The Skybar at Mondrian

Asia de Cuba

A room in the Mondrian

The Tea Room in Katana

The Sunset Room in Katana

A plate of robata skewers at Katana

A plate of Katana sushi

Chef Nobuyaki Matsuhisa

The Argyle Hotel

In the summertime, the Los Angeles nights are set ablaze by hot Santa Ana winds. On such evenings the rich and the famous of LA step out of their Beverly Hills mansions or Malibu beach houses and embrace the smoldering energy of the city. Dressed in their carefully-constructed-casual LA fashions (jeans and silk camisoles for the ladies, white linen shirts for the gentlemen) they can be seen sitting on patios, dining on perfect portions of culture-infused cuisines. Then they flock to the various night spots overlooking the spellbinding panorama of La-la land…to see and to be seen. If you are in town and wish to enjoy one of the most vibrant capitals in the world in true Hollywood style, Fashionlines' own lifestyle guide will show you the way.

In Tinsel Town location is everything! Unless you want to waste away the hours sitting on the 101, California's largest 8-lane parking lot, choose your accommodations wisely. Given its central location on Sunset Boulevard, a short walking distance from world famous clubs and restaurants frequented by celebrities, the Mondrian has always been the number one choice of Fashionlines editors. From the moment you pull up into the Ferrari studded driveway of the hotel until the day you check out, an army of impeccably dressed, dedicated employees will cater to your every need. Like all other Ian Schrager establishments, the Mondrian is designed to afford you a comfortable, luxurious and pleasurable stay. The rooms are tres chic, decorated in neutral colors and conveying a sense of spaciousness. However, a feather-top bed, spa products and a crisp decor are not all that that the Mondrian has in store for you.

Overlooking the exquisite silhouette of the city, Asia de Cuba, a fusion restaurant located on the lobby floor of the Mondrian, is one of the finest places to dine in Los Angeles. Celebrities as well as entertainment industry executives frequent this famed spot, chatting intimately in its candlelit ambiance. The wide array of innovative dishes offered on the menu is simply delectable. Laced with sumptuous tropical flavors such as bananas and cashews, the calamari salad is a definite home run. If you want to enjoy a dreamy culinary experience nestled amongst ficus trees and bougainvillea plants, make your reservations today.

If you are a sushi lover, you owe it to yourself to pay a visit to Katana in West Hollywood. Whether you are trying out inventive dishes like sea bass in ponzu sauce or minced chicken stuffed shitake mushrooms, or sticking to all-time favorites like buttery toro or chewy tuna, you can relax on Katana’s ritzy patio overlooking the Strip. However, if you prefer privacy, make sure to ask the maitre d’ for indoor seating. In the end, wherever you choose to savor the scrumptious creations “cooked up” by the restaurant’s master chefs, a meal at Katana is sure to be a feast for the senses.

Speaking of the art of Japanese cooking you mustn’t leave LA without indulging in the world famous creations of Matsuhiya, the legendary New York hotspot NOBU’s sister restaurant on the West Coast. Fashionlines believes you are more likely to eat elbow-to-elbow with a celebrity at Matsuhiya than at any other location in Los Angeles. The posters bearing famous autographs decorating the hallways are a testament to this fact. The menu is saturated with mouth watering seafood offerings, but given the incredibly imaginative and original twists unique to Matsuhiya’s cooking, it is best to order the tasting menu; that way you are bound to be surprised by each bite. Furthermore, entrusting the expert chefs with your dinner eliminates the difficulty of choosing between sashimi chips with spicy miso sauce and baby abalone with light garlic sauce.

After sating your appetite, we recommend that you continue your evening at the Skybar, an ivy covered gazebo perched over the Mondrian swimming pool. Unless you are a movie star, admission to the Skybar is a near impossibility after 11:00 PM, so Fashionlines recommends that you show up early. Once inside you can try to make your way into the often overcrowded bar area, but why not lay out on the puffy mattresses scattered across the terrace and have your margaritas brought to you?

Another all-the-rage place to visit after a meal is Bar Marmont. The picturesque outdoor patio nestled under the stars, complimented by a lovely bar area complete with a faux-butterfly covered ceiling, offers refuge for those looking to avoid chaotic night clubs. Bar Marmont is indeed the kind of place you would take a first date or a businesses associate.

But if you want to skip the R&R and drink sipping in favor of dancing the night away, you must head over to Fenix, the Argyle’s trendy restaurant that morphs into a night club after 11:00 PM. Just like the new golden girl of the big screen, Kirsten Dunst (who was recently spotted here) you too can sway your body to the rhythm of popular beats mixed by LA’s best DJs.

Unlike NY where the party goes on until the crowds go home, LA night life comes to an abrupt halt around 2:00 AM. The lights come on and the fabulous people of Tinsel town get into their luxury cars and drive back towards the hills, not to return until the next time the winds of Santa Ana set Los Angeles on fire.

MONDRIAN
8440 Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood, California, 90069
Tel. 323 650 899 Fax 323 650 5215
Reservations 800 606 6090
Mondrian@morganshotelgroup.com

ASIA DE CUBA
Tel. 323 848 6000

KATANA
8439 Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood, California, 90069
Tel. 323 650 8585

MATSUHIYA
129 North La Cienega Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, 90211
Tel. 310 659 9639 Fax 310 659 0492

BAR MARMONT
8171 Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood, California, 90069
Tel. 323 650 0575

FENIX at the ARGYLE
8358 Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood, California, 90069
Tel. 323 654 7100 Fax 323 654 9287
info@argylehotel.com