Destination California :: Central Los Angeles

Welcome to California Travel, a monthly series from EDGE contributor Eric Rosen. Each month, Eric will be checking out a new destination- scouring the Golden State for its treasures. For his first installment, Rosen has chosen the city of premiers as the premier destination: Los Angeles. One part of Los Angeles, to be more precise (LA's so big we've asked him to check out - and report back on - more than one area over the course of the year.) This piece focuses on the gay mecca: West Hollywood - Weho, as it's affectionately known. He also ventures into Weho's neighbors to the east and west; Hollywood and Beverly Hills respectively. (Stay tuned to further updates in the series for other neighborhoods around L.A.)

Whether you're looking for a low-key holiday along palm-lined Rodeo Drive, a celebrity sighting on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or a weekend of fun in Boys Town, central L.A. has everything you need for a great escape.

Hotels

Every budget and color on the gay rainbow spectrum is represented in the choices of hotels packed around West Hollywood. A hidden gem to retire to when the throngs of pretty boys at the bars get to be too much is The Viceroy Group's Chamberlain Hotel, located on a quiet side street just north of Boys Town. Le Parc Suites is another great option for peaceful serenity, as it too is located in a residential neighborhood. It also boasts huge rooms at affordable prices just a quick drive from Weho's bars- and outdoor shopping, dining and drinks at The Grove.

If it's your first time in Los Angeles though, consider staying at one of the classic (and often infamous) hotels on the Sunset Strip. You'll get a little more bustle for your buck at places like the celebutastic Sunset Marquis and Sunset Tower, or the two club-like party hubs, The Standard (pictured) and The Mondrian. The tony London Hotel is closest to the gay bars farther south on Santa Monica Boulevard- not to mention home to a Gordon Ramsay restaurant.

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The newest addition to the Strip is Hyatt's "hip" have-it-your-way brand, Andaz, which has completely redone the old Riot Hyatt of rock band tantrum notoriety, and now also has a delicious restaurant called RH that serves up farm-fresh regional French cuisine. If you're a real foodie though, the SLS Hotel on La Cienega is not only the place to see and be seen these days, but also the location of one of the most buzzed about restaurants in the country: Jos� Andres's Bazaar (pictured). This temple to culinary chemistry serves up the most inventive food in the city with menu mysteries like liquefied olives, spun sugar-encased foie gras, and the best selection of Spanish hams on the West Coast.

For those really in the tourist mindset, a stay farther east in Hollywood is just the ticket to the Walk of Fame. The W Hollywood should be open by the time you read this, or for a near-guarantee of a starlet hanky panky sighting, head for The Roosevelt, whose restaurant, 25 Degrees, serves one of the best burgers in town.

Hotels continue... next page.

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In L.A. for a fancy shopping excursion and want to stay closer to the luxury boutiques of Beverly Hills? There are plenty of options there, too, ranging from the super-expensive Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire and The Peninsula, to another Viceroy property, the cozy Maison 140, and the affordable Crescent Hotel.

Probably the only certifiably 'cool' hotel in this 'hood is The Thompson (pictured) where you can often spot Madison Hildebrand from Bravo's Million Dollar Listing chowing down on sushi at BondSt and taking a dip in the rooftop pool (secret tip: only guests of the hotel get to go to the pool and bar on the roof, but it has one of the best views in town, and a pretty mean cocktail menu, so think about staying here).

Restaurants

Los Angeles has officially shed its image as a culinary backwater, second fiddle to the great restaurants of New York and San Francisco. It now boasts one of the most exciting food scenes in the country, and has perfected that most ambiguous school of cooking: California cuisine.

Beverly Boulevard is home to one of the city's gourmet restaurant strips, and includes classics both old and new, like upscale Americana Jar, Neal Fraser's Grace, and the neighborhood's newest favorite, Eva, from Chef Mark Gold.

Farther north - on Melrose - you'll find Philippe Chow's latest eponymous gourmet Chinese restaurant, Philippe, David Myers's cozy French brasserie, Comme �a (pictured), and Suzanne Goin's Lucques.

Up on the Sunset Strip, Laurent Tourondel's BLT Steak and //www.michaelmina.net/xiv/Michael Mina's XIV round out the celebrity chef-driven options in the area.

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For a more casual dining experience, head east to Fairfax to try the deliciously meat-themed Animal, or Golden State, one of a slew of new gastropubs in town that offers hard-to-find artisanal brews. Some other pubs you might consider are Stout Burgers and Beer for their beer pairing suggestions and late hours, BoHo for its proximity to the ArcLight movie complex, Bowery for some of the best mussels and fries in town, and Essex Public House which serves beer-battered onion rings that will change the way you eat fried foods.

Just want a place to eat before a night out at the bars in Weho? Try Mexico (pictured). No, not the country. The very festive (and very pink) restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard. The authentic (read: not El Torito Tex-Mex) Mexican food there goes perfectly with the exotic assortment of tequilas and mixed drinks. Cecconi's is also a good choice, and you're likely to spot a star or two as you munch on delicate lobster linguine or chicken paillard in a dining room that looks like it was transported from a 1930's London supper club.

In Beverly Hills, everyone is talking about Thomas Keller's latest incarnation of Bouchon, serving up French classics in a fancy, frilly setting. Spend your evening poolside instead at the Avalon Hotel's newly reconceived restaurant, Oliverio, with a menu of classic Italian dishes with fresh California ingredients in a setting reminiscent of the Italian Riviera in the swinging '60's. Oh, and Paris Hilton might be there. (Come on, we know you're fascinated. Nothing to be ashamed of.)

Next :: Boy bars

Boy Bars

Weho, Weho, Weho. Need I say more? Sure, you can find some rocking gay bars in other parts of the city, but if you're looking for a night out that you won't soon forget (or, perhaps one that you won't remember the next day), West Hollywood is the place to go. Here are but a few of the many fun options; places where you can throw back a few drinks, throw out your inhibitions, and throw down a few dance moves.

Of course, no trip to Los Angeles would be complete without a stop at the biggest gay bar in the entire universe (this has not been fact-checked, but I'm basing it on the feeling I get every time I'm there), the Abbey (pictured). Whether you want to drink outdoors under the stars, inside near the enormous fireplace, or canoodle in one of the cabana-like booths, every seeker is sure to fulfill their quest here on a Saturday night, though the crowd tends to be more O.C. and Ventura than L.A.

Right next to the Abbey is Here Lounge, where you'll find the hottest (and friendliest) go-go boys in town, though there's not much room for patrons to drink inside. Better to hang out in the outdoor terrace that runs the length of the building.

Just around the corner is Mother Lode, perfect if you want to hustle a game of pool (or a gentleman of the baser breed), while the intimate bordello-styled St. Felix across the street mixes up the best cocktails on the block. A block farther east, and you get to the two-level Mickey's which has come back better than ever after a recent fire, while Rage hosts dance nights for fetishists of every persuasion. Most folks just head to Fiesta Cantina for its two-for-one happy hour, casual vibe and cute waiters (karaoke on Wednesdays is also very popular).

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Not too far away, East/West is more subdued and smug, though it hosts some great private parties and has recently opened a specialty tequila bar. Eleven has aerialists on wires on the weekends to entertain the crowds on the ground, while a few blocks away, you'll find Weho's newest bar, Gym, a sports bar that is already drawing the butch, "masc" crowd and their admirers.

At the end of the evening, the entire scene migrates a mile farther east for late night at Fubar, where the drinks are a little cheaper, the dancers are a little more desperate, and the pickings are ripe.

If you're in town over a weekend, hit the weekly dance parties at The Factory, just a block over from the Abbey. The young crowd comes out on Friday to dance to Top 40 hits at PopStarz, while Saturday is Cherry Pop, drawing gays who have been out of college at least a couple years. Come to either before 11pm to avoid paying a cover.

Last page :: Shopping!

Just for fun

Many people come to L.A. for the beach, but a stay farther inland is an opportunity to indulge in the city's other great pastime: shopping.

Along Robertson Boulevard, you'll find boutiques on the cutting edge of men's fashion (or at least on the cutting edge of pop culture) like Lisa Kline Men, and celebrity favorite Kitson (pictured). Take a break from the heavy lifting by stopping in at Petrossian Caviar Restaurant and Boutique for a glass of champagne and fluffy blini topped with jet-black Transmontanus or Alverta caviar before picking up a tin of the stuff to take home for your friends.

The Sunset Strip has some swank eateries and boutiques, especially around Sunset Plaza, just west of La Cienega. Get your workout in (or just a massage) as well as some eye candy at the Equinox Fitness Club, then undo all your good work with a gelato at Caff� Primo next door. Did you forget an essential item of apparel at home? Get the cheaper version at the new H&M so you won't look out of place at the indie rock band show that night at the Troubadour.

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It might be a recession, but for travelers with a wad of cash burning a hole in their designer pocket, it's off to Beverly Hills for a Pretty Woman-like high-fashion shopping excursion down Rodeo Drive (pictured). Here you'll find flagship stores of such name brands as Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Chanel, and our favorite place to browse, Barney's New York. Prep it up at Fa�onnable or Burberry, or take it down-market at the chain stores on Beverly Drive: Banana Republic, Club Monaco, Anthropologie and Crate & Barrel. After all that shopping, you deserve a cupcake from the city's most famous bakery, Sprinkles, just around the corner on Little Santa Monica.

If it's your first time in Los Angeles, head a bit east and take a couple hours to wander the bustling streets around Hollywood & Highland. Here's where you'll find familiar names on the Walk of Fame, and such well known sights as Grauman's Chinese Theater. Stop for a bit to shop at the mall, or go for a bowl at Lucky Strike Lanes.

Whether it's your first trip to Los Angeles or your tenth, there's always something new to discover. The city is in a dynamic state of constant change, challenging and inspiring not only its inhabitants, but the millions of visitors who pass through each year. There is always somewhere new to eat, drink, sleep, shop, see and (especially in L.A.) be seen.

Next month Eric Rosen will visit downtown San Diego to see what's cooking in America's "Finest City," before heading to locales far and wide across the state. Watch for future pieces, including Napa, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Sonoma, Orange County, and many other destinations. Stay tuned for future installments in our California Series each month as you decide where to plan your next California vacation.