Is the “36 Hours in…” phrase trademarked by The New York Times? I hope not, because I had only that amount of time in town last weekend, and I want to tell you what I did: Read more…
All posts by Alice
“Where Should I Stay in Palm Springs?” I’m Here to Tell You
“Where should I say in Palm Springs?” People ask me that a lot. I like to think this is because I always look so well rested and have such a glowing all-over-even tan. But it’s probably just because I’ve been out to the desert a zillion times, love it, and have stayed just about everywhere. Here’s my quickie guide for where to stay in Palm Springs and why. Read more…
Crane & Canopy’s Duvet and Shams, on my Bed at Last
It’s here! It’s here! Remember how I was all excited about Crane & Canopy‘s gorgeous and affordable duvet sets? Dreams really do come true, people.
Here’s our humble queen bed, with the Sutter duvet and shams in white on it. I feel like its so simple and understated, but the ruching somehow lends a sense of opulence too. The ruching is done with elastic, which I sense will be sturdy and will hold up well. And right out of the box this thing had like zero wrinkles — another auspicious sign! Read more…
Hotel Review: La Quinta Resort & Club (So Pretty, So Much Character!)
I’m hardly breaking new ground here, but after dozens of visits to the desert over the years, I finally stayed at La Quinta Resort & Club. Love!
I found myself at La Quinta near Palm Springs on assignment, covering the terrific TEDActive conference. It’s actually been kind of a cold winter by L.A. standards (tiny violin, I know), so when I pulled in to the resort — with its vibrant flowers and palm trees against the striking mountain backdrop — I truly felt like I’d been transported to some kind of paradise after only a couple of hours in the car. You’d have to be deeply jaded not to be at least a little bit awed by the density and drama of the colorful blooms that line grounds of the massive property. Read more…
As Seen on ‘Girls’: Super Fun Statement Pillows
On Sunday night, while Hannah was obsessively counting Utz potato chips and Charlie was doing the Dougie in the new offices of Forbid, something really fun was sharing the airtime on Girls.
Did you notice the statement pillows in Shoshanna’s apartment? (I totally did and drooled a little bit, though I loathe her and her maddening side braid.) Replicate the look with these cheeky versions by Alexandra Ferguson, all available right now on AllModern.com: Read more…
Party of 20? Here’s Where to Take a Large Group to Celebrate a Birthday in Los Angeles
This may be obvious to most people, but it wasn’t to me: Restaurants don’t really want your group of 20 on a Saturday night without a pre fixe menu or per-person minimum. This is understandable—you don’t want to overwhelm the staff, and you don’t want the kitchen to run out of ingredients—but I thought I could turn up a venue in Los Angeles that would nevertheless be eager to accommodate our sizable group in honor of my husband’s birthday.
We found $35-per-person minimums, with pre-set menus, wherever we looked. We weren’t hosting the dinner (that is to say, we were gathering the group, but not picking up the tab), and we hate to impose on our friends’ wallets. Some drink, some don’t drink, some just nibble a nosh, others are hungry for a full dinner, some have cash to spare, others are between jobs — why should everyone pay the same? Causing stress and resentment among friends isn’t hospitable. I searched and searched but by Friday before the party, I was still without a confirmed location and I was starting to sweat it, mini-panicked that I was losing my detail-minded-group-leader-knows-the-hell-out-of-Los-Angeles-venues touch.
And then I stumbled upon the perfect place! All of this is to say, if you’re encountering a similar problem, I have a great solution for you: Yxta Cocina Mexiana in downtown Los Angeles. Read more…
Only in L.A.? The Grove’s Knockout New Lobby Design
Who’s noticed the new residential-feeling lobby area in the parking garage at the Grove? It’s the kind of thing that makes you go “only in L.A….”—and it’s totally gorgeous.
The design-minded lobby revamp made its debut a couple of months ago and includes pretty stone flooring, opulent chandeliers, a leather ceiling, and seating groups that feel plucked from a five-star hotel lobby. In fact, the look comes from the Rockwell Group, also known as the folks behind such hotels as the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (another personal favorite since I covered its impossibly splashy opening), not to mention the wildly imaginative Crystals at CityCenter. Read more…
Hotel Review: Four Seasons Bali at Sayan
Those of you who know me personally know how infrequently I find myself without words. It’s not really my thing. But the Four Seasons Bali at Sayan will do that to a girl.
On our recent trip to Bali, we had limited time (as usual — sigh), and decided to spend it in the jungle area around Ubud, versus hustling to also see the beach at Nusa Dua, for instance. We loved Ubud (read: I’m obsessed with it) and spending our days there was the right choice. One thing we did do for variety, however, was to split our time between the Viceroy Bali and the Four Seasons. We’d drooled over the Viceroy and had to be pried away from it — and then when we saw the Four Seasons, we felt we’d died and gone to heaven a second time. Read more…
Feast Your Eyes! The New Bowlus Road Chief Travel Trailer
Lovers of all things vintage, wanderlusters, and dreamers in general: behold!
Just launched this week is the brand new Bowlus Road Chief travel trailer, enhanced with modern technology and comforts 80 years since the first incarnation came out. Read more…
Rafting Bali: Big Thrills, Gorgeous Scenery, and a Dislocated Thumb on the Telaga Waja River
My first experience with white-water rafting was in Bali, and it was incredible.
We chose the reputable company Sobek (foreshadowing: you’ll want to choose a reputable, well-established, and insured adventure outlet if you do this) and selected the class-3/4 Telaga Waja River in the foothills of Mount Agung for our outing. Of the rafting options, it was described as the more challenging (spoiler alert: harrowing), versus the more family-friendly (though closer to Ubud) Ayun River. Read more…
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