Will Rogers was its honorary mayor, Nixon said we didn’t have him to kick around anymore, Jane Fonda went for the burn. Where? Beverly Hills, that city synonymous with luxury, eccentric wealth, palm trees and shopping. Or, as Steve Martin once sang, “The hills are alive… with the sound of money”.
Yes, it’s true: the Beverly Hills are still alive with the sound of money, but, at its 100th birthday, Beverly Hills is the only place that’s getting younger, richer and kinder. If you want to be humiliated, you may have to go elsewhere. Even Pretty Woman’s Beverly Wilshire Hotel is sort of welcoming.
To prove that it’s changed, this California city has its own hyperlink of love, lovebeverlyhills.com – an all-singing all-sighing website to make you feel like one of the family: no bamboozling, baby, here are the itineraries, hotel packages, classy things to do with partners, kids, families and yourself. You can go to all the old places you loved before, but don’t slum it. There are more five-star hotels here than any place other than New York City.
At The Montage, have a fancy schmancy sandwich at the Paninoteca. Take a tour of Edelweiss Chocolates, where Lucille Ball did her famous chocolate-conveyor-belt-eating scene (the belt is still there). Then take a walk (or call the chauffeur) and see the famous Witch’s House at 516 N Walden. Like all of Beverly Hills, people, not witches, live here, so be discreet.
Karen Krizanovich
Karen Krizanovich is a journalist, writer, researcher and broadcaster based in London, Glasgow and Chicago. She studied philosophy for seven long dull boring years, later earning an MBA in film finance. Her journalism has been published in The Times, Sunday Times and The Telegraph among many others; TV and radio appearances include Newsnight, CNN, BBC4 Woman’s Hour and The Today Show. She is still occasionally recognised as Dear Karen, the vicious agony aunt of Sky magazine’s back page in the 90s.