The cleanliness and the black-and-white scheme of the bathroom could be contrasted to the living-room: dark wooden cabinets, its shade matching what I saw on the bed’s headboards and wardrobe. Wearstler went instead for a lighter green shade here, relying more on the forms than the materials to communicate her modernist ideal for the Avalon. She succeeded. Rectangular furniture had gentle angles and tiny curves, but was generally linear in form; a white lamp with a cylindrical shade complemented the décor.
   Her attention to detail extended, apparently, to every aspect of the hotel: the typefaces and cue tips holder were under Wearstler’s direction. The Avalon Hotel logo said it all. Another Wearstler-directed design, in cooperation with the

The sky, reddish due to moisture, presided over the blue of a heat-lamp, while the pool, at the bottom of this vista, glistened in turquoise

Reverb design studio, it consists of a postmodern sans serif in lowercase, contrasted with a 1950s-style script for hotel.
   On that note, a desk to the side amongst this mid-20th-century décor had a wire for broadband access—plugging it in to a laptop triggers the software—and I diligently set up what would be my office for the days ahead. I switched on the television, deciding that I would leave my DVDs and CDs in my suitcase for the time being, and caught up on the day’s news.

T WAS LATE but I had not eaten since Chicago. Fortunately, Blue on Blue, the Avalon’s restaurant and bar, remained open. One of Food & Wine’s 50 Best Hotel Restaurants, Blue on Blue takes its name from its blue décor and poolside eating. One can opt for dining indoors or outdoors, or compromise with the cabanas.
   RaShon Jones, the executive chef, was on maternity leave, according to Heather, my waitress, an attractive blonde who managed to stay efficient and courteous despite the late arrival of this guest. Whomever was filling in for Ms Jones gave me a pork steak that really was medium rare—all too often, chefs tended more toward medium than rare.
   The colours of the Olympic Building worked with nature. The sky, reddish due to moisture, presided over the blue of a heat-lamp, while the pool, at the bottom of this vista, glistened in turquoise with the night lighting. A young crowd—the term yuppie has fallen out of usage—dined at the other tables: two couples to my left, two young women, both former New York residents, discussing men to my right. Since this was California, the assembled diners were ethnically unidentifiable, something I would not necessarily find had I remained in Europe.
   I returned to my room, having caught up on the day’s meals, excited I had finally found somewhere in America that catered to my tastes. The six pillows and a thermostat calibrated in Celsius ensured a night’s comfort as I prepared for the day ahead.

HE AVALON proved as splendid in the daytime. Slightly under the weather, recovering from a bout of ’flu, I nevertheless decided to take in part of the patio lifestyle of California by going for a morning swim. I walked along the open-air walkway, noticing the blueness of the water. Several business­women had gathered in one of the cabanas for a light discussion.
   This was a slice from the past. The Hollywood regency styling and the relaxed atmosphere in the centre of this property were escapist antidotes to what SoCal had become beyond the walls of the Avalon. Foggy beaches in June, the McHotels that cater to modern hollywoodiens, as the French call them—these were part of the modern southern Californian landscape.

CONTINUED

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles. TOP: Tiles at the Avalon, hung near the swimming pool—the motif is repeated on numerous items in each suite. ABOVE: A familiar sight: the author’s 2003 Ford Mustang.

 

Where to stay Avalon Hotel 9400 West Olympic Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90212 USA Telephone 1 310 277-5221 Reservations 1 800 535-4715 Fax 1 310 277-4928 www.avalon-hotel.com Viceroy 1819 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90401 USA Telephone 1 310 260-7500 Reservations 1 800 662-8711 Fax 1 310 260-7515 www.viceroysantamonica.com