Enjoy Hollywood Like A Celebrity When You Attend the Annual Meeting
By: Amir A. Amini – Sanchez & Amador, LLP, Los Angeles, CA
This year the annual NAMWOLF conference is in sunny Hollywood, California. Hollywood is a vibrant city that offers its visitors so many options for dining, activities, and sightseeing that it will make even the seasoned visitor’s head spin. I have lived here for over twelve years and have only scratched the surface of everything this wonderful city has to offer. That said, I have experienced more of Los Angeles than most people I’ve met. Based on that experience, I hope to offer you some guidance to sift through the plethora of options you have to choose from during your short visit. Welcome to Hollywood!
Dining
Do you consider yourself a food connoisseur? One of the aspects of Los Angeles that I enjoy the most is the variety of amazing restaurants. With the constant stream of hot new restaurants combined with the existing landmarks, it is certainly not a matter of finding a good place to eat but rather deciding between all of the amazing choices. Here are some suggestions. For most of these, you will need advance reservations so please book early and enjoy. For restaurants marked with a *, please feel free to contact me for special bookings.
· Yellowtail – the newest of the trendy sushi restaurants and a celebrity hang out. Located in West Hollywood.
(310)360-0366
www.yellowtailsunset.com
· Katsuya – trendy sushi restaurant and a celebrity hang out. Located in the heart of Hollywood.
(323) 515-8782
www.katsuyarestaurant.com
· Katana – perhaps Los Angeles’ most famous fine sushi restaurant. Located on the Sunset strip in West Hollywood.
(323) 650-8585
www.katanarobata.com
· * Koi – trendy sushi restaurant in West Hollywood.
(310) 659-9449
www.koirestaurant.com
· Mastro’s – Los Angeles’ most popular and famous steakhouse and celebrity hang out. Located in Beverly Hills.
(310) 888-8782
www.mastrosrestaurants.com
· Cut – steakhouse owned by renowned chef Wolfgang Puck. Located in Beverly Hills.
(310) 276-8500
www.wolfgangpuck.com
· STK – trendy steakhouse and celebrity hang out. Located in West Hollywood.
(310) 659-3535
www.stkhouse.com
· Crustacean – upscale Asian fusion restaurant great for meetings. If you dine here, make sure to order the garlic noodles and take advantage of the “secret menu.” Located in Beverly Hills.
(310) 205-8990
www.houseofan.com
· * Fig & Olive – trendy restaurant serving a variety of dishes. Located in the heart of West Hollywood.
(310) 360-9100
www.figandolive.com
· Church Key – trendy new restaurant with a very inventive menu and a celebrity hang out. Located on the Sunset strip in West Hollywood.
(424) 249-3700
www.thechurchkeyla.com
· Toca Madera – newest casual but classy Mexican restaurant with a good bar scene and music. Located in West Hollywood.
(323) 852-9400
www.tocamadera.com
· Craig’s – upscale American restaurant great for meetings but also a celebrity hang out. I’ve only been there a couple of times and seen George Clooney and his wife Amal Alamuddin, the Kardashians, and Vin Diesel to name a few. Located in West Hollywood.
(310) 276-1900
www.craigs.la
· Ago – upscale Italian cuisine and great for meetings. Located in West Hollywood.
(323) 655-6333
www.agorestaurant.com
· Madeo –upscale and trendy Italian cuisine and celebrity hangout. Located in West Hollywood.
(310)859-0242
· Spago – upscale Italian restaurant owned by Wolfgang Puck and celebrity hang out. Located in Beverly Hills.
(310) 385-0880
www.wolfgangpuck.com
· * The District – newer trendy but casual Vietnamese restaurant. Located in West Hollywood.
(310) 278-2345
www.thedistrictbyha.com
Hot Bars/Lounges
If the Bar/Lounge scene is what you are looking for, you don’t have to go far to find a happening dive bar or a fancy lounge. Here are some suggestions:
· Pearls Bar – casual fun bar that can get fairly crowded so arrive early. Located in the heart of the Sunset Strip right next to Rock’n Reiley’s. Easy to get in.
(310) 360-6800
www.pearlssunset.com
· Rock’n Reiley’s – casual fun Irish pub located in the heart of the Sunset Strip right next to Pearls Bar. Easy to get in.
(310) 360-1400
www.rnrpub.com
· Polo Lounge – upscale bar located in the Beverly Hills Hotel. Relatively easy to get in but if you want to go in the back area you have to be on the guest list or have a reservation.
(310) 276-2251
www.dorchestercollection.com
· Sky Bar – trendy upscale outdoor bar located in the Mondrian Hotel on the Sunset Strip. Must be a hotel guest, buy bottle service, or be on the guest list to gain admission.
(310) 848-6025
www.mondrianhotel.com
· SLS Bar – upscale restaurant bar located in the SLS Hotel in West Hollywood. Open to everyone.
(310) 247-0400
www.slshotels.com
· Bar Marmont – located at the Chateau Marmont Hotel, a Hollywood icon, Bar Marmont is a trendy casual bar that is a celebrity hotspot. Depending on the night, admission may be difficult without reservations.
(323) 650-0575
www.chateaumarmont.com
· Tropicana Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel – fun upscale but trendy outdoor bar located inside the infamous Roosevelt Hotel. Must be a hotel guest, have bottle service, or be on the guest list to gain admission.
(323) 466-7000
www.thompsonhotels.com
· Hyde Sunset — the newest of the trendy restaurant/bar/night club located in the heart of the Sunset Strip. Hyde is a regular for the A-list celebrities. Without a dinner reservation, bottle service, or name on the guest list it is impossible to gain admission.
(323) 940-1650
www.sbe.com
Sightseeing
With all the things to do and places to see in Los Angeles, deciding how to spend your free time wisely can be a challenge. Here are some suggestions depending on the amount of free time you have:
· Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theater – one of Hollywood Boulevard’s most famous sites is the TCL Chinese Theater, formally know as Grauman’s Chinese Theater and Mann Chinese Theater. The famous Chinese Theater is right in front of the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has seen some of Hollywood’s most glamorous movies stars and premieres.
www.tclchinesetheaters.com
6925 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood CA 90028
(323) 461-3331
· Griffith Observatory – Southern California’s gateway to the cosmos! Visitors can look through telescopes, explore exhibits, see live shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, and enjoy spectacular views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign. Admission to the building, grounds, and parking is always free.
www.griffithobs.org
2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
(213) 473-0800
· Runyon Canyon Hike — Landmark hiking trails known for sweeping city views & excellent people watching, plus an off-leash dog park. Join us for the “official” NAMWOLF Runyon Canyon Hike on Friday morning!
2000 N Fuller Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 666-5046
· Hollywood Sign – The Hollywood Sign is a landmark and American cultural icon.
You can contact Griffith Park Visitors Center at (323) 644-2050 for shuttle locations and times to view the Hollywood sign.
· Los Angeles County Museum of Art “LACMA” – The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. LACMA is on Museum Row, adjacent to the George C. Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits.
www.lacma.org
5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 857-6000
· The J. Paul Getty Museum “the Getty” – an art museum located in Brentwood, close to the beach. The collection features Western art from the Middle Ages to the present.
www.getty.edu
1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 440-7300
· Malibu (beaches) – Malibu has many beautiful beaches, with 21 miles of coastline, much of which is viewable as you travel along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).
Visit www.malibucity.org for a comprehensive beach guide with descriptions, amenities and directions.
· Universal Studios Hollywood – Universal Studios Hollywood is a film studio and theme park in Universal City, known for its rides: Jurassic Park, the ride, King Kong 3D, and many more. Visit www.universalstudioshollywood.com for park hours and additional information
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
(800) 864-8377
Amir A. Amini recently joined Sanchez & Amador, LLP to lead the business and real estate litigation team. He represents corporations in complex business litigation, including commercial contracts, fraud, defamation, unfair competition, trade secret and real estate disputes. Amir has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in the field of Business Litigation for six of the past seven years.