No pictures allowed… who knew?

In the midwest, the colors are starting to change even as some days feel like the middle of July.  It’s all okay though, for those of us from cooler climates, we know that before long we will be in sweaters and boots for the long-haul. Perhaps that is why I feel as though it is so important to have occasional changes in scenery!

Beyond actually being away, it allows the opportunity to decompress and focus on other things than the drudgery of everyday life. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to visit a girlfriend in Los Angeles; I’d never actually spent any time in LA… except for landing in and flying out of LAX. It was a luxuriously relaxing three days where we literally went from meal to meal… But that’s part of the fun of vacation right? 

Perhaps my favorite was the lunch at Chateau Marmont, the iconic retreat that has been a “home away from home” to celebrities since it opened in 1929. Everyone from Katherine Hepburn to John Wayne and the Led Zeppelin band to Sofia Coppola have punched their ticket at the hotel; probably because of the anonymity that it provides. Many years ago, Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn told three newly discovered stars who whom he’d rented a suite, “If you must get into trouble, go to the Marmont.”

So much smaller than I expected, the building’s Gothic inspirations are felt throughout where hand-painted murals, vaulted ceilings, and stained glass adorned the interior. The Garden Terrace restaurant is also much more intimate than I was expecting… an indoor/outdoor space that seems to have aged perfectly. It was so fun to observe the interesting cast of characters dining alongside. Seated at the table directly behind us were what looked like three washed up rockers from the 70’s, seated to our right were three women who undoubtedly spent hours going in and out of the boutiques on Melrose Avenue, and to our left were two couples in their early twenties… clearing using their parents’ platinum Am/Ex cards. Maybe in the mix of this group was a celebrity or two; but we were so caught up in the chateau’s history, that we didn’t notice. 

With a “Photographs Prohibited” clause strictly imposed, it’s no surprise that anyone who doesn’t want to be spied upon or found out visits to Chateau Marmont. I have to admit that for all the free press that social media brings forth, it was so nice to be able to relax and fully enjoy a meal without the annoyances of selfies left and right. And even though I have no pictures of our delightful afternoon, I’ll treasure the memory spent in the midst of friends.