Monday, August 29, 2011

SANTA MONICA

BAKERIES, COFFEE, ICE CREAM, JUICE & TEA
Farm Shop – 225 26th Street (at Brentwood Country Mart); 310-566-2400; farmshop.com; great pastries in this shabby-chic (emphasis on latter) café.
Huckleberry Bakery & Café – 1014 Wilshire Boulevard; 310-451-2311; huckleberrycafe.com; great for breakfast and lunch; famous for Fridays’ Jidori chicken.



BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Chloe – 1449 2nd Street; 310-899-6999; barchloe.com; set behind towering doors with twisted iron handles, intimate oriental-themed bar.
Copa d’Oro – 217 Broadway Street; 310-576-3030; copadoro.com.
High – 1697 Pacific Avenue (at Erwin Hotel); 310-452-1111; hotelerwin.com; rooftop lounge; among Santa Monica’s best views; reserve table 4 hours in advance off website; try Venice Vixen (pear-flavored Grey Goose, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, and Graham Beck sparkling rose.
Hotel Casa del Mar – 1910 Ocean Way; 310-581-5533; hotelcasadelmar.com; lobby bar.
Ocean & Vine – 1700 Ocean Avenue (at Loew’s Santa Monica’s lobby bar); 310-576-3180; oceanandvine.com; outdoor seating.
Penthouse at Huntley – 1111 2nd Stret (at Huntley Hotel); 310-393-8080; thehuntleyhotel.com; Pacific panorama view; great cocktails; booths invoke beach cabanas; try bellinis and ground sirloin sliders; try to be there at sunset.
Salute Wine Bar – 2435 Main Street; 310-450-3434; salutewinebar.com.
Suite 700 – 1301 Ocean Avenue (at Hotel Shangri-La); 310-394-2791; Shangrila-hotel.com; roof-top with great ocean views.
Upper West – 3321 Pico Boulevard; 310-586-1111; theupperwest.com; try Honey Rye.
Zanzibar – 1301 5th Street; 310-451-2221; zanzibarlive.com; cavernous club-disco that manages to be casual and contemporary.



HOTELS
Ambrose Hotel – 1255 20th Street; 310-315-1555 or 877-426-2767; ambrosehotel.com; upscale tranquility meets affordable boutique; highly regarded.
Hotel California – 1670 Ocean Avenue; 310-393-2363 or 866-571-0000; hotelca.com; surfer-style hotel with 35 rooms, all recently updated.
Hotel Casa del Mar – 1910 Ocean Way; 310-581-5533 or 800-898-6999; hotelcasadelmar.com.
Channel Road Inn – 219 West Channel Road; 310-459-1920 or 800-234-1425; channelroadinn.com; beautiful Arts & Crafts mansion, set deep in Santa Monica canyon; tasteful, not ritzy.
Oceana Hotel – 849 Ocean Avenue; 310-393-0486 or 800-777-0758; hoteloceanasantamonica.com.
Hotel Shangri-La – 1301 Ocean Avenue; 310-394-2791 or 877-999-1301; Shangrila-hotel.com; great rooms; superbly renovated; ask for Room 409; great rooftop bar.
Viceroy – 1819 Ocean Avenue; 310-260-7500 or 800-439-3719; korhotels.hotelsathome.com.



RESTAURANTS
Back on Beach – 445 Pacific Coast Highway; 310-393-8282; backonthebeachcafe.com; sit on beach & eat.
Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery – 1517 Lincoln Boulevard; 310-395-8279; baycitiesitaliandeli.com; try Caprese sub.
Blue Plate Oysterette – 1355 Ocean Avenue; 310-576-3474; blueplatesantamonica.com; raw bar and daily specials with tremendous ocean views.
Buffalo Club – 1520 Olympic Boulevard; 310-450-6449; buffaloclub.com.
La Cachette – 1733 Ocean Avenue; 310-434-9509; lachettebistro.com; bistro cooking with New American cuisine twist; try coffee-rubbed short ribs.
Chez Jays – 1657 Ocean Avenue; 310-395-1741; chezjays.com; seafood, steaks & stiff drinks served in nostalgic dining room known for celebrity sightings; featured in Goliath.
Drago Ristorante – 2628 Wilshire Boulevard; 310-828-1585; celestinodrago.com; most formal of Drago brothers’ Italian restaurants solid Italian cuisine.
Farm Shop – 225 26th Street (at Brentwood Country Mart); 310-566-2400; farmshop.com; great pastries in this shabby-chic (emphasis on latter) café.
Father’s Office – 3229 Helms Avenue; 310-736-2224; fathersoffice.com; brew-pub.
Fig – 101 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairmont Miramar Hotel); 310-319-3111; figsantamonica.com; indoor and terrace seating; inventive seafood (try halibut “chop”).
Fraiche – 312 Wilshire Boulevard; 310-451-7482; fraicherestaurant.com; Franco-Italian Cuisine; try chicken liver mousse; ask for sidewalk-side seat.
Hostaria del Piccolo – 606 Broadway; 310-393-6633; hostariadelpiccolo.com; cheerful Italian restaurant with extensive wine list and extensive cocktails.
Huckleberry Bakery & Café – 1014 Wilshire Boulevard; 310-451-2311; huckleberrycafe.com; great for breakfast and lunch; famous for Fridays’ Jidori chicken.
Josie – 2424 Pico Boulevard; 310-581-9888; josierestaurant.com; civilized and refined; non-trendy.
Lobster – 1602 Ocean Avenue; 310-458-9294; thelobster.com; right on beach; always packed & open & days weekly; tourist magnet; very good, notwithstanding tourist status.
Manchego – 2510 Main Street #B; 310-450-3900; manchegoonmain.com; tapas in small space; try dates wrapped in bacon with blackberry reduction; worth special trip.
Melisse – 1104 Wilshire Boulevard; 310-395-0881; melisse.com; good French food; among Santa Monica’s best restaurants; excellent wine list.
Michael’s – 1147 3rd Street; 310-451-0843; michaelssantamonica.com; farm-to-table cuisine; romantic; ask for back patio seating.
Rae’s Restaurant – 2901 Pico Boulevard; 310-828-7937; great diner food; very 1950s.
Il Ristorante Giorgio Baldi – 114 West Channel Road; 310-573-1660; giorgiobaldi.us; family-managed; famous for white truffle risotto.
Tar & Roses – 602 Santa Monica Boulevard; 310-587-0700; tarandroses.com; casual, beach-chic; best roast chicken in town.
Upper West – 3321 Pico Boulevard; 310-586-1111; theupperwest.com.
Whist Restaurant – 1819 Ocean Avenue (at Viceroy hotel); 310-260-7514; viceroysantamonica.com.



SERVICES
Blow – 1700 Ocean Avenue (Santa Monica, at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel); 310-899-4040; blowny.com; NY chain that started blow-out craze.
City Line – 800-447-2189; runs Monday through Saturday along Santa Monica and San Vicente Boulevards.



SHOPPING
Beau & Aero – 2307 Main Street; 310-452-7700; beauandaero.blogspot.com; vintage accessories and clothing.
Bergamot Station – 2525 Michigan Avenue; 310-586-6488; smmoa.org; highlights include Santa Monica Museum of Art; houses 35 galleries.
Andrea Gutierrez Jewelry – 2108 21st Street (rear unit); 213-255-1339; andreagutierrezjewelry.com; lovely, hand-crafted items; focus on beaded cuffs.
Kayne Griffin Corcoran – 1201 South La Brea Avenue; 310-586-6886; kaynegriffincorcoran.com; art.
L&M Arts, Los Angeles – 660 Venice Boulevard; 310-821-6400; lmgallery.com; branch of New York “blue chip” gallery; in former power station.
Rough Roses – 11859 Wilshire Boulevard; 424-248-3026; designer handbag products by Linea Pelle co-founder.
Santa Monica Place – 395 Santa Monica Place; 310-394-5451; santamonicaplace.com; glassy, open-air complex; 3 stories; restaurants and stores.



SIGHTS & SITES
Annenberg Community Beach House – 415 Pacific Coast Highway (at Santa Monica State Beach); 310-458-4904; beachhouse.smgov.net; formerly Marion Davies’ private seaside retreat; open to public on 3-day advance request by telephone (100 accepted per day); no membership required.
Bergamot Station – 2525 Michigan Avenue; 310-829-5854; bergamotstation.com; industrial campus-like complex named for 1800s trolley stop; home to Santa Monica Museum of Art, cafe, shops, and 33 galleries.
California Heritage Museum – 2612 Main Street; 310-392-8537; web.mac.com/calmuseum/; renovated house with period decorative arts.
Eames Office Gallery & Shop – 850 Pico Boulevard; 310-396-5991; eamesgallery.com; dedicated to works by Charles and Ray Eames, who designed some of 20th Century’s most important furniture, children’s toys, puzzles, films, exhibitions, and buildings (e.g., Eames House and Entenza House in Pacific Palisades).
Pacific Park – 380 Santa Monica Pier; 310-260-8744; pacpark.com; solar-powered amusement park.
Palisades Park – 851 Alma Real Drive (Ocean Avenue at Santa Monica Boulevard); 818-454-1412; smgov.net/parks.
Santa Monica Museum of Art – 2525 Michigan Avenue (at Bergamot Station); 310-586-6488; smmoa.org.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area – 401 West Hillcrest Drive (Thousand Oaks, Topanga); 805-370-2300; nps.gov/samo; nation’s largest urban park.
Santa Monica Swim Center – 2225 16th Street; 310-458-8700; smgov.net/aquatics; open year-round; adults’ and children’s pools.

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