Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
238
A Very Beverly Hills Bookstore
If you're a connoisseur of small bookstores, you'll definitely want to pay a visit to
the
TASCHEN
bookstore at 354 N. Beverly Dr., in Beverly Hills (
&
310/274-4300;
www.taschen.com). It's the German-based publishing house's first American
store (the other two are in Cologne and Paris) and a fitting monument to the
company's beautiful high-quality books. French designer
célèbre
Philippe Starck
was commissioned to create the long, narrow store's dramatic interiors—glossy
walnut woods, shimmering bronze bookshelves, purple mirrors, and handmade
glass walls. Befitting the world's leading art publisher, the artwork alone is worth
the trip: Artist Albert Oehlen created 20 computer-generated collages for the
walls and ceiling, inspired from the wide selection of TASCHEN's art, design, and
erotic books. Prices range from a few dollars to several thousand for Helmut
Newton's
SUMO,
the biggest and most expensive book produced in the 20th cen-
tury. Truly, TASCHEN is unlike any other bookstore you've browsed. Open Monday
through Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm.
territory. The Strip is lined with trendy restaurants, industry-oriented hotels, and dozens
of shops offering outrageous fashions and stage accessories. One anomaly is Sunset Plaza,
an upscale cluster of Georgian-style shops resembling Beverly Hills at its snootiest. You'll
find
Billy M artin's,
8605 S unset B lvd. (
&
310/289-5000;
www .billymartin.com)
founded by the legendar y Yankees manager in 1978. This chic men 's Western shop—
complete with fireplace and leather sofa—stocks hand-forged silv er and gold belt buck-
les, Lucchese and Liberty boots, and stable staples like flannel shir ts.
Book Soup,
8818
Sunset Blvd. (
&
310/659-3110;
www.booksoup.com), has long been one of L.A.'s most
celebrated bookshops, selling mainstream and small-press books and hosting book sign-
ings and readings.
The Sunset Strip's trendiest hotels have in-house spas and spa ser vices—like
Agua at
the M ondrian,
8440 S unset B lvd. (
&
323/848-6070;
www .mondrianhotel.com)—
which offer great added amenities for hotel guests. But to feel like a real superstar on the
Strip, go to the “facialist of the stars”:
Ole Henriksen Face/Body,
8622 W. Sunset Blvd.
(
&
310/854-7700;
www.olehenriksen.com/spa), is where stunners like Ashley Judd and
Charlize Theron go for glowing skin.
WEST 3RD STREET
(btw. Fairfax and R obertson blvds.) You can shop until y ou
drop on this tr endy strip, anchored on the east end b y the
Farmers Market
and
The
Grove
(p. 155 and 247). Many of Melrose Avenue's shops have relocated here, along with
terrific up-and-comers, sev eral cafes, and r estaurants like
A.O.C.
and
Locanda Veneta
(p. 122).
Fun
is more the catchword here than
funky,
and the shops (including the vin-
tage-clothing stores) are a bit mor e refined than those along M elrose.
Traveler's Book-
case,
8375 W. 3r d S t. (
&
323/655-0575;
www.travelbooks.com), is one of the best
travel bookshops in the West, stocking a huge selection of guidebooks and trav el litera-
ture, as well as maps and travel accessories.
There's lots more to see along this always-growing street. Refuel at
Chado Tea Room,
8422
1
/
2
W. 3r d S t. (
&
323/655-2056;
www.chadotea.com) a temple for tea lo vers.
Chado is designed with a nod to Paris's renowned Mariage Frères tea purveyor; one wall
is lined with nooks whose recognizable brown tins are filled with more than 250 different
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