Every January, Los Angeles turns into a sea of red carpet and A-list celebrity sightings as awards season shines. Below are the best places to spot your favorite stars and follow in their footsteps (ahem, without the paparazzi)!
See what the fuss is about at the boutiques and eateries of celebrity haven Rodeo Drive. Image Credit: @JPrinsen via Twenty20.
Where To Eat and Sip Like a Star
- The Ivy: Since it opened in 1983, this charming, star-studded cottage is known for its photographer’s flashbulbs and lines of black-tinted SUVs. Grab your oversized sunglasses and score a table at brunch or dine on the front porch where you might spot a star as you sip some bubbly.
- Bootsy Bellows: Young reality TV stars and celebrities frequent this swanky, red-hued nightclub, owned by actor David Arquette. The sultry interiors, with large-scale covers of retro magazines, pink couches and a grand piano, triples as a venue to sip cocktails, enjoy shows with burlesque dancers and watch sultry puppet performances.
- No Vacancy: This dimly-lit speakeasy with an old Hollywood vibe and fireplace serves Prohibition-era themed drinks with edible flowers and a boozy punch served in a silver bowl with sliced citrus.
Find a private corner at the sophisticated No Vacancy bar and revel in the bygone days of Hollywood. Image Credit: No Vacancy.
Where To Spot the Stars: From Shopping Malls to Old Hotels
- The iconic Sunset Strip is home to boutiques, clubs and restaurants. Start outside the fabled Chateau Marmont, long a celebrity nook to the likes of Howard Hughes, Bob Dylan and James Dean and currently a hideaway for the best names in the business. Nearby, the Hollywood Roosevelt (est. 1927), where Marilyn Monroe once lived for two years, is well-known for its celebrity roster.
Venture to the great castle on the hill, where scandalous fun and celebrity misbehavior have been par for the course for more than 80 years. Image Credit: Chateau Marmont.
- For shopping near Melrose, Opening Ceremony sells edgy, upscale duds with a list of trendy designers and fun collaborations with Adidas and Birkenstock.
- Later, get dolled up at the pink-hued Glossier, a skincare and makeup storefront promising to keep you camera ready.
With a well-deserved cult following and an Instagram-worthy interior, Glossier Los Angeles is a must-visit. Image Credit: Glossier.
- Nearby, Chris McMillan Salon (the stylist behind Jennifer Aniston’s famous ‘do) books a steady roster of A-list stars.
- Celebrities love their retail therapy and often frequent The Grove, an outdoor shopping mall lined with 50+ places to shop for your red-carpet look.
- Afterward, hop the double-decker trolley to the next door Original Farmers Market, where stalls are lined with green juices, tacos and sweet treats.
- Later, drop by Fred Segal. Known as a mecca of one-stop shopping, the trend-obsessed stock up on the glitzy necessities from sunglasses to beauty products.
- Meanwhile, TCL Chinese Theatre is still packed with red carpet, star-studded movie premieres.
Where To Rest Your Head
Along Wilshire Boulevard, the newly-reimagined Kimpton Hotel Palomar LA Beverly Hills melds a mod mix of steel, warm woods and leather, while guest rooms are filled with black and white murals. The buzzy, Hollywood back-lot inspired eatery, Double Take, serves elevated comfort fare. A fully-stocked game room complete with skee-ball, shuffleboard, pool and darts and lobby bar are perfect for sipping signature cocktails and craft brews. At the day’s end, take a refreshing dip in the pool and order poolside champagne. You know, like a true star.
Nothing says VIP quite like ending your day in the posh surroundings of the Kimpton Hotel Palomar LA Beverly Hills. Image Credit: David Phelps.
