‘The Mikimoto’ at Beverly Wilshire

there’s a saying that “diamonds are a girls best friend” but did the girl ever meet Mikimoto?

it may come as NO surprise that the oh-so-luxe pearl jewelry experts, Mikimoto, have a store front in the posh Beverly Wilshire – Four Seasons. for those who don’t know, Mikimoto is the foremost producer of the finest quality cultured pearls. The Mikimoto name is synonymous with superior quality at every stage, from the selection of finest materials to expert workmanship to their customer service commitment. Mikimoto combines timeless elegance with sophisticated, modern design. let’s just say – VERY LOLA APPROVED!

however, only 1/3 of my Mikimoto story has to do with the gorgeous pearl jewelry outfitter.

another 1/3 has to do with a legendary cocktail that is the signature drink of Beverly Wilshire’s The Blvd. ‘The Mikimoto’ is a delicious concoction which was served for 50 days in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Four Seasons brand last year at the Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills. during my most recent stay with Beverly Wilshire, i requested to try the signature cocktail of the hotel. the lovely staff arranged for me to sample ‘The Mikimoto’ at The Blvd one afternoon with the dashing General Manager as my companion & tour guide to my cocktail tasting. well…i had NO idea what a treat was in store for me. i should have known as Four Seasons makes even the ordinary special! the brand prides itself on making your stay customized, unique & memorable if you allow them the opportunity. I SURE DID and they did not let me down.

it was a like a scene from Pretty Woman. no, i’m not claiming to be any Julia Roberts. let’s not get carried away. BUT this IS my Pretty Woman moment.

so, there i am at the Reg. Bev. Wil. and the GM escorted me out to a coveted sidewalk table with staff waiting on us hand & foot. he had the menu at the ready for me to view. then, as they brought me the drink – well, it was delivered in the MOST GORGEOUS crystal glass i’ve ever seen. here’s the final 1/3 of the story. the Beverly Wilshire worked with Swarovski Crystal to have a special glass for their signature ‘The Mikimoto’ drink. i can’t decide what was more heavenly?! the cocktail, the glass or the fabulous pearl designer it was all named after.

OH, and did i fail to mention Mikimoto created a signature bracelet to go along with this special anniversary? well, i was able to test drive one of these beauties and i think i’m now in LOVE.

‘The Mikimoto’ cocktail is a combination of watermelon, mandarin & pineapple infused ultimat vodka, along with cointreau & finished with a lychee garnish shaped like none other than a pearl! all of this deliciousness can be yours for $19.

if you were lucky enough to be a patron during the anniversary celebration you could have your ‘The Mikimoto’ served in the stunning Swarovski Crystal glass to take home to the tune of $500. and if your date was a BIG spender then you could have the divine cocktail, crystal glass & bracelet all for $2500. to me, this is the best value! the Trifecta…a case where three isn’t a difficult number.

i was sold. BUT where was my sugar daddy?! just kidding – the experience was reenacted for me and this was good enough for lola – for now! 🙂

thank you Beverly Wilshire for making me feel like a Pretty Woman sipping my own gorgeous ‘The Mikimoto’. you certainly did make my visit a most memorable one!

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Filed under california, los angeles, swanky luxe stays, travel

Palm Springs & the desert cities: retro chic + modern cool

Palm Springs packs a punch as a perfect short getaway!

when i think of Palm Springs i think of vintage Hollywood glamour. even though the desert cities and Palm Springs have grown up, modernized & changed – that vibe still exists. it was fun to experience the best of the old with the new recently. i love the retro influences in all things design these days – Palm Springs & the desert cities certainly fell into this fabulous category. it offers the best of modern luxury but still has that kitschy feel. even better yet, it honors its history with reminders in the names of the Aqua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians that have forever inhabited the area as well as its ties to old Hollywood.

      

an example of swanky luxe is the four diamond award-winning Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, with its modern fabulousness. it has all the amenities you could wish for in a casino property. obviously, there’s the casino aspect but it also has lounges, pool parties, a state of the art theater, multiple restaurants, a posh spa – i could go on! right up the LOLA APPROVED alley.

      

then there’s their sister property, Spa Resort Casino in Palm Springs, which fits perfectly into the retro category. the Spa at Spa Resort Casino was first opened in 1960 – talk about vintage cool! AND i was lucky enough during my long weekend stay to enjoy the award-winning Spa Resort Casino’s historic “Taking of the Waters” spa experience. in my opinion, this IS NOT to be missed. talk about a unique, one-of-a-kind experience to Palm Springs. the Spa has the last standing bath house where the area’s famous hot springs are pumped in to have this 5-step signature spa treatment. the treatment includes steam, sauna, eucalyptus inhalation, a 10 minute soak in a private tub of the famous therapeutic mineral waters & finally, the tranquility room where you can relax your mind & awaken your spirit. this is my favorite memory of my visit to Palm Springs!

      

another thing i think of when it comes to Palm Springs is cocktails. you know, like the forever classic martini. it just so happened that while i was visiting the desert cities it was Restaurant Week – a very progressive event happening around the US these days. it’s where many “see & be seen” POSH restos participate in a prix fix menu and feature some of their best menu items. talk about getting a FAB value. saving money on dinner enabled me to sample some of the best cocktails too!! lola was a happy girl! see my travelin’ partner in crime – Leah Travels mouth-watering write-up on the food!

      

i don’t know about you but, when i envision Palm Springs, besides the desert of the Coachella Valley, i also think of the gorgeous views of the mountains all around. another wonderful discovery i made and got to partake in on my quick visit was the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. such a spectacular way to get a real sense of the valley & desert cities. an absolutely stunning 10 minute, 2.5 mile ride up to the top of Mt. San Jacinto at an elevation of 8,500 feet & bam – INCREDIBLE VISTA! another must-do in my book!

      

other things i indulged in while in Palm Springs: some sunning by the pool, some good laughs with great friends & a little fun with a BIG Marilyn Monroe, of course. things i missed out on: shopping the notorious Rodeo Drive of the desert – El Paseo. all the finest shops are here including my favorite, a J. Crew concept store. see my hostess with the mostess – Mrs. O Around the World tantalizing write-up on the shopping and more! i would have liked to have taken a drive through Joshua Tree National Park as well. ah, there’s never enough time to do it all. i guess another visit to Palm Springs & the desert cities may be in order!

*some photo credit thanks to Leah, Mrs. O, Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa & Spa Resort Casino

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i spy eye candy! – London

in honor of our original “mother country” and Independence Day – this week where in the world is lola? picked the EYE CANDY topic of LONDON! here’s hoping there are a few other anglophiles who will enjoy this too! GOD SAVE THE QUEEN & GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

LONDON BRIDGE ISN’T FALLING DOWN – MY FAIR LADY!

i’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy – a Yankee Doodle, do or die. a real live niece of my uncle Sam’s – born on the Fourth of July. i’ve got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart – he’s my Yankee Doodle joy. Yankee Doodle came to London – just to ride the ponies i am a Yankee Doodle gal!

LONDON CALLING – i can’t wait to get back! what do you love about London? what eye candy might you like to have a ‘spot of’ next? don’t forget to let me know.

cheerio – lola

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lola – the ambassador of America

in the spirit of the Fourth of July:

Give me your tired, your poor, (your broken-hearted)
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free;
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless,
Tempest-tossed to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door
!

ok here’s the deal. i’m spending America’s birthday this year with a beautiful traveler – Alex of Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler. when i learned Alex was coming to the United States for the first time this summer, i was very excited that i might be able to meet her. even though she’s traveled more of the world than i have – we do have a couple of things in common. our affinity for warm weather, beaches & bikinis!

anyhow, it worked out that she would be up in Boston just before the 4th and we planned to meet. then something sad happened…Alex got her heart broken & her plans were turned upside down. i offered for her to come and stay with me. it’s just what nice people do when someone is hurting and in need. i am especially happy she accepted to be my guest for the Fourth of July. i’m glad to welcome her to America & into my home. i do wish the circumstances would have been different – like she was just coming for happy visit not a broken-hearted one. nevertheless – today in the USA, on the Fourth of July – she celebrates her freedom & independence and i’m happy to be here with her.

we didn’t go to any celebratory parade or fancy fireworks show. we can do that at some point somewhere else in the world when our paths cross again. today we just relaxed, enjoyed each other’s company & had some of our own fun! hope your Fourth of July was fulfilling too!

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TBEX afterthoughts…who IS a travel blogging hero?

when i wrote my prior TBEX post travel blogging heroes & lola’s TBEX stage fright i didn’t have a plan to write a follow-up post BUT the whole TBEX mystery man got so many of you

talking…

guessing…

wondering…

so who is it?!

AND it actually got me thinking too…

does the ‘TRAVEL BLOG GOD’ title really belong to any one person to join forces with or win the favor of or even dethrone? YES, i DID call Nomadic Matt, Johnny Jet & Everything-Everywhere’s Gary Arndt the TRAVEL BLOG GOD TRIFECTA…

they may well deserve this as Nomadic Matt  has his over 16,000 Facebook fans! Johnny Jet has over 24,000 Twitter followers! Everything-Everywhere has over 18,000 blog readers! those are some impressive stats. and these guys don’t play around – they have been published tons of places too.

BUT, while i think there are many pioneers & examples to learn from, i came to the conclusion that there’s not just one travel blogging hero. there’s a whole JUSTICE LEAGUE of them & room for more all the time. let’s face it, even lola fits into a category all her own.

to me, here’s the real heroic feat. us as travel writers continuing to provide our readers something interesting and new? it’s our challenge to produce quality yet compelling content! i’ve found several new writers out there that deserve the HERO status!

what do you think makes a travel blogging hero?

PS – the answer to the ‘mystery’ person IS buried in here 🙂 and to THE TRIFECTA – it was fun poking around your blogs. YOU do ROCK!!

 

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