"Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
St. Luke 24:42-43
The Sophisticated Gentleman |
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"...remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom..." "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." St. Luke 24:42-43
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Years ago, a dear friend Patty Maloney, an associate at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills, invited me and my date, Jacqueline, to an Isaac Mizrahi fashion show at the Hotel Bel-Air. It was my first visit to the world-famous hotel, (which was opened in 1946 by Alphonzo Bell), and boy was it a treat. Living in Southern California, there is so much history and culture, albeit laid-back, at our fingertips. I'm convinced that we miss out on so many things around town because of the distance and driving involved. Well, seeing as how I have over 431K miles on my car, (yes 431K- that’s not a typo) I obviously enjoy exploring sun-drenched California. A friend and I were coming from Santa Monica and at the last minute decided to stop by this recently renovated icon of a hotel for drinks (an early birthday treat for me), that is until we realized that valet parking itself was nearly $40! We decided otherwise. After a two year renovation, this pink Spanish Colonial, home-away-from-home retreat for much of Hollywood, old and new, (Elizabeth Taylor once honeymooned here) re-opened last December. While most of the world famous hotel has been updated and re-imagined by designer Alexandra Champalimaud and Rockwell Group it’s good to know that the full-time residents, Chloe, Athena and Hercules (the swans) remain. With rooms ranging from $565-13,500/night, at this point in life, I’d have a better chance of trying the new restaurant, Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air or the La Prairie Spa (one of only four in the world). Hopefully, Chloe, Athena and Hercules will still be there when I can afford to make it back. In the meantime, here are some pictures I found on Architectural Digest.com You May Also Like:
My childhood uniform, in and out of season, consisted primarily of swimming trunks (odd since I never learned to swim) with a sling shot shoved deeply into one pocket and my trusted brownie camera safely tucked into the other. Thankfully, the camera has better served me than did the trunks, since I’ve been taking pictures from about the age of 5; zipping in and out of bedrooms and hallways, snapping pictures of my parents (much to their chagrin, I’m certain), as well as, other family members (my grandparents lived about eight houses away, while an uncle, aunt and five cousins lived directly behind us.) I eventually graduated to a Canon SLR in high school and was a photographer on the yearbook staff. I studied photography briefly a few years back and decided to take a refresher course this weekend with renowned photographer, Allen Cooley of Atlanta. If you’ve never heard of Allen, (which I had not) I’m rather certain that you’ve seen his work (which I definitely have) of such notable personalities as Vivica A Fox, Toni Braxton, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and LisaRaye to name but a few, in major publications like Essence, Jet and Ebony, etc. His work, whether of celebrities, weddings or interiors is extraordinary and as an instructor I found him most informative and most patient. Take a look… And one for the ladies... All images used with the permission of photographer, Allen Cooley. Season 2 of Downton Abbey is set to return, this Sunday, January 8th. If you saw last season, then i'm rather certain that, like me, you can't wait for Sunday evening to get here. I remember seeing PBS's Upstair/Downstairs, as a teenager, and while I enjoyed it, (as much a thirteen year old can appreciate an adult drama), the Crawleys offer us an updated feel to a period piece and a world most of us will never know. Downton Abbey shows us that no matter how economically disparate our lives may be, our basic nature, sensibilities and human instincts are often quite similar: greed, duplicity, love, anguish, pain, etc. (All images via Google; video via Youtube) |
SOPHISTICATED SITES:
Architectural Digest Elle Decor Esquire GQ Interiors Magazine Polo Ralph Lauren The Rake Vanity Fair N.D. Harrington
I was born in the country, but brought up in the big city, with hopes of always maintaining the charm, wit and character of a southern, sophisticated gentleman. In my goal to live more passionately & purposefully, here are just a few things that I've learned and experienced along the way, making my journey more interesting, and more importantly, easier. Categories:
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