VIP-LA gives Haute Living inside access to the most luxurious happenings in LA. Check out their recommendation for this week:

1. STAY: JW MARRIOT

If you have yet to explore the “New” Downtown, start here.

In the heart of the thriving “New” Downtown LA entertainment area, known simply as LA LIVE, erects a sophisticated tower of glass, class and elegance. The JW Marriott, Downtown Los Angeles hotel offers travelers a front-row seat to this emerging world-class entertainment, sports and dining epicenter.

Featuring a level of service and unique luxury that only JW Marriott can provide, this 54-story masterpiece in architectural design is linked to The Ritz-Carlton and offers unrivaled access to attractions including the Staples Center, Los Angeles Convention Center, Nokia Theater and other exceptional dining, shopping and entertainment attractions. Business guests can enjoy The Gallery Collection; a 100,000 square-foot state-of-the-art meeting and special event space. All guests have access to the lavish 8,000 square-foot full-service Spa, a rooftop pool, a vast array of casual and fine dining options, luxurious guest rooms and expansive suites.

Be sure to check out world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck’s WP24 and LA Market, a restaurant by Kerry Simon. Stop by The Mixing Room for an after-dinner cocktail! What a great way to experience the “New” Downtown LA! The hotel offers many packaged experiences on their website.

Contact VIP-LA for booking information and VIP packages. Discover the JW Marriott hotel in Downtown Los Angeles; you won’t be disappointed.

2. WATCH: X GAMES 17

Moto X, Rally Cars, BMX and Skateboards Downtown LA? Awesome!

It all goes up….and down this weekend in Downtown LA. The 17th Annual X-Games takes over LA Live July 28th-31st. Professional daredevils in their respective sports will compete to become the best in the world.

The Vert Ramp is always a crowd favorite; guys on skateboards or bmx bikes fly upwards of 40 feet into the air. This year’s Rally Car Race is probably the most anticipated change in the weekend-long competitions. This year’s race is actually going to be held in the city streets of Downtown LA! That will be insane!

The X Games brings something for everyone to Downtown this weekend. X Fest is a free festival-style “village” featuring live musical performances, interactive skate parks, athlete appearances, demos and more! With tickets to watch the actual event starting at only $5, you can have an awesome X Games Experience on a budget! Then there are the packages aimed at the true fans… Ask VIP-LA about the X Games 17 Ultimate Rally Package or the awesome JW Marriott Weekend Package including a room for 3 nights in the middle of all the action and access to all of the weekend’s best events.

Have a great weekend, but remember, if you’re not competing, you’re probably not a pro… Don’t get all inspired and try to do a kick-flip over a food truck. Our VIP Packages don’t include hospital fees!

3. EAT: RIVERA

Modern Latin cuisine paired with tequila and craft cocktails. Delicious!

If “tastefully unique” describes the cuisine at this favorite Downtown LA eatery, “uncharted territory” describes Rivera’s menu and the concept behind it. Chef John Rivera Sedlar’s unique combination of Latin cuisines and French techniques creates a savory experience presented in the form of 4 different dining rooms, each with their own menus.

The restaurant occupies the bottom floor of the Met Lofts Building and is as beautiful as the food is delicious. Designed by Osvaldo Maiozzi and Eddie Sotto, a beautiful, long, sleek room is blessed with a ceviche bar and a huge, square communal table at one end. Banquettes hug one long wall beneath a 40-foot electronic mural of evocative and poetic images (Maya ruins, agave, lizards, abstract forms) that dissolve into one another throughout the evening. The small bar features bronze and leather tequila tasting chairs designed by Sotto shaped into the R logo of the restaurant named after Sedlar’s middle name.

You’re making a great choice with whatever you choose to order from any of the 4 menus in their respective rooms: Conexiones, Playa Room, Samba Room or Sangre Room. See the menus here.

No matter what you order, you must start with an order of the tortillas florales: four little corn tortillas, handmade and still warm. The corn is freshly ground, and each tortilla has a sprig of herb or a flower pressed into its surface. Browned from the griddle, they’re like fossils embedded in the tortilla’s surface. They taste incredible! Spread a little of the buttery smooth avocado butter on top: AMAZING!

Combine your food with a perfect margarita: lots of lime, not too sweet, on the rocks. Or one of the exotic tequila-based cocktails or infused tequilas mixologist Julian Cox puts together every day. But there’s also blood orange, cinnamon, etc. The flavors change all the time, and you can order them in a flight of three 1-ounce pours. Sedlar knows his tequilas. He’s been the spokesman for Patron tequila for years.

4. VIP EVENT: 2011 EMMY AWARDS

Your favorite prime-time television stars, in person.  Walk the Red Carpet, sit amongst the Celebrities and chat with them at the Afterparty!

The 2011 Primetime Emmy Awards will take place right here in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, September 18th. The nominees were just announced for their excellence in television performances this year. Melissa McCarthy and Joshua Jackson hosted the nominee ceremonies and Jane Lynch will host the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Show! When the Emmys first aired in 1949, from the Hollywood Athletic Club, Shirley Dinsdale won the very first Emmy, for the Most Outstanding Television Personality.

The name, “Emmy,” was established by The Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). They created the Emmy Awards as part of an image-building and public relations opportunity. The name “Emmy” was chosen as a feminization of “immy”, a nickname used for the image orthicon tubes that were common in early television cameras. To complement the name, the statuette was designed to depict a winged woman holding an atom, which has since become the symbol of the TV Academy’s goal of supporting and uplifting the art and science of television: The wings represent the muse of art; the atom the electron of science.

Interesting stuff, huh?

VIP-LA has your exclusive access to the 2011 Emmy Awards! Walk the Red Carpet, watch the show live from the orchestra section and mingle amongst the celebs after the show at the official afterparty. Contact us now to book your exclusive lifestyle experience including 5 Star accommodation options, VIP transportation options and more.

Book your Emmys experience with VIP-LA today and save your money to buy Sofia Vergara a drink at the afterpatry.

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As the kiddos gear up to go back to school, Haute 100 Miami member Matt Damon is getting ready to defend them by joining the Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action in Washington, D.C. The rally includes a four-day conference from today until July 31 and a march to the White House on July 30.

Matt Damon will be joining other notables including actor Richard Dreyfuss, Jonathan Kozol, Linda Darling-Hammond, and Pedro Noguera – as well as scores of families, parents, and students – to march together in a rally against the public school reform movement. Groups including the National Association of Secondary School Principals are stout supporters of the cause, and will be joined additionally by teacher unions like the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association.

Organizers of the rally explained, “Equitable funding does not mean ‘equal’ funding – or even adequate funding. The market-based policies now advanced by the U.S. Department of Education in their Blueprint for re-authorizing No Child Left Behind do not address inequities of funding or opportunity for American children. They will take us in the wrong direction.”

Matt Damon and the other supporters will gather in support of equitable funding for all public schools and to end high-stakes testing for students, teachers, and schools. Additionally, the rally will advocate for local school communities to develop curriculum and for public education policies to be formed by teachers, families, and local leaders.

Our Haute 100 list details the accomplishments of the most influential people in each of our markets. To see the entire Haute 100 Miami list, click here.

Artists Norman & Norah Stone celebrated the opening of the third exhibition in their award-winning art cave at Stonescape in Calistoga, California this month.

The exhibition ”Politics is Personal”, curated by Thea Westreich Art Advisory Services, includes works by Richard Prince, Jeff Koons, Bruce Nauman, Sigmar Polke, Ryan Gander, Cady Noland and Piotr Uklanski, among others. All of the art works are from their personal art collection.

The opening event featured a “docent tour” of a Walid Raad installation and a site specific project by Rirkrit Tiravanija comprised of drawings based on the history of San Francisco executed by art students from Thailand and the Bay Area.

Several internationally-recognized artists were in attendance including Rirkrit Tiravanija (Thailand / New York), Matias Faldbakken (Norway), Robert Buck (New York), and Philippe Parreno (France).

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Hip-hop legend KRS-One performs at Lavo.

KRS-One rocked Lavo’s Old School Wednesday last night at the Palazzo, performing for more than an hour for packed crowd that kept screaming for more.

His energetic set kept club-goers dancing and after the first three songs he asked the crowd, “You want some more?” to which they eagerly responded “Yes!” The same thing happened after the next three songs so KRS-One obliged the crowd and continued, free styling and sending the club into an uproar.

Partiers packed the dance floor and to wrap his set the “Teacha,” as he is known, made his way into the crowd to deliver his last few songs while mingling with the club-goers. On the way back to his VIP table he prompted the crowd to come take pictures with him and he happily posed with fans.

Click on the photos below to enlarge.

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Maserati GranTurismo MC 2012 edition is coming to North America.  The new model has a 4.7-liter V8 engine with 444 horsepower and 374 pound-feet of torque.  The hot little sports car has two doors and seats four people and costs $139,000.  It reaches up to 185 mph and can go from 0 to 60 in approximately 5 seconds.  If you are a sports car lover or feel the need for speed, try out the new Maserati GranTurismo MC 2012.

Jesse Garon and Roland August on the zipline.

Yesterday, donned in scarves made by Opportunity Village, the “Official Elvis of Las Vegas” Jesse Garon and MobileMinister.com Elvis Roland August kicked off the For the Love of Art fund-raiser at Fremont Street Experience put on by Flightlinez zipline ride and benefitting Opportunity Village. The event featured the beautiful scarves made by Opportunity Village along with baked goods from their culinary program. Emergency Arts also provided artwork for sale and had demonstrations by live artists throughout the day.

In the late ’60s Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Parker, came to Opportunity Village for a tour and noticed that the workers in the Employment Resource Center were working on sewing contracts. Colonel Parker then contracted the charity to sew all of Elvis’ scarves that he would kiss and throw out to his audience. Opportunity Village soon became the “official manufacturer of the Elvis Presley Scarves.”

Every scarf that Elvis gave away from stage came from Opportunity Village and were shipped to Elvis across the world. Elvis himself even visited the charity. Additionally, Opportunity Village made all of the “Elvis Live at the Hilton” promotional buttons and the ribbons that were on the hound dogs sold at the Elvis performances and in his gift shop at the Las Vegas Hilton.

The Art Enrichment Program at Opportunity Village, makes scarves using silk as a medium for artistic expression and their many special artists have created beautiful scarves at Opportunity Village ever since.

The event with Flightlinez hosted more than a thousand riders and raised just under $20,000 for the charity. Flightlinez has been hosting monthly charitable events since February, giving back more than $125,000 to local charities.

Click on the photos below to enlarge.

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Image via realestate.aol.com

The Encino, CA mansion where Vincent Chase and his Entourage lived in on the hit HBO show is up for sale at $4.2 million.  The house, architecturally styled after a Tuscan Villa, is truly fit for Hollywood royalty.  Long corridors lead to spacious rooms for people to hang out, along with seven bedrooms and eight over the top bathrooms. High wood-beamed ceilings and seven fireplaces give the giant home a warm feel. There is a luxury pool, surround sound, plenty of surveillance and even a smaller detached guesthouse. Perhaps the most memorable feature of the house is the massive driveway where the most haute cars pulled up at the beginning of numerous scenes.  One thing is for sure; whoever buys this place will have plenty of room for guests to park and party like true rock stars.  Originally the house was on the market at $5.75 million but at the current $4.2 the place is a steal!

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1.     What makes Meadowood Napa Valley Resort Haute?
Meadowood is a luxury resort offering golf, tennis, croquet, hiking, swimming, fitness, spa, wine education and a Michelin three-star restaurant dining experience…all on a private 250-acre estate in the heart of the Napa Valley.

2.     What is your favorite room/suite in the hotel?
The Estate Suite is settled into the eastern slope of Meadowood’s small, private valley and offers sweeping views of the fairways below and the forested hillsides to the west. The Suite offers elegant, cottage-style décor and furnishings and its cozy dining spaces are perfect for enjoying warm country breakfasts.
Expansive terraces celebrate the region’s indoor-outdoor living tradition and face northwest to capture the full length of each day. Seating allows for casual gatherings, al fresco dining, reading or dozing.

3.     For sushi, which restaurant would you recommend to your guests?
Our Guest Services team will be happy to assist you with planning your itinerary. While the valley offers a tremendous selection of wonderful restaurants to recommend, for sushi you may wish to try Morimoto Napa located in the new Napa Riverfront complex. Morimoto Napa is the Iron Chef’s first West Coast restaurant and offers great sushi, Japanese cuisine and a fun atmosphere in the city of Napa.

4.     Tell us about a perfect day in Napa Valley.
·      Start your day with a morning hike along Meadowood’s trails, tailoring your experience to accommodate an easy stroll or a more rigorous uphill hike.
·      Enjoy a light country breakfast in The Grill at Meadowood or through Private Dining in the comfort of your room before getting ready to explore.
·      Swanson Vineyards & Sip Shoppe – Rutherford
The Swanson Salon was inspired by the famous political, art, and literary salons of 18th century Paris where educated discourse and passion for the good life reigned. A more in-depth, involved experience, The Salon is a destination for people who share passions for wine, food and travel.
Be sure to stop by the winery’s adjoining Sip Shoppe: This is a whimsical shoppe showcasing Swanson Vineyards’ finest library vintages paired with the perfect small bite, along with carefully curated gifts and select wines available by the case and the bottle. Featuring its own tasting menu, Sip Shoppe wines are poured in charming glass “Dixie” cups, mini Riedel Os, or tiny crystal cordials in 1.5 ounce sip sizes.
·      Stop at Oakville Grocery Gourmet Deli for sandwiches, cheese, charcuterie
·      Continue south to Yountville and visit Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley, which pairs artisan wines with exquisite art and furnishings in a historic setting. This “living gallery” atmosphere serves as a stylized backdrop for the appreciation of limited production boutique wines – including Blackbird Vineyards’ portfolio of Pomerol-inspired blends.
·      Relax back at Meadowood and enjoy a treatment in the Health Spa or lounge by the pool in the late afternoon.
·      Make your way over to the Reception Lodge, where you will attend our Wine Discovery Series class, Napa Valley’s Hidden Values before dinner. Spend some time with Master Sommelier Gilles de Chambure as you discover where to find special values in this preeminent wine region.
·      Enjoy Chef Christopher Kostow’s cusine in The Restaurant at Meadowood, our Michelin three-star dining establishment. You may choose from a seasonal four-course menu or the Chef’s nine-course Tasting Menu with or without wines paired with each course.
·      Retire to your room for a wonderful night’s sleep at Meadowood.

5.     What are some special amenities available at Meadowood?
In addition to miles of hiking trails around the property, spa, tennis courts, nine-hole golf course, some of the special amenities and offerings here at Meadowood are:
·      Dinner in The Restaurant at Meadowood. The Restaurant at Meadowood was awarded three Michelin Stars in the 2011 San Francisco Bay Area Michelin Guide! The Restaurant is one of two establishments to have this prestigious distinction in the Western United States (the other is The French Laundry). Chef Christopher Kostow was the second American-born Chef (after Thomas Keller) to receive the honor; as well as the third youngest.
·      Wine Education. Meadowood enjoys the distinction as the only Napa Valley hotel with a Master Sommelier in residence. Guests are invited to enhance their stay by spending time with our Wine Education Director Gilles de Chambure MS during our new Wine Discovery Series classes; there are three classes each week ($40 per person):
a. Wednesdays from 5:45-6:30 pm – Sensory Evaluation of Wine
b.  Thursdays from 5:45-6:30 pm – Napa Valley’s Hidden Values
c.  Saturdays from 5:45-6:30 pm – Undiscovered Gems of Napa Valley
·      Meadowood’s New Golf Performance Studio. Meadowood currently has the only course in California to offer both TrackMan Pro and the new TrackMan Range technology. Golf Pro Doug Pike introduces you to the most current radar technology and teaching methods being introduced to the golf world in our new Golf Performance Studio. No other hotel or resort in the Bay Area can offer both Hickory Golf and the latest in TrackMan technology…experience two centuries of golf in one afternoon!
·      Croquet. Our property welcomed a new Resident Croquet Pro Mike McDonnell thiss summer. Not only does Mike have strong family ties to Meadowood (his dad introduced croquet to Meadowood Founding Partner H. William (Bill) Harlan) but he’s also an accomplished bass player, having toured with jazz great Maynard Ferguson and Sir Tom Jones. A Croquet Pro, musician and even pilot, meet Mike for a lesson on the Jerry Stark Memorial Croquet Lawns.

Alain Negueloua is the General Manager of Meadowood Napa Valley Resort. Check out their profile on the exclusive Haute Hotel Network.

1.       What makes Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago Haute?
While the amenities, accommodations and offerings at Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago make it the pinnacle of luxury, it is its service that makes it Haute. The exceptional guest service and attention to detail takes the luxury to the Haute level befitting today’s discerning guests.  An exquisite meal is as much about the attention to detail—how the food is plated, how it is served. Our guests have let us know, time and again, that it is the service that inspires their loyalty to our hotel. Our product is exceptional and we deliver that thanks to our service standards.

2.       What is your favorite room/suite in the hotel?
The best suite in the hotel is easily room 2400. Facing due East, this suite offers one of the most spectacular views of the Wrigley Clocktower, the Chicago River and Lake Michigan through 10 foot floor to ceiling windows. In the summer months, on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, guests in this suite will have a perfect, unobstructed view of the fireworks off of Navy Pier. This all comes with the beautifully appointed one bedroom suite with a full kitchen, dining room, and working fireplace. There is nothing better than curling up to the fireplace in Chicago’s cold winter months.

Rebar

3.       For sushi, which restaurant would you recommend to your guests?
Chicago is a city in love with food and it has a special place in its heart—and stomach!—for sushi. Fortunately for us, we have an exquisite lounge in our hotel, Rebar, that offers incredibly fresh and innovative sushi. Using only the highest caliber of ingredients our sushi chef Ishmael Lucero puts together creations that will dazzle even the most cultured sushi connoisseur. My personal favorite is the Blue Fin Roll: shrimp tempura, avocado, oba, with akami, chutoro  & otoro garnished with marinated jalapeños, chives & 24 carat gold flakes. So Haute!

Sixteen

4.       Tell us about a perfect day in Chicago.
There is so much to see and do in Chicago that I almost hate to limit my recommendations so here is what I did with my family on a recent random weekend. We woke up at Trump Tower, had a light snack in 16 before leaving the hotel from the river front exit where we took a water taxi from Trump Plaza. The water taxi follows the river through downtown Chicago and dropped us off at Chinatown. We had Dim Sum in Chinatown and then took a cab to Millenium Park where we simply hung out, walked around and took in the sights and sounds of Chicago’s greatest public park. We walked back up Michigan Avenue towards the hotel, did a little window browsing along the Avenue, some shopping at Nordstrom before stopping at Northbridge Mall for some ice cream. We then came back to the hotel, relaxed a little before changing for the evening. An early Dinner at Chicago Cut and then we walked over to the Goodman Theater and enjoyed Chinglish which is a great play that is currently performing there. To top off the fabulous day we rushed back to Trump Tower and found a table at 16 where we were able to relax and enjoy the city’s fireworks and savor some of pastry chef Sarah Kosikowski’s fabulous desserts. It turned out to be another great day in Chicago with some fabulous memories.

Spa at Trump Couples Suite

5.        What are some special amenities available at Trump Chicago?
Our 23,000 square foot Spa at Trump is the ultimate urban oasis. With 11 treatment rooms offering a wide variety of services, people flock there to relax and rejuvenate. Our signature treatment is the Gemstone Massage. These massages call on the essential healing powers associated with gemstones. The oils used in the treatment, flown in from Dubai, are infused with rare flower and herbal essences and contain diamonds, emeralds, rubies, or sapphires. There is no treatment more Haute than one using precious gems!

Colm O’Callaghan, is the Vice President and Managing Director of Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago. Check out their profile on the exclusive Haute Hotel Network.

Image courtesy of realestate.aol.com/

Walt Disney’s Los Feliz, LA 12-room mansion is up for sale at $3.65 million.  Originally, Disney had built the house for himself for $50,000 in 1932! The exterior of the house looks like it came out of one of his whimsical cartoon films with brick entrance, wooden door and pointed roof above the central rotunda.  However, the interior of the 4-bedroom mansion has an antique presence, as it has original stained glass windows and painted, vaulted and wooden beamed ceilings. There is also an outdoor swimming pool, sitting area, and 2-car driveway once inside the gated home.

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