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What could be more indulgent than a quick weekend in LA to attend a close friend’s surprise birthday party? As a bonus we got to return to one of my favorite hotels and visit with our son and his girlfriend, cramming a whole lot of fun into a short visit.

American Airlines is not my usual choice of carrier, but in truth I was pretty impressed. The breakfast options in the Admirals Club not withstanding (Cap’n Crunch?), the service on board was pretty solid as was the quality of our meals. Thankfully we were on time and upon landing went straight to the hotel.

I last stayed at the Beverly Hills Hotel about 18 months ago (which you can read about here) and absolutely loved it; this visit was almost as stellar. If you are an avid reader of this blog you know of my affinity for anything “old school”, and the BHH ticks all the boxes. The history, location and high level of service are all a recipe for success in my book though there is one major negative, the lack of walkability. The Maybourne is not quite as classic as the BHH but it is in a much better location if you want to wander right out the door and start exploring (you can read about my recent stay here).

We arrived well before check-in and were surprised to find that not only was our room ready, but we also received an upgrade (one of the perks of booking through a great travel agent). After quickly dropping our bags and exploring the room (a tad musty smelling, maybe from the recent rains?) we decided to have a quick bite by the pool.

Dining by the pool at the BHH is definitely not just about the food; watching the scene is pure entertainment from families with toddlers to groups of teenage girls as well as tables of elderly gents nattily outfitted in blazers along with their caregivers, it truly runs the gamut.

I was sure not to over order poolside as next on the agenda was a trip to Erewhon to get my Cosmic Bliss Soft Serve fix. Needless to say, sitting at Erewhon and watching the literal catwalk of shoppers is also incredibly entertaining.

It’s not a stay at the BHH without a visit to the Polo Lounge which is the ultimate “old school” bar in terms of setting and service. We enjoyed a quick drink before dinner and the energy level was high. Our cocktails hit the spot but my husband was definitely tempted by the very enticing cheeseburger and fries at the table next to us, though he managed to hold himself back as our dinner at Anajak Thai promised to be a big one.

My son is a big fan of Anajak Thai and it seems he is not the only one, last time he was there he was seated right next to Obama and his daughters so it is definitely a happening spot. Although it is located a bit far afield in Sherman Oaks it doesn’t seem to affect the loyal clientele who fill the small restaurant both inside and the sidewalk seating outside. We are Thai food lovers (particularly Jitlada) so we were curious to see how Anajak Thai stacked up. One major difference we noticed immediately was the extensive wine list filled with options that pair particularly well with the food.

Being somewhat of a regular, my son took control of the ordering making sure we would sample many of the highlights including the Southern Thai Fried Chicken, the Pork Ribs, and the unsightly but delectable grilled cabbage. Of course we couldn’t resist the Mango Sticky Rice for dessert.

Anajak Thai is a more refined restaurant than Jitlada but both are delicious, depending on your mood you can’t miss with either choice.

Our Thai extravaganza was booked at 8:30 which made for a very loooong day. As soon as we got back to the hotel we fell fast asleep and when we woke were miraculously hungry for breakfast which we enjoyed in the Polo Lounge. It was a gorgeous day but I couldn’t risk ruining my blow-out with any early morning humidity so we dined inside. As long as we are on the subject of hair, the BHH has a wonderful salon on property The Salon by Joseph which helped me with my party updo before the big event.

We were committed to squeezing in a little culture during our abbreviated time in LA so we set out to the Getty Center (The Getty Villa is still closed following the fires). Surprisingly we had never visited the Getty before but I can guarantee we will return. It was a spectacular day to explore the treasures both outside (the sculptures and gardens are so impressive) and in (the current Gustave Caillebotte exhibition is worth seeing). Unfortunately we were slightly pressed for time as we were meeting up with my son and his girlfriend along with her immediate family for lunch, next time we will block out a whole day to explore the museum.

Our initial restaurant choice turned out to be slightly too casual (Mr. T Los Angeles) so we did a quick pivot and decided to meet at Stella West Hollywood which had a better vibe. Stella is a lovely space which features a weekend brunch with an Italian flair. The highlight was most certainly the Panettone french toast sundae made with Roy’s Panettone. Stella is very large and has several dining rooms including a sprawling one downstairs. It was quiet during brunch time but I bet it is hopping for dinner.

Saturday night was the big event and it was absolutely spectacular. The party was held at Dawnridge the historic home of Tony Duquette one of the true icons of maximalist interior design and one of my all time favorites. Duquette’s vision is still being carried out by the current head of the firm Hutton Wilkinson who was our host for the evening. I am not including photos of the guests here, but you can get a sense of the incredible interiors. If you want to see more you can order this fabulous book on Amazon which focuses on all the details.

After a late night of celebrating we needed a good greasy breakfast and the ideal spot was The Fountain Coffee Room, one of the best places to nurse a (slight) hangover. Cheesy scrambled eggs and hash browns with a side of gluten free toast and lots of (mediocre) coffee got us back on track and ready to head home. If you are looking for another great people watching spot get on line here on a Sunday morning and wait for a seat at the counter.

It was a whirlwind weekend to be sure, but we were so glad we made the trip to commemorate our friend’s birthday as well as spend time with family. My current mantra in this crazy world is to take the opportunity to celebrate life every chance you get.