see also
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Go:
Scruffy as it still appears,
Venice Beach is no longer
the seaside haven of
hipsters living in gentile
poverty. What artists
are left either bought a
long time ago or are
successful enough to live
next door to the kind of
movie stars who want to
live next door to artists.
These days Abbot Kinney
Boulevard is one of the
hottest streets in L.A.,
a parade of shops in
tarted-up cottages, and
starkly modern boutiques
with white walls and
cement floors, lit by
chandeliers or midcentury-
homage pendant
lights. On the first Friday
of each month, they all
stay open until 10 p.m.
and the street fills with
entertainment.
Stay:
Casa del Mar
An elegant private
beach club during the
1920s, Casa reopened in
1999, and was renovated
again earlier this year.
The new rooms (by the
original designer, Darrel
Schmitt) have fourposter
beds, blue walls,
and BainUltra baths
that keep the water hot
and have jets. The
restaurant reopened last
year as Catch, serving
seafood and sushi.
1910 Ocean Way ,
Santa Monica
Rates: $460–$560
800/898-6999
hotelcasadelmar.com
Shutters on
the Beach
Shutters, perennially
popular with movie folk,
actually is on the beach—
next door to its younger
sister, Casa. The exterior
design falls somewhere
between Cape Cod and
Craftsman, while rooms
are in crisp, Yankee-austere
style with white
shutters and wood floors.
The restaurant One Pico
just got a remodel, and
a straightforward new
menu emphasizes fresh
local produce and fish.
The pool deck also just
received a refurbishing,
which included the
addition of cabanas, a
full bar, and a restaurant.
One Pico ,
Santa Monica
Rates : $520–$825
800/334-9000
shuttersonthebeach.com
Viceroy Santa
Monica
Not on the beach, but
close enough so that
you can view it from the
upper floors, the 162-
room Viceroy still has
a scene around its pool,
where striped cabanas
are prime spots for
industry folks. Whist, the
restaurant, has consistently
good food, albeit
pricey. Decor, by design
star Kelly Wearstler, is
an update on Hollywood
Regency in mostly black
and white with accents
in muted green or blue.
1819 Ocean Ave .,
Santa Monica
Rates: $450–$550
800/670-6185
viceroysantamonica.com
Eat:
3 Square Cafe
+ Bakery
Well-respected restaurateur
Hans Röcken Wagner’s new bakery and
café serves breakfast,
lunch, and dinner,
from pastries to salads.
The burgers come on
pretzel rolls, or you
can choose schnitzel
with lingonberries and
cucumber salad.
1121 Abbot Kiney Blvd .
310/399-6504
Axe
It’s pronounced ah-SHAY,
and the emphasis is
on organic, local produce,
though not strictly
locavore. Service can
be lax, as the waiters
seem more concerned
with waiting for their real
careers to take off.
Brunchgoers swear by
the nine-grain pancake.
1009 Abbot Kiney Blvd .
310/664-9787
Joe ’s Restaurant
Long a foodie favorite,
chef Joe Miller offers a
rare-for-L.A. lack of
pretentiousness, not to
mention great service.
The Cali-French cuisine
just won a Michelin
star. The menu changes
according to market,
with dishes like New
Zealand red snapper
with potato scales, wild
rice, and crispy spinach.
Sunday brunch is a
highlight, and not to be
missed.
1203 Abbot Kiney Blvd .
310/399-5811
Primitivo Wine
Bistro
Tapas from cheeses
to calamari in lemon
aioli, paella (a 45-minute
wait), and a long wine
list with lots by the glass
(Spanish prioratos to
Opus One), have made
this place so popular it
can be hard to get into.
1025 Abbot Kiney Blvd .
310/396-5353
primitivowinebistro.com
Shop:
Altered Space
The furniture here is
art—functional whimsical
wood pieces halfway
between modern
and country-cottage
rustic. Pieces in glass
and ceramic also veer
toward art.
1221 Abbot Kinney Blvd .
310/452-8121
alteredspacegallery.com
Colcha
This homeware and
gift store recently moved
to a larger space with
more room for an offbeat
inventory, including
John Derian plates and
furniture made in San
Miguel de Allende.
1416 Abbot Kiney Blvd .
310/392-3600
colchahome.com
E-Cookie
Here are of-the-moment
clothes from the girlie
end of the spectrum
(Tibi, Rachel Pally,
Alice + Olivia) in a shop
owned by a former
fashion and accessories
editor. In the evening,
they break out the wine.
1639 Abbot Kinney Blvd .
310/392-2135
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