Highlights from this Issue
Ask Bonnie
Our world-class concierge will help you find the best...well, anything.
By Bonnie Zabel
Masters of Aesthetics is excited to announce the addition of its regular column designed to let you in on the best-kept secrets: "Ask Bonnie."
When the question arises, "Which are the best private spas for facial peels?" "What are the sweetest summer melons?" "Who makes the softest men's boxer shorts?"… the go-to concierge has always been Bonnie Zabel, who handles such questions for the international rich and famous as well as the housewives from Omaha. Her "finds" are not limited to luxury items and boutiques, but extend to shopping stalls and flea markets. This column represents a first for Bonnie, as until now, her secrets were closely guarded and privately shared.
For our inaugural issue, we decided to "Ask Bonnie" a question that our entire Los Angeles-based editorial staff wanted to have answered.
Q: Bonnie, where can you get away for a romantic rooftop dinner in Los Angeles?
Bonnie Says:
Los Angeles sizzles in the autumn months. The weather is spectacular, mediated by cool off shore ocean breezes from the Malibu and Santa Monica coast. What better time to savor the delicious adventures available to Angeleno's and the multitude of guests visiting the City of Angels?
By 6:45 pm, when the sun is about to descend into the horizon of the Pacific, you have the perfect time to enjoy a cocktail or an early dinner from a location above the din of the hustle and bustle. Located in the heart and soul of the verve and vibe of downtown Los Angeles, the rooftop at the Standard Hotel provides panoramic and dazzling views of both the city and the mountains beyond.
Further west and in the heart of West Hollywood is Phillipe Starke's first foray into Los Angeles: the Mondrian Hotel, where the view from either the indoor Asia de Cuba or the outdoor patio is spectacular and unparalleled.
Wrapped around the rooftop pool at the Hotel Wilshire is a panoramic and sprawling view of LA which offers a casual and stunning dining experience.
Heading to the coast, the Penthouse at the top of the 18 story Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica offers a 360 degree view from the ocean to the city, from Malibu to Venice.
Perhaps the best view of all is found amidst the cultural hideaway in the clouds at the Restaurant at the Getty Center. When thinking of museum restaurants, "spectacular views" does not readily come to mind. However, at the Getty, in a room drenched with sunlight, you will experience an elegant meal with sophisticated views.