Go West Young Man…and that is exactly what Mr. Devil and I did on a gorgeous April Saturday afternoon.
Rise and shine. Hit the bluffs for an early morning walk with Ms. Madison. My husband then rode off into the sunshine on his vintage Indian motorcycle for his three hour Krav Maga or as I refer to it, Krap Magoo, class.
I live a reformed life and took on yet another Pilates Reformer studio in Westwood. What a joy to motor on a Saturday morning. No traffic on the I-10 freeway and arrived in Westwood in 15 minutes…joy to the world.
We then separately dashed home, got beautified and headed out for a romantic lunch at a new restaurant in Brentwood. Tomorrow, Restaurant Review Tuesday, you will read all about it.
Following a lovely lunch, we drove west, bypassing Bev Hills and exploring a quiet, seductive, unexposed corner of Robertson Blvd. in West Hollywood.
The main stretch of Robertson where you can gawk at the stars at The Ivy, shop at multiple Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Tory Burch, Lululemon, Kitson, Valentino, etc. is overrated and overexposed. Next…
The strip between Melrose and Santa Monica Blvd. is quietly becoming the cool section.
I have been exploring lately because my new hair salon, Benjamin, is in that ‘hood, next to Craig’s restaurant where you can always spot celebrities like George Clooney.
Craig Susser opened Craig’s four years ago after a long run at the West Hollywood institution, Dan Tana’s. The place is always buzzing.
I had recently attended a private party at Christian Louboutin’s which is around the corner from the salon and checked out the goods. I am not crazy about the women’s line this season. I did notice the men’s store across the street. I usually shop in the men’s boutique because my feet are too big for women’s Louboutins.
On Saturday, I convinced my husband to stroll into the men’s store and, lo and behold, there were a pair of red soled beauties that cried out, “Momma, take me home” when I entered the hallowed halls.
It was embarrassing as the ska influenced loafers made me feel like dancin’ when I slipped them on. Stellar salesmen Jason and Andrew joined the celebration.
I cut the price in half and told David they were the bargain of the century and we strolled out, now a satisfied threesome.
We next took in the avant grade design of the 3.1 Phillip Lim store. The architecture by Leong Architects was a bit more exciting than the clothes. If I was a size zero there would be a plethora of items to select from.
Phillip Lim’s west coast debut showcases the transformation of a 5000 square foot auto body shop into a flowing, sophisticated showroom.
Next on our agenda was Maxfield, a boutique specializing in avant-garde fashions for men & women, in addition to vintage handbags and accessories.
I had the audacity to take a photo of the interior and was asked by security to cease my activities. I was able to get one shot off.
The merchandise is unusual and tres expensive. The offerings were all unique and the sales staff appropriately underfed and snobby. The creator/owner of Maxfield is the innovative Tommy Perse and father to t-shirt king, James Perse.
Displayed outside the fashion haven is Structure Nomade a piece of art/architecture by French artist and architect Jean Prouve.
Jean Prouvé was a French metal worker, self-taught architect and furniture designer. His main achievement was transferring manufacturing technology from industry to architecture without losing aesthetic qualities.
In the mid 1950s, Jean Prouve was forced to abandon modern design furniture production and began devoting his time to the challenges of prefabricated architecture. His own house, which he designed as a prototype, is now considered a major development in prefab housing.
The installation outside Maxfield is an example of his prefabricated housing and was constructed in 1957. He was also on the team that selected the design for the Pompidou Center in Paris.
Lurking on the corner of Melrose and Robertson is Sur, the Lisa Vanderpump hangout. Some of you may know her from the reality shows, The Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules. The music was pouring out of the restaurant into the street, attempting to lure you in, perhaps catching a glimpse of the British Matriach.
The trendy West Hollywood enclave is a pleasant change from Bev Hills and anytime I can coerce Mr. Devil into a retail therapy moment is a good one.
We drove up Melrose and a mere two blocks away is the devastatingly gorgeous new Restoration Hardware outpost. We drove on by, having paid homage multiple times during our hellish renovation.
We were parched from shopping and hit up Phobulous, our fav little Vietnamese restaurant on La Cienaga. We ordered divine Vietnamese iced coffee ($3) and, reinvigorated, made it home via picturesque Sunset Blvd. in under 30 minutes.
That’s what I call a worthwhile Saturday afternoon and a threesome I am more than happy to participate in…my honey, Christian Louboutin and me.
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