Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard: L.A.’s ultimate urban retreat

Nestled among seven lush garden estate acres in the heart of Los Angeles is the Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard, Bel Air – an urban retreat where I savored a recent respite.

Upon arrival, plush and cozy furnishings in the open, airy, fresh orchid-scented hotel lobby beckoned me sit back and settle in to “vacation mode.” This I did as a team of service-focused staffers checked me in while I freshened up with a provided moist towelette and sipped a complimentary glass ofShirazwine – the welcome amenity I opted for over a cappuccino. This wonderful arrival experience was apropos foreshadowing of the hospitality to follow.

Space

Each room at this boutique-style hotel has special touches like pre-moistened Cooling Cucumber Eye Pads to soothe tired eyes, and other creature comforts like designer toiletries and a cozy signature cotton bathrobe and slippers. Other notable features of each room include flat-screen televisions, dual-line telephones, voicemail, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, in-room safe, on-demand movies and games, iPod docking station, hair dryer, coffeemaker, refrigerator, and iron and ironing board.

Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard offers 160 guest rooms and suites in all. The superior room spans 552 square feet and offers a king or two queens, whilst a deluxe room increases the size to 585 square feet and adds a wet bar.

The suites get even sweeter. There are four 615 square footVistasuites, which are tucked away on the spa level of the hotel for extra privacy. This suite has a king bed, huge bathroom with marble Jacuzzi tub, glass shower, and separate living area. I stayed in the hotel’s Executive Junior suite, which is 672 square feet and comes with either a king bed or double beds, sitting area, desk, and an oversized bathroom with a Roman tub and separate shower enclosure.

But for the penultimate experience reserve the one-bedroom Luxe suite. This ample abode is 800 square feet and offers a king bed, separate living room, a refreshment area and wet bar, and huge bathroom with soaking tub, glass shower, and two sinks.

No matter your room choice, guests at large enjoy a bevy of other hotel amenities like a full-service concierge, in-room dining, business services, cell phone and vehicle rental, valet service, dry cleaning, twice daily maid service, 24-hour room service, safe deposit box, on-call doctor, personal drivers offering Lincoln Town Cars and Limousines, and shuttle service to the world-famous Getty Center, which is mere minutes away.

Taste

If you can bear to leave your relaxing room, head over for some cocktails and chow at the on-site Luxe Lounge and OnSunset Restaurant. The Luxe Lounge is a chic indoor/outdoor spot perfect for enjoying a vacation libation, whether a specialty concoction like the blood-orange and pomegranate martini or one of the many boutique wines and beers served. Small plates and appetizers perfectly complement the drinks, with such tasty morsels as signature pizzas, Truffle Pomme Frites, Kobe Beef Mini-Burgers, Mini-Ahi Tuna Burgers, and Artisan-Made Fresh Bread. Stop by on Thursday evenings to eat, drink and make merry amid live Jazz.

Executive Chef Olivier Rousselle commands the hotel’s OnSunset Restaurant, which delivers sumptuous California-French cuisine for lunch and dinner daily, as well as an elegant Jazz Brunch on Sunday I was sure not to miss. The eatery’s ingredients are fresh and locally sourced and serve as the basis for its transitional seasonal menu. Healthy lunch fare abounds, with a wide range of entrée salads like Grilled Tiger Prawns, Natural Scottish Salmon, Grilled Ahi Tuna, Grilled Rib-Eye and Moroccan Seared Halibut. Sandwiches and elegant eats like Kobe Beef Tacos and Pan-Fried Sand Dabs round out the menu.

Dinner at OnSunset Restaurant also offers an array of seafood and salads to start, followed by menu highlights like Lobster Open Ravioli with asparagus tips, shitake mushrooms and Thermidor sauce; Veal Stufato with Porcini served with mashed potatoes and baby vegetables; Braised Short Ribs Risotto; and Nori-Wrapped Ahi Tuna with ginger-carrot puree, sesame spinach, and sake jus.

For those guests who prefer to dine alfresco amid a tranquil garden setting, the hotel’s open-air Patio also offers fresh California cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Or, feel free to imbibe and ingest poolside.

Place

If your notion of R&R means getting out and about, Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard duly delivers. Hotel architecture is an open-air design throughout, which duly draws guests outdoors at every turn. In addition to the eateries, on-site amenities include an outdoor heated pool and tennis court with option for private or group lessons with a former touring professional. For those who like to work out, Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi classes are available along with a room full of cardiovascular and weight-training equipment. Guests can also enjoy golf a nearby facilities or watch a spirited game of polo with picnic lunch at Will Rogers State Park.

The Luxe Spa is a 1,000 square foot, full-service retreat unto itself that provides guests with numerous ways to be pampered. Amid a Zen den ambiance, spa staff transports guests into a world of tranquility with an array of revitalizing facial, beauty, and body treatments. Hot Oil Head and Neck massages, Green Peel facials, and Lymphatic Massages are among the specialty offerings. Even four-legged guests can receive a doggie massage! Dogs that are less than fifty pounds are, in fact, welcomed hotel guests.

If you prefer, soak in the SoCal air by having your spa treatment poolside. An outdoor spa patio is another relaxing locale for lounging. Spa parties and corporate wellness services can also be arranged for specific events.

Base

Events and meetings are also available at the Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard for 20 to 350 people, with various spaces available like a ballroom, boardrooms, conference rooms, banquet rooms and an outdoor terrace. An expert banquet and catering staff is on hand to plan the perfect event, whether a wedding, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, birthday, or corporate retreat.

In all, Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard proved itself to be a worthy destination offering distinctive style with an intimate and personalized experience punctuated with impeccable customer service.

Location

The Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard is located at 11461 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA90049. Learn more online at http://www.luxesunset.com/.

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above were provided at no cost to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***

BLVD 16 Restaurant and Lounge gets a fresh start (Los Angeles ,CA)

When in L.A., it’ll be worth your while to head over to BLVD 16 Restaurant and Lounge in Westwood, which is ensconced in the trendy and sophisticated Palomar Hotel onWilshire Boulevard. Surrounded by a bevy of high-rise residences, BLVD 16 exudes that friendly and familiar neighborhood gathering place vibe that’s duly complimented by an urban chic atmosphere and uncompromised American California cuisine.

Recently re-launched in February of this year, BLVD 16 is part of the Kimpton family – a collection of boutique hotels and chef-driven eateries throughout the U.S. designed to provide intuitive and unscripted customer care, stylish ambiance, and a certain playfulness in its hospitality approach. This is achieved at BLVD 16, which offers a relaxed and unrushed respite in a contemporary and artful setting. Here, modern lines, warm wood accents, rich colors, soft lighting and eclectic music converge, making the separate, uber-cool bar and dining room spaces a feast for the senses.

For those that just want a drink and a nibble, BLVD 16 boasts a vibrant lounge and bar that feels like you are hanging out in a friend’s cozy living room – a really cool and classy friend that is. There’s everything from clubby, high-back leather chairs to suede couches and plush sofas. Most notably, in the lounge, is the shimmering and rather dramatic 25-foot bar, offering plenty of room and repose for the weary corporate exec or the energized group of friends ready to start their night off right. It’s an ideal place for getting away from the rat race, traffic, and the office while catching up with friends or colleagues – or that special someone for a romantic night out.

BLVD 16’s specialty cocktail menu has it all – from the classics and retro drinks to signature concoctions – that will ensure you find the perfect blend to help you unwind and enjoy. My choice – the Spring Fever ($14) – was a refreshing mixture of Kettle One Vodka, St. Germaine, and sparkling wine with muddled strawberries and kiwis served on the rocks. Also popular here is the New Old Fashioned ($14), which contains Jameson Irish Whiskey, Solerno blood orange liqueur, Luxardo Marischino liqueur and a dash of bitters served up straight or on ice. Of course, an impressive selection of wines by the bottle or glass and bottled beers are also available.

Along with the re-conceptualized and redesigned interior, new Executive Chef Richard Hodge is now commanding the culinary helm. Chef Hodge has revamped the menu into one that’s seasonally driven and often contingent on what he’s found on trips to the local farmer’s market.

Complementing the drink menu at BLVD 16 is a special menu of Bites, Share, and Small Plate items like Short Rib Sliders ($3 each) with Robbiola cheese and crispy onions, Artichoke Tart ($9), and Steak Tartare ($11). A crowd favorite is the Bourbon-Burger-Beer ($20) – a Rogue Dead Guy Ale, a pour of Bulliet Bourbon, and an organic beef burger with bourbon onions, smoked tomato, jack cheese and black pepper aioli served all together.

In the dining room, Chef Hodge has ensured there’s something for everyone as the menu’s main dishes are divided into key culinary categories: Pasta, Sea, and Land. On the night of my visit, I started with a taste of their Carlsbad Oysters ($3 each), which were as supple and fresh as a sea breeze. Then, I moved on to an equally fresh and flavorful Fish Taco ($4 each) comprised of pickled Habanero, shredded cabbage, and crème fraiche served on a corn tortilla. I also enjoyed the rich and amply portioned Flat Bread ($7), bursting with squash blossoms, nettle pesto, and silky Burrata cheese. The Carrot Soup ($9), pureed to perfection and seasoned with a touch of coriander oil, rounded out the stellar starters experience.

Next, I sampled the Steak Salad ($16), which was an unbelievably large portion of steak strips sautéed with sweet peppers and mushrooms and tossed with baby spinach and hardboiled egg in a robust warm tomato vinaigrette fitting of a steak dish. On the lighter side, I also sampled the Roasted Beet Salad ($11) – large chuck-sliced red and yellow beets dished up with upland cress, Pt. Reyes blue cheese, and grapes tossed in a walnut vinaigrette. Absolutely divine.

For the main course, while the Mushroom Fettuccine ($13/$24) with black truffle pasta and mushroom ragout in a herb broth and topped with pecorino was hard to resist, I opted for the Duck ($24) – a grilled breast and confit leg with creamy polenta and citrus. The duck, also generously portioned, was moist and flavorful, and the confit preparation was on point. Another in my party ordered the Scottish Salmon ($24) served with gorgeous dark lentils and seared cauliflower in a tomato bread sauce. As expected, the salmon was moist, fresh, and flaky, and the recipe on the whole was well-strategized with complimentary tastes and textures. On the side, I enjoyed the deep green Blue Lake Green Beans ($7), nearly al dente and served with caramelized shallots. The Mac n Cheese ($14), with a combination of manchego, smoked cheddar, and jack cheeses served with bacon bread crumbs, would be especially satisfying and was also in my sights for a return visit up ahead.

Dessert at BLVD 16 also did not disappoint. Amid a scintillating selection that included cheese boards, Galette, Semifreddo, Caramelized Banana Tarts and a Meyer Lemon Crème Brulee, I went with the Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate ($8) – a sinful chocolate cake with chocolate budino and chocolate ganache that would make the most hardened pastry chef proud. A dramatic end to an overall wonderful dining experience.

In all, BLVD 16 has infused some fresh energy in the Westside scene and will surely do its part to draw locals and travelers alike to partake in its special brand of food, frivolity, and fine customer service.

While I enjoyed the dinner experience, BLVD 16 also serves breakfast and lunch. The restaurant is located lobby-level inside the Hotel Palomar Los Angeles-Westwood, which is located at 10740 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA90024. Check them out online at www.blvd16.com

Music Review: Diamonds | Artist: Rihanna

Shine bright like a diamond.
Find light in the beautiful sea
I choose to be happy
You and I, you and I
We’re like diamonds in the sky

What are diamonds? Unbreakable, highly refractive, crystalline forms of colorless carbon? Pieces of jewelry? Or simply a girls best friend? Answer: All of the above. But there is one that the dictionary doesn’t currently list. Pop diva Rihanna‘s lead single from her seventh album: “Unapologetic“.

Diamonds is a mid tempo pop song with soul and electronic elements. Rihanna, herself, describes it as laid back and hopeful, yet hippy and happy.

The music video depicts the sultry singer in four environments that represent the elements of earth, air, water and fire. According to a statement posted on MTV.com, Rihanna states:

“With every song, it’s a different story and that world. With Diamonds, it was just a series of vignettes that we put together to help get the emotions across throughout the song. It changes as it builds. You just want people to feel that, and I wanted little cutaways of interactions that would give you the right emotion.”

Talk about a melodic emotional rollercoaster.

Well, it’s official!!! Diamonds proves to be another hit for the Barbadian-born bombshell. A remix featuring Kanye West was also released on sound cloud and iTunes . If you fail to pick this up, many of the current happy listeners will be “Unapologetic” of what you’re missing out on. Don’t be an out cast. Get it while the getting is good!!!!

Celebrate México Now! Festival Fetes the Diverse Contemporary Mexican Cultural Scene, from Edgy to Rootsy, November 2012

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globalFEST 2013: Ten Years of Moving International Sounds from the Margins to the Mainstream

Ten years and a world of difference. From the tense atmosphere following 9-11 that sparked globalFEST, to tents bursting with open-minded music fans at some of the biggest indie music festivals, this annual January festival-turned-non-profit arts organization has moved the needle, helping to bring global sounds from the margins to center stage. What started as a response to the sometimes risk-averse performing arts scene has opened major venues and festivals to international artists with deep roots and modern sensibilities.

Founded by some of the United States’ most informed and engaged global music presenters, gF is co-led by a trio of dedicated volunteer producers/curators: Bill Bragin of Acidophilus: Live & Active Cultures, Isabel Soffer of Live Sounds, and Shanta Thake of Joe’s Pub at the Public. globalFEST celebrates its 10^th year on January 13, 2013 at NYC’s Webster Hall (125 East 11th Street), with a dozen vibrant acts from across the world and the sonic spectrum.

Highlights include:

A Tribe Called Red: This crew of DJs and audio-visual artists, joined by live pow wow singers, reimagines pow wow music for Canada’s increasingly urbanized aboriginal youth, reclaiming clichés and transforming them into hot club beats and striking images.

Christine Salem (NYC debut): One of the few female voices of Maloya, a traditional music of the island of Réunion, the rebellious Christine Salem is an extraordinary artist with a unique path. Accompanied by a kayanm, a percussion instrument made from sugar cane flower stems and seeds central to Maloya music, she sings in Creole, Malagasy, Comorian, or Swahili, blending music from the Indian Ocean and African rhythms.

Fatoumata Diawara: With an intense but gentle stage presence and catchy, lilting songs, Diawara is the latest strong female Wassalou voice to emerge from Mali’s diverse, lively music scene.

Kayhan Kalhor and Erdal Erzincan: Two masters in their own right join forces for virtuosic, riveting improvisations based on the shared melodies of Persian and Turkish classical forms. Kalhor’s evocative kamanche (spike fiddle) sails over the delicate yet vigorous textures of Erzincan’s baglama (long-necked lute).

La Santa Cecilia: Big, bold, and danceable, this Latin Grammy-nominated L.A.-based band harnesses gutsy vocals and roaring accordion to explore pan-Latin and alt-pop good times.

La Shica: Flamenco and funk-tinged rock are the perfect pairing in this Madrid quartet’s hands. Serpentine, sultry flamenco vocals and dance meld with electric guitar flourishes for hard-hitting nuevo flamenco.

LoJo_-c-DenisDailleux — Lo’Jo | Photo Credit: Denis Dailleux

Lo’Jo: Polyglot pioneers of border-defying music from elsewhere and everywhere, the French band synthesizes powerful grooves, delightful vocals, Gallic soul, and influences that range from the Saharan nomad blues of the Tuareg to Balkan beats.

Martha Redbone Roots Project: With a soulful voice and intrepid spirit, Redbone focuses on her Native American and Appalachian roots, drawing on the stirring poems of William Blake and high lonesome sounds to shed new light on old ways.

Mucca Pazza: A marching band that thinks it’s a rock ‘n roll band, a couple dozen mischievous performers – including high-jumping cheerleaders, anarchic horns, and helmet-amped guitarists – tear through originals inspired by the world’s marching band traditions and perfected in Chicago’s underground.

Oliver Mtukudzi and the Black Spirits: Oliver, known affectionately as ‘Tuku,’ the venerable Afropop pioneer from Zimbabwe has remained a vital, ever-changing part of the African music scene, adored for his beautiful guitar work, rich and husky voice, and positive, uplifting message.

Parno Graszt: High-energy Hungarian Gypsy (Roma) merriment, complete with strings, accordion, jugs, spoons, and other ingenious percussion, with joyful dances and scat singing.

Stephane Wrembel and His Band: Wrembel’s wry, skillful interpretation of the jazz manouche guitar sound, first made famous by Django Reinhardt, has caught the ears of Woody Allen (who used Wrembel’s work in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Midnight in Paris). His five-piece band summons up the glorious, swinging, bittersweet spirit of Gypsy jazz.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, October 26, 2012. Full festival info at www.globalfest.org. globalFEST can also be found on Twitter at @globalFEST_NYC and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/globalFEST

globalFEST has had a ten-year front row seat to the evolution of the music industry, as well as to the ins and outs of cultural exchange with countries spanning the globe. “When we started globalFEST, we wanted to change the presence of world music on the North American market,” explains Thake. “We wanted to move world music more to the center of the performing arts field,” Bragin adds. “We’ve succeeded in many ways.”

Success has meant a packed SXSW venue and a globalFEST-curated stage at Bonnaroo. It has led to creating a day of New York-centric programming at France’s Festival d’île de France, and working with psychedelic visual artists The Joshua Light Show to bring global elements into classical, jazz, and pop/rock lineups.

globalFEST, through its evolution, has discovered that presenting showcases is not enough. Over the past ten years, its organizers have seen how global artists—performers who may straddle genres and use both highly traditional and very innovative elements in their work—move between diverse touring circuits, between non-profit and commercial presenters. globalFEST aimed to expand the appetite of venues that have not traditionally presented “world music” and broaden the scope of those that did. Now a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, globalFEST has also created new ways to support artists funding artists directly through the globalFEST Touring Fund. The Fund, supported by the Ford Foundation, as well as by gF fans via Kickstarter, provides grants to tour-ready artists that help offset the extensive costs of touring in the U.S., providing a stepping stone to new markets.

“It has been thrilling to help this event grow and reinforce not only a sense of Global citizenry but also the cultural exchange between America and the rich musical communities of the Francophone world,” notes Emmanuel Morlet, Director of the Music Office at the French Embassy, the festival’s founding sponsor. “globalFEST has found new ways to connect people across political boundaries, by bringing French artists to the U.S. and now by bringing American artists to France.”

“globalFEST’s role in developing audiences for a wide variety of international music styles and to encourage artistic risk taking in the performing arts field has made significant strides for artists, audiences and venues alike,” explains Soffer. “We hope our mission to encourage cross-cultural exchange, support diverse programming, and develop meaningful cultural diplomacy relationships will create new opportunities within the performing arts field, commercial music scene and beyond.”

globalFEST, Inc. is a not-for-profit production presented in association with Live Sounds, Joe’s Pub at the Public, Acidophilus: Live & Active Cultures and The Bowery Presents. Support provided by The Ford Foundation and The Cultural Services of the French Embassy with additional support from the French Music Export Office, recognizing France’s pre-eminent role as a hotbed of global music activity. Kayhan Kalhor and Erdal Erzincan are presented with support from Cultures of Resistance Network Foundation. The globalFEST media sponsor is WNYC Radio and Flavorpill. Artist visa services are provided courtesy of Tamizdat. Publicity services are provided by rock paper scissors, inc.

Ciel Rouge resurfaces “The Fashion Statement” to promote his up-coming LP

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