Tag Archives: los angeles

Business travel isn’t always glamorous

Posted on by

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I enjoy my trips to Los Angeles. I have favorite hotels, restaurants and people to see.

Sometimes the trips don’t go quite as planned though. Case in point: this most recent trip.

The weather was mostly terrible. The exception was Saturday. I flew out a day early to see a college friend and her family.

MB

My favorite hotel, Andaz WeHo was priced above my daily limit for LA so I  stayed at a new-to-me hotel, a Kimpton property.

I checked into the Hotel Wilshire Sunday afternoon. Continue reading →

About these ads

I fell in love (with a hotel)

Posted on by

How hotels can make guests want to return over and over again.

  • When a guest checks in and implies that they’re having a bad day, upgrade their room.
  • Be popular with celebrities so other guests get a star sighting or two during their stay. But greet every guest – celebrity and civilian – with the same warmth and professionalism.
  • Don’t charge for wireless.
  • Offer good hair dryers.
  • Have a cute little cafe on a terrace near a sun-splashed pool.
  • …and a gym with a pool view offering beverages, headphones and working equipment.
  • When you hear that a guest [politely] logged a noise complaint in the middle of the night, comp the $45 room service breakfast when she checks out even though she didn’t bring it up. Tell her you picked the suite you gave her for its quiet and that you’re sorry for what happened.

The Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills did all of things and more. A front desk employee named Kris bowled me over with his kindness. Thanks, Kris!

After the awful experience I had at my original LA hotel this trip, the Four Seasons made my trip end on a happy note–all for only $30 per night more than the Ant Hotel.*

Enjoy a few pics I took during my too brief stay at the gorgeous Four Seasons.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

*I get a corporate rate through my company. 

Related posts:

Twitter Spotlight: Abby Draper

Posted on by

Have you met Abby Draper? No? Me either, and it’s a problem.

For now, I have to be content to follow this upbeat (but real) publicist on Twitter and enjoy her adventures in Los Angeles. I’m hoping that she might eventually inspire me to try SoulCycle.

Abby

OneChicklette: Your favorite qualities in a love interest

@AbbyDraper: Let’s go with top three. I like a man with a quick wit and sense of humor, a kind heart and an ambitious drive.

 

OneChicklette: Your chief characteristic (one word)

@AbbyDraper: Thoughtful

 

OneChicklette: What you appreciate most in your friends Continue reading →

Twitter Spotlight: Emily Brandwin

Posted on by

Here’s a first: a former spy in the Twitter Spotlight! Emily Brandwin who also goes by @CIASpyGirl on Twitter has also dabbled in stand up comedy as well as public relations.

Versatile? Yes.

When Emily and I met face to face for lunch in LA a few weeks ago, I tried not to obsess over her past spy work, but it was hard (at first). Fortunately she’s used to people like me acting like goofballs and patient about it. We’re still buddies.

Pic

OneChicklette: Your favorite qualities in a love interest

@CIASpyGirl: My most favorite qualities in a love interest are sense of humor and talent. “Funny” and “talent” are a killer combo. I also look for generosity of spirit, intelligence, smarts (street smarts) compassion, beautiful eyes, wisdom and an ability to overlook a new purse purchase.

Your chief characteristic (one word)

@CIASpyGirl: Grateful.

OneChicklette: What you appreciate most in your friends

@CIASpyGirl: Sense of humor! My best friend @Eminmotion is hilarious. Continue reading →

My first business trip

Posted on by

“What would we do without these?” the man in the elevator asked me, pointing to the smart phones in both of our hands.

I smiled politely. But instead of feeling grateful, as I usually do for my various devices, I was thinking back to my first business trip quite a few years ago.

It was probably 1998 – or possibly 1997 – when I was dispatched to Los Angeles on a four night trip with a senior coworker from another department who was leading the trip. He selected the Ritz in Pasadena (now the Langham Huntington). Okay then!

Our work commitments for this trip were to take place on that Sunday and Wednesday evenings. Otherwise I was free to do whatever. I didn’t have a personal laptop at this point and the practice of loaning them out wasn’t commonplace.

I had my first cell phone, but I remember using it judiciously. And not getting many calls. Most likely because my parents and a few close friends were the few, the lucky, to have the number.

When I wasn’t working, what did I do? I hung out by the hotel pool, of course. The only problem with that was running into my coworker, both of us nearly nude.

Via ALittleBiteofLife.net

The coworker and I shared a rental car so when I had access to it, I’d sneak away to see friends, alternately thrilling in the sense of maturity and freedom I felt and stressing over “can I expense this?”

Looking back, this had to be one of the best business trips ever. It would be such a treat to go on a smartphone and laptop-free business trip to a beautiful place!

My first phone

Related posts:

Twitter Spotlight: Matt Feige

Posted on by

Today you get to spend some virtual time with the tweeter who has become like my little brother, @mfeige.

We connected on Twitter talking about basketball but Matt is fun to tweet with about so many topics. His love for and knowledge of all things Disney is encyclopedic. Even though he lives on the West Coast and I’m on the East, we have been able to hang out in person several times.

Get to know Matt. I adore him (his recent haircut is great too)!

OneChicklette: Your favorite qualities in a love interest

@mfeige: Curious, fun-loving, adventurous and on a diet (because I need to lose some weight)

OneChicklette: Your chief characteristic (one word)

@mfeige: Witty . . . I think, wait, maybe indecisive.

OneChicklette: What you appreciate most in your friends

@mfeige: Honesty, loyalty, staying up late, similar interests

OneChicklette: Your idea of happiness

@mfeige: A Los Angeles sunset, time with family, a night out

OneChicklette: Your idea of misery

@mfeige: Well once I was on Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World between people taking flash pictures in the front and a conversation about whether the film or the ride came first in the back. (The film is about 10 years old, the ride is about 40.)

Also Christopher Nolan films.

OneChicklette: Your favorite fictional character

@mfeige: Jay Gatsby/Don Draper

OneChicklette: Your favorite thing to eat, and also to drink

@mfeige: Avocado, Chicken and Mexican Food – girly drinks

OneChicklette: Five tangible things you can’t live without

@mfeige: my iPhone, Disney Annual Pass, my records, the film Big Fish, my books

@OneChicklette: Who do you know via social media that you’re dying to meet in real life? (this amazing question came via @floridagirlindc)

@mfeige: @divinemadness @imbrogliono @NDEddieMac @EPCOTCitizen

OneChicklette: A question I should ask future participants

@mfeige: Best Moment on Twitter?

OneChicklette: Random shout out (can be a person, a web site, a favorite product or brand…anything)

@mfeige: I’m gonna shout out Frank Ocean, because I’m a little obsessed.

I went to Los Angeles (again)

Posted on by

And this is where I ate

Mercato di Vetro - really wonderful from the burrata to spaghetti carbonara. Save room for dessert. We made the mistake of not doing so.

The Blvd – one of several dining options at the Beverly Wilshire. Have a Brazilera, but perhaps not five of them. True fact: I ate an entire charcuterie platter as my dinner entree. Do not make me get my cholesterol checked until, like, December.

Boa – I was there for a private event with a prix fixe menu so I can’t really say much.

The Foundry on Melrose – it’s located on a grotty block in Hollywood. Look past that and check out the garden/former garage in the back. Even the complimentary popovers are terrific, but try to pace yourself. Grits, hanger steak, scallion pancake with pork belly…we shared dishes but I was still stuffed when I left.

Loteria Grill – an old favorite to which I was introduced by my former roommate. I only regret that my meal there on this trip was a business lunch. No michelada this visit. Boo!

3square – I had a delicious waffle with a college friend at this fun spot in Venice. Now I need to go back for potato pancakes with apples.