I'm a Beverly Hills girl. I've always worked in Beverly Hills and for the past 7 years I've lived in Beverly Hills Adjacent (yes, my neighborhood is snobby by proximity). Despite the errands I've run, the lunches I've eaten and the walks that I've gone on, I never really spent much time on Rodeo Drive other than when I was a tourist or when I've had friends in town. I guess there was no real reason. Even though it is one block away from a street I frequent weekly (Beverly Drive), Rodeo Drive always seemed over priced, overly snobby and unnecessary. So yesterday, during my lunch break, I ventured down the glitz and glamour of the street made infamous by PRETTY WOMAN.
My Lonely Planet guide actually had a handful of suggestions of places to see on Rodeo Drive that I had never known about, so I was pretty excited. I start my walk and realize that this street is more than high end shopping, it's really it's very own version of a Museum Row. The clothing, the bags, the shoes and the jewelry are all so stunning and so unique, if we weren't meant to wear them, they would be considered incredible pieces of art. Even the presentations are incredible, evoking emotion everywhere from awe to absolute envy. However, what I was shocked to see in almost every single window display was the most evil (and my favorite) four letter word in retail:
This is obviously good news for me, until I realize that at the majority of these stores, even with a price slashing sale, are still way out of my price range. I conceded to window shopping.
One of my favorite things are all things that sparkle. I was stopped in my path by the most beautiful diamond necklace in the store front of Cartier. I was dying to know what it looked like on me...
Pretty good, right?
Soon after, I came across the Harry Winston store, which I didn't even know existed. I was just aware that he lends his million dollar jewels to the stars for the Oscars and Cannes. I guess he isn't just doing that to be nice, cause I found an entire room of displays like this in a lobby area between the front door and the store itself...
Talk about product placement.
Finally, at the end of the long walk, I came across my favorite store, my mecca, if you will.
*Cue angels singing*
My boyfriend is completely positive that my efforts to pull him into Tiffany's are based on an ulterior motive to go engagement ring shopping, but in truth, I just love how all the diamonds and gems sparkle in their most perfectly lit displays. There isn't a Tiffany's I walk past that I don't go in (that includes you, London Heathrow Airport!). I wander in, check out the sparkle and quickly leave before I appear suspicious.
Moving on from jewelry (not because I want to, but because I should), here are a few other highlights.
Until I read my LP guide, I had no clue that Frank Lloyd Wright designed a shopping center on Rodeo Drive. However, according to the LP guide, it's located at 322 N. Rodeo Dr. I walked up and down that block and if it really was supposed to be 322, then it was an empty pre-construction lot. Next to that lot I found an angular, white shopping center at the address 332 N. Rodeo Dr., so I put my faith in the fact that a Frank Lloyd Wright structure wasn't completely demolished, but instead was just mislabeled. To be honest, the shopping center wasn't much to "wright" home about (see what I did there?). It was very simple, didn't offer great views, and the stores didn't scream I-deserve-to-be-in-a-Frank-Lloyd-Wright-shopping-center! However, I did get this pseudo cool pic from inside looking out...
Another can't miss is the Two Rodeo shopping center on Rodeo and Wilshire. I love it, because it's the home to Tiffany's, but it's just a cool little cobblestoned walkway that resembles the area in that scene from THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA when Anne Hathaway is in Paris, getting romanced by the uber sexy Simon Baker.
Paris...
Two Rodeo
And of course I must mention the major designer flagship stores. They are incredible. The one that really caught my eye was the one that had no marquee of sorts, just an incredible open air display that resembled a modern art installation more than a clothing store. I happened to look in my Lonely Planet and saw that the address matched the address for the one store the guide actually mentioned: Prada No. 343. And it was worth mentioning.
Those guys in black suits are real.
The final site I checked out was north of the shopping portion of Rodeo, at the bottom area of the residential district. Last summer I took a last minute solo trip to Spain (I literally planned it in a week and off I went) and fell madly in love with Gaudi's architecture that makes you wonder if perhaps he was eating the same cakes and drinking the same tea as Alice, as it really looks quite a bit like Wonderland. My LP guide informed me there was a Gaudi inspired house. I'm really not quite certain if anyone lives there or if it welcomes visitors, so I wouldn't recommend knocking on any doors, peering through any windows or jumping any fences, but definitely stop by and take a pic from outside like I did.
Of course I have to give a mention to the residence of our favorite hooker with a heart of gold, the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel...
You can find this on Wilshire and Rodeo.
And if you need more shopping, or a good plastic surgeon, head to the Rodeo Collection at 421 N. Rodeo. It didn't blow me away, but is likely frequented by the Beverly Hills ladies who lunch elite.
TIP: Don't be freaked out and instead take advantage of the diagonal cross walks on Rodeo Drive.
TIP: Parking is easy and cheap in Beverly Hills, but don't look for it on Rodeo Drive. One block east, on Beverly Drive, there are two city sponsored parking lots that are free for the first two hours.
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