Los Angeles Confidential - 2015 - Issue 8 - Winter - Mark Ronson

VIVA 48 HOURS! THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE BEST QUICKIE TRIPS IN AMERICA

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Thriller-seekers: Lighting both a red-carpet fire in 1984 having an 18-year-old Brooke Shields on his arm and an actual fire—his hair went aflame earlier in the year during the filming of a Pepsi commercial—Michael Jackson ruled the 26th Grammy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium.

Shrine On!

Home to tHe most televised Grammy awards sHows, tHe Shrine Auditorium celebrates tHe biG 9-0.

The Shrine Auditorium has been hosting A-1 events and primo performers since its inception almost a century ago. Its immense stage has seen it all—from one of the principal locales for the original 1933 film King Kong to the very place the history-making civil rights march (led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) began during the 1960 Democratic National Convention. Most famously perhaps, the world-renowned venue with the tricked out Moorish Revival exterior has hosted countless entertainment-industry events (the Emmys and the Academy Awards among them). And, in 1978, the 20th annual Grammy Awards (folk superstar, the late John Denver, emceed the evening’s festivities) took a bow at the LA landmark for the first time.

Throughout the 57-year history of the recording industry’s annual musical shindig, the Shrine has hosted more shows—16 telecasts in total from 1978–1999— than any other venue in Grammy history. During that time, just about every mega-talent in the music industry took the stage to accept—or present—a famed

18 la-confidential-magazine.com

gold gramophone, from Carlos Santana, Quincy Jones, Fleetwood Mac, and Frank Sinatra to Sting, Miles Davis, the Beastie Boys, and Lauryn Hill.

In 1984, an infamous accident would occur, making the Shrine and the Grammys even bigger cultural emblems, when pop icon Michael Jackson’s hair caught fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial at the iconic theater.

Although the pyrotechnic disaster halted filming, it didn’t stop Jackson from winning eight Grammy Awards that year (setting the record for the most wins in one night) for his groundbreaking Thriller album.

Built by the Al Malaikah Shriners in 1906, the souped-up auditorium was built to be the fraternal organization’s official clubhouse, as well as a civic center for the citizens of Los Angeles. Though a voracious fire burned the building to the ground in 1920, a pristine new Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall opened its doors six years later. Today, after nearly a century in existence, the Shrine is still hosting Hollywood’s biggest events—a star, past, present, and future. LAC

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contents

Winter 2015/2016

18 // front runner

CUltURe

34 // letter from the

65 // Will-poWer

36 // letter from the

Music! Fashion! Tech! Philanthropy! LA’s biggest multihyphenate, will.i.am, is on a nonstop course for world domination.

publisher

38 // the list 79 // invited

style 41 // la dolCe vita Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana celebrate three decades of fashion and femininity.

44 // shangri-

languorous

This season, shimmering prints and patterns conjure up wayfaring luxury.

48 // style spotlight Fancy slippers, fab-collabs, and Louis Vuitton in miniature: Welcome to winter’s most stylish news.

52 // entrée nous…

LA’s latest luxury retail trend?

Appointment only, please.

54 // the Wright stuff Robin Wright and Karen Fowler create a clothing company that supports embattled women in the Congo.

56 // va-va-visages!

For rare-watch devotees, an elaborate dial made from extraordinary materials is the ultimate turn-on.

58 // the house that John built

The father-son team of Westime shares what makes their family enterprise tick.

68 // all about neW year’s eve

Forget the party in the Hills or the lines at H’wood clubs. Head to Vegas, baby, where Maroon 5 leads the pack of NYE superstars on the Strip.

70 // trophy City On the winding, gold-brick road to awards season, there are some essential stops along the way.

Versailles is for the hoi polloi. This winter, Louis XIV reigns supreme at the Getty.

Viva Italia! Stefano Gabbana (seated) and Domenico Dolce pay homage to all things feminine and favoloso through their forever-iconic label.

76 // a star groWs

in Brooklyn…

...and Hollywood! With a spate of scenestealing primo roles, Brooklyn’s Emory Cohen is on his way to the land of Oscar.

65

Renaissance (super)man: Indefatigable multihyphenate, LA-native, and music megastar will.i.am goes for global gold.

tAste 89 // Cuisine artists What do two smokin’ DJs, Asian grub, and awards season share in common?

E.P. & L.P., LA’s celeb spot du soir.

90 // and the aWard goes to...

LA’s celebrity restaurant owners pick the winners—from their own menus!

92 // going dutCh! In an exclusive interview, the Nolet family celebrates 325 years of distilling some of the world’s most sublime spirits— including vodka superstar, Ketel One.

98 // taste spotlight The Belvedere at the Peninsula gets a Mediterranean revamp, while seasonal sweets and boozy exclusives bring holiday cheer.

24 la-confidential-magazine.com

41

74// louis! louis!

photography courtesy of dolce & gabbana (gabbana); shane mccauley (will.i.am)

editor-in-Chief

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contents

Winter 2015/2016

100

Grammy Whammy! The mind behind one of the most successful songs in music history (let alone the year), dandy man Mark Ronson reflects on his ascendancy to Pop-music’s throne.

Velvet tuxedo jacket, Bally ($2,795). 340 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-3310; bally.com. White shirt, Prada ($570). 343 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-8661; prada.com. Silk bow tie, Ermenegildo Zegna ($145).

337 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-247-8827; zegna.com.

Black suit pants, Canali ($495). 9547 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-270-4200; canali.com. Signature black derby shoes, Saint Laurent ($795). 469 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-4110; ysl.com. Oyster Perpetual Milgauss watch, Rolex ($8,200). Gearys, 360 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-887-4200; gearys.com

features 100 // Uptown Boy The too-kool-for-school king of postmodern Pop—Mark Ronson—is at it again. Just in time for Grammys.

By Luke Crisell Photography by Karl Simone

106 // AllUsions of GrAndeUr

It’s a new age of magnifcence this season as fashion goes absolutely opulent.

Photography by Daniela Federici Styling by Garth Condit

In the era of acronyms, emojis, and 140-characters-or-less, comes turbo-charged travel: the meticulously planned, lightning-fast two-day vacation. Here’s what to do, see, and eat in 48 fabulous hours in America’s most exciting cities.

26 la-confidential-magazine.com

photography by karl simone

112 // ViVA 48 HoUrs!

速ROBERTOCOIN

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contents

Winter 2015/2016

89

With celebrated Asian-via-Australia fare (like this scallop and mussel curry) and a blazing-hot rooftop bar scene, in-high-demand E.P. & L.P. puts LA’s Restaurant Row back on the map.

haute property 123 // RebiRth of

the ModeRn

Long a master of Cali-classic chic, RH launches a new collection at a reimagined gallery dedicated to all things mod.

124 // haute pRopeRty spotlight

Get the download on the latest home décor with these contempotechie-cool updates.

aND FINaLLy...

136 // seasonal

affection disoRdeR

Thanks to awards season, these days spring fever has to wait until winter.

Mark Ronson Photography by Karl Simone Styling by Kashi Mai Somers Grooming by Jessica Ortiz for Living Proof at The Wall Group Photo Assistant: Ned Witrogen Location: PHD Terrace and The Rickey lounge at the Dream Hotel Midtown, New York City Jacket, Paul Smith ($1,695). 8221 Melrose Ave., LA, 323-951-4800; paulsmith.co.uk. Cotton shirt, Theory ($205). 8428 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 323-782-0163; theory.com. Black suit pants, Prada ($890). 343 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-8661; prada.com

28 la-confidential-magazine.com

photography by jessica sample

on the coVeR:

JOIN US ONLINE at la-confdential-magazine.com We have the inside scoop on Los Angeles’s best parties, pursuits, and more. celebrate

HOW TO BE THE BEST HOLIDAY GUEST We turn to the pros for advice on how to rock the party circuit.

photos

SEE THE LATEST FROM LAST NIGHT’S EVENTS

gift guide

THE PERFECT GIFTS FOR THE MEN IN YOUR LIFE We’ve compiled presents that are sure to please this holiday season.

COME FOLLOW US

PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLGA SAPEGINA (CELEBRATE); REZA ALLAH-BAKHSHI (PHOTOS); RUSLAN GRUMBLE (GIFT GUIDE)

Couldn’t attend? Browse the newest photos from LA’s most exclusive parties.

©2015 COACH®

CHLOË GRACE MORETZ / Actress Coach Swagger 27 in metallic blue Biker Sheepskin Coat in black/natural

SPENCER BECK Editor-in-Chief Deputy Editor RAMONA SAVISS Managing Editor MURAT OZTASKIN Art Director JUAN PARRA Contributing Photo Editor CHRISTINA CASIANO Senior Fashion Editor FAYE POWER Research Editor LESLIE ALEXANDER

ALISON MILLER Group Publisher Associate Publisher VALERIE ROBLES Account Directors NORMA MONTALVO, DEVON MOORE Event Marketing Manager KELSEY MARRUJO Distribution Relations Manager JENNIFER PALMER Office Manager CAROLYN SCARBROUGH Sales Assistant KRISTINE GUEVARRA

NICHE MEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC Senior Vice President and Editorial Director MANDI NORWOOD Vice President of Creative and Fashion ANN SONG Creative Director NICOLE A. WOLFSON NADBOY Executive Fashion Director SAMANTHA YANKS ART AND PHOTO

Senior Art Director FRYDA LIDOR Associate Art Director ALLISON FLEMING Designer DEMPSEY MURPHY Photo Director LISA ROSENTHAL BADER Photo Editor/Producer JODIE LOVE Photo Editors MARIE BARBIER, SETH OLENICK, JENNIFER PAGAN Associate Photo Editor HALEY HAMBLIN Senior Staff Photographer JEFFREY CRAWFORD Senior Digital Imaging Specialist JEFFREY SPITERY Digital Imaging Specialist JEREMY DEVERATURDA Digital Imaging Assistant HTET SAN FASHION

Associate Fashion Editor CASEY TRUDEAU Assistant Fashion Editors CONNOR CHILDERS, LISA FERRANDINO Entertainment and Bookings Editor JULIET IZON COPY AND RESEARCH

Copy Editors DAVID FAIRHURST, CANDACE NICHOLSON, JULIA STEINER Research Editors LOIS BARRETT, JAMES BUSS, JUDY DEYOUNG, KAREN MCCREE EDITORIAL OPERATIONS

Director of Editorial Operations DEBORAH L. MARTIN Director of Editorial Relations MATTHEW STEWART Executive Editorial Assistant CHRISTINA CLEMENTE Online Executive Editor CAITLIN ROHAN Online Editor ANNA BEN YEHUDA Online Editorial Assistant CATHERINE PARK Senior Managing Editors DANINE ALATI, KAREN ROSE, JILL SIERACKI Managing Editors JENNIFER DEMERITT, OUSSAMA ZAHR Shelter and Design Editor SUE HOSTETLER Timepiece Editor ROBERTA NAAS ADVERTISING SALES

Account Directors SUSAN ABRAMS, MICHELE ADDISON, MICHELLE CHALA, KATHLEEN FLEMING, VICTORIA HENRY, KAREN LEVINE, MEREDITH MERRILL, JEFFREY NICHOLSON, SHANNON PASTUSZAK, JIM SMITH, JESSICA ZIVKOVITCH Account Executives SUSANA ARAGON, LAUREN BROGNA, JANELLE DRISCOLL, VINCE DUROCHER, JAMIE FOX, IRENA HALL, SAMANTHA HARRIS, SARAH HECKLER, CATHERINE KUCHAR, FENDY MESY, MARY RUEGG, JACKIE VAN METER Sales Support and Development EMMA BEHRINGER, ANA BLAGOJEVIC, LISSETTE COLLS, ERIN GLEASON, DARA HIRSH, REBECCA JAMES, KARA KEARNS, MICHELLE MASS, NICHOLE MAURER, RUE MCBRIDE, ELIZABETH MITCHELL, STEPHEN OSTROWSKI, MACKENZIE WAXMAN, ALEXANDRA WINTER MARKETING, PROMOTIONS, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations LANA BERNSTEIN Senior Director of Brand Development ROBIN KEARSE Director of Brand Development JOANNA TUCKER Brand Development Managers KRISTIN BARNES, JIMMY KONTOMANOLIS Promotions Art Designer KAITLYN RICHERT Event Marketing Directors AMY FISCHER, HALEE HARCZYNSKI, LAURA MULLEN, KIMMY WILSON Event Marketing Managers CRISTINA PARRA, ASHLEY VEHSLAGE Event Marketing Coordinators BROOKE BIDDLE, BLAIR GOTTFRIED Event Marketing Assistant SHANA KAUFMAN ADVERTISING PRODUCTION

Director of Positioning and Planning SALLY LYON Positioning and Planning Manager TARA MCCRILLIS Director of Production PAUL HUNTSBERRY Production Manager BLUE UYEDA Production Artists MARISSA MAHERAS, DARA RICCI, ALISHA SMITH Director of Distribution Operations MATT HEMMERLING Fulfillment Manager DORIS HOLLIFIELD Traffic Supervisor ESTEE WRIGHT Traffic Coordinators JEANNE GLEESON, MALLORIE SOMMERS Manufacturing Coordinator KIMBERLY CHANG Circulation Research Specialist CHAD HARWOOD FINANCE

Controller DANIELLE BIXLER Senior Finance Directors AUDREY CADY, LISA VASSEUR-MODICA Director of Credit and Collections CHRISTOPHER BEST Senior Credit and Collections Analyst MYRNA ROSADO Financial Analyst NEIL SHAH Senior Billing Coordinator NAYWANTIE ETWAROO Senior Accountant LILY WU Junior Accountant NATASHA WARREN Accounts Payable Coordinator NADINE DEODATT ADMINISTRATION, DIGITAL, AND OPERATIONS

Director of Operations MICHAEL CAPACE Director of Human Resources and Administration STEPHANIE HAMILTON Digital Producer ANTHONY PEARSON Facilities Coordinator ASHLEY GUILLAUME Office Assistant ERIC HOFFMAN Chief Technology Officer JESSE TAYLOR Desktop Administrators ZACHARY CUMMO, EDGAR ROCHE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

J.P. ANDERSON (Michigan Avenue), ANDREA BENNETT (Vegas), KATHY BLACKWELL (Austin Way), KRISTIN DETTERLINE (Philadelphia Style), LISA PIERPONT (Boston Common), CATHERINE SABINO (Gotham), JARED SHAPIRO (Ocean Drive), ELIZABETH E. THORP (Capitol File), DAMIEN WILLIAMSON (Executive Editor, Aspen Peak), SAMANTHA YANKS (Hamptons) PUBLISHERS

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Managing Partner JANE GALE Chairman and Director of Photography JEFF GALE Chief Operating Officer MARIA BLONDEAUX Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer JOHN P. KUSHNIR Chief Executive Officer KATHERINE NICHOLLS Copyright 2015 by Niche Media Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved. Los Angeles Confidential magazine is published eight times per year. Reproduction without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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32 LA-CONFIDENTIAL-MAGAZINE.COM

CALIBER RM 63-01 DIZZY HANDS

RICHARD MILLE BOUTIQUE RODEO DRIVE, BEVERLY HILLS 310-285-9898

LETTER from the Editor-in-Chief

Ninety is the new 60!

Happy birthday to legendary animal-rights activist Patricia Cavendish O’Neill, here with me and Bingo at her estate, Broadlands, outside Cape Town, South Africa, in 1996.

SIXTY IS THE NEW 30. Again and again, in our supposedly youth-obsessed culture, I am struck by the power of my peers (I’ll turn 55 this month) who keep on striving and thriving, smarter and sexier than ever, hurtling not toward retirement, Cialis, and golf, but instead making business deals, creating art, having (more) kids (!), and doing good for the planet. Heady stuff.

Recently we hosted a cover party for Richard Gere (who happens to be my second cousin) to mark the premiere of his 10-year passion project, Time Out of Mind, in which he explores the complex problem of homelessness, one of the many causes close to Gere’s heart. Not only did Gere, 66, traipse around Hollywood like a trouper promoting his film, host our event, and gab with guests like a good sport; he also managed to charm the bevy of women (of all ages) who fluttered about him like so many moths to a flame. (Okay, it is Gere.) I was never a huge fan of the actor back in his early, American Gigolo and An Officer and a Gentleman days. I am now.

I was similarly moved recently at Quixote Studios during a retrospective, hosted by photo agent Jorge Perez, of the work of legendary photographer Timothy White, 60, whose seminal portraits of celebrities such as Harrison Ford, Liza Minnelli, and Brad Pitt have graced publications from Rolling Stone to Vanity Fair for over 30 years. As with Gere, I was never a big fan of White’s work back in the day. This time around, watching all the young, too-cool-for-school guests at this event pondering the photographer’s classic images, I was struck by the simple strength of the photographs, blessedly devoid of all the sex-meets-fashion trimmings ’n’ trappings of much of today’s commercial photography. The event was also a reunion

for me, after 20 years, with Warhol/Factory photographer Christopher Makos, 67, my old colleague from Interview magazine in the 1980s. Chris was en route to China to promote his new work (and introduce his old!) to an American-pop-culturestarved population. Kudos, Chris.

If 60 is cool, 90 is cooler. This past June marked the big 9-0 for one of my favorite people in the world, Patricia Cavendish O’Neill, an eccentric South African heiress and zealous animalrights activist whom I once interviewed for W magazine and subsequently befriended. For over 60 years, Pat has saved African wildlife—hundreds of baboons, monkeys, cheetahs, a lion or two— most of which have free rein of her house, Broadlands, one of the great estates outside Cape Town. Our owner, Janie Greenspun Gale, who is an ardent animal activist herself, has a similar setup on her ranch north of Las Vegas. She and Pat would be soul mates. I wish they could meet. For both, age is merely a number.

Speaking of numbers, I can’t wait to reconnect with my favorite absolutely ageless (but definitely not altruistic) gals next spring, Eddy and Patsy, who are planning a film reunion at long last! They have been one of my great guilty pleasures for over 20 years. And if you have to Google them, you are too young to be reading this note.

Cheers,

SPENCER BECK

Stay up to date with all that’s going on in LA at la-confidential-magazine.com

34 LA-CONFIDENTIAL-MAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEROD HARRIS/GETTY IMAGES (GERE); PAUL ZAHN (SALTMAN); JASON KING (WALTERS)

An Editor and a Gentleman: Greeting cover star and humanitarian Richard Gere at Los Angeles Confidential’s October issue party at the AKA Beverly Hills; an aging American gigolo flirting with TV host and blogger Laura Saltman (LEFT) and E! News executive producer Jen Lavin at the magazine’s pre-Emmy soirée at the Sofitel; hanging with ex-colleague/silver fox Pat Walters at LAC’s Men of Style shindig at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

™ and A Diamond is Forever™ are Trade Marks of The De Beers Group of Companies. ™, © Forevermark Limited 2014-2015. Forevermark™,

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letter from the Publisher

from left: Enjoying an evening with Westime’s Erik Hoopingarner at a private estate, celebrating a limited-edition Zenith watch; with air-race champion Nicolas Ivanoff at the Red Bull Air Race World

Championship, sponsored by Hamilton Watch Company; Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign, a wonderful nonprofit focused on preventing gun violence, popped by the office for a visit.

the start of a new one on the horizon, I stumbled across a vintage (from 1900) “Enchanting Predictions” vending machine up for auction. It struck me as interesting that 115 years later, the questions we ponder have remained remarkably unchanged: Will I lose weight, experience a great love, earn more money soon? Our fascination with trying to predict the future, whether we employ antique coin-operated machines, farmers’ almanacs, or shadow-observing groundhogs, speaks to a larger need to understand what’s in store for us. Apparently the unknown is so terrifying to us that we’re willing to entertain future probabilities (no matter how dubious) in order to feel even slightly better about what lies ahead.

Whether it’s political pundits, stock analysts, sports prognosticators, or weather forecasters, this forwardfacing “need to know” based only on a handful of recent events leaves us listening to just about anyone willing to make a prediction. On February 7, our own Golden State will host the Super Bowl’s 50th anniversary, and while the offce betting pools and Vegas casinos will be in full swing with their weighted odds and hopes of cashing in, one thing is for sure: CBS will be the clear winner, with the minimum fee for a 30-second commercial weighing in at a whopping $5 million.

Here in Los Angeles, the race to awards season is also charging full speed ahead. An endless number of

36 la-confidential-magazine.com

organizations are fast at work predicting the Grammy, Golden Globe, and Oscar winners (see “Trophy City,” page 70). Personally, we’re partial to our cover star, Mark Ronson (“Uptown Boy,” page 100), who will no doubt pull off a full Grammy sweep come February 15. We’ve accurately called the best song/performer/album on our cover several years in a row now, so trust me, we have some street cred with this!

Despite our best efforts to forecast the coming year, the Chinese zodiac may offer a bit of wisdom and insight.

Dubbing 2016 the Year of the Fire Monkey, it suggests there is little point in planning anything, as this cheeky animal bursts onto the scene with endless exuberance.

Everything will be in fux, and risks taken will likely pay off. While we rarely go back and evaluate how our prior year-end predictions panned out, my crystal ball says we can take this primate’s energy to the bank. Here’s to a wonderful holiday season surrounded by friends and family, and an exciting start to the new year.

Cheers,

alison miller

photography by Kawai Matthews (hoopingarner)

With the close of the year at hand and

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the list Winter 2015/2016

Jayme Felson Bolden

Adam Langsbard

Dave Gilboa

Seth MacFarlane

Liberty Ross

Diana Hossfeld

Ridley Scott

Kat Graham

Emily Rosedale-Kousoulis

Jennifer Betts

Idris Elba

Seth Rogen

Trevor Noah

Catherine Opie

John Boyega

Natalie Portman

Ronda Rousey

Danny Boyle

Kunal Nayyar

Kevyn Wynn

Kate Morgan

Don Henley

Heather Cereghino

Jessica Chastain

Candis Cayne

Tracy Koven

Felicia Crane

Kate Mara

Hailee Steinfeld

Michelle Edgar

Janessa Leoné

Roy Hibbert

Doc Rivers

Jonas Tåhlin

Jeff Schwarz

Jennifer Moghaddam

Anthony Sion

Jenni Konner

Sian Gordon

Lou Williams

Lionel Richie

Amanda Baeck

Kyle Miller

Julius Randle

Yasmani Grandal

Jack Baeck

Colleen MacDonald

Ori Gersht

Michelle Pessah Soomekh

Monica Dastin

Melody Mahtaban Terani

Kat Jawaharlal

Zach Galifianakis

Dana Fried

Anine Bing

Jill Eisenstadt-Chayet

Joya Yadegar

David August

Moby

Tatiana Steelman

Leslie Kendall

Pierre Halimi Lacharlotte

Miranda July

Caroline Stegner

38 la-confidential-magazine.com

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Effy · Le Vian · Movado · Charriol · Hugo Boss Michael Kors · Longines · Lali Jewels Stephanie Kantis · Tag Heuer · Gucci · Raymond Weil Tissot · Coach · Marc by Marc Jacobs · Rado Alex Woo · The Fifth Season by Roberto Coin Marchesa · X3 Diamonds · and many more

KNOW WHAT YOU’RE

MADE OF. 100% PURE RYE

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SOBIESKI® VODKA, 40%/ALC.VOL. (80 PROOF). PRODUCT OF POLAND. © 2015 IMPORTED BY IMPERIAL BRANDS, INC., PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL. TRADEMARK OWNED BY MARIE BRIZARD WINE AND SPIRITS. PLEASE ENJOY SOBIESKI RESPONSIBLY.

STYLE Tastemaker Muse-en-scène: Domenico Dolce (LEFT) and Stefano Gabbana collab with Italian stunner Monica Bellucci during the filming of the fashion house’s Fall/Winter 2015/2016 ad campaign.

LA DOLCE VITA

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DOLCE & GABBANA

DOMENICO DOLCE AND STEFANO GABBANA CELEBRATE THREE DECADES OF FASHION AND FEMININITY. BY BRYN KENNY When Domenico Dolce, 57, and Stefano Gabbana, 53, opened their design studio in Milan in the early 1980s, they placed a sign out front that read, simply: Dolce & Gabbana.

Today, 30 years after debuting their first collection, those two surnames are known around the world, synonymous with luxury wares spanning from haute couture and leather goods to beauty products and statement jewelry.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

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Style tastemaker Dolce & Gabbana’s Cruise 2016 collection exudes elegance in its eveningwear, with striking silhouettes, stand-out jewelry, and rich brocades woven in classic Sicilian prints.

ToasT of The CoasT

Angelenos appreciate the spotlight—as a result, Dolce & Gabbana is directing its focus to its West Coast flagship.

Currently available at the Rodeo Drive boutique are several one-of-a-kind bags, each hand-painted with intricate floral designs. Available in vibrant shades of canary yellow and deep green, the bags are exclusive pieces to the LA store, and are not available anywhere else in the world. In addition, LA will have even more to look forward to from Dolce & Gabbana come the new year. The brand’s Rodeo Drive and South Coast Plaza locations are both in the midst of a total revamp, with new design elements and décor to be revealed in early 2016.

“a PeRSoN May Not eveN Be weaRiNg DolCe & gaBBaNa ClotHeS, But tHeiR STyle iS iNDeeD DolCe & gaBBaNa.”—stefano gabbana “What makes us most proud is the fact that we have managed to create a very recognizable style,” says Milan-born Gabbana, who studied graphic design before teaming up with Dolce, the son of a Sicilian tailor. “I’ll notice that a person may not even be wearing Dolce & Gabbana clothes, but their style is indeed Dolce & Gabbana.”

Without a doubt, Dolce & Gabbana’s distinct DNA, paired with an unwavering commitment to quality and craftsmanship, has served to keep the Italian brand both relevant and recognizable

// red-carpet ready //

Jennifer Lopez (2005)

over the years. “We strive to create a personal, special, and intimate experience for our customers,” says Dolce. “Our level of quality and attention to detail have become [trademarks of] the brand.”

And this attention to detail—from exceedingly exquisite embroidery to delicate lace accents—goes beyond just needle and thread. In 2013, the designers began serving as creative directors for their own ad campaigns, with Dolce behind the lens. “Becoming inspired, creating a sketch, deciding a mood or feeling, and then seeing it all come

STAR POWER!

Justin Bieber (2011)

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together—when we personally shoot our campaign, it feels like things have come full circle,” he says of the experience.

As for the next 30 years? The duo’s aspirations are still rather simple, according to Dolce. “We just want to keep working, and to continue doing what we love and—hopefully—create beautiful things.” Bellissima. 312 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-888-8701; Beverly Center, Beverly Hills, 310-360-7282; South Coast Plaza, One-of-a-kind bags exclusive Costa Mesa, 714-668-9142; to Dolce & Gabbana’s Rodeo dolcegabbana.com LAC Drive boutique.

Dolce & Gabbana has a longstanding history with some of music’s biggest names, so it’s no surprise the brand has become a go-to for the Grammys red carpet. Here, a look at some of the label’s standout moments at the iconic awards show, which celebrates its 58th broadcast this February.

Taylor Swift (2012)

Bruno Mars (2012)

Katy Perry (2014)

John Legend (2015)

photography courtesy of dolce & gabbana (models, bags); m. caulfield/Wireimage for the recording academy (lopez); Jeff Vespa (bieber); Jordan strauss/Wireimage (sWift); KeVin Winter/getty images (mars); frazer harrison/getty images (perry); dan macmedan/Wireimage (legend)

From exclusive offerings to lavish store updates, Dolce & Gabbana is showing some LA love.

Big Bang Pop Art. A unique model inspired by the famous art movement. Automatic chronograph in 18K yellow gold. Bezel set with 36 amethysts.

Pink alligator-skin strap and blue rubber.

Limited edition of 200 pieces. www.hublot.com •

twitter.com/hublot •

facebook.com/hublot

STYLE Accessories Trip To FanciFul Delicate lace, vintage prints, and rich embellishments create exotic opulence.

ShangriLanguorouS this season, shimmering prints and patterns conjure up wayfaring luxury.

PhotograPhy by Jeff Crawford Styling by faye Power

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Hair by DeboraH briDer using Matrix style link at Factory Downtown; Makeup by ricky wilson using Dior aDDict; Manicure by casanDra laMar using Dior Vernis at Factory Downtown; MoDel: Veronica Jacques oF MaJor MoDel ManageMent

Iridescent gown, Gucci ($12,500). 347 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-3451; gucci.com. Square emerald ring ($595) and round, mixedmetal ring ($345), Alexander McQueen.

8379 Melrose Ave., LA, 323-7824983; alexander mcqueen.com. Petite Malle sequin clutch, Louis Vuitton ($6,600). 295 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-859-0457; louisvuitton.com

Endless Summer - Limited Edition of 950 with 45 Artist Proofs

DISCOVER THE WORLD THROUGH THE LENS OF PETER LIK LIK BEVERLY HILLS showcases some of Peter’s most notable photographic masterpieces. Located on Beverly Drive just off Rodeo, LIK BEVERLY HILLS is a natural fit for those who pursue luxury and have fondness for exquisite beauty.

319 North Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, California

310 285 9705

lik.com

STYLE Accessories 1

2

ALL THAT GLITTERS

FAR AWAY WE GO

…is bold, when gold and silver add a dose of exaggerated glamour.

Richly woven jacquards and fine metals describe a journey from past to present.

4

GILT-Y PLEASURES

GYPSY QUEEN

Find your exotic zones with otherworldly accoutrements.

Go for the gold with royal-worthy handicraft.

1. Handbag ($3,200) and bracelet ($2,075), Chanel. 400 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-5500; chanel.com. Platform sandal, Lanvin ($2,090). 260 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-402-0580; lanvin.com. 2. Dior Trianon low boot, Dior ($1,070). 309 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-859-4700; dior.com. Clutch, Rauwolf ($1,230). Barneys New York, 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-276-4400; barneys.com. Necklace, Bottega Veneta ($6,750). 457 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-858-6533; bottegaveneta.com. 3. Open-toe sandal, Dries Van Noten ($745). Barneys New York, see above. Bangles, Michael Kors Collection ($145–$245 each). 360 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-777-8862; michael kors.com. Clutch, Alexander McQueen ($1,795). 8379 Melrose Ave., LA, 323-782-4983; alexandermcqueen.com. 4. Pump, Bottega Veneta ($1,980). see above. Clutch, Lizzie Fortunato ($505). Tenoversix, 8425 Melrose Ave., LA, 323330-9355; shop.tenover6.com. Necklace, Oscar de la Renta ($890). 8446 Melrose Pl., LA, 323-653-0200; oscardelarenta.com

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Set deSign by Sergio eSteveS for utopianyc.com. gray print fabric: EskayEl upholStery in cocoS midnight print. eskayel.com.

Wallpaper: vintage Wallpaper. secondhandrose.com. tileS: moroccan cement tileS from Mosaic HousE. mosaichse.com

3

STYLE Spotlight exclusive

PeRfect timing Calling all vintage lovers!

Luxury watch company Omega is bringing its dazzling exhibition of women’s vintage timepieces to the US. This is the first time many of these unique watches, on loan from the Omega museum in Bienne, Switzerland, will be on public display. Omega, Beverly Center, Beverly Hills, 310-854-0003; omegawatches.com

Fancy Footwear

Just in time for the holidays, evyn Wynn launches a new line of luxury slippers. By ramona saviss Who says you can’t feel both cozy and chic? This winter, entrepreneur Kevyn Wynn introduces her first collection of in-home slippers ($250 –$295). “I found that more than ever, I’m spending more time at home,” says the daughter of megahotelier Steve Wynn. Unable to find functional yet fashionable slippers to wear around the house, the LA-based designer, who used to design all the logo merchandise for her father’s hotels, decided to create her own. The result? “Cocktail slippers with leather soles that you could wear outdoors,” she says. Hand-stitched in Italy, the slippers come in seven signature designs—from denim to floral—inspired by Wynn’s personal style. “They’re so comfy, and pretty enough that I wear them out,” Wynn says. As for what’s next, she adds, “All the men in my life are asking for men’s slippers!” If the shoe fits…. Montage Beverly Hills, 225 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-860-7800; kevynwynn.com

// well-heeled! //

HeigHts of fasHion

Casadei ($795). Saks Fifth Avenue, 9600 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-275-4211; casadei.com

Dolce & Gabbana ($795). 314 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-888-8701; dolcegabbana.com

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Elton John adds a fab collab with Lalique to his résumé, to benefit his AIDS foundation.

have a heaRt In addition to fve Grammys and an Oscar of his own, music legend Elton John is known around town for his lavish annual Oscars party. This year, John has teamed up with Lalique to create a series of limited-edition crystal pieces whose sale will beneft the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The Music Is Love collection features a crystal angel ($1,800), a red crystal heart ($1,800), and a clear crystal heart ($1,200), as well as the Cire Perdue Angel and four other unique pieces, to be auctioned off at his soirée on February 28. 238 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-7892; eltonjohnmusicislove.lalique.com

Put a Ring on it!

The one-of-a-kind 1956 Omega Topaz Jewelry Secret Watch makes its Hollywood debut.

For those seeking extra sparkle, look no further than Bulgari’s new custom B.Cocktail Ring program.

Choose from colorful gemstones (like peridot or blue topaz, left), diamond accents, and handcrafted settings to create personalized high-glam rings to suit your every bauble need. 401 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-8589216; bulgari.com

Lush velvets and rich textures add a luxe look to winter’s pumps and sandals.

Gianvito Rossi ($670). Neiman Marcus, 9700 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-550-5900; neimanmarcus.com

Jimmy Choo ($850). 240 Via Rodeo Tory Burch ($450). 142 S. Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-860-9045; Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood, jimmychoo.com 310-248-2612; toryburch.com

Giuseppe Zanotti Design ($1,350). 9536 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills, 310-550-5760; giuseppezanottidesign.com

photography by Melissa Valladares (wynn, slippers); chris perry (john); courtesy of lalique (red heart)

“Young girls love to match their moms,” says Kevyn Wynn, who filled a void in the footwear industry by designing fancy matching Moroccaninspired slippers (inset) for herself and her daughter, Zoe.

A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME – WITH RIMOWA The 1920s marked the beginning of modern air travel and the golden age of Hollywood. In 1919, Hugo Junkers presented the world’s first all-metal commercial aircraft. It was made using the aircraft aluminum alloy discovered by Alfred Wilm in 1906.

In 1950, RIMOWA presented its suitcase with the unmistakable grooved design made of the same material – at the time, it was the lightest suitcase in the world. RIMOWA was a real pioneer in the sector, starting the trend for lightweight luggage back then.

RIMOWA STORE BEVERLY HILLS: 313 N. RODEO DRIVE PHONE: 310-888-8686

www.rimowa.com

STYLE Spotlight

The Bare Necessities

LOUIS VUITTON REINTERPRETS ITS CLASSIC HANDBAGS IN SLEEK, ESSENTIALS-ONLY SIZES. BY LISA FERRANDINO Downsizing has never looked so chic. This season, Louis Vuitton reinvents its most iconic bags in smaller sizes. The maison’s first-ever Nano collection boasts seven signature bags—like the Speedy (a top-handle tote with curved lines, popular in the 1930s), the Lockit (a feminine bag with a refined, minimalist silhouette), and the Pallas (a modern front-pleated carryall)—in miniature versions for the stylish transport of the bare necessities. Shoppers can choose from luxe materials, including Vuitton’s classic monogram canvas and Epi leather. Adding a shoulder strap yields cross-body functionality, making each mini a perfectly adaptable—and adorable—traveling companion. 295 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-859-0457; louisvuitton.com LAC

blogger-approved

PICTURE THIS! With a promising social-media following and a style blog that covers all things fashion and beauty, Paris-based blogger, illustrator, and photographer Garance Doré has much to offer style-seekers. Her next project is a line of curated essentials, created in collaboration with the LA-born label Vince and available exclusively at Nordstrom. The capsule collection includes minimally refined pieces, from a men’s long-sleeve crew to a women’s suede ankle zip legging, perfect for on-the-go modernity.

Nordstrom, The Grove, LA, 323-930-2230; nordstrom.com

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It’s only fitting that Dior would team up with another French fashion powerhouse—the renowned Paris-based design duo Mathias Augustyniak and Michael Amzalag of M/M Paris—to bring its Dior Homme Spring 2016 collection of ready-to-wear and accessories to life in a super-slick... and super-sexy... collectible catalog. dior.com; mmparis.com

Style authority Garance Doré goes from writing about clothes to designing them.

// shop talk //

Fight the tepid LA winter (or just make a style statement!) with Moncler’s beloved puffer jackets.

ménage à deux

French connection: The designer collab-ed with M/M Paris to turn its 2016 resort collection into a sexy-chic fantasy portfolio.

PLAZA SWEET

THE ICONIC OUTERWEAR COMPANY MONCLER has opened its doors at the largest shopping center on the West Coast, South Coast Plaza. Inspired by the brand’s French-Italian Alpine roots, the new boutique (it has a sister store in Beverly Hills) features marble and French chêne fumé wood paneling, which gives it the air of a luxe ski chalet. Shop the famous men’s and women’s quilted puffer jackets, a favorite of the jet set, just in time for LA’s winter getaways. South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, 714-435-2000; moncler.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTONELLO TRIO (MONCLER)

Micromanage! Louis Vuitton has reimagined its signature bags, like the Noe (TOP LEFT), in miniature: (LEFT TO RIGHT) Speedy, Noe, and (BOTTOM) Turenne.

OU R H ER ITAGE YOU R LEG AC Y

style trends From jackets to shoes, designer Blaine Halvorson handmakes/ hand-finishes everything sold in his appointmentonly mecca, MadeWorn.

Psst! More Hidden GeMs • Author and philanthropist Cheryl Saban runs The Shop on Nemo (9065 Nemo St., West Hollywood, 424-284-3219; cherylsabandesigns.com) out of a chic bungalow in WeHo. The homey goods, such as curated gift sets, are all handmade and designed by Saban, including beaded necklaces, blown glass dishes, embroidered napkins, and organic facial products.

• Trumpet & Horn (607 S. Hill St., Ste. 215, LA, 800-593-1933;

Franco-fine! Celeb stylists and in-the-know fashionistas flock to Cerre’s oh-so-privé showroom for chic Saint-Germain-des-Présmeets-Melrose Place wares. right: Downtown vintage studio New/Found’s offerings extend from cutting-edge couture to one-of-a-kind jewelry.

trumpetandhorn.com), purveyor of exquisite vintage engagement rings, does 95 percent of its business online. It doesn’t tout its LA showroom, but there is one attached to the com-

Entrée Nous…

LA’S LATEST Luxury rETAIL TrEND? AppoINTmENT oNLy, pLEASE. by kathryn drury wagner

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stylists, editors, and costume designers schedule one-on-ones to view the minimalist French-inspired, California-cool leather and wool outerwear. With couture and limitededition pieces like these, “the relationship and customized experience is key,” says Clayton Webster, Cerre’s creative director and designer.

“We’re so inundated with shopping opportunities; people want to take things at their own pace,” insists Richard Wainwright, owner of over-the-top vintage (think: silk Chanel skirts and Jil Sander dresses) concept studio New/Found (860 S. Los Angeles St., Ste. 711, LA, 310-3835939; newfoundla.com). Appointments allow him to set up his studio specifically around the needs of his clients.

“It’s not a static installation.”

Joey Grana, who owns Scout (8021 Melrose Ave., LA, 323-461-1530; scoutla.net) on Melrose Avenue, just

an appointment to try on one of its one-of-a-kind rings.

• It’d be easy to miss the tiny Ooga Booga (943 N. Broadway, Ste. 203, LA, 213-617-1105; ooga

started taking appointments above the store for his other fashion business, Spanish Moss. “I have a lot of stylist clients; we’d be shooting our products in the store and they were getting super curious,” he says. “They wanted to see the rest of the stock!” Rather than fighting off the stylists with a wire hanger, Grana started booking appointments.

“People are very tired of disposable luxury. They want something unique and personal that represents an investment buy,” says Halvorson, whose rugged rock ’n’ roll-influenced MadeWorn clothing is all handmade or hand-finished. The artist often works with reclaimed materials, such as crafting shoes from leather rescued from an old mine.

In a frantic, technology-driven world, perhaps appointment-only shopping is a way of reclaiming time. LAC

boogastore.com) in Chinatown, but head up the stairs in the inconspicuous brick building and you’ll fnd eclectic art, books, music, and clothing (think: indie brands such as Nancy Stella Soto and Creatures of Comfort). It’s everything you didn’t know you needed, housed in an 11-year-old shop revered by fashion insiders.

• Dig deep to fnd the industrialchic men’s and women’s shoes and sustainably made leather boots at Pskaufman (between Main and Los Angeles Streets (enter off of Eighth Street), LA, 213-244-1276; pskaufman.com).

Enter through an alley (look for the teal boot) to reach this underground fagship, located in the basement of an old hotel.

photography CoUrtESy oF CErrE (Clothing); CoUrtESy oF MaDEWorn (halvorSon); EMily bErl (jEWElry)

When craftsman and artistic mastermind Blaine Halvorson, 44, opened his Fairfax studio earlier this year, he didn’t have to dither about what hours to set. Appointment-only! “It’s the only way I can do what I do,” he says.

“At MadeWorn (madeworn.com), the experience is very immersive.

Appointment-only means a customer can really enjoy their time, and we can offer truly personal service.” And so shoppers make an appointment with Halvorson, whether they’re Brad Pitt or Jane Doe, in search of the museumquality garments created at the 12,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor store. It’s not about snobbery, Halvorson says, but “slowing things down long enough to capture the quality and the beauty.”

Los Angeles is embracing this new shopping philosophy. At Downtown atelier Cerre (801 Mateo St., LA, 323-985-8666; cerre.com), in-the-know

pany’s downtown offces; make

Style Giving Back It takes deux! Actress Robin Wright and designer Karen Fowler are the minds behind a new luxury sleepwear line (inset) with a conscience, Pour Les Femmes.

Charity reGiSter

Opportunities to give.

Robin WRight AnD BuDDy aRen FoWleR TeAm uP To CreATe A CLoTHing ComPAny THAT SuPPorTS emBATTLeD Women in THe Congo.

By amy moeller

When she’s not playing the fashionable and ferocious Claire Underwood on Netflix’s powerhouse political drama House of Cards, Robin Wright channels her influence into helping Congolese women who have become victims of sexual violence amidst the conflict mineral trade.

Fueled by her own global activism and her decades-long wish to create “the perfect pajamas,” Wright, along with her business partner, designer Karen Fowler, launched Pour Les Femmes, a “socially conscious sleepwear company.” With six new pieces debuting just in time for the holidays, the luxe pajamas are gifts that give back. Wright tells us how.

How did you get involved with the Congo?

Robin Wright: In 2008, I saw the documentary The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo, which opened my eyes to the atrocities against women

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fueled by the conflict mineral trade.

Electronics companies are purchasing these minerals, and [we] are buying the electronics. I linked up with the DC-based Enough Project [whose mission is to end genocide and crimes against humanity in Africa] (enoughproject.org), traveled to the Congo, and have been an activist supporting development in the Congo ever since.

You have been active in pushing for an end to the conflict surrounding the mineral trade.

It’s our duty. We are using our smartphones and laptops to work, to connect with our families, and these devices are part of the demand for minerals in the Congo. Our hands are in this. Instead of a boycott, we can leverage our consumer pressure to clean up this mess. The more consumers who become aware of this link and who speak out about it

How does Pour Les Femmes benefit women in the conflict region?

A portion of the proceeds goes to two civil-society groups—Action Kivu (actionkivu.org) and Synergie des Femmes (donordirect action.org/activists/synergie)—which I met with when I was visiting the Congo. They now have a community center, and they’re starting to build a school. They’re able to give vocational training to more of the women, as well as psychological and physical help. It’s endless what they need post-trauma, but basically the methodology is to start by helping them with microfinancing so they can get back on their own feet and have a sustainable life.

Luxurious sleepwear for a good cause. Tell us about the style of Pour Les Femmes.

We wanted to build the perfect pajama based on things Karen and I both love. Soft, comfortable cotton fabrics with vintage-inspired details and classic silhouettes. The idea is to feel as if you’re wearing nothing to bed, though our fine cottons add an extra ounce of coziness while sleeping. plfdreams.com LAC

TREVOR LIVE Trevor Live calls on leaders in the entertainment industry and other felds to raise money for The Trevor Project, an organization whose mission is to end suicide among LGBTQ youth. The celeb-supported event will honor The Walt Disney Company as well as Trevor Hero award recipient Michael Lombardo, president of programming for HBO. When: Sunday, December 6 Where: Hollywood Palladium Contact: trevorlive.org

WISHING WELL WINTER GALA Join Make-A-Wish of Greater LA at its third annual Wishing Well Winter Gala. Make-AWish is a nonproft organization that fulflls the wishes of children facing life-threatening illnesses. This event supports children and families that have had a wish fulflled, while honoring the leaders who made these wishes a reality. Past attendees have included sports stars Kobe Bryant and Landon Donovan.

When: Wednesday, December 9 Where: The Beverly Wilshire Contact: la.wish.org

UNICEF BALL Celebrate the work of Unicef, which improves the lives of impoverished children around the world, at its sixth annual ball. The black-tie affair, which has raised more than $7 million for the organization since its inception, brings together over 700 philanthropists, celebrities, and community leaders for a night of giving.

The 2016 honorees include C.L. Max Nikias, president of USC, and David Beckham.

When: Tuesday, January 12 Where: The Beverly Wilshire Contact: unicefball.org

MUSICARES GALA The 26th annual Person of the Year gala, held two days before the Grammy Awards, raises money for MusiCares, an organization that supports musicians in times of need. This year’s honoree is four-time Grammy winner Lionel Richie. The evening includes dinner, a silent auction, and a tribute concert with live performances by Pharrell Williams, Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan, and others.

When: Saturday, February 13 Where: LA Convention Center Contact: grammy.org/musicares

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL SIMON FOR STARTRAKS PHOTO (WRIGHT); ROBIN WRIGHT (SLEEPWEAR)

The Wright Stuff

to tech companies and on social media, the sooner we achieve a transparent, peaceful mineral trade.

We can dry up the revenue source for the Congo’s armed groups responsible for the worst sexual violence on earth. And our approach is based on winning strategies from the blood diamonds struggle, which effectively transformed the diamond industry in West Africa. I am the executive director for the upcoming documentary When Elephants Fight, which will introduce this conflict to new audiences and lead the push towards transparency through the #StandWithCongo campaign. I will keep fighting until there is peace.

Elvis™ and Elvis Presley™ © 2015 ABG EPE IP LLC

www.shop.hamiltonwatch.com

ICON LEGEND THISISVENTURA

VENTURA ELVIS

AUTOMATIC SWISS MADE

STYLE Time Honored

Va-VaVisages!

For rare-watch devotees, an elaborate dial made From extraordinary materials is the ultimate turn-on. by roberta naas photography by jeff crawford

Top watchmakers are taking haute horology to new heights by creating pieces that have surprising design and construction elements. Sometimes these entail complicated movements or unexpected materials, but in these advanced timepieces, the brands are incorporating atypical—even curious!— details into the dials, making them works of art that collectors of premier watches covet.

For more watch features and expanded coverage go to la-confidential-magazine .com/watches-and-jewelry LAC

Fly high with Harry Winston’s new Midnight Feathers 42mm Automatic watch ($30,300), cast in 18k rose gold. The elaborate dial is crafted using plumasserie (ancient feather artistry). Each brown and black feather is carefully selected, shaped, and placed under a magnifying glass to create a marquetry of plumes in distinctly masculine tones. Westime, 216 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-8888880; harrywinston.com

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Although not as obviously showy as some rare, collectible watches, the Academia Grande Date Napoleon timepiece ($12,200) from DeWitt will appeal to history lovers. A tiny piece of Napoleon’s hair is inset into the carved likeness of the famed French emperor on the dial.

The watch is crafted in steel with a rubber strap, and each piece has its own serial number. Westime, 8569 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 310-289-0808; dewitt.ch The Arachnophobia watch ($4,300) by ArtyA is crafted in a 47mm steel case that gets its shape and finish via a high-voltage lightning bolt. The dial features an actual wolf spider (a nonendangered species caught in Switzerland) decorated with gold leaf and acrylic paint. Powered by ArtyA’s in-house A82 modified three-hand movement, the watch has 52 hours of power reserve.

Jewells at Galpin Premier, 15500 Roscoe Blvd., Van Nuys, 818-8943800; artya.com

styling by terry lewis

clockwise from top: Parmigiani Fleurier’s Pershing Tourbillon Samba Madeira watch ($248,000) is crafted in titanium and rose gold and features a dial depicting a “Gibson and Brazil” pattern made of a meticulously handworked mosaic of exotic painted woods.

The exquisitely artful watch features a 30-second tourbillon escapement within the 237-part PF510 manual-wind movement.

David Orgell, 262 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-273-6660; parmigiani.ch

Style Dynasty

Greg and John Simonian

The house ThaT John BuilT with a new audemars Piguet boutique in beverly hills, the father-son team behind Westime shares what makes their family enterPrise tick. by roberta naas

When John Simonian moved to Los Angeles from Switzerland in the mid-1980s, he could hardly have imagined the reverence and devotion his retail watch business would someday earn. Since opening his first Westime store, at the Westside Pavilion in 1987, Simonian, 59, has offered cutting-edge products and highend services, allowing him and his son, Greg, 30, to expand all the way to Florida—with 11 stores at present and more to come.

By providing a skillfully curated selection of sought-after timepieces and sponsoring megaevents—including the launch of the Devon Star Wars watch with key producers, as well as celebrity parties and more—Westime has garnered a loyal following of watch connoisseurs across the country, including Hollywood VIPs such as Daniel Craig, Nicolas Cage, and Kobe Bryant.

“At Westime, you’re not only going to find a wide range of watches at all price points, but you can also be confident in your purchase,” says Greg Simonian, who represents the family’s fourth generation in the watch business.

The president of Westime, he takes pride in this family-owned and -operated company.

“We are here for the long haul, and that means we want our customers to be happy shopping with us for the long haul, too.”

Greg grew up in the business, spending time at the company’s Swatch store, which opened

continued on page 60

The DB28 Maxichrono Black Gold watch by De Bethune ($295,000) is made of 18k rose gold and elements of blackened zirconium, which makes it the perfect timepiece to wear day and night. photography by KENt WILSoN (StorE); CoUrtESy oF DE bEthUNE (WatCh)

Westime moved (and expanded) its Beverly Hills location earlier this year, opening its new 2,000-square-foot luxury-watch emporium at the oh-so-chic Two Rodeo shopping plaza.

when he was just 8 years old (it has since closed). “I loved it,” he says. “I learned all of the collections and talked with all the customers.”

Despite the closing of that store in the late ’90s, he was hooked on horology. At the start of the new millennium, his father needed just the sort of assistance Greg could provide on the retail end, as the elder Simonian took on the challenge of becoming the North and South American distributor for a then-tiny Swiss watchmaker, Richard Mille. “I believed in the brand to the point that I decided to take on the distributorship,” John says, “and because I had been a retailer for so long, I knew what would be needed to be a great distributor.”

While John focused on the wholesale side of Westime, distributing Richard Mille and later Urwerk in the Americas, in 2009 Greg began overseeing management of the retail stores, then took full control of the retail business, deciding on store locations and choosing merchandise. Just as John had taken a chance early on by stocking his cases with superior watches featuring state-of-the-art complications and standing behind independent brands, Greg took risks in order to lead the business forward. His immediate challenge was weathering the recession. “Like the rest of the world, the watch industry felt many of the

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Ref. SB15.1, $395

SB Metropolis collection, Ref. SB15.1 for men and women. www.steelblaze.com Also available at: Peter Marco Extraordinary Jewels, 252 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA, 310-278-5353

style Dynasty Another avant-cool masterpiece from Urwerk, the limitededition UR-106 Lotus watch ($91,000) is the Swiss brand’s first-ever women’s model. Of the 22 pieces available worldwide, seven are at Westime Beverly Hills.

Westime’s new 1,342-square-foot Audemars Piguet boutique, the brand’s fourth in the country, brings Swiss innovation to Beverly Hills.

“WE arE hErE for ThE LoNg hauL, aNd ThaT MEaNS WE WaNT our cuSToMErS To bE happy ShoppINg WITh uS for ThE LoNg hauL, Too.”—greg simonian

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And the variety of offerings at Westime is truly remarkable, from the easily affordable to the very top end of the market, as well as jaw-dropping one-ofa-kind timepieces and special limited editions that are exclusive to the store. Greg’s secret? He is constantly scouting for watches he would want to add to his own collection: “I buy with my heart.” Westime, 8569 W. Sunset blvd., West hollywood, 310-2890808; Westime beverly hills, 216 N. rodeo dr., beverly hills, 310-888-8880; Westime Malibu, 3832 cross creek road, Malibu, 310-456-2555; westime.com LAC

LA-conFidenTiAL-MAgAzine.coM

photography by brUCE broWN (StorE); CoUrtESy oF UrWErK (WatCh)

199 3:

198 7: W

the WESTIMELINE

Audemars Piguet. “We can offer a full inventory level of the brand and present more product,” Greg says. In addition, he started expanding the company geographically, opening boutiques in Malibu and La Jolla as well as single-brand stores in Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Bal Harbour, Florida— all within six years.

“Greg has become a partner in every sense of the word,” says John. “He’s got opinions on marketing our business and has his own taste when it comes to what brands and watches to offer.”

es tim ed eb ut Sw sa at tt ch he st 20 W or 04 es e : Se ts op id en co eP s nd av 20 ilio st or 10 n e :R ,W ich es ar tim d 20 eB M ille 11: ev bo er Hu ly u bl tiq Hi ot ue lls bo ,o 20 op pe 11: ut e n ns i q si La u n eo un B ch e pe ve of 20 ns rly W 12: i n Hi es B lls W tim ev es e eL tim rly aJ eo Hi 20 ol lls 13 n la P :R ico ich Bl ar vd d . re 20 M ille 14 lo ca :W bo te ut es st iq tim o ue W eM 20 op es 15 tH a e lib ns :A ol u i ud n lyw de La em bu oo s ar Ve ts 20 d sP ga 15 i s gu :H et ub bo lo tb ut 20 iq ou 15 ue t i q :R op u eo ich en pe ar si d n n 20 si M La n ille 15 sV Sa :W bo eg n ut Fr as es iq an tim ue c i eB 20 s op co 15 ev en :A er si l ud yH n Ba em ills lH ar m ar sP ov bo es ig ur ue t ,F o tb T lo w ou rid o tiq a Ro ue de op o en si n Be ve rly Hi lls

economic difficulties—so nothing [was] easy from day one,” recalls Greg, who nonetheless decided to continue expanding. “My father was gutsy, and I learned from him.”

Undaunted by the unsettled economy, he decided to relocate the original Westime store to Sunset Plaza in West Hollywood. In order to showcase the breadth and depth of options available from the brands the Simonians believed in, Westime also began opening single-brand boutiques: Richard Mille in 2010, Hublot in 2011, and, earlier this year,

STYLE Hollywood

FORCE FOR FASHION! THIS SEASON, STAR WARS IS BACK… WITH GOODWILL AND HOLIDAY CHEERS. BY RAMONA SAVISS

This month, Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits the theaters, celebrating the continuation of the saga created by George Lucas in 1977. The highly anticipated film is directed by J.J. Abrams and set 30 years after Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, which premiered in 1983. Cast members, including Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher (PICTURED ABOVE), and other Hollywood heavyweights will be back to reprise their roles from the original trilogy.

In time for the film’s release, shop the Force 4 Fashion charitable collection at Bloomingdale’s. The exclusive collection features 10 outfits created by luxury fashion designers such as Diane von Furstenberg, Halston, Opening Ceremony, Cynthia Rowley, Rag & Bone, Parker, and more. Each look takes inspiration from Star Wars: The Force Awakens’s costume designer Michael

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Kaplan and reimagines a different character from the new film. The outfits will be auctioned off from December 2–18 by Bloomingdale’s on CharityBuzz.comand will benefit the Child Mind Institute, a nonprofit that supports mental health care for children, on behalf of Star Wars: Force for Change. Join forces with the epic series by giving back this holiday season just in time for the seventh installment.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters on December 18, 2015. charitybuzz.com LAC

“WE’RE EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS INCREDIBLE LINEUP OF DESIGNERS INTERPRETS STAR WARS CHARACTERS IN UNIQUE WAYS, AS WELL AS TO RAISE MONEY FOR A GREAT CAUSE.” —LESLIE FERRARO, CO-CHAIR, DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CBS VIA GETTY IMAGES (FISHER); COURTESY DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS (SKETCHES)

A clothes encounter: “We imagined what Captain Phasma would wear out of her Stormtrooper uniform.

We wanted to glam her up but still keep her looking fierce,” the spokesperson for fashion brand Parker says of the outfit (RIGHT) consisting of a bodysuit, cloak, headpiece, and body jewelry. BELOW: A Halston gown inspired by the character of Kylo Ren. LEFT: Carrie Fisher steals the spotlight once again this month, here as Princess Leia Organa alongside Anthony Daniels (as C-3PO) in a 1978 CBS television special.

H EA R T C O LLE CTI O N

Š2015 - The Franck Muller Group, All rights reserved

Culture View from the top Grammy man of the world! All that pop/hip-hop icon will.i.am (photographed here in his Hollywood megastudio) touches turns to global gold, from records to merchandise, brand launches to philanthropic initiatives.

WillPoWer

Music! Fashion! Tech!

PhilanThroPy! la’s biggesT MulTihyPhenaTe, will.i.am, is on a nonsToP course For world doMinaTion.

photography by shane mccauley

by michael ventre

Perhaps the best explanation as to why seventime Grammy Award winner will.i.am leaps up suddenly from his studio chair to call up a YouTube clip on his giant monitor—or catapults out of a crouch to grab and rip open a big plastic container filled with cassettes he made in the early ’90s, or lapses into one character voice after another as he tells stories, or busts out his minitablet to demonstrate a song—is that early in life his creative engine got stuck on warp speed, and the rest of his being has been forced to follow along at the same insane pace.

It’s as good a theory as any. The life of William Adams, aka will.i.am, 40, is filled with revelatory explosions. Bam! A unique marketing concept pairing beer and music. Boom! A new song.

Wow! Ways to improve the lives of underprivileged kids using GIS mapping. Pow! DJs and electronic music online!

Each day brings a meteor shower of ideas, with more brainstorms in the forecast. And because he was able to use the momentum established early on with the success of his hip-hop and pop group the Black Eyed Peas to channel that creative mojo into myriad areas, he has become one of the most successful multihyphenates in the entertainment business—singer-songwriter-rapper-actor-entrepreneur-producer-philanthropist. It’s a good thing he no longer needs a business card, because he couldn’t fit everything he does onto one. continued on page 66

la-confidential-magazine.com 65

culture View from the top

66 la-confidential-magazine.com

“There are Times when will.i.am is so in Tomorrow ThaT he’s noT in Today.... BuT he’s incrediBle.” —jimmy iovine

The winner of seven Grammy Awards (and counting), will.i.am influences much more than music: Earlier this year, he visited Ferguson, Missouri, high school students enrolled in his STEM education program (below).

To promote sustainability, will.i.am has partnered with Coca-Cola to produce Ekocycle, an eco-chic line of clothing and accessories made from recycled materials.

mom a house from the money he got doing a Dr. Pepper commercial, keeping a promise he made to her as a 13-year-old.

One of his many ongoing passions is a program that serves Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights, helping students develop skills in mapping, robotics, and Mandarin Chinese and putting them on a college track. He got the idea after being seated next to Colin Powell at an event and asking the former secretary of state, “What should I do to keep youth engaged now that Obama is in the White House?” Of the many eruptions from will.i.am’s fertile idea bank, this one is among his most satisfying.

“The number-one thing about Will is that he is truly an innovator,” says Marc Benioff, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and chairman and CEO of Salesforce.com, a cloud computing company, who has worked with Will on a number of projects. “You don’t see that many people who can innovate outside their own industry. He has an amazingly creative mind to see the big picture.

He’s able to sit down with any of the world’s most important CEOs and bring immediate value to how they see the world.”

Oh yeah, and the name. “My name is a sentence,” will.i.am explains. “It means someone who has will. And I have the will to turn my dreams into reality.” We get it now. LAC

prince will.i.am decrees...

LA MUST-HAVE: “Nobu!” (903 N. La Cienega

Blvd., LA, 310-657-5711; noburestaurants.com) MOST LOYAL FRIEND: “apl.de.ap [of the Black

Eyed Peas].”

FAVORITE GRAMMY MOMENT: “Performing

‘Where Is the Love?’ at the 2004 Grammys ceremony.”

BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE: “I have no guilt in

[doing the] things I love!”

YOUR INSPIRATION: “My mom.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN MACMEDAN (GRAMMY); DAVID PRESTON (STUDENTS); COURTESY OF EKOCYCLE (EKOCYCLE)

“He’s just a great guy,” says Jimmy Iovine, music mogul and mentor to Will, as well as business partner and friend. “He’s a real talent. He has extraordinary ideas. He’s always looking to tomorrow. There are times when he’s so in tomorrow that he’s not in today... but he’s incredible.”

With the Grammys approaching in February, the topic of where it all began comes up. Today the LA native has his name attached to Beats headphones (his original, revelatory, and now-famous “Hardware!” bark to Iovine led to developing the product in partnership with Iovine and Dr. Dre), a smartwatch project with Gucci, an eyewear line called ill.i.Optics, a STEM/STEAM education program helping students prepare for college, a newly announced footwear line with his brother Carl Gilliam, and seemingly more new endeavors by the moment. So it’s easy to forget that the supermogul and philanthropist was once a 4-year-old growing up in the projects of Boyle Heights, singing with his friends, and dreaming.

He breaks out an old color photo of four precocious inner-city kids mugging for the camera and points to each of the other three. “He just got out of prison. He’s dead. I don’t know where he’s at,” Will says. “We were singing ‘Macho Man.’ There’s always a kid in every family—‘Go do the little dance!’ or ‘Sing that song!’—just a little bit more tuned in to the world of music than the other kids. I was that kid.”

He has a million stories, including the one about being in a welfare line with his mom and then declaring, “This isn’t the right path. Let’s go.” So they left. There’s the ascent of the Black Eyed Peas, including the initial bidding war that took place for the group’s services and how the members declared, when the price got to $100,000, that they would all buy Honda Civics with tinted windows.

When it got to $1 million, “Man! I’m gonna get an Accord with tinted windows!” Instead, they went with Iovine and Interscope, which offered them only $400,000 but promised that no matter what, they’d always be able to make records there.

Since then, the high-speed generator inside will.i.am’s hatted noggin has given birth to recorded gold like “Let’s Get It Started,” “Hey Mama,” “Shut Up,” and “Where Is the Love?”; built an astonishing state-of-the-art facility in the Hollywood Media District; formed marketing partnerships with major corporations; lent his talents to political campaigns for the Democratic Party; founded the Peapod Foundation with the Black Eyed Peas to help children (with support from Blackberry); delved into acting, deejaying, fashion, technology… actually, the average person may not have enough brainpower to comprehend the output of Will’s brainpower. He also bought his

Beachfront luxury in the heart of Miami’s South Beach 1825 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 New York - Los Angeles - Miami Coming Soon: Montreal

Culture Hottest ticket All about Adam! This NYE, follow the big lights to Vegas, where Adam Levine and Maroon 5 will be counting down to the new year at Mandalay Bay.

ALL ABOUT NEW YEAR’S EVE

Every holiday is a cause for celebration in Vegas, but with its unadulterated glamour and late-night decadence, New Year’s Eve just might be the holiday best suited to the West Coast’s city that never sleeps.

“I personally can’t think of a more appropriate place to be on New Year’s Eve than Vegas,” says Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine, 37. In keeping with Valentine’s thinking, nearly six months ago he and his bandmates—lead singer Adam Levine, bassist Mickey Madden, keyboardists Jesse Carmichael and PJ Morton, and drummer Matt Flynn—announced their plans to play two shows at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, December 30 and 31, making this the fourth consecutive year the LA-based superband has opted to ring in the new year in Las Vegas.

For Maroon 5, the shows will be a ftting fnale to a banner year that opened with a live performance of their Oscarnominated song “Lost Stars” at the 2015 Academy Awards and continued with a massive tour across Europe, Asia, and Australia in support of their record-breaking ffth album, V. “We still love touring and going to those faraway places,” Valentine says. “It’s such a trip to be on the other side of the planet and have people singing back to us.”

Still, come New Year’s Eve, Vegas is their go-to destination, thanks in part to the city’s proximity to their hometown of Los Angeles. “Celebrating in Vegas has become this awesome tradition kind of by accident, and now it’s like we can’t imagine not being there on New Year’s Eve,” Valentine says. “We’re able to get all our friends from LA to join us, and at the afterparty for last year’s show, David Copperfeld even came out with us. That was a very Vegas moment—I don’t think we’ll ever forget it.”

This year their entourage will include Valentine’s close friends in the LA-based indie pop band Phases, who are set to open both shows, but he’s quick to imply there’ll be even more surprises onstage. “Every New Year’s Eve, we’ve done something special,” he says. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll even get David Copperfeld up there!” December 30–31. From $99.

Mandalay Bay Events Center, 877-632-7400; ticketmaster.com

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photography by traVIS SChNEIDEr & @bootSWaLLaCE. oppoSItE pagE: KEVIN Mazur/gEtty IMagES (MarS); DaVID bECKEr/WIrEIMagE (aLESSo); MaartEN DE boEr/bMa2015/gEtty IMagES for DCp (harrIS); bryaN StEffy/WIrEIMagE (DIpLo); DENISE truSCELLo/gEtty IMagES (tIËSto)

Forget the party in the hills or the lines at h’wood clubs. head to Vegas, baby, where MAROON 5 leads the pacK oF nye superstars on the strip. by tess eyRich

locAls Know Best Vegas insiders share their tried-and-true tips for making the most of your night on the town.

— ARRIVE EARLY —

3 3. alesso: Swedish

deejaying superstar Alesso launches his brand-new residency at Wynn Las Vegas’s XS Nightclub with top billing at the indoor/outdoor playground’s holiday EDM extravaganza. Tickets are $100 for men, $50 for women.

702-770-0097; xslasvegas.com

1 Take Five Maroon 5 isn’t the only Megawatt act kicking off 2016 in Vegas.

Don’t Miss these fiVe More partyreaDy perforMers Doing the strip this new year’s eVe. 1. Bruno Mars: The

Grammy Award winner who christened Cosmopolitan’s The Chelsea theater when it opened in 2013 returns to the venue for a singlenight engagement with his eight-piece band, the Hooligans. Tickets start at $150. 800-745-3000; cosmopolitanlasvegas.com

2

2. Calvin Harris:

The newest haute spot to hit the Strip, Caesars Palace’s jewel-like Omnia Nightclub, hosts its frst New Year’s Eve affair, with top-earning Scottish DJ/ hottie Calvin Harris at

the helm to close out 2015 beneath the main club’s pulsating chandelier. Tickets are $200 for men, $125 for women. 702-785-6200; omnianightclub.com

4. TiësTo: The festivities at MGM Grand’s sprawling Hakkasan nightclub include a headlining performance

by Dutch DJ Tiësto, who will deliver a special holiday edition of his massively popular Clublife party. Tickets are $150 for men, $75 for women.

702-891-3838; hakkasanlv.com

4

“Road closures usually begin happening around 3 pm, so if you’re celebrating on the Strip, plan to arrive around noon for the easiest access to hotels.”

Cathy Tull Senior Vice President, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

— DITCH THE BULKY BAG —

“Instead of carrying around your usual purse, stash your ID, cash, and cards in a case that’s small enough to ft inside a clutch or cross-body bag.”

Sophia Song Marketing Consultant, Saks Fifth Avenue

— STAY IN ONE PLACE —

“Dining at the same property as the nightclub makes for an easy transition from dinner to the club. Most clubs have deals with restaurants, so do your research and make reservations!”

Jon Opas Director of VIP Marketing, Hakkasan Group

inn-credible

5 5. Diplo: Known as much for his recent collaborations with Skrillex and Justin Bieber as for his solo work as a veteran DJ and producer, Wynn Las Vegas resident Diplo takes over the tables at the intimate Surrender Nightclub, inside Encore resort. Tickets are $82 for men, $55 for women. 702-770-7300; surrendernightclub.com laC

For Adults only More into a civilized toast by candlelight than a midnight scream with 5,000 other partiers? Book the late seating at Twist by Pierre Gagnaire at Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas (702-590-8888; mandarinoriental.com/ lasvegas), whose six-course New Year’s Eve menu includes a Maine lobster salpicon, sea bass loin with Alba white truffes, grilled fllet of beef, and Gagnaire’s Grand Dessert, with no fewer than 16 components. Guests can ring in the new year with Gagnaire himself at the private seating, or in the 23rd-foor Mandarin Bar. If even that is too noisy, a special in-room package includes Champagne and party favors—for toasting à deux. Parfait.

la-confidential-magazine.com 69

CULTURE The Industry

Trophy City On the winding, gOld-brick rOad tO awards seasOn, there are sOme essential stOps alOng the way. by scott huver

Ever since Joan Crawford essentially invented the art of the Hollywood awards campaign, when she hired a full-time public relations wizard in 1946 to steer her bid for an Academy Award for her performance in Mildred pierce (it worked), the process of strategically boosting one’s odds of collecting showbiz’s most coveted trophies has evolved into a full-blown industry. Or, as it’s more aptly known, given the urgent sense of the hunt that emerges every year at this time, “awards season.” For the motion pictures, filmmakers, and performers seeking Hollywood hardware, there are a growing number of essential moves they’re expected to make starting in September if they want to fill that mantel by March.

70 la-confidential-magazine.com

The Coming-ouT ParTy The Fall Film Festivals

While some early-year fests, like Sundance and Cannes, spread their share of cachet, it’s the fall festivals—particularly those in Toronto, Telluride, and Venice—that typically fre the starter’s pistol for the awards race, as studios and indie producers alike begin to position their contenders.

“Fall is sort of the ideal time because it gets people talking and excited about movies, not too early and not too late,” says Scott Feinberg, awards columnist for The Hollywood Reporter, who adds that positive buzz generated at a fest can be crucial, while a poor reception can kill a campaign before it begins, even though trophy voters are

not the primary festival attendees. “It’s not that they’re reaching the voters directly through these festivals, but the buzz created reaches the voters.

“The number-one objective of any Oscar campaign is to just get your movie seen,” he says.

“Because the reality is many voters, whether they’re in the Academy [of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences] or some of the other groups that vote, are

still active in their careers and very busy. At the end of the day, the deep, dark secret of a lot of them is that they only see maybe a dozen of the contenders.”

geT The VoTe ouT

The Awards Campaign Consultants

Each year, the studios collectively spend $150 million positioning their contenders from the start conTinued on page 72

Poised for flight, Michael Keaton attends the 2014 Venice premiere of Birdman, for which he won the Golden Globe for best actor.

photography by Christopher polk/getty images (statues); Vittorio Zunino Celotto/getty images (keaton)

Going for gold! In Hollywood, it takes more than mere merit... and money... to bring home these golden boys.

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Culture the Industry

ects and performances before the eyeballs of the professional guilds—notably the Screen Actors Guild, the Producers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America, and the Writers Guild of America, which each bestow their own high-profle awards— as well as Academy voters and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hands out the Golden Globes.

Even the presentation of the Academy’s prestigious Governors Awards, conferring lifetime honors on industry veterans, has turned into a key schmoozing opportunity for A-list awards hopefuls. “Because of their association with the Academy, you now have a room that’s packed with potential voters,” says Feinberg. Other opportunities are more low-profile: Earlier this year, at the homevideo launch of Boyhood, which packed the Chateau Marmont with scores of graying, slightly out-of-place guild members, a producer urged filmmaker Richard

A megaproducer like Harvey Weinstein, seen here with Bradley Cooper in 2013, is a major advantage to securing awards-season brass.

For Your Consideration The Voters

Winning admiration and affection by courting the show-business insiders who actually cast votes is, of course, paramount to a successful campaign, as is getting proj-

Linklater to abandon press interviews and start working the room, “because these people are old and going to go home and go to bed soon.”

Kathy Connell, executive producer of the Screen Actors Guild Awards, says studios and strategists take the voting

72 la-confidential-magazine.com

In addition to Academy Awards, actors, directors, and producers vie for other prestigious hardware, like the Screen Actors Guild Award, which Matthew McConaughey presented last January to Julianne Moore for her performance in Still Alice. inset: Moore brought home the Oscar a month later.

“the people still at the forefront of [awards campaigning] came out of the miramax golden age, Because they learned how to do it so well and Because it was such a priority.”—scott feinberg membership “extremely seriously,” sending out screeners to all 100,000-plus members of SAG-AFTRA at great cost.

They also work with the guilds’ schedules, beginning nearly a year in advance of the first awards ceremony, to ensure that their members have ample consideration opportunities, including screenings, Q&As, DVDs, streaming options, and unique mailers. “The industry really values the SAG-AFTRA membership’s opinion,” she says.

Jon Brockett, supervising producer of the SAG Awards, adds that the campaigners work assiduously to reach out to the members of SAG’s nominating committees for film and television. “I’ve seen a particular uptick in intensity throughout the years on reaching the SAG-AFTRA voters,” Brockett says. “If you look at my screenings and Q&A calendar, it’s packed in October, November, and early December.”

“If you do get a nomination or win, it can have a ricochet

effect,” says Feinberg. “It puts you on the radar of people who may not have been aware of you and makes people more inclined to check you out.”

everY (Best) PiCture tells a storY The Narrative

Even better than a flm with a compelling story line is an awards hopeful with his or her own compelling story line, whether that’s a cameout-of-nowhere Cinderella

photography by Christopher polk/getty images (weinstein); Christopher polk/wireimage (mCConaughey and moore). opposite page: Christopher polk/getty images

of balloting through the big galas, with a campaign’s price tag ranging from a modest $3 million to a staggering $25 million. Each step is strategically planned by a small, in-demand, highly secretive cadre of consultants—award whisperers, if you will—who chart out elaborate campaigns (including parties, stunts, special events, Q&As, advertising, magazine covers, media appearances, even the occasional smear tactic) with the precision of a political operative. Many of these specialists learned at the knee of the master awards strategist himself, Miramax cofounder Harvey Weinstein, a formidable awards-derby game changer since the late ’90s.

“The people who still are at the forefront of that profession are people who came out of the Miramax golden age, because they learned how to do it so well and because it was such a priority,” says Feinberg. “They had a lot of success with it, and now they’re applying what they do for other people!”

story (like Lupita Nyong’o), a two-childhood-pals-make-goodin-Hollywood tale (such as Matt Damon and Ben Affeck), the career-capping achievement of a deserving veteran (like Bruce Dern), or a dynamic comeback after a long absence (as with Michael Keaton).

“The centerpiece of any campaign is the narrative,” says Feinberg. “You create a story line that’s going to be repeated by journalists and on [magazine] covers, a story line that people will share with others.”

Competition for space in which to share that narrative can be fierce. “There’s a lot of jockeying,” says publicist Carol Marshall, whose clients, like filmmaker Peter Jackson (the lord of the rings film series, king kong), have been in heated awards races.

“And you have to be very strategic with when things run—you want to kind of spread it out a little bit.

There’s only so much you can talk about.”

Other increasingly critical places to share that narrative include the “second stage” film festivals at Palm Springs and Santa Barbara, guild- and Academy-heavy communities where awards contenders collect festival honors and share their stories with voting attendees. “This is their chance to hear what it was like to make any particular movie,” says Marshall. “It connects them to the film or to the project or to the actor in a way that just seeing the film doesn’t do.”

Yet even today, not everyone needs to make the rounds during awards season. “There are some people who just do very select things, and that’s enough,” Marshall adds.

“Does Meryl Streep need to

do 20 million events leading up to voting? No, she doesn’t.

And that’s to her credit. I think she steps back for a reason. Sometimes you have to let the work speak for itself.”

The Winner’s CirCle

For those who do dive deep into the process, however, there can be both a payoff

and a price. Patricia Arquette, who won the 2014 Oscar for best supporting actress for her performance in Boyhood, says she was pleased to work the system if it meant that more people would see the flm.

But the nonstop red carpets “kind of freaked me out,” she admits. “It was just getting too weird. I felt like, overnight, people wanted me in some

kind of way. Like they perceived me with so much more value. And it just made me uncomfortable, really. I just needed to take a deep breath and be with my family.

“And then I always forget I won it,” she chuckles.

“Someone will say, ‘You won the Oscar.’ And in my mind, I’m like, Whoa. I did.

Oh my God, I did.” LAC

“Does Meryl streep neeD to Do 20 Million events leaDing up to voting? no. soMetiMes you have to let the work speak for itself.”

—carol marshall

Campaign winners: Brit It man Eddie Redmayne scored his first statue last February for his lead performance in The Theory of Everything, just as newcomer Lupita Nyong’o (above) won hers the year before, for 12 Years a Slave.

la-confidential-magazine.com 73

culture Art Full Look of Revel-ations: Picture-perfect postcards of the lavish lifestyle of Louis XIV come to the Getty for the first time ever this month in the form of the Sun King’s tapestries, like this exquisite example, Autumn, completed in the mid-17th century, by Charles Le Brun, Adam Frans van der Meulen, and Isaac Moillon.

Louis! Louis!

Who was the original reality superstar chronicled exhaustively in the media?

The mesmerizing cynosure who draped himself in bling, wore elaborate coifs, built pleasure domes, proved that living regally was not only the best revenge, but had a gilded political and economic point—and even went so far as to liken himself to the chiseled gods? No, not Donald Trump…

It’s Louis XIV, the lustrously bewigged, legendary French Sun King who reigned 72 years (1643–1715). He manifested the chateau by which all mega mansions are measured (uh … Versailles?), made France Europe’s biggest economic and military muscle, and in so doing invented the “luxury brand,” a commodifiable concept that further promoted French power and prestige, which resonates to this very day in that Frenchiest of four-letter words: chic.

Leave it, then, to the Getty—the world’s richest museum, whose progenitor, oil magnate J. Paul Getty, was an avid collector of French decorative arts—to reflect and celebrate the Sun King’s material magnificence upon the 300th anniversary of his death.

Opening December 15 and running through May 1, 2016, “Woven Gold: Tapestries of Louis XIV” is the first major tapestry exhibition in the western U.S. in four decades. Highlighting 15 monumental tapestries (10 of which have never before been allowed out of France), this Great Hanging also demonstrates why tapestries were the ultimate power symbol. “Tapestries conveyed a prince’s status, wealth, erudition, aesthetic sophistication, and patronage,” explains the

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by andrew myers

Getty’s curator of sculpture and decorative arts, Charissa Bremer-David.

What makes these tapestries all that and a bowl of bouillabaisse? The greatest painters of their eras, such as Raphael and Rubens, had to conceive and paint the prototypes. As such, each tapestry was created by a veritable dream team of artists.

Further enlarging Louisland, “Louis XIV at the Getty,” a second exhibition running through July 31, 2016, highlights pieces culled from the Getty’s permanent collection made during Louis’ lifetime, including an eye-popping ivory table once owned by the king and housed at the now extinct Trianon de Porcelaine at Versailles, and which has a racy backstory. “It is supposed to have been made for Madame de Montespan, the mistress of Louis XIV,” says Anne-Lise Desmas, curator and head of the department of decorative arts and sculpture.

Finally, giving greater context to all things Louis, including his lesser-known father and progeny, “Louis Style: French Frames, 1610–1792” (through January 3, 2016) draws on the Getty’s substantial collection of French frames from five stylistic periods (Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Régence, Louis XV, and Louis XVI), and showcases the too-little-explored dialogue between a painting and its frame.

Says Getty Museum Director Timothy Potts: “Together these three exhibits provide a spectacular overview of the arts at the heights of ancien régime extravagance, and the impact the Sun King has had on taste up to the present day.” Plus ça change… 1200 Getty Center Dr., LA, 310-440-7300; getty.edu LAC

photography by LaWrENCE pErQUIs

Versailles is for the hoi polloi. this winter, Louis XiV reigns supreme at the Getty.

culture talent Patrol

A StAr GrowS in Brooklyn

…And Hollywood! witH A spAte of scenesteAling primo roles in four films And counting, Brooklyn’s Emory CohEn is on His wAy to tHe lAnd of oscAr. by juliet izon

“I thought, ‘Oh, they are never gonna cast me, not in a million years,’” actor Emory Cohen recollects about his star turn in the critical hit, Brooklyn. “Then, I got a call from [director] John Crowley and I ended the conversation with, ‘You know, I’d love to do this film.’

And John said, ‘Well, come on and do it, already!’

That’s the first time that has ever happened to me.”

And it certainly won’t be the last. Cohen, who plays heart-on-his-sleeve Italian-American Tony Fiorello opposite Saoirse Ronan’s Irish immigrant Eilis Lacey, turns in a performance that is both heartfelt and, at times, heartbreaking. “We’re both 0-to-100-type guys,” he says of his character. “When we’re in, we’re in. I understood that element of him.”

But Cohen was also dedicated to understanding the elements of Tony that were dissimilar to his own life.

“I spent about three months prepping this role,” he says. “I did a lot of research on the journey of Italian immigrants to New York.”

Emory DoEs LA EggcEllEnt!: “For breakfast, I love Alcove Café (1929 Hillhurst Ave., LA, 323-644-0100; alcovecafe.com) in Los Feliz. It’s got a neighborhood feel to it, and they make perfect omelets.”

Hollywood HustlE: “LA, in general, has that ‘wild west’ feeling, where it feels like you’re going out there trying to gun down jobs. You’re hustling and I like that aspect of it.”

The kid’s alright! At the august age of 25, actor Emory Cohen is pulling one star turn after another, and Hollywood’s big boys are taking note.

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Research of the academic kind is something Cohen may come by honestly: “The people in my family are mostly teachers,” he says. “Just a bunch of lunatic New York Jews! We’re all very intense and very emotional.” Cohen learned to channel that personality trait into performing at an early age, working at the adult division of the Atlantic Acting School by age 17. “I got hooked once I got into the craft of it because I was a very emotional kid,” he says.

“Through acting, I finally had a use for these feelings. It made me feel like less of a weirdo.”

And casting directors are taking note of Cohen’s immense talent: He’ll be seen later this season in both the drama Vincent-N-Roxxy, alongside Emile Hirsch and Zoë Kravitz, as well as playing the lead in indie film Stealing Cars, with John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman, and William H. Macy. “I’ve been fortunate,” he says. “I’m 25 and I’ve done 17 or 18 films.” There are a few characters, however, that he’s dying to play (no pun intended): “I’m torn between being a zombie or a vampire,” he laughs. “You know, heavy-duty stuff like that.” LAC

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LARRY BUSACCA/GETTY IMAGES

supErb saoirsE: “[Saoirse Ronan’s] a brilliant actress. I was very nervous; I was much shyer around her than I normally am!”

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JANUARY 28 –31 2016 | THE BARKER HANGAR ART LOS ANGELES CONTEMPORARY IS PRODUCED BY FAIR GROUNDS ASSOCIATES. ARTLOSANGELESFAIR.COM

INVITED Shooting star! Lakers sophomore Jordan Clarkson is ready to shine—in high style—in his second season wearing the purple and gold.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEROD HARRIS/GETTY IMAGES

MEN OF THE HOUR

THE CITY’S MOST STYLISH STUDS CHECKED INTO LOS ANGELES ATHLETIC CLUB TO FÊTE LAC’S OCTOBER ISSUE. BY KELSEY MARRUJO Los Angeles Confidential saluted the trendsetters featured in its annual October Men’s Issue, including rising NBA star Jordan Clarkson of the Los Angeles Lakers, with an ultra-privé cocktail CONTINUED ON PAGE 80

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INVITED Bobby Bennett and Marc Berger

Travis Strickland, Amber Eckerlund, Catherine Shu, and Karim Ceran

Jack McClinton and Jordan Clarkson

reception at Los Angeles Athletic Club in Downtown. Luxury menswear brand Canali sponsored the affair, hosting an on-site giveaway and presenting guests with exclusive gift bags. Attendees mingled in the sports-themed venue’s polished Olympic Lounge, sampling canapés, enjoying Voss Water, and imbibing cocktails courtesy of Casa Noble tequila—all set to the music of DJ Milo Rock.

David Fynn and Lauren Murphy

Neno and Sanja Mladenovic

Melia Kreiling and Jonas Bell Pasht

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Bradley Kohn

DJ Milo Rock

Guests entered a drawing to win a luxe silk and cashmere scarf from Canali.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARAYA DIAZ/GETTY IMAGES, JEROD HARRIS/GETTY IMAGES, AND JASON KING

Jada Paris and Trey Cameron

Shawne Merriman

Š2015 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. 14-ADV-15941

INVITED

Jesse Warren and Allison Henry

Kate Lapotosky, Ramon Christian, Maggie Davis, and Eric Gross

Maggie Geha

Allison McAtee

IVY FASHION NIGHT

SOCIAL CLUB IVY PRESENTED a unique night of fashion and cocktails at Skybar at the Mondrian in honor of 2015 LA Fashion Week. Sponsored by Icelandic Glacial, Los Angeles Confidential, and Glamsquad, the event spotlighted burgeoning designer Maria Korovilas’s latest collection before an audience of young trendsetters in the fashion industry.

Jason Dee and Erin Everly

Anthony Kelani

John Legend

Luke Grimes

Miles Teller

Orlando Bloom

Michael Polish and Kate Bosworth

DIOR HOMME COCKTAIL PARTY MEN’S DESIGNER FASHION brand Dior

Homme held an elegant cocktail party at Chateau Marmont, hosted by Creative Director Kris Van Assche, to kick off the fall season. A bevy of A-list James Marsden and Glen Powell

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supporters gathered at the famed venue, including Orlando Bloom, Jeremy Irvine, and Anton Yelchin, who arrived clad in Dior Homme in honor of the fashion-forward occasion.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON DO (IVY); DONATO SARDELLA/GETTY IMAGES (DIOR HOMME)

Nick Young

WHAT DO YOU GET TE PERSON WHO HAS EVERYTING? AN OBSESSION.

STREAM LIVE OR ON–DEMAND CYCLING CLASSES DIRECTLY TO YOUR HOME. VISIT PELOTONCYCLE.COM.

RIDE NOW

INVITED // style spotlight //

DENIM DOLLS H’WOOD’S IT GIRLS EXCHANGED RED-CARPET DUDS FOR CASUAL WEAR AT THE ALLIANCE OF MOMS’ RAISING BABY EVENT, ROCKING FITTED JEANS AS THEY VOLUNTEERED TO

Celia Chen, Eliza Osborne, and Kelly Lamb

Laura Hyatt and Marcy Miller

SUPPORT THE CHARITABLE DAY’S HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS.

LAND’S ALL SOULS EVE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Los

Ellen Page and Samantha Thomas

Mieke Marple

Shamim Momin

Natasha J. Wagner

1 1. Rachel Bilson 2. Kristen Bell Claressinka Anderson Pugliese and Fay Ray

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Kim Fisher

2

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARLY ERICKSON/BFA.COM (LAND ART); GETTY IMAGES FOR ALLIANCE OF MOMS (DENIM).

OPPOSITE PAGE: GETTY IMAGES FOR PETA (PETA); MATHEW IMAGING (PHILHARMONIC)

Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND), which curates site-specific public art exhibitions across the country, held its sixth annual art auction and benefit at the Ebell of Los Angeles. The event, hosted by LAND founding director and curator Shamim Momin, honored visual artist Cameron and culinary artist Craig Thornton.

Joanna Krupa

Jason Biggs and Maggie Q

Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee

Alicia Silverstone and James Cromwell

Joaquin Phoenix

PETA’S 35TH ANNIVERSARY GALA PETA TOASTED ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY with an awards ceremony hosted by Anjelica Huston and Pamela Anderson, doling out much-deserved honors to advocates like Jason Biggs, Alicia Silverstone, and Jillian Michaels

for their efforts in halting animal cruelty. The evening culminated in an exclusive performance by Sir Paul McCartney, accompanied by Beck, before the sold-out crowd at the Hollywood Palladium.

Rob Zombie

Alejandro González Iñárritu and Gustavo Dudamel

Julie Andrews

Herbie Hancock

Bryce Dallas Howard

Hilary Swank

Gael García Bernal

LA PHILHARMONIC OPENING NIGHT THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC launched its 2015/2016

season with the opening night gala The Brilliance of Beethoven at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The black-tie affair spotlighted not only the LA Philharmonic but also music and artistic director extraordinaire Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. To top off the evening, the Los Angeles Master Chorale graced the stage, performing the final “Ode to Joy” movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Kate Burton

Amy Wakeland and Mayor Eric Garcetti

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SPonSoREd

Luxury Suite at The Palazzo

Bathroom at The Palazzo

ULTImATE GETAWAy

EvEry KEy UnlocKs a sUitE

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Indulge at The Palazzo® Las Vegas, where each guest is royalty.

Prestige at The Palazzo

Guests of The Palazzo can expect a level of pampering that begins and ends each day in spacious accommodations beyond anything the city has to offer. Every room at The Palazzo is a suite, starting at twice the size of the average Las Vegas hotel room. The suites at The Palazzo were created specifically to appeal to guests with impeccable taste who expect world-class treatment and spacious resort living.

A leader in the luxury market, The Palazzo has enhanced its Bella Suite with stunning architectural features, such as a sunken living room that makes receiving friends for pre-dinner cocktails a luxurious treat. Guests can indulge in a relaxing bubble bath in the 130-square-foot bathroom’s soaking tub, which is complemented by a separate, glass-enclosed shower.

At 720 square feet, the exquisitely appointed Bella Suite is replete with lavish amenities that include remote-controlled shades and curtains, luxurious Anichini linens, a full menu of pillows to customize your comfort, and three plasma televisions, including a 17-inch flat-screen

embedded in the bathroom mirror. With opulently curated accommodations like these, you may never want to leave your suite — and with a gourmet in-suite dining menu at your fingertips, you won’t have to.

Elevating your Las Vegas experience even further is Prestige at The Palazzo. From a private check-in on the 23rd floor accompanied by a glass of sparkling prosecco to a butler unpacking your belongings, guests who book Prestige can expect first-class treatment.

Prestige’s top-flight services include everything from a personal concierge, who can secure show tickets, hard-to-get dinner reservations, or book in-suite massages from Canyon Ranch SpaClub®, to gaining entry to the exclusive Prestige private lounge to nosh on a never-ending flow of food and beverages.

It is indulgent touches and conveniences like these that make staying at The Palazzo the ultimate Las Vegas luxury. Come, stay, and experience an opulence like no other.

Visit Palazzo.com for reservations.

Feed your mind, body, and spirit at Canyon ranCh spaClub® Get your heart rate up scaling by the SpaClub’s 40-foot indoor rock-climbing wall, exercising in the Pilates studio, or spinning in the indoor cycling studio.

Unwind in the soothing “sea air” of the Salt Grotto or the aromatic humidity of the Herbal Laconium after soaking in the HydroSpa’s massage fountains.

Indulge in a reenergizing ritual bath, body scrub, hydrating facial, aromatherapy treatment, or deep-massage therapy to rebalance energy and release tension.

Satiate your appetite at Canyon Ranch Café, where organic ingredients are orchestrated into a deliciously natural experience of ancient grains, grass-fed beef, and river-fresh wild salmon.

100% BLUE AGAVE | TRIPLE DISTILLED | LUXURY TEQUILA

W W W. C A S A N O B L E . C O M Please enjoy Casa Noble responsibly. © 2015 Casa Noble Imports, Canandaigua, NY. Tequila. 40% alc./vol.

taste Celeb-rated!

Cuisine Artists

What do tWo smokin’ dJs, asian grub, and aWards season share in common?

E.P. & L.P., La’s ceLeb spot du soir. by jen jones donatelli

photography by jessica sample

Pair an award-winning chef who attended high school with Iggy Azalea with two high-profile DJs (one as a silent investor) and a real estate/hospitality guru, and the result is a stellar team with celeb cred in both the culinary and music spheres. They’re all in the mix at West Hollywood’s hottest new hang, E.P. & L.P.—an “eating and drinking house” spanning three floors and the spectrum of Southeast Asian cuisine.

“Music, fashion, art, and design are our big drivers,” says co-owner David Combes. “That’s the type of demographic we’re looking to attract.”

So far, it’s working—notable clientele has included A-listers Matt Damon, Queen Latifah, Gerard Butler, Don Cheadle, and Christoph Waltz.

And there’s certainly something for everyone. The restaurant is split into three different concepts: E.P. (serving what Combes calls “elevated Asian fare”); L.P. (a greenery-laden rooftop lounge with a street foodcentric menu); and Frankie’s (a private rooftop VIP area). Although the menu is primarily Thai-oriented, Executive Chef Louis Tikaram’s continued on page 90

WeHo-hit wonder: With its celeb-heavy clientele (and ownership) and delectable Southeast Asian fare—like this scallop and mussel curry with turmeric, coconut, and galangal —E.P. & L.P. is lighting LA’s Restaurant Row ablaze anew.

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TASTE The L.P. rooftop bar serves up chart-topping cocktails and bar bites, like oysters and bao buns, until 2 AM every night. BELOW, FROM LEFT: Executive Chef Louis Tikaram with co-owners Grant Smillie and David Combes; kokoda, or Fijian-style ceviche, with Baja rock shrimp, coconut milk, lime, and chili.

And the Award Goes To…

LAÕS CELEBRITY RESTAURANT OWNERS PICK THE WINNERSÑFROM THEIR OWN MENUS! BY ERIC ROSEN

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Moby

Ryan Seacrest

Eva Longoria

Joe Jonas

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA SAMPLE (ROOFTOP BAR, TIKARAM, KOKODA); LILY LAWRENCE/GETTY IMAGES (MOBY); DONATO SARDELLA/WIREIMAGE (SEACREST); GREGG DEGUIRE/WIREIMAGE (LONGORIA); TAYLOR HILL/FILMMAGIC (JONAS)

approach also incorporates Chinese, Fijian, and Vietnamese touches.

It’s something Tikaram and the team feel uniquely qualified to do, hailing from Australia’s red-hot Asian food scene. “People joke about the national dish being kangaroo, but our national cuisine is primarily Asian,” says coowner Grant Smillie, who is also a house-music DJ in Australia. “If you described this project in a tweet, it would be ‘two crazy Australians with a Fijian chef coming to America to cook Thai food.’”

The result? Shareable, flavorful dishes like Fijian-style ceviche, woodgrilled lamb neck with chili jam, and hot-and-sour Wagyu tartare. The menu upstairs resembles more of what one might find at an Asian hawker bar— think soft-shell crab buns, Thai-style jerky, and Boba-infused cocktails.

Tikaram amps up each dish with locally grown Southeast Asian staples, such as galangal, lemongrass, and turmeric. “When I came over [to America], I learned that all of these ingredients grew locally,” says Tikaram. “People don’t understand that you can get them here—I want to expose this type of produce to people in California.”

And then there’s the cultural aspect. Along with the vinyl-inspired moniker, the musical influence is evident from the moment one enters. A row of vintage albums decorates the maître d’ stand (all plucked from Smillie’s collection of 30,000 records), while carefully curated playlists and copper turntables provide the soundtrack. Those in the know also realize that one of the restaurant’s silent partners is DJ Axwell, of Swedish House Mafia fame.

Smillie plans to capitalize on their collective music connections with Grammy parties, BBC Radio One showcases, exclusive album previews, and music-centric documentary showings on the rooftop. And there’s talk of opening another location Downtown.

But, for now, they’re content at the prime corner of Melrose and La Cienega, at the start of LA’s famous Restaurant Row. From Combes’ perspective, their biggest draw is the food, along with the creative forces behind it—which is exactly why the front-row seats at E.P. & L.P. are at the chef’s counter and custom onyx chef’s table. “It’s all about having an open kitchen so diners can see the show,” he says. “Chefs are the new rock stars rolling through town!”

603 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, 310-855-9955; eplosangeles.com LAC

Back in the ’90s and early aughts, it seemed like every A-lister was publicly investing in restaurants.

The trend seemed to die down for a while, but lately, the celebrity-owned restaurant has quietly returned, with stars taking on minority investment stakes and silent-partner roles all over town. Just in time for awards season, we turned the table and asked these Tinseltown luminaries about their personal favorite dishes from their own hot spots.

Most recently, vegan restaurant Little Pine (2870 Rowena Ave., LA, 323-741-8148; littlepine restaurant.com), in Silver Lake, opened with musician Moby at the helm. “I plan to integrate some of my favorite organic ingredients from the dishes I make at home, such as a kimchi pasta fagioli, into the menu at the restaurant,” says the music star about the Mediterranean-inspired fare.

You will often find host extraordinaire Ryan Seacrest holding court at Bouchon Bistro (235 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-9910; bouchon bistro.com), where he is an investor. “Brunch on Sunday morning has an amazing menu of options, including some of my favorites, trout almondine and grilled salmon,” he says. But his number-one choice at Thomas Keller’s casual-chic bistro is “hands down the fried chicken. It’s golden perfection!”

Eva Longoria explains, “I love to cook for my friends, and I’m renowned for my tortilla soup and guacamole. So when we were designing the menu for Beso (6350 Hollywood Blvd., LA, 323467-7991; besohollywood.com), I had to make sure both items were included.” The star even goes so far as to taste test on visits to the restaurant. “When I am at Beso, I always make sure to pop into the kitchen and taste the soup, just like I would at home. It has to be just right!”

Musician/actor Joe Jonas is one of the minority investors in new SaMo hot spot Hinterland (2917 Main St., Santa Monica, 310-399-0805; hinterland.la), where the menu melds Southern flavors with coastal cuisine. Jonas says, “My favorite dish at Hinterland is the shrimp and grits. Chef Max [DiMare] has done a great job taking an old Southern classic and putting a new spin on it.”

These restaurants are not just celebrity-owned, they are celebrity-approved. Now that’s a delicious endorsement! LAC

taste Heritage “The very definiTion of ‘crafT’ is someThing we have been doing for hundreds of years.”

—carl nolet jr.

Going Dutch!

in an exclusive interview, the Nolet family celebrates 325 years of distilling some of the world’s most sublime spirits—including vodka superstar etel oNe. by matt stewart Today the Nolet family, headed by Carolus “Carl” Sr., 74, and his sons, Carl Jr., 47, and Bob, 45, is known internationally as the maker of the enormously popular Ketel One vodka. But Ketel One is just the tip of the iceberg for this family business, which for 11 generations has been distilling fine spirits in the Dutch town of Schiedam, adjacent to the port city of Rotterdam. Founded in 1230, Schiedam was already a major spirits center (known mainly for Jenever or “Holland gin”) when Joanness Nolet established his distillery there in 1691.

The family has spent more than three centuries building the business, turning it into a leading player in the global spirits market, with distribution in more than 90 countries. “The very definition of ‘craft’ is something we have been doing for hundreds of years,” says Carl Jr., “though, at 325 [years old], we are a relative newcomer in Schiedam.”

The Dutch are a resilient people who have created a thriving culture and economy on land reclaimed from the sea. The Nolet family embodies this unwavering spirit, as they have faced countless challenges over the years. The political instability that gripped Europe at the end of the 18th century, in the aftermath of the French Revolution, tested the business. In the mid-19th century, the development of the column still (then a new, more efficient way of distilling) allowed for increased production of purer neutral spirits, leading to a price war that wiped out many of the distilleries in Schiedam.

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ketel 101 Sample Ketel One with this El Holandes Valiente cocktail from top barkeep Juan Martinez at Toca Madera (8450 W. Third St., LA, 323-8529400; tocamadera.com). ingredients:

1 oz. Ketel One vodka 1 oz. Strega liqueur 1 oz. kumquat-thyme syrup 1 oz. ginger syrup 1 oz. lime juice Shake with a sprig of thyme and sliced kumquats and strain over fresh, crushed ice.

Top with a splash of tonic water and garnish with a sprig of clapped thyme.

Nolet was one of the very few Schiedam distilleries able to survive in postwar Europe.

The Nolet Distillery not only survived, but the family employed the technology to create more-refined spirits than ever before. During the Nazi invasion, the distillery was all but shut down, and Carl Sr.’s father, Paulus, turned the property into a safe haven for Jews escaping to England (the office used by Carl Sr. today proudly displays a mural painted by a Jewish artist during his refuge there). Nolet was one of a handful of Schiedam distilleries that were able to survive in a postwar Europe left in physical and economic tatters. In the early ’80s, after a “cocktail tour” of the US, Carl Sr. made the strategic decision to expand into the premium vodka market that was booming with American consumers. “I knew that I would have to spend 100 percent of my efforts to save the cOnTinuEd On pAgE 94

photography by gino van meenen (family)

Proost! The Nolet family (from left: Bob, Carl Sr., and Carl Jr.) toasts 325 years in business with a special anniversary bottle of Ketel One vodka.

taste Heritage

Family ties: This limited-edition anniversary bottle borrows its design from the distillery’s front gate and the family crest. below: The Nolet men work together in every facet of the company’s operation.

The 10-year-old De Nolet windmill not only embraces Schiedam’s agricultural heritage; it also produces 20 percent of the energy used by the distillery.

family business,” he remembers.

After several years of experimenting with his great-grandfather’s recipe for wheat-based vodka, Carl Sr. realized that the cleanest, crispest taste possible resulted from combining the heaviertasting spirits from Distilleer Ketel 1, the distillery’s oldest coal-fired copper pot still, with the lighter product from the column still—and Ketel One was born. In 1983, Carl Sr. brought the vodka to the US. His plan was to introduce it to America through the best establishments and

most-noted bartenders, building interest by word of mouth. Carl Jr. and Bob joined in helping expand Ketel One’s presence, armed with their father’s mantra, “Don’t oversell; find people who want to try it.” This strategy helped Ketel One achieve stratospheric growth, selling 1 million cases a year by 2002.

Other milestones followed, including the launch of Ketel One Citroen in 2000 and Ketel One Oranje in 2010; a partnership with global distributor Diageo in 2008 to take the company’s expansion to the next level; and, most

94 la-confidential-magazine.com

recently, drinks International’s recognition of Ketel One as the best-selling vodka and most trending vodka in 2015.

As the Nolets prepare to celebrate the 325th anniversary of their distillery with the release of a limited-edition Ketel One vodka bottle, incorporating key elements of the brand’s history and inspirations into its design, Carl Sr. and his sons take pride in their continued stewardship of the family enterprise. “It is our duty,” says Bob, “to leave both the business and the town of Schiedam healthy, and to build their future.” LAC

// distill responsibly //

GOOD NEIGHBORS the nolet family has invested in the long-term well-being of their business with environmental and social practices that make it not only a model for progressive operations, but also help maintain the health and beauty of their hometown, schiedam.

Early 1980s: carl sr. incorporates air purifers into the exhaust system of the coal-fred still to improve air quality in schiedam.

2005: the 141-foot-tall de nolet windmill (which is actually a wind turbine) is built, providing 20 percent of the distillery’s power while refecting schiedam’s heritage.

2007: to eliminate heavy truck traffc in town, the nolet family digs the netherlands’ only privately owned tunnel to connect the distillery with its distribution center on the opposite bank of the buitensluis canal.

photography by gino van meenen (family); courtesy of the nolet family (windmill)

“It Is our duty to leave both the busIness and the town of schIedam healthy and to buIld theIr future.”—bob nolet

ELTON JOHN MUSIC IS LOVE FOR

Proceeds to benefit

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TasTe spotlight Going global! The Belvedere’s menu re-do includes a Mediterraneaninspired fattoush salad with charred pita, Feta, cucumber, and parsleybuttermilk dressing.

limited editions

Holiday CHeers

Cozy up to Salt & Straw’s all-new holiday flavors, including bourbonpecan pie.

This season, give the gift of a special pour. The suitably festive Cordon Rouge Gift Pack ($40) from Grand Marnier includes a full-size 750mL bottle of the original Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge and a smaller, 375mL bottle of Grand Marnier Raspberry

France. grand-marnier.com Champagne house Perrier-Jouët brings a little extra sparkle to the

Chef David Codney sources some of the restaurant’s produce straight from its rooftop garden.

holidays this year with the release of its 2007 Limited Edition Belle Époque ($235). The vintage comes in a specially designed

Not only did Portland-based artisanal ice cream shop Salt & Straw open a new location on Abbot Kinney this fall (with plans to set up shop in the Arts District in early 2016), it now debuts a slate of all-new seasonal favors. Among the holiday-inspired varieties unveiled in November were sweet-potato casserole and salted-caramel turkey brittle; come December, expect the likes of peppermint-cocoa, bourbon-pecan pie, and spiked butterscotch eggnog. 1357 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice; 240 N. Larchmont Blvd., LA, 323466-0485; saltandstraw.com

bottle (below), courtesy of

Oh-So-Med!

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The Belvedere at The Peninsula GEtS a EURO-CHIC REVaMP. by eric rosen

takes inspiration from a garden in bloom and features a landscape of

Long a Hollywood power players’ preferred deal-making spot, The Belvedere restaurant at The Peninsula Beverly Hills (9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310- 975-2736; peninsula .com/beverlyhills) reopens this winter after three months of renovation. The new space boasts stunning, French-inspired interiors; an expanded patio surrounding an oversize tree; new, significant artwork (think: paintings by Alex Katz and Sean Scully); and a new, creative menu offering Mediterranean-inspired dishes with a strong emphasis on seafood and fresh-caught fish. (You will still be able to find some old favorites, though, like the truffle mac and cheese—by special request.) There will also be 50 wines available by the glass or carafe, including rare and vintage pours, seasonal cocktails, and a selection of California craft microbrews. LAC

This winter, Bouchon Bistro classics, like its famous burger, won’t break the bank.

salt & straw goes seasonal

butterflies, dragonflies, and white Japanese anemones.

// happy hour 2.0 //

perrier-jouet.com

12 days of soufflé

This year, make your Christmas countdown a sweet one. “The most popular desserts at the Polo Lounge are our signature souffés, so we decided to introduce holidaythemed selections,” says Executive Pastry Chef Michael Aguilar.

The iconic LA restaurant, at The Beverly Hills Hotel, will offer a different favor for each of the 12 days leading up to Christmas (December 14–25), including candy cane (pictured), gingerbread, and eggnog ($20 each). 9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-887-2777; dorchestercollection.com

Raising the BaR

While celebrity hot spot Bouchon Beverly Hills (235 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-9910; bouchonbeverlyhills.com) may be among LA’s paparazzi-worthy restaurants, A-list chef Thomas Keller doesn’t think dinner there should have to cost a fortune. This winter, Bouchon Bistro’s second-foor Belle Époque–inspired zinc bar will serve a special dinner starting at 5 pm daily. Pull up an haute bar stool and order from the new $20 menu featuring Keller’s and chef de cuisine David Hands’s fve favorite dishes, including the bistro’s famous roast chicken and classic burger—alongside a glass of beer or house wine.

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photography by JaKob N. LayMaN (SaLaD); thE pENINSULa bEVErLy hILLS (CoDNEy); CoUrtESy oF SaLt & StraW (ICE CrEaM); thE bEVErLy hILLS hotEL (SoUFFLé); NoEL barNhUrSt (haMbUrgEr)

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All funked up! “I spent 10 years paying my dues,� says the one-time house-party DJ-turned prolific producer and fashion darling, Mark Ronson, here dolled up in a blazer ($1,360) and trousers ($675) by Marc Jacobs. 8400 Melrose Pl., LA, 323-653-5100; marcjacobs.com.

Short-sleeved shirt, Paul Smith ($375). 8221 Melrose Ave., LA, 323-951-4800; paulsmith.co.uk

uptoWn Boy by luke crisell PHOTOGrAPHy by kArl siMONe

The too-kool-for-school king of postmodern Pop—Mark ronson—is at it again. Just in time for Grammys.

Watching him slouched on a crescent-shaped purple sofa in a midtown New York City hotel suite, it’s very easy to mistake Mark Ronson’s sangfroid for lackadaisicalness. Listen to the way he delivers every sentence, chewing the syllables like cud, and it becomes even easier. But talk to the people who know him, and look at the sheer scope and quantity of his musical output, and it quickly becomes clear this is a man whose measured demeanor and diplomatic delivery belie an intensity as well as a passion for music that has made him one of the most in-demand producers in the world.

Ronson’s latest album, Uptown Special, was released last January and marked one of the year’s high watermarks on the Pop charts— Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon even wrote many of the lyrics. And, of course, on that record is the most popular song of the year, a Grammy favorite omnipresent on radio stations around the world and, let’s be honest, the reason Mark Ronson is now a household name: “Uptown Funk.” With 1,150,000,000 views on YouTube (and counting), it’s the kind of song that only comes along very rarely, and when it does, can permanently alter the course of Pop music, sending it rushing headlong into new and unexpected places, full of fresh and unfamiliar sounds.

It would be hard to overstate the success of “Uptown Funk,” which was produced by Jeff Bhasker (who has worked with Jay Z, Kanye West, and The Rolling Stones, among many others) and features the unmistakable vocal delivery of Bruno Mars (who cowrote and co-produced the track). And it’s difficult to underestimate its significance: Put simply, it’s one of the biggest singles in Pop-music history, on a seemingly unshakeable course to win a Grammy for Record of the Year.

“We were messing around in Bruno’s studio in Hollywood,” Ronson, 40, says, “and Bruno’s like, ‘I got an idea! I got an idea!’ And he got behind the drums and starts making a straight beat. And Jeff starts playing this bass line and we ended up writing the lyrics to the first verse that night.” But the rest of the process wasn’t as seamless.

“Every time we got together, we never had that spontaneity,” Ronson says. “We’d try to write another part and we’d lose the magic.” Adds

Bhasker: “It took pretty much nine months to get it to the form it ended up in,” he says. “It was a lot of hair pulling and teeth pulling and second, third, fourth, and fifth guessing of each other. But the Rubik’s Cube got solved, which doesn’t always happen.”

Everything finally came together in London, when Bruno was passing through the city for a festival. “I knew if it didn’t happen then, it wasn’t going to happen at all,” Ronson recalls. They nailed Mars’s part in the studio, then Ronson and Bhasker went for lunch, where Ronson promptly fainted in the bathroom. “We’d done like 80 versions [of the song],” Bhasker says. “I’m more of an optimist, but Mark’s very much like: beat your head against the wall until the wall comes down. He left the table and I was like, ‘Something’s not right,’ so I went to check on him and he was incapacitated on the floor.” Bhasker had tasked Ronson with making sure his guitar part was “really, really special: something Nile Rodgers would listen to and say, ‘OK, that’s legit.’” Wouldn’t statements like that stress Ronson out a little? Bhasker laughs: “Well, it’s not that hard to do: He’s a pretty tightly wound fella.”

Nevertheless, that afternoon, “Uptown Funk” was born. Even now, it’s still finding new fans. “The song has been claimed by the under-12 set,” Ronson says. “My friend’s son was really into it and was like, ‘Daddy, is there more music like ‘Uptown Funk’?” The kid is now listening to Rick James and early Prince.

Ronson, Who noW lives in london, was born and reared in the tony suburb of St. Johns Wood. When he was eight years old, his parents divorced and his mother, Ann Dexter, moved the family—Ronson and his younger twin sisters, Charlotte (now a fashion designer) and Samantha (now a DJ)—to New York, where she married Mick Jones, the guitarist of Foreigner. Ronson and family lived in the San Remo, one of the swankiest residential buildings in New York, and became friends with Sean Lennon, who lived a stone’s throw away in the Dakota. It was a privileged and eventful childhood, one to which many attributed his subsequent success as a DJ. “The family thing is cool, I guess,” he says, somewhat

la-confidential-magazine.com 101

“It’s good that I dIdn’t get my fIrst success untIl I was 30. I partIed quIte a lot around that tIme but there was no way I was goIng to squander It In the way I mIght have If It had happened to me when I was 24.”

—mark ronson

opposite page: Three-piece suit ($2,995) and dress shoes ($845), Dolce & Gabbana. Beverly Center, Beverly Hills, 310-3607282; dolcegabbana.com.

Shirt, Marc Jacobs ($540). 8400 Melrose Pl., LA, 323-653-5100; marcjacobs.com

Shirt, Gucci ($1,020). 347 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-3451; gucci.com.

Brown slip-ons, Jimmy Choo (price on request).

240 Via Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-860-9045; jimmychoo.com. Suit pants, Ronson’s own

la-confidential-magazine.com  103

“If uptown special wasn’t good, then I was pretty much over. I just felt lIke If I’m goIng to do somethIng It has to be the shIt that I know I do great.”

—mark ronson

Suit, Bottega Veneta (price on request). 457 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-858-6533; bottegaveneta.com. Socks, Falke ($30). Douglas Fir, 8311 W. 3rd St., LA, 323-651-5445; falke.com. Monk strap shoes, Marc Jacobs ($865). 8400 Melrose Pl., LA, 323-6535100; marcjacobs.com. Shirt and watch, Ronson’s own Styling by Kashi Mai Somers Grooming by Jessica Ortiz for Living Proof at The Wall Group Photo assistant: Ned Witrogen Location: PHD Terrace and The Rickey lounge at the Dream Hotel Midtown, New York City. dreamhotels.com

reluctantly. “There are the fun anecdotes, like my mom and Paul McCartney saving me when I was drowning. I don’t even know if any of that stuff is true. It’s just par for the course at this point.”

As a teenager, Ronson began DJing around the city with turntables he received as a high-school graduation present. He soon progressed from house parties in his Upper West Side neighborhood to nightclubs downtown. “When I became known... it was because I was DJing fashion parties. And suddenly it goes from music heads knowing your name to seeing your name in the newspaper. It’s so easy for everyone to say, ‘Oh, he just got that because his mom is the cool woman around town and his dad is a musician,’ and, obviously, that used to drive me crazy.” He perks up a bit here. “But no, I spent ten years paying my dues at these clubs.

That’s why people know me: because I’m good at what I do!”

He also found some important fans, which didn’t hurt his ascension. “I remember DJing at [the club] Life, and Puffy [Sean Combs] was at one table, Jay Z at another, and Chris Rock walks in with Rick Rubin,” he says. “It was crazy. Puffy came up to me and asked for my number, then took me to do a couple of gigs. Jay Z started hiring me to DJ his album launch parties.” Jay Z’s track, “So Ghetto,” released at the height of this era in 1999, includes the lines: “Wednesdays I’m up in Shine, Cheetah’s Monday night/ I’m f--kin’ with the model chicks Friday night at Life.” “And the cool thing about that,” says Ronson, allowing himself a little smile, “was that all three were my residencies at the clubs.” This was the era of Funkmaster Flex and Stretch Armstrong, well before the rise of EDM: DJs were there to make people dance, not to be idolized. “You wouldn’t even know where the DJ booth was,” Ronson remembers. “You came to be shown a great time.

That’s the thing that kind of unnerves me when I DJ now. They come and stand and stare at you on a stage. And I’m [always] saying: ‘Guys, turn around and dance, you don’t need to look at me!’”

Ronson is clearly done apologizing: “It’s not even a chip [on my shoulder] anymore,” he says, leaning back and putting his arms over his head. “I got to prove the haters wrong. There are 1,000 reasons for me to get down about stuff, but what I realize is: Those are things you can’t control. The things you can control are doing good work, putting your head down, and going to the studio. Making records that feel good, DJing, and just bringing a f--king great time to people.”

Outside the hOtel, the rain is torrential. Sirens ricochet between the buildings, a cacophony so familiar in New York it seems to not be there at all. Earlier, when Ronson was wrapping a photo shoot downstairs, I asked him if he wanted to get changed before our interview: he was, after all, still wearing a vintage cream ’70s-style suit, complete with extra-wide lapels and bell bottoms. Ten minutes later he emerged in what looked to be almost the same suit, only in an emerald green. (The cream one, it turns out, was his as well.) “I definitely don’t have just one style,” he says. “If something is beautifully made or well-designed, it’s almost like a piece of music. It says something to you. It actually elicits an emotion.”

Beloved by the fashion set, Ronson modeled for Tommy Hilfiger (in a campaign along with a very young Britney Spears), and had a cameo in Zoolander. At 27, he made his first record, Here Comes the Fuzz. It bombed, but the single “Ooh Wee” and Ronson’s subsequent production of Nikka Costa’s album got him noticed.

“You have a little moment where you’re the new hot guy, but you

can only be that guy with the buzz for a little bit,” he says. He was friendly with Kanye West, having worked on the single “Jesus Walks,” and the producer Danger Mouse, but couldn’t seem to accomplish anything close to what they were achieving. “Seeing these guys be massive while I was doing the same old shit and writing the music for TV commercials, I genuinely thought, ‘Maybe I’m not cut out for this. I’ve got a girlfriend, I’ve got a dog: that sounds sensible.’” It was then that Ronson met Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen.

He would produce albums for both of them, but it was the late Winehouse’s now-classic record, Back to Black, that pushed Ronson into the global spotlight (he won his first Grammy for Producer of the Year, in addition to Winehouse’s wins for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album). “I just liked her instantly,” he says.

“I’ve been in the room with the most talented young writers of their generation, but she had those divine bouts of inspiration that you see in the movies. Most people don’t have the balls to be that honest.” The album, which came out in 2006, sold 3 million copies in the US alone. The phone started ringing again. “It’s probably good that I didn’t get my first success until I was 30 because I appreciated it so much [more] by the time it came,” he says. “I was a bit of an idiot and partied quite a lot around 2006, 2007, but there was no way that I was going to squander it in the way that I might have done if it had happened to me when I was 24. Everything happens for a reason.”

A couple more solo albums followed—the successful Version in 2007 and the less successful Record Collection in 2010—but by this point Ronson was more concerned with quality than shifting units. He married the French actress and singer Joséphine de La Baume and started to take a more considered approach to making music. “I knew with Uptown Special that I had to make something great,” he says. “I can’t control whether something’s going to be successful, I can only control the quality while I’m making it.”

So Ronson, all grown-up, roped in some important collaborators: Bhasker, of course, as well as Kevin Parker, of Tame Impala, and Stevie Wonder. “I thought: ‘I can’t make bangers and crazy beats that are going to compare with DJ Snake and Hudson Mohawke at this point in my career. But what I can do is make the grown-man version of that: great musicianship, sophisticated arrangements, soulful vocals, and good Pop tunes.” In Ronson’s mind, the stakes could not have been higher.

“If this record wasn’t good, then I was pretty much over, at least as my artist’s career went, you know? I just felt like if I’m going to do something, it has to be the shit that I know I do great, and that nobody else is making.” Job done.

The day before our interview, while he and Bhasker were rehearsing, a friend invited them to meet Donald Fagen, who was practicing for his own impending show in a space next door.

Ronson, a huge Steely Dan fan (the group’s lyrics inspired a lot of Uptown Special), was apprehensive. “Like, what are you going to say to him?! What if I say something dumb?” They worked up the courage and, later that night, Fagen replied to an e-mail Ronson wrote to him. “And I just ran around showing everyone I care about and respect my email from Donald Fagen. It was the same thing 12 years ago when Q-Tip left a message on my answering machine—I played it to everyone who would come over to my house.” He considers this for a moment, and his eyes flicker with excitement. “I’m still such a [music] fan, so anytime I meet someone whose work I genuinely love or who has influenced me or brought me joy—it could be a legend like Donald Fagen or it could be some 24-year-old producer—it still makes me a little giddy.” lAC

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ALLUSIONS

of GRANDEUR IT’S A NEW AGE OF MAGNIFICENCE THIS SEASON AS FASHION GOES ABSOLUTELY OPULENT. photography by Daniela Federici styling by Garth Condit

106 la-confidential-magazine.com

opposite page: Dress, ChloĂŠ

($11,595). 8448 Melrose Pl., LA, 323-602-0000; chloe.com.

Silver and red Vibrante pendant necklace, Lalique ($825).

238 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-7892; lalique.com

this page: Dress ($9,965) and choker ($730), Emilio Pucci. emiliopucci.com

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opposite page: Dress, Valentino ($32,000). 324 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-247-0103; valentino.com this page: Coat ($1,340) and dress

($3,710), Dries Van Noten. Saks Fifth Avenue, 9600 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-275-4211; saks.com. 7.90-carat emerald and 2.68-carat white-diamond BombĂŠ ring, Graff (price on request).

Saks Fifth Avenue, see above

opposite page: Dress, Erdem ($5,280). Saks Fifth Avenue, 9600 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-275-4211; saks.com.

White-gold Miss Dior amethyst and diamond ring, Dior Fine Jewelry ($18,500).

315 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-247-8003; dior.com this page: Dress ($7,950), necklace ($1,750), and belt ($690), Lanvin. 260 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-402-0580; lanvin.com. 18k white-gold Jazz ring set with 90 brilliant-cut diamonds, one square-cut diamond, and 48 round-cut black spinels, Chanel Fine Jewelry ($76,500). 400 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-5500; chanel.com beauty: Charlotte Tilbury Light

Wonder Foundation ($45), Luxury Palette in The Sophisticate ($52), Filmstar Killer Cheekbones ($110), Lip Cheat Lip Liner in Foxy Brown ($22), and Brow Lift Eyebrow Pencil ($30). Nordstrom, The Grove, LA, 323-930-2230; nordstrom.com. Kérastase Forme Fatale ($36), Sérum Oléo-Relax ($40), and Laque Noire Hairspray ($37 for 300ml).

Cristophe Salon, 348 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-274-0851; kerastase-usa.com Hair by Luca Blandi/ Oscar Blandi Salon Makeup by Georgina Billington/ Judy Casey using Charlotte Tilbury Model: Nicole Meyer/Wilhelmina Shot on location at Fonthill Castle (East Court Street and Rte. 313, Doylestown, PA, 215-348-9461; fonthillmuseum.org). Built from 1908 to 1912, Fonthill was the home of archaeologist Henry Chapman Mercer, who used the castle and estate both as his home and as a showplace for his collection of tiles and prints.

Designed by Mercer himself, Fonthill is an eclectic mix of Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine architectural styles.

la-confidential-magazine.com 111

The Back Room is the power lunch spot for international billionaires looking to buy eight-figure properties at One57.

viva

48 hours!

In the era of acronyms, emojIs, and 140 characters-or-less comes turbo-charged travel: the metIculously planned, lIghtnIng-fast vacatIon, spIked wIth snappy Indulgences, Intense enjoyment, and now-or-never experIences that gIve you the feel of the place, fast! wIth no tIme to spare—It’s the festIve season, after all—nIche medIa's expert local edItors-In-chIef have curated the ultImate guIde to what to do, see, and eat In 48 fabulous hours In amerIca’s most excItIng cItIes.

Billionaire's nY

48

hours in

nyc

living rich Favorites of the city’s most successful denizens (and those who aspire to be).

photography by Eric LaignEL (baccarat hotEL); WiLLiam pErugini (hELicoptEr); courtEsy of park hyatt nEW york (back room, faLLing). oppositE pagE: patrick mEssina

New York is home to more billionaires than any other city on the planet—a whopping 78 men and women who can claim a 10-figure net worth. Even the world’s richest man— Bill Gates—keeps a pied-à-terre here, at Trump World Tower.

So where do the city’s ultimate one-percenters like to dine, shop, and experience New York at its finest? Check out our suggestions below. powEr BrEakfaSt

timE oUt

Make like a boldfacer and snag a window seat at The Regency Bar & Grill (212-339-4050; regencybarandgrill.com), a power-crowd favorite owned by the billionaire Tisch family.

Tory Burch, one of the city’s few female billionaires, likes to meet friends for coffee and artful cappuccinos at Bottega del Vino (212-223-3028; bottega delvinonyc.com) and for pretty sweet treats at Ladurée on Madison Avenue (646-558-3157; laduree.com).

UltimatE BUSinESS lUnch The Back Room (212-897-2188; thebackroomone57.com) is the go-to canteen for international gazillionaires buying eight-figure properties at One57. Try the modern delectables like beet risotto and kale Caesar salad.

Burch a stylish billionaire, holiday shops at cult favorites Kitsuné (212-481-6010; kitsune.fr) and Opening Ceremony (212-219-2688; openingceremony.us), both known for cutting-edge brands.

ExpEriEncE

ask the expert regena Falling, chief concierge of the Park hyatt new york—anchored in Power tower one57—curates an imPeccable weekend.

For VVIP New York moments, CAA Premium Experience (877-599-1765; caapremium.com) can plan everything from a theater evening with a Broadway actor (and post-show visits with cast members) to cooking classes with one of the city’s celebrity chefs.

Day 1 (evening): A driver will whisk you to Marea (mareanyc.com) or Eleven Madison Park (elevenmadison park.com) to sample the

collEct Gagosian galleries (gagosian.com) on the Upper East Side (212744-2313) and in Chelsea (212-741-1111) are perennial meccas for one-tenth-of-onepercenters broadening their art collections.

BUy For a sumptuous, pampered retail splurge, head to Bergdorf Goodman (212-872-8757; bergdorfgoodman.com) and enlist a personal shopper to take you through this fabled designer emporium. Aerin Lauder, like

exclusive tasting menus, then take you to a VIP table at one of the city’s hottest clubs, like Provocateur (provocateur ny.com) or 1 Oak (1oaknyc

Good SportS

.com). Day 2: First enjoy

Take in the action at the city’s newest sporting arena, Barclays Center, in a glam private suite (which can be rented on a nightly or seasonal basis). Loft suites are just 26 rows from all the action on the court. For Islanders’ suites, call 844-33-ISLES; for Nets’ suites, 855-NETS-TIX; barclayscenter.com.

breakfast in bed, then have a bespoke wardrobe consultation from Barneys New York (barneys.com) or Brioni (brioni.com), or a lesson on the world’s best diamonds from Jacob & Co. (jacobandco.com). In the afternoon we’ll arrange for a guide to take you to the city’s top galleries. After a light

inSidEr’S SUnday dinnEr Billionaires who like comfort food, Italian style, head to the Upper East Side and dine at Sette Mezzo (212-4720400), which serves almost as a clubhouse for the likes of Leonard Lauder, the Newhouses, and Henry Kravis.

cryStal palacE Order a signature cocktail, like the Hemingway Daiquiri, in the Grand Salon in the Baccarat Hotel (212-790-8800; baccarathotels.com), a luxe lounge lit by a huge Baccarat chandelier.

supper, you’ll have tickets for an incredible performance at Carnegie Hall (carnegie hall.org). The post-performance cocktail party is an exclusive one—in your suite, where The ultimate 48 hours in New York could include a private helicopter tour of the city, cocktails at the Baccarat Hotel (inset left), and lunch at The Back Room at The Park Hyatt (inset right).

handcrafted cocktails will be designed just for you and your guests. Day 3: Enjoy a Champagne brunch followed by a wine tasting focused on how to enhance your cellar.

Then take a helicopter tour of the city, before a car whisks you to Teterboro Airport for a private jet out of the city.

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hours in PHILADELPHIA

cool and culture

Finding pHilly

WhirlWind Weekend

Mayor Michael a. nutter’s top destinations for an unforgettable weekend of culture.

The birthplace of America is no longer just a hot spot for history buffs thanks to the city’s acclaimed dining, shopping, and cultural destinations.

Roman Holiday

Haute Happy Hour

tHat’s tHe tiCket

Modeled after Rome’s Pantheon and originally home to a bank, The Ritz-Carlton (215-523-8000; ritzcarlton.com) melds history with luxe hotel amenities. The grand Rotunda lobby bar entertains a mix of guests and locals alike for cocktails and bites.

Book the stately Penthouse Suite for unparalleled views of City Hall across the street.

While the main dining room at Volvér (215-670-2302; philadelphia.volver restaurant.com) is a study in pristine plates and sublime service, its plush bar is a hidden gem. Sample one of Volvér’s signature cocktails—the basil chili smash and Nero Manhattan are exemplary sips— alongside a revamped menu that includes shrimp toast and ham tartines.

The epicenter of arts and culture in Philadelphia is the Kimmel Center (215-6702300; kimmelcenter.org).

The grande dame of South Broad Street presides over an exhaustive calendar at venues across Center City, from Opera Philadelphia at the historic Academy of Music to The Philadelphia Orchestra in Kimmel’s own Verizon Hall.

Boutique CHiC King of Prussia Mall (610265-5794; simon.com), the largest retail property on the East Coast, is set to unveil 50 more stores next fall. In the meantime, there’s more than enough Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, and Salvatore Ferragamo to keep you happy. Call on KOP’s personal shopping service (ext. 212) to take you on a dizzying retail tour.

FRame oF mind The ultimate way to experience the more than 3,000 masterpieces at the Barnes Foundation (215-278-7200; barnes foundation.org)—including one of the world’s most notable collections of French Impressionist paintings—is with a private docent tour.

Share your interests, like exploring Picasso’s many works, and the Barnes plans your hour-long tour accordingly.

HigHeR gRound The new One Liberty Observation Deck (215-561-3325; philly fromthetop.com) takes the visitor experience from the streets to the skies.

The 57th-floor attraction, from the design team behind the 360 Chicago observatory, promises panoramic views of Philadelphia, interactive features, and city-inspired art installations.

gReat esCape The Rittenhouse Spa & Club—Hair by Paul Labrecque (215-790-2500; therittenhousespaclub.com) is an utterly relaxing urban retreat. Step up your skincare with the Vitamin C facial or the 30-minute Express facial (perfect for travelers). For the ultimate body treatment, two therapists perform a finely orchestrated massage during The Quartet.

steak a Claim Known for more than a decade for its $100 wagyu beef cheesesteak, Barclay Prime (215-732-7560; barclayprime.com) on Rittenhouse Square is home to a bounty of bubbly, hefty prime cuts, and an assortment of caviar. After dinner, stop by the lounge, the coolest “library” you will ever have the pleasure of sipping a gin martini in.

For a haute happy hour, head to Volvér for exquisite cocktails.

What are the top things to do this winter? Blue Cross RiverRink, Waterfront Winterfest at Penn’s Landing (delawareriverwaterfront .com), and the Dilworth Park ice-skating rink at City Hall (ccdparks.org/ dilworth-park). Where should a first-time visitor to Philly go? The historic attractions in Old City like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (visit philly.com), shopping on Walnut and Chestnut Streets, the museum district on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway (parkwaymuseumsdistrict philadelphia.org), and exploring Fairmount Park (phila.gov/parksand recreation). any hidden city gems? A great way to experience Philly is to get out of Center City and visit the neighborhoods, from East Passyunk Avenue in South Philly and University City across the Schuylkill River to the west, to Fishtown/Port Richmond and Manayunk. dining is a big part of the Philly experience. There are just too many innovative, creative restaurants to list here. And there’s always Reading Terminal Market (readingterminalmarket.org) for lots of options under one roof.

photogr¥aphy by Chris Warde-Jones (nutter); daniel Krieger (volvér). opposite page: Courtesy of nbC (Kinney); leigh loftus (first bites); John faier (solarise)

From Independence Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia held the world’s attention during Pope Francis’s two-day visit in September. But it’s the miles in between those iconic landmarks where the heart and soul of Philadelphia can be found: on a bench in one of many bustling city parks, outside a theater on the Avenue of the Arts, or strolling by the shops and restaurants that line Walnut Street.

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hip happenings

hours in

chicago Heat Wave From groundbreaking theater to one of the year’s hottest new restaurants, eight ways to turn up the temps this winter in the Windy City.

The wind may be howling down Michigan Avenue, but winter in Chicago is no time to hibernate. The season is set to be sizzling-hot, abuzz with anticipated cultural events and new destinations for fashion, dining, imbibing, and more. If you have 48 hours to spare, get a taste of the excitement with these essential winter experiences. eye-PoPPIng art

JaPaneSe ChIC

Closed for nearly nine months, the contemporary galleries at the Art Institute of Chicago (312443-3600; artic.edu) reopen with a bang, unveiling the largest gift in the institute’s history: 44 iconic works ranging from Warhol’s Liz #3 (below) to Jasper Johns’s Target with Four Faces. Opens December 13

There’s fashion for days and lines out the door at the Mag Mile’s latest style flagship, as Japanese retailer Uniqlo (uniqlo.com) marks its Midwest debut with a jaw-dropping 60,000square-foot emporium—its second largest in the US.

gaMe on raISIng the SteakS

Soak It In Sit back, relax, and enjoy a rustic indulgence in the heart of the city at NoMI Spa (312-335-1234; parkchicago.hyatt.com), where for 90 minutes guests can unwind with a body polish and massage featuring Farmhouse Fresh’s festively decadent Bourbon Bubbler, complete with brown sugar and Kentucky whiskey. $200

DrInk Me The ultimate winter cocktail is the Hearthstone at new Andersonville mixology hot spot Elixir (773-654-1751; elixir andersonville.com), where whiz kid Vlad Novikov combines bourbon, nocino liqueur, curaçao, and two kinds of bitters to come up with something dark, nutty, and dangerously drinkable.

Restaurateurs Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz bet big on the Fulton Market district with Japanese stunner Momotaro. Now they’re doubling down with Swift & Sons (312-733-9420; swiftandsons chicago.com), a hugely anticipated steakhouse helmed by rising star chef Chris Pandel.

Says Artistic Director Nathan Allen, “There will be nothing else like it—it’s like a crazy hauntedhouse ride.” January 21–March 27

Jump into the action at The Last Defender (773-769-3832; thehousetheatre.com), an interactive stage collaboration between the award-winning House Theatre and some of Chicago’s top game designers.

taSte SenSatIonS Attending an event on an empty stomach may seem unorthodox, but at First Bites Bash (above; choosechicago. com/things-to-do/dining/ first-bites-bash) it’s essential.

The kickoff to Chicago Restaurant Week features plates from more than 50 premier restaurants, all served up in the grand surroundings of Union Station. January 21

go natural Four years after a hailstorm devastated Garfield Park Conservatory (312-746-5100; garfieldconservatory.org), the century-old West Side institution is shining again with “Solarise: A Sea of All Colors,” an interactive exhibit drawing on the relationship between plants and light to explore a see-it-to-believe-it spectrum of color. On view through September 2016

The interactive exhibit “Solarise” ushers in a new era at Garfield Park Conservatory.

inside chicago ChiCago Fire star taylor Kinney shares his ultimate buzzy Windy City Weekend.

ice age: The Blackhawks have been killing it. Our stages are close to United Center, so anytime I get the chance, Eamonn Walker, Jesse Spencer, and I will go. In the 2013 season, I caught maybe 20 games. The Blackhawks were on a run, and we all thought we were good-luck charms. go-to restaurant: The Monkey’s Paw (themonkeyspaw chicago.com)—great bar, great food, great kitchen.

I like tough-to-find neighborhood joints. secret spot: Lagunitas (lagunitas .com) has a huge brewery, but unbeknownst to a lot of people, there’s a bar in there. It’s like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for a beer aficionado. Can’t-miss show: TJ & Dave at The iO Theater (312-929-2401; ioimprov.com).

They do this improv show, and it’s just amazing. pizza preference: I’m a Pizano’s Pizza (pizanoschicago.com) guy. I like their thin-crust, which is kind of sacrilege for any Chicagoan. Mustsee spot: If my mom comes to town, I like to go to The Signature Room (signatureroom.com) at the 95th. You can see forever, and especially in winter, it’s beautiful with the festive lights.

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room service

dc

Whether you’re checking in or just passing by, Washington’s luxury hotels are destinations in

treats paired with cocktails or Champagne, and a wide selection of herbal, green, white, and black teas.

themselves.

As a mecca for men and women of influence, DC has set a new standard for luxury, and its hotels are offering some of the best in the city. Stay in one, and make a weekend of visiting the others.

Top-line dining, art, spas, and nightlife are at your fingertips in Washington’s finest lodgings.

A LiterAry trAdition The historic Hay-Adams (202-638-6600; hayadams .com) hosts an Author Series, in which guests (of the hotel and the city) are invited to join acclaimed writers for cocktails and conversation.

Thinking about making the Hay-Adams your trip’s home base? Splurge on the Federal Suite—its private balcony overlooks the White House— perfect for a nightcap.

experience also includes access to a 24-hour fitness center, steam rooms, and saunas.

MAgnifique Wine And cheeSe The Sofitel (202-730-8800; sofitel.com) offers wine and cheese pairings daily beginning at 11 am, featuring a selection of French and domestic cheeses. Enhance your knowledge of French culture and gastronomy.

five-StAr fAre Plume (202-448-3227; plumedc.com) at The Jefferson Hotel is the only Forbes five-star restaurant in Washington. Its menus are inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s gardens at Monticello, and the wine program has received Wine Spectator’s “Best of” Award of Excellence.

in a sultry, martini-sipping setting—it’s the perfect evening out on the town.

Winter WonderLAnd Ready for a nightcap? Enjoy drinks alfresco—even in the snow! Kimpton’s Poste Moderne Brasserie (202783-6060; postebrasserie .com) invites you to embrace fresh air year-round in its Winter Lounge, with fire pits (with s’more-making kits!), heaters, and piping-hot cocktails to keep you warm.

most-wanted staycation: Just down the road in Middleburg, Virginia, at the Salamander Resort & Spa (salamanderresort.com).

Favorite hotel restaurant: Art and Soul (jdvhotels.com/ restaurants/the-liaisoncapitol-hill/art-and-soul) in the Liaison on Capitol Hill.

Try the pork belly confit and grits! Best hotel bar: Without a doubt POV’s rooftop lounge at the W Hotel (wwashingtondc.com/pov), with its incredible views of the White House and The National Mall. Favorite hotel spa: The Four Seasons Spa (fourseasons.com/ washington/spa) in Georgetown. The spa is a tranquil haven in the middle of the city. most beautiful lobby: The Willard InterContinental (washington. intercontinental.com).

The stately 1850 hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue has a majestic lobby featuring columns and gilded ceilings.

An evening of JAzz With its Jazz Legends series, the iconic St. Regis (202638-2626, stregiswashington dc.com) transports guests to a Prohibition-era speakeasy featuring performances by local and national musicians

Better Brunch The Blue Duck Tavern (202419-6755; blueducktavern .com) in the Park Hyatt offers something for everyone at brunch—from Chesapeake Bay jumbo lump crab cakes to chicken biscuits.

Staying at the Park Hyatt?

Take an exclusive peek at artwork from The Phillips Collection without leaving the hotel. Through the end of 2015, reproduction photographs from the “American Moments” exhibit will be on view on the mezzanine, with more pieces coming in 2016.

Afternoon teA The Empress Lounge (202-787-6140; mandarin oriental.com/washington) at The Mandarin Oriental offers an updated take on the classic afternoon tea.

Overlooking the gardens, guests can enjoy savory sandwiches and sweet

A ritzy SpA After brunch, indulge in a hedonistic retreat at the Day Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner (703-7443924; ritzcarlton.com). At this oasis for relaxing and revitalizing, therapies use natural ingredients, including avocado, brown sugar, seaweed, and Dead Sea salts. Every guest’s wellness

dc insider NBC WashiNgtoN’s Angie goFF dishes oN her favorite WashiNgtoNarea hauNts.

Feast on macarons and Champagne for a taste of French gastronomy at The Sofitel.

photography By SoFItEL WaShINgtoN DC. oppoSItE pagE: CourtESy oF LouIS VuIttoN (akhoB); tom DoNoghuE (SILVEStrI); aL poWErS/poWErS ImagEry (omNIa)

Hotel Hopping

nonstop nightlife!

life begins after sunset Daylight in Vegas is for spa recovery sessions and disco naps. Here it’s all about what you can do when the sun goes down.

There are few certainties in the world’s favorite gaming playground. Some things, however, are guaranteed: There will always be a fabulous new restaurant to try or a hot new club to jockey your way into, and, should the need arise to buy fine jewelry or a handbag at midnight, someone will be happy to accommodate you.

meet the miDnight iDol Take in the Vegas sunset at Casa de Shenandoah (702-547-4811; casadeshenandoah.com), Wayne Newton’s 52-acre ranch. It has barns for his Arabian horses, a mansion with secret passageways, an exotic-animal farm, Rolls-Royces formerly owned by Steve McQueen and Liberace, and Franklin Roosevelt’s own desk. You can even take a tour with Newton himself (for a reservation, e-mail MrLV@ casadeshenandoah.com).

is taking on a new identity. Now a hybrid private gaming room and lounge with private bottle service, Lavo is still serving elevated Italian comfort food (wagyu meatballs!), but now it will bring dinner right to your gaming table.

JoURney to pARiS Michael Mina’s beautiful new Bardot Brasserie at the Aria Resort & Casino (877-230-2742; aria.com) elevates French fare— for instance, onion soup studded with braised oxtail and bubbling with aged Gruyère is covered in Perigord truffles. The gold lettering stenciled on the windows, the Laguiole cutlery, and the zinc bar make this one of the most transporting restaurants in Vegas.

Swept AwAy by Celine Celine Dion has performed nearly 1,000 times in the Colosseum (866-320-9763; thecolosseum .com), and she puts on one of the most spectacular shows on the Strip. In August she started a performance run that continues through June 2016. Yes, your heart will go on.

ClUb of the moment Omnia (702-785-6200; omnianightclub.com) takes the place of the old Pure in Caesars Palace, offering a massive showcase for celebrity DJs like

hours in las vegas Up all night seBastien silVestri, VP of food and beVerage at Venetian and Palazzo, shares his Vegas faVorites.

light Up The Louis Vuitton store in The Shops at Crystals is filled with every Vuitton item you can imagine, but its best-kept secret is a permanent installation by light artist James Turrell called Akhob (702-730-3150; theshops atcrystals.com). Visitors stand in a light-filled room whose colors continuously change, creating a meditative sanctuary on the Strip.

RomAnCe A DAte with lAte-night JewelS

Dine on the lAke Bellagio, the Lake Como–themed Italianate hotel, has been newly invigorated by chef Julian Serrano’s modern restaurant Lago (702-693-7111; bellagio.com), where diners can enjoy tapasstyle Mediterranean-inflected dishes, such as pristine crudo and an exceptional red-wine risotto.

Design by Munge Leung celebrates early-20th-century Italian futurism, and the new outdoor patio offers dining next to the famous fountains.

Afrojack, Calvin Harris (pictured), and Armin van Buuren. Modeled after a European opera house, the four-story room is surrounded by mezzanine-level private booths.

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Some high-carat pieces will never make it to the front counter at Van Cleef & Arpels (702-5606556; vancleefarpels.com) in The Shops at Crystals, where spendy shoppers are invited to a luxurious back room to sip Champagne and see some of the house’s rarest items. The store is open until midnight on weekends.

James Turrell’s installation Akhob is the best-kept secret in the Louis Vuitton store at The Shops at Crystals.

Best secret place in Vegas: The Thomas Keller restaurant Bouchon (venetian.com) is a hike to get to, but when you sit on the patio overlooking the garden, you’re transported right to Yountville. Best overthe-top date: The world’s greatest chefs come to Vegas December 17–20 for a weekend called Ultimo (venetian.com/ ultimo). The signature event is The Grand Banquet—dinner at a spectacular table that spans the entire Grand Colonnade.

Civilized cocktail: My favorite bar outside Venetian and Palazzo is the Mandarin Bar (mandarinoriental.com/las vegas/fine-dining/mandarinbar). It’s chic, sophisticated, has an excellent bar program, a nice selection of wine by the glass, amazing service— and that view! What should no one miss in 48 hours in Vegas? There is no ultimate weekend in Vegas without gaming and nightlife. I suggest some gambling in the new Lavo Casino Club (lavolv.com/casino-club) at Venetian, then on to Marquee (marqueelasvegas.com) at the Cosmopolitan, and finish in the early morning at XS (xslasvegas.com) at Wynn.

A bit of eveRything Once a restaurant/nightclub, Lavo (702-791-1800; lavolv.com)

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music lover's paradise

austin

inside austin

the beat goes on This independent city honors its rich musical legacy by moving to its own unforgettable rhythm, night and day.

Top-notch venues, South by Southwest, Austin City Limits, and Waterloo Records are why Austin is called the “Live-Music Capital of the World.”

But the beat goes far beyond the music: It is simply everywhere, from the Whole Foods flagship to the city’s thriving food, cocktail, and hotel scene. A weekend here is good for the soul.

TURNTABLE FOR TWO

MUSIC HISTORY

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Come to the tucked-away bistro Justine’s Brasserie (512-385-2900; justines 1937.com) for chef Casey Wilcox’s seductive take on French classics; stay for cocktails and a scene that revolves around an impressive vinyl collection. Special events attract musicians like Richard Hell, Sonny Rhodes, and Jello Biafra, and its New Year’s Eve extravaganza is debauchery at its finest.

The 1960s and the legacy of Lyndon B. Johnson live on after 2012’s multimilliondollar upgrade to the LBJ Presidential Library (512721-0200; lbjlibrary.org) in the heart of the University of Texas campus. Through January 10, 2016, explore The Beatles’ impact on America at the impressive “Ladies and Gentlemen…

The Beatles!” exhibit.

Summon your inner Red Headed Stranger and rent an original Willie Nelson & the Family Band tour bus from Vintage Innovations (512-524-1390; vintage innovations.net). For about $2,500 a day, you can rent the 1983 Silver Eagle, named after Nelson’s 1985 album Me & Paul. The bus, whose interior has been preserved, holds up to 20 people.

CITY LIMITS AND BEYOND

GUITAR TOWN

ROCK HEAVEN Named after the patron saint of music, the luxury boutique Hotel Saint Cecilia (512-852-2400; hotel saintcecilia.com) features Rega turntables and Geneva sound systems in every room, with albums and rock bios available for checkout.

Concierge programs include a private vintage vinyl shopping service courtesy of Breakaway Records and a guitar loan from Gibson.

LYRICAL COCKTAILS Geraldine’s (877-202-2191; hotelvanzandt.com), the restaurant at the new Hotel Van Zandt (which is named after beloved singersongwriter Townes Van Zandt), pays its respects to musicians with a top-notch bar program created by Jennifer Keyser. To get into the spirit, order Willie’s Cup, a playful spin on the mint julep, made with hempseed milk. The hotel also features live music nightly.

Experience live music as it should be at ACL Live at the Moody Theater (512225-7999; acl-live.com), the home to tapings of Austin City Limits as well as more than 100 concerts a year.

The highlight is always Willie Nelson’s New Year’s shows, which the country legend recently expanded to three nights. For the ultimate experience, book a package through the adjoining W Austin hotel.

Founded by Bill Collings, Austin-based Collings Guitars (512-288-7776; collingsguitars.com) is one of the most respected manufacturers of guitars, mandolins, and ukuleles in the world; the instruments are still mostly handcrafted.

See where the magic happens during tours of the 2,700-square-foot facility, offered only on Fridays; reservations are required.

SPIN SOME TUNES Owner Kim Dowling moved to Austin from New York in part because of the music scene, so it’s no wonder her downtown spin studio, Ride Indoor Cycling (512-322-5252; rideindoorcycling.com), is centered around the slogan “Ride. Rock. Repeat.”

Classes, featuring top-ofthe-line Schwinn AC Sport bikes, often fill up early, so book your bike online.

Music mecca Austin has live shows galore, plus museums, memorabilia, and tributes all over town.

my favorite way to kick off the weekend: 3 pm happy hour at Clark’s Oyster Bar (clarksoysterbar.com) for oysters and rosé. i could spend hours in: The dressing rooms at Found (found austin.com), which feature a doorbell to order Champagne.

I love the boutique’s selection of designers. When i want to recharge: I spend the day at Lake Austin Spa (lake austin.com) reading a book in a hammock by the river after my treatments. at the stroke of midnight, you might find me: At C-Boy’s Heart & Soul (cboysheartnsoul.com), the rhythm-and-blues joint with a great vibe and cool people. my music venue of choice: If you’re invited to an event at historic Arlyn Studios (arlyn studios.com), don’t turn it down. A night here is always one for the books. The most beautiful spot in austin is: Mount Bonnell at sunset, where you see it all: the vast Texas sky, rolling green hills, and the water. don’t leave austin without: Eating a breakfast taco. My favorite is from Tacodeli (tacodeli.com)— tacos for breakfast are genius.

photography by Jason tk; illustration Feather / eyeem by tk / getty images (musician); mossphoto (hickey). opposite page: allan Zepeda (raFanelli); eric levin (yvonne’s)

lisa Hickey—who furnishes the ViP areas at music festiVals through her comPany, the Panacea collection—reVeals her ideal weekend.

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LOVE IS IN THE AIR

boston

ULTIMATE ROMANCE Love is all around the Hub of the Universe, and it’s looking quite sexy.

Take one of the most historically rich cities in the country, mix in a thoroughly modern spirit, then top it all off with exponential luxury, and you are in for the craziest, sexiest 48 hours of your life. Now go on, indulge, Boston-style.

Do not DiSturb

art of SeDuction

XV Beacon (617-670-1500; xvbeacon.com) blends Brahmin history with world-class luxe for a love temperature that’s piping hot. Special treat: Every Boston Common magazine guest will receive a signature box of chocolate truffles.

There’s nothing like artistic passion to ignite the flames of romance, so why not go gallery hopping? First stop: the DTR Modern Galleries (617-424-9700; dtrmodern.com) to see the Damien Hirst series “I Love You,” featuring Hirst’s iconic butterflies

enclosed in a heart. Then stroll to Galerie d’Orsay (617-2668001; galerie-dorsay.com) for the Salvador Dali collection and Martin Lawrence Galleries (617369-4800; martinlawrence.com) to view modern masters.

Shopping Spree Jimmy Choo stilettos for her, a Louis Vuitton briefcase for him: Browse the boutiques at Copley Place (617-262-6600; simon.com/ mall/copley-place), where virtually every global luxury brand can be found. Enjoy VIP access with a personal shopper.

Date night The century-old culinary establishment Locke-Ober is

reborn as the modern supper club Yvonne’s (617-267-0047; yvonnesboston.com). Its library bar is a perfect romantic nook, with cozy dining tables and lounge seating beside the historic fireplace. Special treat: Enjoy an off-the-menu Boston Common cocktail throughout January.

the Dance of Love Boston Ballet (617-942-6398; bostonballet.org) prides itself on excelling in both the classics and modern-as-it-gets dance.

“I believe art feeds our soul,” says Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. “So what better way to spend a date?”

heavenLy brunch Snuggle into the front-window banquette at Puritan & Company (617-615-6195; puritancambridge.com).

Start your meal with the divine Church cocktail, mixed with gin, aperol, and lemon, then tuck into a sirloin steak and eggs topped with hollandaise sauce.

Main EvEnts Boston’s golden host, BRyAN RAfANELLI—who produced chelsea clinton’s wedding—curates your perfect romantic itinerary.

pairS, pLeaSe

Dream date spot: Deuxave (deuxave.com). The wine collection is awardwinning, and the room is intimate yet never crowded. Most romantic stroll: A walking tour along Commonwealth Avenue after dark. Start at Arlington Street. If there is snow on the ground, lie down with your mate and make a snow angel— and be sure to look up.

Thousands of white lights adorn the trees from December to February.

For a scene straight out of Norman Rockwell, head to the Frog Pond (617-635-2120; bostonfrogpond.com) skating rink at the Boston Common.

“We have marriage proposals here every season,” says general manager John Schaub. Warm up with a steamy hot cocoa when you say the code words: “Boston Common magazine.”

Weekend outing: An afternoon at the Harvard Art Museums (harvard artmuseums.org). Gaze at the drawings of John Singer Sargent in the preservation lab in an incredible glass box.

Standing in the Renzo Piano building is a treat in itself.

There are many intimate, quiet places to make out... among the masters.

afternoon DeLight

The sexy new supper club Yvonne’s is the perfect spot for a romantic dinner date.

For a sensual retreat, the Green Tangerine Spa & Salon (617-585-6498; greentangerine spa.com) offers Drops of Jupiter: the Ultimate Urban Boston Experience, exclusively for Boston Common readers. Begin with a 50-minute couples treatment that includes a full-body massage and aromatherapy.

Continue with a 50-minute facial, followed by couple’s hairstyling.

Special treat: complimentary Champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, body products, and hair products.

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up all night

miami

From Brickell to South Beach, in Miami the day begins when the sun goes down and then just keeps on going.

Miami is a city that loves to celebrate, and it doesn’t let a little thing like sleep stand in its way. A quick trip to town can offer a full 48 hours of activity should one so desire. While the fun often begins in the evening, it doesn’t necessarily ever have to end.

BAR HOP Lines form around the block at Bodega (305-704-2145; bodegasouthbeach.com), the Alton Road–adjacent lounge with a secret entrance and taco stand.

The party can start with Mexican food and end eight hours later with bottles of vodka—or vice versa, depending on your mood.

LIV IT UP For the biggest DJs and wildest party crowds, LIV (305-674-4680; livnightclub.com) at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach is the go-to destination. You can sip Champagne and dance under falling confetti on the lavish dance floor, while top spinners like Tiesto or Zedd are working just steps away.

must-see for any vacationer.

Private tables next to the DJ booth or near a recognizable celebrity can run over $100,000 on special occasions. But any view of Calvin Harris at 4 am is sure to be a good one.

24-E11EVEN In a category all by itself, the “showclub” E11even (305-829-2911; 11miami .com) is where the party literally never stops. You can stumble in at 5 am to find it packed with people

dancing, or just watch the in-house talent perform their moves—often including an acrobat dangling from the ceiling.

SOUTH BEACH CLASSIC Delano South Beach (305-672-2000; morgans hotelgroup.com/delano/ delano-south-beach) offers unparalleled attractions, including the Delano Beach Club’s weekend daytime poolside parties. Relax on the sophisticated deck, sipping exquisite cocktails in a private cabana, or lounge by the infinity pool until sunset. After dark, head to FDR, the Delano’s nightclub, and dance the night away.

NEW IN TOWN Amidst the colorful buildings in the Art Deco District is the

recently renovated Nautilus, A Sixty Hotel (305-5035700; sixtyhotel.com/hotel/ nautilus). You can unwind by the heated saltwater pool at the Cabana Club during the day, dine at the stunning Driftwood Room in the evening, and enjoy sublime libations in the Lobby Bar before a night on the town.

TO THE NORTH Hyde Beach Kitchen + Cocktails (954-699-0901; sbe.com/restaurants/ locations/hyde-beachkitchen-cocktails) in Hallandale Beach offers the perfect dining experience for those who are heading up north but still crave a taste of South Beach. This oceanside destination serves heavenly cuisine and cocktails.

AN INTIMATE AFFAIR Though the quarters are close at Wall (305-9383130; wallmiami.com), the celebrity-studded lounge packs a mean nightlife punch. With some of Miami’s sexiest dance parties and performances, Wall is an intimate spot where you can let loose with friends and rub elbows with A-listers.

SOUTH OF FIFTH SOUNDS With its world-famous DJs, Story (305-538-2424; storymiami.com) is a

How to Spin it Grammy-winninG, miamibased dJ CedRiC geRvais selects the best of miami’s niGhtlife scene.

“miami beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in america, so sit on the sand on ocean drive.”

—cedric gervais Miami’s nonstop nightclubs are as alluring as the city’s gorgeous beaches.

Fun dinner before a night out: Drunken Dragon (drunkendragon-hub.com).

It’s a very cool spot in a strip mall, and you don’t really see it from the outside. You walk in and the energy is incredible. Best way to experience the Miami club scene: On a Friday night, Story (storymiami.com) is the best. Saturday night, if you really want to go for it, you should stop at LIV (livnight club.com) and end up at ClubSpace (clubspace.com) for the full Miami experience. They bring international talent every week. Best place to watch the sunrise after a long set: Miami Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in America, so sit on the sand on Ocean Drive.

Recovery the next day: A liquid IV at VitaSquad (vitasquad.com), and then end up at the beach at the W South Beach hotel (wsouthbeach.com) and just relax.

photography by knape/getty tk; illustration images by tk (cocktail). opposite page: courtesy oF the grammy museum; Danielle karagannis (clark Jr.) alan silFen (richie)

MIDNIGHT RAMBLERS

Grammy-tastic!

HItsvIlle l.A. Just in time for the 58th annual Grammy Awards, these top Hollywood haunts should be high on your bucket list for any music-themed LA itinerary.

Calling all music fans! Forget the cheesy double-decker buses or the tourist trap that’s Hollywood Boulevard—spot celebs and live like a rock star with a musical LA tour de force that will have you singing sweet melodies. Check off these rocking spots from your Los Angeles to-do list for a 48 hours you’ll want to play on repeat. paparazzi-proof Check in at the Sunset Marquis (310-657-1333; sunset marquis.com) hotel, West Hollywood’s super-private celebrity hot spot, where Steven Tyler, Matthew McConaughey, and other stars escape for a little R&R—rock ’n’ roll, that is.

Located just off the Sunset Strip, the hotel features a spa with specialty massages for musicians and the Morrison Hotel Gallery, which showcases fine-art music photography.

Ji. Using special frequencies and sounds, the class brings guests to a blissful state, healing muscles and organs, and relieving stress. February 12, 8:30–10 pm

scout for talent The Hotel Café (hotel cafe.com), located in the heart of Hollywood, is known for breaking up-and-coming artists in the industry with secret concerts, intimate showcases, and a jam-packed schedule of performances (five shows a night, seven nights a week).

grab the Mic If all the touring makes you want to sing your own tunes, belt it out at Blind Dragon (310-2747500; blinddragonla.com) in West Hollywood. Show off your Mariah Carey–esque vocal range (in your own private room, of course) at this upscale karaoke

backstage pass Head to the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live (213-765-6800; grammy museum.org), Downtown’s shrine to the music awards.

Be sure to catch the exhibits “Sinatra: An American Icon,” which comes to a close on Grammy weekend, and “On the Red Carpet,” a display of unforgettable Grammy outfits.

the tune-up Do like a local and kick off your high-octane Grammy weekend with a Soundbath at The Springs (213-223-6226; thesprings la.com). This oh-so-Zen space features a sound-healing class led by electronic artist Torkom

Gary Clark Jr. at an in-store show at Amoeba Music. inset, left: The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live.

48

hours in los angeles

bar, and party it up with table service alongside LA’s A+-list.

living legend Ditch the paparazzi at Staples Center on Grammy night (February 15) and grab a nightcap at nearby Clifton’s Cabinet of Curiosities (213-6271673; cliftonsla.com), formerly LA institution Clifton’s Cafeteria.

After being closed for five years, this revived, revamped cafeteria and lounge—which dates back to 1935—keeps the cool party going (and the sips flowing) until 2 am.

music man On the eve Of his 2016 MusiCares award, Megastar LioneL ricHie gives us the 411 On hOw tO enjOy graMMy seasOn.

rock all night Stop by The Viper Room (310358-1881; viperroom.com) in West Hollywood for a late-night, heart-pumping performance.

This recently relaunched LA classic (celebrating its 21st anniversary this winter) has seen the likes of Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Courtney Love take its legendary stage.

musical gift Before leaving town, pick up a few souvenirs from the renowned Amoeba Music (323-245-6400; amoeba.com) on Sunset Boulevard. The megastore features a matchless selection of records, CDs, DVDs, and even cassettes, including rare collectible items, as well as in-store performances by on-the-rise local talent. lac

tell us about your mustvisit places in La. Tower Bar (sunsettowerhotel.com). It’s a hideout—no paparazzi.

Last time I was there, I ran into Simply Red. And, of course, I go to Madeo (310-859-4903) for great Italian food, and Cut (fourseasons.com/beverly wilshire) is always great.

Chateau Marmont (chateau marmont.com) has never changed. If you want to see the up-and-coming, that’s where you go. [For music] I go to Motown [Records] studios to get “the jelly”—if you will. Where is your favorite La venue to perform and hear great music? I started out at The Forum (fabulousforum.com), and it’s come back around again.

I’ve gone to concerts there, and I cannot wait to play at the new Forum! The venue is just spectacular—that’s like my living room, as far as I’m concerned. it doesn’t look like you’re slowing down anytime soon with a Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood coming up.

I’ve always had the Italianracecar-driver mentality: Whatever is behind me doesn’t count; it’s always what’s next. I love what I do.

la-confidential-magazine.com 121

OPEN SPACES MEET URBAN PLACES

SPACE Situated on the Westside of LA,

N OW O P E N

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Explore some of Playa Vista’ Vista’s fnal detached homes.

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WelcomePlayaVista.com PLANS, PRICING, SQUARE FOOTAGE, PRODUCTS, AMENITIES AND COMMUNITY/NEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATION ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. MODEL DOES NOT REFLECT RACIAL PREFERENCE. © 2015 PLAYA VISTA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CALBRE #00991326.

N OW L E A S I N G

New Apartment Homes

B RO K E R S W E LC O M E

Haute property abode & Beyond top, from left:

Jonathan Browning’s Boule de Cristal round chandelier (starting at $3,695), shown here in burnished brass; Alia rug by Ben Soleimani in white and silver (starting at $1,095).

RH Modern’s expansive gallery lands on Beverly Boulevard as a shrine to modernist design.

Cube side table in smoke shagreen with polished stainless steel (starting at $695). far right: Milo Baughman Model #3426 chair in black velvet mohair and brushed-brass finish (starting at $3,195).

RebiRth of the ModeRn

photography courtesy of rh

long a master of CalI-ClassIC ChIC, RH launChes a neW ColleCtIon at a reImagIned gallery dedICated to all thIngs mod. by matt stewart Last year, RH (formerly Restoration Hardware) unveiled its latest LA gallery on Melrose Avenue.

While the design of the new 40,000-square-foot space created enormous fanfare, the brand now introduces its first-ever free-standing RH Modern Gallery in their former Beverly Boulevard space.

The entire space is dedicated exclusively to RH’s new Modern collection and RH Contemporary Art. In this exclusive interview, RH Chairman and CEO Gary Friedman shares his thoughts on RH’s debuting collection and its Beverly gallery, both of which exemplify LA cool at its best.

What made you decide to launch RH Modern?

A modern collection is something we’ve been talking about [for quite some time]—we started working on it about a year-and-a-half ago. We could see multiple trends coming together that could create a market for

modern design. For example, architecture has been predominantly modern over the last two decades.

Millennials, who have grown up with innovative technology and modernized working spaces, are beginning to enter their home-purchasing years.

This big wave is coming, but, with that said, I think outstanding products make a market.

Who are some of the designers and artisans behind RH Modern? What are a few highlights?

The lighting by Jonathan Browning (pictured above) is some of the best I’ve seen in years. Another favorite is the cloud sofa and sectional by Timothy Oulton. It has such beautiful lines, and is so comfortable you don’t want to get up.

Why did you dedicate the Beverly location exclusively to this collection?

We believe the physical manifestation of a brand and the physical act of shopping are the most

important aspects of the retail experience. With that in mind, we decided to reimagine this midcentury masterpiece in the West Hollywood Design District as a home for the new collection, so the space and the [collection] would complement one another.

What are some unique aspects of the location?

We’ve created a sculpture garden with towering, architectural palm trees, [and] a beautiful wall of water. The exterior of the building has been stripped down so that its clean lines shine. We’ve incorporated polished white plaster both inside and out to keep a spare, linear feel and built a monolithic staircase inside to serve as an anchor between different levels. I have come to understand how important modern architecture and design are to the fabric of Los Angeles, so it is particularly important to launch our Modern collection from a structure that speaks to the city’s creative genius. LAC

la-confidential-magazine.com 123

HAUTE PROPERTY Spotlight

Art à la Mod

THE DEPICT APP AND FRAME CREATE AN INSTANT IN-HOME DIGITAL ART GALLERY.

BY ALLYSON REES

On a daily basis, we curate our clothes, our meals, even our Instagram feed, so why not curate our home art collection, too?

Depict does just that. A new service from Kim Gordon, a product designer, tech entrepreneur, and former artist, Depict offers a curated collection of ultra-HD digital artworks from more than 100 contemporary artists, including Nicole Cohen, Eric Cahan, and Chris Doyle. With the Depict app, users can purchase individual limited-edition works or opt for a monthly subscription. Those wanting a stronger artistic presence in the home can hang the Depict Frame ($1,800) and change the art displayed via the app. Available in American maple, white, or black, with a museum-quality 50-inch display, the Frame is the perfect digital canvas for an LA-worthy art stash. depict.com LAC

// frame of mind //

An app to change the way we manage our homes? The newly launched Housepad helps you, your family, and everyone else involved with your ménage stay connected, organized, and safe. Michael Bruno, founder of the global antiques network 1stdibs.com, conceived Housepad with his own organizational needs in mind. The app has several platforms that bring necessary information to your fingertips, including emergency contacts and other details for all members of the household (plus emergency info for the house itself), a digital to-do list that allows tasks to be assigned to a specific person and checked off when completed, and a feature called Lookbook for creating a home inventory— perfect for home owner’s insurance! housepadapp.com

“If everything in your home has a home, it’ll just flow more smoothly,” says Housepad creator Michael Bruno.

PICTURE THIS

LA-CONFIDENTIAL-MAGAZINE.COM

RAIN? CHECK! Water and electricity are normally a dangerous mix, but Richard Clarkson’s Rain Lamp (from $940) is what the designer calls “a harmonious contradiction.” Made of a large clear globe, a micro peristaltic pump, and an LED light bulb, the lamp releases a Shockproof: This single drop of water at a time, unlikely mixture creating both the calming sound of water and of falling rain and mesmerizing electricity produces at-home calm. patches of refracted light. A nostalgic remedy to winter’s doldrums, the Rain Lamp may just cause you to light a fire, grab some tea, and tuck into a good book. richardclarkson.com

These sleek “invisible” speakers stay out of sight, but, with their incredible sound, never out of earshot.

SOUND OF THE FUTURE

THERE’S NO EXCUSE for closets packed with years of unframed artwork and drawers filled with stacks of loose photographs (and what about all those Instagram shots you’d always planned to print someday?).

Framebridge, a custom framing app, offers a streamlined solution: Upload your images for preview in a variety of frames, mattes, and shapes, or have Framebridge send you free packaging so you can mail in your art for framing. With more than 30 frames in a range of styles, finishes, and materials, and a simple pricing structure starting at $39, Framebridge is a techie-chic way to elevate your space. framebridge.com

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// STAR TECH //

RAD PAD

With premium sound quality and minimalistic design, it’s no wonder the Clio Invisible Speaker (from $299) received a 2015 Red Dot Design Award. Made of invisible glass, this Bluetoothenabled speaker disappears into its environment, all while delivering heart-pumping, panoramic sound. Bloomingdale’s, Westfield Century City, LA, 310-772-2100; clearviewaudio.com

Make your newsfeed come to life with Framebridge’s phone-to-wall service.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HOUSEPAD (HOUSEPAD); DAN WHIPPS PHOTOGRAPHY (FRAMEBRIDGE)

Latest download: With the Depict Frame, LA homeowners have the power to change the art in their home at the touch of a finger.

Marvel Jewelry Inc. is the leading innovator in diamond importing and fne jewelry manufacturing dealing wholesale to the public. Marvel’s jewelry continues to be appreciated by a sophisticated clientele with classic, contemporary, or modern taste. The featured diamond bangle is made up of 18 karat white gold with 228 round diamonds in leaf motif design.

More wiggle in the wag!

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IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO BEAT CANCER. ALONE. It takes all of us to beat cancer.

Doctors, researchers, volunteers, and most importantly, people like you. Join the movement to beat cancer at StandUp2Cancer.org

Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Photo Credit: Randall Slavin

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

NOT TO BE MISSED EVENTS • HAPPENINGS • PROMOTIONS

VDARA HOTEL & SPA® AT ARIA LAS VEGAS® Vdara Hotel & Spa® at ARIA Las Vegas®, is a AAA Four Diamond and Forbes Four-Star Award-winning international all-suite, dog friendly, boutique hotel that appeals to guests who choose to enjoy Las Vegas from an exclusive, non-gaming, smoke-free environment. Vdara is connected to the Bellagio® and offers the very latest modern amenities and services.

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THE FRONT YARD

MONNALISA

Nestled under towering sycamore trees in North Hollywood at The Garland is The Front Yard, celebrating LA’s diverse food culture in a setting as comfortable as an evening at the neighbors’ house. Find yourself dining on the spacious outdoor patio or sip on your favorite cocktail by the fireplace.

Monnalisa Boutique on Beverly Drive. Established in 1968 in Arezzo, Italy, Monnalisa is a world leader in garments and accessories for children, operating in over 60 countries through exclusive distribution in flagship stores and shop-in-shops. Join Us, Late Night Shopping, Sat. Dec 5th and 12th until 9:30pm.

4222 Vineland Avenue North Hollywood, CA 91602 818.255.7290 | www.thefrontyardla.com

Monnalisa Beverly Hills 338 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310.271.2588 | Info@MonnalisaBeverlyHills.com Follow @MonnalisaBeverlyHills on Instagram and Facebook

Chrome Hearts at Vitra Eyewear

SERAPIAN The Melanie bag, originally commissioned by a Serapian customer in the early 1960s, to be used as a lightweight, stylish, compact bag for “jet set” travel. The bag remains timeless and modern to this day. Price $1740. Available at the Serapian flagship boutique: 204 N Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills or online at www.us.serapian.com

VITRA EYEWEAR LUXURY OPTICAL BOUTIQUE DEBUTS IN SOUTH COAST PLAZA Vitra Eyewear, purveyor of extraordinary and unusual designer frames, features a “transparent” storefront lab and diverse collection of top-tier brands including Chrome Hearts, ic! Berlin, Retrospecs, Sospiri, Shamballa, Salt, Lindberg, Thierry Lasry, Dior and more. Vitra Eyewear is unlike any other.

(714) 966-2186 • www.vitraeyewear.com

ALICE + OLIVIA Stacey Bendet’s Spring 2016 collection for alice + olivia is set in the scene of an urban inspired desert.

The color palette features bright pops of poppy red, aqua and shades of chambray denim juxtaposed against camel colors. This collection reflects the mindset of a bold and independent woman bursting with confidence, sophistication, and natural beauty.

8501 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069 410 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 3939 Cross Creek Rd, Malibu, CA 90265

This is how you say it’s going to be okay.

Every 8 minutes the American Red Cross responds to a disaster and makes this promise. This holiday season, you can help us keep it.

Donate today at redcross.org

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MEAL PLANS AT YOUR SERVICE

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FITNESS KITCHEN LA, Los Angeles and Southern California’s premiere daily meal delivery service offers a variety of healthy meal plans that work with your diet restrictions made with only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients.

More than a delivery service, FITNESS KITCHEN LA offers you nutritious and delicious meals that give you the confidence to meet all of your health and fitness needs. Visit www.FITNESSKITCHENLA.com to order your meals today!”

ZICO Chilled Juices are the perfect complement to weekend brunch – try ZICO Chilled Orange Juice Blend in your mimosa for an instant brunch upgrade!

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True Food Kitchen is serving you honest food that tastes really good. With a wide, healthy selection of vegan, vegetarian, or gluten free options we offer something for everyone. At True Food Kitchen, we want you to feel better, live longer, and make your mouth happy in the process.

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Cannabis Connection GOING GREEN! Cannabis is no longer only for hippies and stoners – in today’s market, marijuana products are handcrafed and oh-so-luxe.

No longer stigmatized, medicinal marijuana is fnally ready for its big debut – just in time for legalization.

Endorsed by doctors, politicians, celebrities, and more, the medicinal plant is at the center of a multibillion-dollar industry on the rise.

Known to aid those dealing with medical conditions such as anxiety, PTSD, and seizures, medical marijuana is lauded for its multiuse purposes, in addition to being consumed recreationally. With the growing popularity and wider acceptance of cannabis in the public eye, legalization for recreational use of cannabis seems to be just around the corner, and the industry is taking note.

As the popularity of cannabis grows, budding companies are fnding innovative ways to appeal to new consumers, including those in the luxury sector. Premium products, such as 24-karat gold rolling papers to intricate handcrafed pipes and bongs, are being introduced as the market widens to include those looking for luxury goods. Take, for example, Altai’s delectable confections made from specially sourced Peruvian dark chocolate infused with THC, the active ingredient in cannabis – perfect for those looking to sweeten up their intake.

Today, cannabis is being use for “medicreational” purposes (both medically and for fun) among a wide range of people, including those looking for top-of-the-line goods. Use this guide to indulge and expand your use with artisanal edibles, sweet elixirs, and high-end products to pair with your daily dose.

1. ALTAI BON BONS A new line of artisanal edibles thoughtfully crafted for well being and enjoyment, featuring a bittersweet dark bon bon composed of 72% dark chocolate creates the ultimate treat for a classic chocolate lover. Pure, bittersweet dark chocolate is blended with milk and cream for the perfect velvety chocolate flavor.

2. UP HIGH EXTRACTS Up High Extracts is committed to providing the highest quality extracts from the highest quality plants.

Visit www.altaibrands.com for more information.

For inquiry on all products, contact uphighextract@gmail.com or Weedcare in Riverside.

4. SPRIG 3. SPEAKEASY Speakeasy is a new cannabis brand that is sneaking through the back door with their pure golden oil. Their alchemist is a Ph.D. who’s already won first place Cannabis Cups (6 times) and is now creating vape cartridges and tonics that are pure, potent and high quality. Keep an eye out for them at a dispensary near you.

Take a sip of this delicious, refreshing, THC-infused soda for a social, energetic, and uplifting time. Available at California dispensaries. Grab a Sprig and smile more.

Visit www.drinksprig.com for more information.

Visit www.speakeasydispensary.com for more information.

5. STOWVAPE The Original Stowvape introduces the world’s first dual-purpose all-in-one personal pen vaporizer with a built-in storage system & 100% discreet pen cover design. Easily vape dry-herbs & concentrates on-the-go in less than 3 seconds. Powerful 650mAh battery allows 5 hours of constant use.

Stowvape comes complete with stainless steel multi-tool and bristle brush.

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Furthering 2500 years of cannabis use, Altai creates thoughtfully crafed artisanal edibles for well-being and enjoyment. Our brand pays tribute to an ancient princess, found entombed in the Siberian permafrost for nearly 2,500 years. Her burial chamber included several ceremonial bridled horses, silks and an adorned vessel of cannabis.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Cannabis Connection HIGH SOCIETY THE CANNABIS QUEEN OF BEVERLY HILLS, CHERYL SHUMAN, IS AT THE TOP OF THE LEAFY GREEN INDUSTRY. Known as the “Martha Stewart of Marijuana,” Cheryl Shuman is leading the front for women in the cannabis industry. First introduced to the plant for its medicinal uses to combat PTSD and anxiety in 1996, the marketing matriarch has since founded the Beverly Hills Cannabis Club (now in its 20th year; bhcclub.com) and helps women in the industry through networking groups such as Women Grow and Moms for Marijuana. With the advancement of the cannabis legalization, the LA local remains at the forefront of the ever-growing feld.

What is the biggest issue the cannabis industry faces today?

For women and families the biggest fear is losing your children, job, or home afer being “outed” as a cannabis consumer. Similar to the LGBT movement, social acceptance with Cannabis consumers “coming out of the cannabis closet” is rapidly changing public opinion.

And what about for those on the business side of cannabis?

Te biggest issue for businesses is for the laws dealing with banking and 280E IRS codes to catch up with how fast the cannabis industry is growing. Marijuana is now mainstream with [an industry] estimated $47 billion by 2018. By rebranding cannabis, making it acceptable in mainstream culture, marijuana will be legalized around the world. With the negative stigma removed, [cannabis use] will be as common as having a glass of wine at dinner.

Do you have any advice for those looking to invest in the cannabis industry?

As the senior advisor on a $50 million investment fund with Jacob Securities, I would say only deal with the most respected investment professionals. Understand the variable risk involved with the plant itself, and hire an expert that understands the opportunities available with solid teams.

Cheryl Shuman (RIGHT) here with her daughter Aimee Shuman, is going green.

What’s the most chic way to enjoy your cannabis?

I love vaporizing (vaping) cannabis in my brand new 14 karat gold and pave diamond vaporizer.

What are your favorite at-home edibles?

In the mornings I like to have a CBD Cannabis Juice smoothie.

For lunch, grilled medicated chicken with a raw food cannabis leaf salad and cannabis infused salad dressing vinaigrette. For dinner, grilled vegetables and cannabis infused Chilean sea bass. And I love caramel pecan chocolate cannabis “turtles”—decadent, delicious, and delivers an amazing restful night’s sleep.

Tell us why legalization is important.

Finding a win-win for the politicians, patients, community, businesses, and families is the best way that we can revitalize our economy by creating new jobs and companies. If matriarchs can be persuaded that marijuana boosts, rather than imperils health, then cannabis caramels may one day be found stuck to the teeth of a grateful nation! cherylshuman.com

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Cannabis Connection DISPENSARY DIRECTORY

HOLISTIC CANNABIS EVALUATION

THE WAREHOUSE

1 LOVE BEACH CLUB

2388 N. Lake Ave Altadena, CA 91001 626-817-9025

478 W. Baseline St. San Bernardino, CA 92410 909-567-2277

HOLLYWOOD HIGH GRADE

TOTAL HEALING TOUCH COLLECTIVE

7051 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-536-9133

11404 Ventura Blvd.

Studio City, CA 91604 818-579-4337

LOS ANGELES PATIENTS & CAREGIVERS GROUP

ZEN OC

2767 E. Broadway Long Beach ,CA 90803 562-343-5388 info@1love420.com

7213 Santa Monica Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90046 323-882-6033

myzenoc@hotmail.com 949-200-0747 http://zenocdirect.com/

DELIVERY ONLY MARY JANE’S COLLECTIVE 4901 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029 323-466-6636

NEW AMSTERDAM NATURALS

99 High Tide Collective 22775 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265 (310) 456-9930 www.99hightide.com

9021 Exposition Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90034 310-202-6622

GREEN SHIELD PATIENTS COOPERATIVE INC. Premium cannabis medicine from our door to yours.

Our Cooperative is focused on providing quality products, awareness, and ease of access for holistic and non-pharmaceutical needs. www.gshield.org (800)2-INHALE

NEW ERA LOS ANGELES 99 HIGH TIDE COLLECTIVE Malibu’s Premiere Beachside Collective.The highest quality Cannabis products and compassionate knowledgeable consultants. Organic, Vegan, Gluten Free options. Heal * Expand * Awaken. “Be Your Higher Self”. 22775 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265 www.99hightide.com (310)456-9930

1238 S. Flower St Los Angeles, CA 90015 213-747-7969

GRANDMAS GOODIES

OCEAN GROWN COLLECTIVE

GREEN BLOSSOM

583 Oleander Rd. Suite 103 Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-656-8287

714-655-5962 http://www.greenblossom.net/ ADMIN@GREENBLOSSOM.NET

1-844-415-2837 bri@grandmasgoodies.org

BUDDHA COLLECTIVE

MARIJUANA COUNTY

440 N. La Cienega Los Angeles, CA 90048 info@buddhabarcollective.com

Costa Mesa Dispensary 714-837-9333 420mcc@gmail.com

CALIFORNIA COMPASSIONATE CARE NETWORK

MARRIED TO JANE

4720 Vineland Ave. North Hollywood, CA 91602 818-980-6337

562-457-0136 420@marriedtojane.com

STRICTLY OG CONEJO WELLNESS CENTER

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SeaSonal affection DiSorDer Thanks To awards season, These days spring fever has To waiT unTil winTer. by sam wasson

collective church silence that says something meaningful is happening to us. I even miss the little things, like the Grove parking lot, which is manageable and satisfying and, for my money, has the best 360-degree view of Los Angeles there is. But most of all, I miss Dinner and a Movie.

Aside from being fun in its own right, Dinner and a Movie is a fundamental courtship ritual, hallowed and sacrosanct, and for good reasons: Sitting in the dark next to someone you don’t yet really know, looking at a screen instead of each other, sharing, in other words, a paradoxical experience of togetherness apart, offers in those early stages the perfect amount of intermediary intimacy. There is no substitute.

But awards season, as it is now practiced, has changed all that. Unless you are addressing a leprechaun or Stan Lee himself, no date that begins with “I got us tickets to Ant Man” has ever ended well. So, new lovers over the age of 14, on your marks—you have only two months to enjoy those electric, banter-y conversations, laden with innuendo and the preludes to things that come on one’s way out of the theater and into the restaurant. Unless, of course, you are in high school and your idea of romance begins with Jurassic World and ends with furtive groping in a car parked outside your parents’ house. In that case, have at it, kids. This is your world and I—surprise—am the Jurassic. LAC

ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL O’LEARY

Roughly a decade ago, in anticipation of the big awards-season push, distributors started withholding prestige pictures—their contenders—until the final moments of the calendar year, squeezing into fall release their best bets for Oscars and Globes so they would be fresher in the minds of voters come ballot time. From the distributor perspective, I get it. But burying the gold—and burying it deeper every year—has begun to play havoc with our social lives. And by “our” I, of course, mean “my.”

For the first 10 months of the year, there is virtually no reason to check in with Hollywood, unless a) you have children, or b) identify with them, in which case, yes, from January through October, you live in a weekend paradise of Hogwarts, Hobbits, and Wookies. But—it must be said—in either case, something is emotionally wrong with you because a) you’ve been forced to watch this stuff over and over, or b) you’re over 35 and you want to.

As for the rest of us, we are now abiding streamers—a euphemism for shutins. In consequence, I have begun to notice in me pangs of agoraphobia (or is that just wise?), and I feel, seriously, like a strong candidate for Hoarders: Buried Alive, or a private reboot of Grey Gardens, in which I play both recluses.

Winter through summer, I miss the crowds, the boffo laughter, the

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