldn’t get over how lovely everything was… from the time spent perfectly shaping our nails, to the amazing scrubs/lotions/polishes, you really can’t go wrong spending a couple of hours here.
Walk the neighborhoods – Window shopping for houses has never been so fun. We took a long walk home from brunch one morning and really enjoyed how fabulous it was it look at the insane houses and landscaping. If you are like us and looking for a way to burn off one of your 75 meals, take a walk down any of the neighborhoods and be prepared to be amazed!
Pool – If you’re hotel has a pool, use it. We crammed in a few hours before dinner, after a day of eating and shopping and it was so fun to enjoy LA from multiple stories up.
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