Los Angeles

Where the Stars Are - Celebrity Hot Spots!  Some Los Angeles restaurants and nightlife locales are famous for being owned by stars. Others are famous because of the celebrities who frequent them. Some are long-time Hollywood legends while others are high profile power hubs. Some are luxurious and others are quaint, well-kept secrets. Some are frequented for their outstanding cuisine and others are popular... just because! While the "just because" can be a subjective assessment, the ACCESS  Los Angeles team would like to share a few of our favorites.

This year we saw the premiere of Eva Longoria Parker's venture with celebrity chef, Todd English. Beso (Spanish for "kiss") is steps away from the famous Los Angeles intersection, Hollywood & Vine. The cooking melds Longoria Parker's Mexican roots and family recipes (see this month's featured recipe) with English's signature dishes like ceviche. Visitors to this establishment include other "Desperate Housewives", George Lopez and Sheryl Crow.

Also located in Hollywood are two of the hottest and most exclusive nightclubs in the history of Hollywood - Opera and its sister club, Crimson. Swanky Opera serves up signature dishes to a celeb-heavy crowd while its side-by-side neighbor, Crimson, caters to a rock n' roll crowd. Together, the two can be combined into one large event space. A-listers seen on premises include Justin Timberlake, Bill Maher, Ryan Seacrest, Leonardo DiCaprio and Paris Hilton, among others.

Citrus at Social opened this year and brings fresh vibrant restaurant design to Social Hollywood, a special space recreated from the once-stylish Hollywood Athletic Club. The James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef of 2007, Michel Richard, has created "California French" cuisine with exquisite presentation including such wacky menu items as "Duck, Duck, Orange" and "Escargot in the Garden." Elegant, fiery amber globe lights are suspended above fancy tables with swank mint green chairs. A bar and a large fireplace also occupy this sprawling space. Social Hollywood is still available for spectacular events from intimate private room gatherings to ballroom galas.

Hollywood's Boulevard 3, a new "it" spot, is a combination of Studio 54 and English manor-house appeal - imagine a party at Madonna's London estate. Crisp white furniture is juxtaposed against rich mahogany wood in an exclusive setting including a fireplace and poolside cabana courtyard. Leonardo DiCaprio is a frequent visitor to the VIP balcony suites.

Republic Restaurant + Lounge is a relatively new addition to Los Angeles' hip dining row on La Cienega where it combines innovative design elements, unparalleled service, menu items with creative twists on classic favorites and several special settings including a dining room with a huge cylindrical fire pit and 20' tall wine tower and two lounges boasting comfy leather sofas, private tables and bedazzling glass-beaded wall finishes. Avril Lavigne, Brittany Murphy, David Spade and "Ludacris" are but a few of the celebrities who might be spotted at Republic.

Goa, a "dinnertainment" experience is the brainchild of restaurateur Adolfo Suaya and former "General Hospital" star, Michael Sutton. This celeb-friendly club, restaurant and bar mixes Indian decor with a Japanese menu, while Moroccan light fixtures cast an amber glow and cut-up Persian rugs line the walls and ceilings. Comfy lounge areas also add to the atmosphere. Goa brings out the stars in force including the Hiltons, Kanye West, Leonardo DiCaprio, and "The Hills" girls, Lauren Conrad and Audrina Partridge.

Hyde, in West Hollywood, is popular with the Nicole Richie crowd and is considered the place to see and be seen. Celebs in attendance at Hyde have included Jessica Alba, James Blunt and Leonardo Di Caprio. (What's with that guy anyway - doesn't he work?) Hyde Lounge provides a uniquely stylish and intimate setting for private events.

Then there is the Beverly Hills dining establishment, Mr. Chow! This is a celebrity restaurant where the showbiz crowd often outnumbers the regular diners and the food is known to be outstanding. The sophisticated, contemporary decor features walls lined with modern art, complemented by round, black and white "kites" overhead. The celebrity-spotting can't be beat. Diners include George Clooney, Robert DeNiro, Jennifer Lopez, Al Pacino and many more. Barbra Streisand and James Brolin not only met at a dinner party at Mr. Chow, they chose their wedding date to commemorate that meeting. Steely Dan, in their song "Glamour Profession", states, "Meet me at midnight at Mr. Chow..." That might not be a bad idea!

Contact the team at ACCESS  Destination Services Los Angeles to explore how best to incorporate these LA hotspots into your next meeting, conference or incentive travel program. Whether you desire a buy-out or you would like us to carve out your own private space, the team is here to make it happen.

Palm Springs

Celebrity Estate - Now Available for Events! It's no secret that some of the most beautiful views in Southern California are the mountain-mixed-with-blue sky and palm tree vistas found in the desert resort communities near Palm Springs. They are yours to enjoy from the comforts of a beautiful "celebrity" estate which has just become available for special events. This expansive home features a palatial 1500 square foot living room with domed highlights. Walls are adorned with Leroy Neiman-ish "neo-Impressionist" paintings in acidic yellows and flaring turquoises - colors that became the inspiration for the home's furnishings. With all of its amenities, including a 5/8-mile racetrack, the true luxury of this desert compound is the land.

To whom did this estate belong? Here are a few hints: This media icon, who passed away in 2007 at the age of 82, worked in front of the cameras as a jovial talk-show host and behind-the-scenes creator of the two longest-running TV game shows, "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune"; he divided his time traveling between his mansion in Beverly Hills, a mountain lodge in Carmel, a home in Ireland, and his 142-foot yacht, the Griff; one of his closest friends was the late Eva Gabor. Do you know who it is? If you guessed Merv Griffin - you are right!

Merv got the idea for his La Quinta retreat on a trip to Morocco in the mid-1980's with his friend Eva Gabor where he saw an estate belonging to Yves Saint Laurent, conned his way in, and came away knowing that he was dedicated to coming home and copying the design of what he viewed as a magnificent palace. Construction began on the property in 1986 and in 1988, just two weeks before he was to move in, a contractor fired up the electricity in the main house - all at once - and the home burned to the ground. Said Merv, "I was in New Jersey at the time and saw it on TV. CNN got there before the fire department did." It took a year to rebuild.

Your guests will enjoy the many framed photographs depicting Merv with politicians and movie stars as well as the family photos on display. Various awards (he received 17 daytime Emmy's and one for Lifetime Achievement in 2005) are tastefully featured around the main living areas of the home. The family of Merv Griffin is proud to maintain this beautiful estate as a legacy to Mr. Griffin and to continue bringing pleasure to those who come to visit.

If you are interested in hearing more details on how this venue can work within a creative program itinerary as the site of a very special event, contact the Palm Springs team at ACCESS  Destination Services who will gladly assist you with all of your destination management needs for your next meeting, conference or incentive travel event coming to the Palm Springs area.

Spice it up with ACCESS

Eva Longoria Parker's Tortilla Soup and Guacamole!   This recipe is featured as a specialty of the house at Eva's Los Angeles restaurant, Beso.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, medium dice
1/2 bunch of celery, medium dice
1/4 cup garlic, chopped
1 pasilla pepper (a dried, mild chili), medium dice
1 jalepeno pepper, diced
1/2 cup olive oil
6 whole Roma tomatoes
6 cups hearty chicken stock
1/2 cup lime juice
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
1 tablespoon paprika
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste

Tortilla chips, avocado, jalepenos or sour cream to garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, toss tomatoes with half of the oil, a pinch of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Spread on a baking pan and roast until light brown, 25-30 minutes.
2. While tomatoes are roasting, in a stock pot over medium heat, saute onion, celery, peppers and garlic in remaining oil, stirring frequently until soft and translucent.
3. Add chicken stock, cayenne, chili powder, ground cumin seed, paprika and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes.
4. When tomatoes are light brown and their skins have begun to peel back, remove from oven and add to the broth.
5. Add chicken breasts, cut into strips. Simmer 10 minutes.
6. Using an immersion hand blender, or in batches in a food processor or blender, blend soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve piping-hot in large bowl, garnished with chopped avocado, tortilla chips, chopped jalepenos and sour cream. Other suggestions for garnish include diced red onion, chopped cilantro, salsa verde, sliced radishes and cooked, diced chicken. Adjust spices and seasonings to your taste.

GUACAMOLE:

Ingredients:
8 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
Generous handful of cilantro, stems removed and chopped
3 small serrano peppers, seeded and chopped finely
Juice of 3-9 lemons, depending on your taste
Salt
Tortilla chips (Eva's favorite are lime-flavored)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mash avocados
2. Mix in tomatoes, onion, cilantro and peppers
3. Add lemon juice and salt to taste
4. Serve with tortilla chips

Enjoy!