What’s Haute Los Angeles :: Awards Season

The Best of Awards Season

Best Hotel

Sunset Tower
8358 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
323-654-7100
At the Sunset Tower Hotel, luxury is in the details. The 15-story landmark building and its pristine grounds feature luxurious Egyptian bedding, a state-of-the-art fitness center and pet catering services to even meet the needs of your pooch. This year, Sunset Tower Hotel plays host to two of the most exclusive events during awards season, the Creative Artists Agency Golden Globes fête Jan. 15 and the starstudded Vanity Fair Oscar party Feb. 26.

The Peninsula
9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212
310-551-2888
The Peninsula Hotel is where Hollywood A-listers find much-needed solace from the frenetic pace of awards season. The exclusive hotel provides an intimate environment through residential-inspired accommodations. Celebrities come to The Peninsula because of the hotel’s unparalleled luxuries and supreme level of discretion. For even more privacy, the hotel features 16 detached garden villa suites with private entrances.

Best Restaurant

BOA
9200 W. Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
310-278-2050
The contemporary American steakhouse capitalizes on serving the best surf and turf in the city in a high-energy setting. The trendy dining destination is ideal for peoplewatching, and attracts new school patrons who are social, stylish and have a flare for great food. The restaurant’s impressive selection of prime meats includes the muchlauded 40-day dry-aged New York strip.

The Tower Bar and Restaurant
8358 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
323-654-7100
Inspired by early Hollywood glamour, The Tower Bar and Restaurant’s 80-seat dining room features gold and walnut paneled walls, complimented by dim lighting and a cozy fireplace. Aside from the expertly crafted food and cocktail menus, highprofile patrons frequent The Tower Bar and Restaurant because of its strictlyenforced “No cell phone, no photographs” policy.

The Best of Awards Season

Best Nightlife

Soho House
9200 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
310-432-9200
The members-only club occupies the top two floors of the 14-story, 9200 Sunset Boulevard building. At the Sky Penthouse Bar, members can enjoy panoramic views of the city, while the House Terrace, adorned with olive trees and a retractable roof, offers an extraspecial setting for dinner and private affairs. The Club also features a screening room, equipped with velvet armchairs and cashmere blankets, as well as a Penthouse Dining Room, Bar & Lounge and private event spaces.

Chateau Marmont
8221 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, CA 90046
323-656-1010
As the social hub for the who’s who of Los Angeles, the Chateau Marmont is the city’s A-list watering hole. At the Chateau, an Old-World, European standard meets a contemporary approach to hospitality and fine dining. This year’s awards season will bring members of Hollywood’s royal court to the Chateau for private industry events and intimate affairs. In the words of Columbia Pictures founder Harry Cohn, “If you must get in trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Best Party

Vanity Fair Event

Tom Hanks may have said it best when he said, “If you’re not at Vanity Fair, who the hell are you?” The private event brings legendary artists in the entertainment, fashion and other creative industries together under one roof for an evening of celebration and much-needed unwinding after the highintensity Academy Awards presentation. This year’s event will once again be held at the Sunset Tower Hotel, one of the most impressive properties in Los Angeles.

Best Car Service

EmpireCLS

“It’s not just where you’re being driven, but how,” is the EmpireCLS motto that has positioned the company as a leading worldwide chauffeur service. Specializing in luxury transportation, EmpireCLS is known for meeting the transportation needs of its notable clientele, which includes various celebrities, dignitaries and highprofile CEOs. To boot, as a member of Green Ride Global, EmpireCLS prides its business structure on the use of sound and environmentally sensitive travel practices.

The Best of Awards Season

Best Stylist

Rachel Zoe

Rachel Zoe has created something of a monopoly within the celebritystylist market, and it’s no wonder, as this well-heeled, sharp-tongued stylist is second to none. An avid vintage collector, Zoe began her career in fashion as an editor for a New York-based magazine, until eventually spiraling into personal styling by working directly with members of Hollywood’s elite circle. One of the highlights of her career includes styling Anne Hathaway in countless couture frocks when the starlet hosted the 83rd annual Academy Awards.

Best Jeweler

Martin Katz
9540 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310-276-7200
After unsuccessful attempts to find pieces of jewelry that met his standard of perfection, the designer chose to create his own line of jewelry that blended old Hollywood glamour with rare, vintage jewels. Enter Martin Katz: the epitome of red carpet glamour. The jeweler’s designs have been seen on A-list celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Nicole Kidman and Kate Winslet. This year, Martin Katz jewels were seen on Julie Bowen and Felicity Huffman at the 69th Annual Golden Globes.

Best Timepiece

Westime Beverly Hills
254 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310-271-0000
Westime stands in a league of its own, featuring limited edition, one-of-a-kind watches that can only be found at their exquisite retail locations. The company specializes in offering “extraordinary lifestyle luxuries,” including more than 50 Swiss timepieces by exceptional brands such as Ulysse Nardin, Richard Mille and Jacob & Co. Keep an eye out for Westime watches on the wrists of Hollywood’s most dashing gentlemen.

The Best of Awards Season

Best Shopping

LIULI
37 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco, CA 94103
415-979-9588
Liuligongfang–which translates to “crystal workshop”–has become the face of Chinese crystal art. More than 20 pieces, from tableware to jewelry, have been acquired by some of the world’s most prestigious museums, displayed in the United States, Japan, Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. In the past, Liuligongfang designs have been chosen for VIP gift bags given during major Hollywood affairs, including the Academy Awards. The San Francisco Liuli retail space offers an array of extraordinary pieces that make for extra-special gifts, especially for the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday.

Best Hotel

St. Regis
125 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
415-284-4000
Art aficionados will love the renowned St. Regis San Francisco, situated in the heart of the city’s SoMa district. The luxury hotel is home to the Museum of the African Diaspora, and sits just next to the celebrated San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The St. Regis San Francisco has debuted a new series of videos and blogs through a partnership with GloboMaestro, inviting visitors to see the city through the eyes of San Francisco insider, and the hotel’s Chief Concierge, Antonio Barrios.

H.D. Buttercup
290 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
415-820-4788
Just a year after its opening, H.D. Buttercup San Francisco is the design hub for the city’s style-set, where forward-thinking customers can find unique furniture that is creatively displayed in the store’s 35000-square-foot retail space. For a personal touch, the store offers its clients a one-on-one consultation with expert staff members, ensuring that all customers find exactly what they’re looking for.

Four Seasons
757 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
415-633-3000
The five-star Four Seasons San Francisco is a luxurious property that is just minutes away from the city’s noted shopping area, Union Square. The hotel features an impressive art collection, 46 deluxe suites and floor-to-ceiling windows with extraordinary views of the city’s Bay Area. For an intimate dining experience, Season’s Restaurant, Bar and Lounge serves American fare in its chic and relaxing space.

The Best of Awards Season

Best Restaurant

RN74
301 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
415-543-7474
Route Nationale 74 refers to the main highway that runs through the Burgundy wine region in France, and hence was the inspiration for the name of Michael Mina, Rajat Parr and Jason Berthold’s restaurant, RN74. The trio have delivered a space located at The Millennium Tower that offers the best food and wine pairings through decadent American and French fusion cuisine and an extensive wine list. On Sundays, RN74 serves a prix fixe menu featuring seasonal specialties. Some of the most notable items on the menu are the Comte Cheese Soufflé and Rami-Cured Scottish Salmon Tartare.

AME
689 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
415-284-4040
AME at the St. Regis Hotel has earned consecutive Michelin Stars from 2008-2012, making the new- American restaurant one of the hautest dining destinations in San Francisco. The expertly curated menu combines local, seasonal produce with French, Italian and Japanese influences, creating cuisine that is both innovative and utterly delicious. To boot, AME can accommodate parties of eight at its signature “red table,” a five-foot square table that is ideal for extra-special affairs.

Best Spa

Remede Spa at the St. Regis
125 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
415-284-4060
The 9000-square-foot spa at the St. Regis San Francisco features a pristine indoor infinity pool, anti-aging procedures and customized facials and massages. While waiting for their treatment to begin, guests can take the level of pampering one step further by enjoying complimentary champagne and hand-made truffles in the spa lounge. Now that’s luxury.

Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel
757 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
415-633-3000
The exquisite salon and spa at the Four Seasons San Francisco boasts an array of specialty treatments, including an aromatherapy aloe wrap and up to eight variations of full-body massages. The spa’s reflexology massage aims to promote relaxation by returning the body to its natural and balanced state. The selection of salon services even includes bridal packages.

Best Cultural Institution

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 Third Street , San Francisco, CA 94103
415-357-4000
As the first modern and contemporary arts museum on the West Coast, the SFMOMA features a range of artwork by both recognized and up-and-coming masterminds. Aside from permanent collections, the museum has special, temporary exhibitions to keep visitors intrigued. By embracing new forms of art and the unexpected, the nonprofit organization continues to successfully achieve its mission of transforming lives through art.

The Best of Awards Season

Best New Haute Spot

Bin 55
55 Fourth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
415-896-1600
The San Francisco Marriott Marquis restaurant and wine bar, Bin 55, is amongst the city’s most popular haunts, particularly due to its vibrant social scene. Locals and visitors frequent the restaurant and bar for its noteworthy cocktails, extensive wine list and magnetic crowd. Located in the hotel’s lobby, Bin 55 is the go-to haute spot for the San Francisco elite.

Bar Agricole
355 Eleventh Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
415-355-9400
This farm-to-table tavern capitalizes on farmhouse distilled spirits, natural wines and fresh ingredients sourced from local organic farms. Although the menu changes daily, some of the things you’ll find at Bar Agricole include Grilled Mackerel with Broccoli Rabe, Baby Lima Beans and Cilantro, and Spaghetti with Lamb Ragu, Leeks, Pecorino and Savoy Cabbage.

Best Entertainment

MoAD
685 Mission Street, San Francisco, California 94105
415-358-7200
The Museum of the African Diaspora has become the premier cultural destination of San Francisco since it opened its doors in 2005, with a mission to unite individuals of all ethnicities. The museum aims to enrich the lives of its visitors through exhibitions and educational programs that focus on African history. In addition to its permanent exhibitions, the museum showcases temporary exhibitions as well, such as the current COLLECTED: Stories of Acquisition and Reclamation exhibition, which will run through March 2012.

Best Property

Millennium Tower
301 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
415-989-3333
Millennium Tower boasts three distinct living experiences; The City Residences, The Residences and The Grand Residences, offering a trifecta of luxury living. As a perk to owners, the 20000-squarefoot Club Level of the property includes a pool and outdoor terrace, a Sports Club/LA-operated Fitness Center, a wine tasting room and cellar, and private bar and lounge. As the tallest residential building in San Francisco, the Millennium Tower offers residents and guests alike spectacular views of the city, convenient access by way of its prime location and savory cuisine at RN74.