Hotel Bel-Air

The most romantic restaurant in L.A.

by bellemichelle about Hotel Bel-Air Restaurant & Terrace

This hotel could be the most romantic and secluded places in Los Angeles. You feel like you are in Europe! The restuarant has a beautiful, more formal dining room but it also has an outdoor seating area that is very cozy and romantic with a fire going and bouquets of roses everywhere. The food was quite good as well although pricey and the service was friendly and attentive. Although my boyfriend and I did not go into the bar, it looked like a nice place to relax with a cocktail and live jazz trio. The langostines were divine to start and the souffle was delicious too!

Afternoon tea in Bel-Air

by Dabs about Hotel Bel-Air

My grandma is approaching 100 years old and it's a bit of a challenge for me to find things to do with her in the Los Angeles area but one of the things she seems to enjoy is going out for afternoon tea. I've taken her to the Beverly Wilshire (no longer serving) and to the Huntington Gardens, this time we tried the Hotel Bel-Air on the suggestion of a local.

The atmosphere at the Hotel Bel-Air is lovely yet not at all snooty, when I called to make reservations they said it would be fine for my dad to join us wearing blue jeans or even shorts since it was early in the day. We got a reservation for 3pm on a Monday but it wouldn't have been necessary as there were very few people there. However, I do think it got us a nicer table on the outdoor patio, one of the few semi circular tables overlooking the gardens with large comfy pillows. The foliage doesn't allow for a view of the swans but you can have a look before or after tea. Even though it was in the 90s that day, it was still comfortable being outside under the shade of the table umbrella. Was the afternoon tea worth the eye popping $48 price tag? Well, not for the food or tea as it was pretty standard fare. In addition to your choice of 5 different kinds of tea, they serve a selection of finger sandwiches (one with salmon and caviar, one with egg salad, one with cucumbers and one with chicken salad) followed by a pastry tray with scones, Devonshire cream and lemon curd, 3 different types of cookies, a chocolate dipped strawberry and a small selection of tiny pastries (I think there were 2 each). There is also complimentary champagne served with the tea but I didn't want to drink too much of that and try to negotiate the curves on Sunset Blvd. on the way home!

None of the food was above average which was a bit of a disappointment but all in all it was a lovely afternoon for grandma so that was worth the cost. My dad came along and didn't have the tea but instead had one martini, the tab for that was almost $20!!!!

My Hometown: Los Angeles

by Erin74

"Skip the theme parks, see the REAL Los Angeles!"

Los Angeles tends to get a bad rap from people who think of it as being full of shallow, beautiful people and not much else. Many people aren't sure what to see in Los Angeles aside from the obligatory theme parks and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Well, I'm here to tell you that Los Angeles is a great place to live and to visit. The thing about Los Angeles is that it's not like New York. You won't discover it by just walking down the street. You have to dig a little deeper, ask a few more questions, and be open to exploring the nooks and crannies of the area.

Los Angeles is a very young city. When you talk about something "historical" in Los Angeles, you're probably talking about the 1920s. While there are still many examples of fine art deco architecture in L.A., its real history is not to be found in buildings. Los Angeles was built on oil, shipping and movies. People came here chasing a dream and built lives that reflected those dreams. As you drive around Los Angeles (and you must drive), look carefully for all the little oddities. Talk to people on the street (we're pretty friendly) and see what they have to say. Check out the museums and the old movie houses. Explore. This is the real L.A.--- you won't find it at Universal Studios.

"THE BEST OF L.A. (according to Erin)"

Best Burger:

In-n-Out Burger

Best Fine Dining:

Campanile
L'Orangerie

Best pedestrian shopping areas:

3rd Street Promenade
The Grove (at the Farmer's Market)

Best Museums:

LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)

The Getty Center (for the architecture and views)

Best Movie Theatres:

Mann's Chinese Theatre (enormous theatre with elaborate decor and a huge screen)

Grove 14 (Stadium-style seating in a well-designed theatre)

Best specialty theatres:

The New Beverly (run down theatre with bad prints.. but where else can you see a double feature of Apocalypse Now and The Godfather for $5?)

The Silent Movie Theatre (See my page on this for more details-- it's a truly unique place!)

Most Luxurious Hotels:

Hotel Bel-Air
The Regent Beverly Wilshire
The Peninsula
The Ritz Carlton (Pasadena and Marina Del Rey)

Most central and convenient areas to stay in if you're visiting L.A.:

West Hollywood
Beverly Hills

Best Hotels at the Beach:

Shutters on the Beach
Casa Del Mar

Best Spa:

Burke Williams Day Spa (in Santa Monica and West Hollywood)

Best Nightclubs:

White Lotus
The Concorde
Ivar
Rooftop Bar at the Standard Downtown

Best Martini:

Lola's

Best Live Music:

The Hollywood Bowl

Best Places to take Kids:

Disneyland (not technically in L.A.-- it's an hour south)

The California Science Center

Aquarium of the Pacific (also not in L.A.-- it's in Long Beach, about 40 min. south)

Best Place to Get Tickets to TV Show Tapings:

Audiences Unlimited (818-753-3470)

Best "haunted" sights:

The Pantages Theatre (supposedly haunted by Howard Hughes)

Chateau Marmont (supposedly John Belushi)

The Knickerbocker Hotel (supposedly haunted by Rudolph Valentino, Marilyn Monroe and Harry Houdini)

Points of Architectural Interest:

Disney Hall
The Getty Center
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels