by Chrissy Iley For me Barney's New York IS New York. It is so quintessentially Manhattan. And Barney's seems such a perfect metaphor for the city; it is edgy, it is chic, beautiful and busy and always with a high fashion content. When I … [Read more...]
TRAVEL: THE IDLE HOUR BAR, LA
by Chrissy Iley I have been known to go to Home Depot not because I was planning to refit my bathroom or even replace a handle or paint a doorframe, just because I love the smell of new things. I find it mesmeric. Imagine my delight to learn … [Read more...]
MARILYN MONROE CHOCOLATE AT COMPARTES, LA
by Chrissy Iley LA is not really the place you think of as chocolate heaven - in fact I don’t normally eat American chocolate. An auntie gave me some Hershey’s kisses once. As much as I loved her actual kisses and her, the chocolates tasted … [Read more...]
TRAVEL: SPICE AFFAIR, BEVERLEY HILLS
by Chrissy Iley Brits in LA are always saying it. The one thing they miss about Blighty is that you can’t get a good curry. I crave curry. I crave Indian food. It’s my go-to comfort. If you go randomly to a curry house in Britain the … [Read more...]
FRENCH CONCIERCE IN LA FOR VALENTINES DAY
by Chrissy Iley FCLA stands for French Conciergerie in Los Angeles. If you look up charm, discretion, ease in the dictionary the picture you will find is of the French Concierge LA team. One can place ultimate confidence in them; they know … [Read more...]
LA FASHION: ELAINE KIM STUDIOS
by Chrissy Iley There have been very few times in my life when I went into a shop and wanted to buy everything in it. First it happened when I was a teenager and found my first vintage clothes store. Everything had an edge; everything was … [Read more...]
FIRST EVER HELLO KITTY CON TO TAKE PLACE IN LA
by Brooke Varney From October 30-November 2, LA natives will be the envy of Sanrio enthusiasts around the world. The first ever Hello Kitty Con will be held at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) in Little Tokyo (of … [Read more...]
LA JUICING: THE LARCHMONT JUICERY
by Chrissy Iley In the last couple of days I’ve become obsessed with Larchmont Village. It’s a ten minute drive from my home in West Hollywood, but it feels like another city and another era. The High Street is like Main Street Smalltown … [Read more...]
WEST HOLLYWOOD VEGAN DINING: GRACIAS MADRE
by Chrissy Iley Gracias Madre is a vegan Mexican restaurant newly opened in West Hollywood. It is opposite the famous Craig’s restaurant and almost as celebrity fuelled. It’s very easy to be a vegan in Los Angeles. Even Craig’s, a high end … [Read more...]
DIOR LINKS WITH THE PRINCESS GRACE FOUNDATION
by Annie Vischer It's clear that the Grace Kelly legacy needs very little in the way of catalysts to keep it flourishing. Her beauty is immortalised in countless fashion shoots, paparazzi shots and royal portraits. Her talents are replayed … [Read more...]
AMERICAN TEA ROOM & MATTHEW BIANCANIELLO
by Chrissy Iley A few months ago I gave up drinking coffee. My relationship with coffee was as deep and embedded as my relationship with any lover or family member. I needed five strong cappuccinos to get out of bed as opposed to 5k like a … [Read more...]
SWEAT IT OUT LOS ANGELES STYLE
by Chrissy Iley I first heard about it around awards season. Actresses sweating down a couple of dress sizes to look good on the red carpet. And by sweating I don't mean pounding for hours at the gym. The latest craze for metabolism … [Read more...]
COLOUR KING: MARK WILLIAM SELLEY AT JOHN FRIEDA
by Chrissy Iley Over the past few months something has been slowly and stealthily creeping upon me: a hair colour dependency. Ever since I started seeing William at John Frieda, New Cavendish Street (full name Mark William Selley) my hair … [Read more...]
ROSIE HW FOR JUICY COUTURE
by Annie Vischer When you think of wearers of shocking pink velour tracksuits, Rosie Huntington Whiteley is not the first person that springs to mind. Nevertheless the LA frequenting model has been taken on as Juicy Couture's latest SS14 … [Read more...]
WEST HOLLYWOOD: SALON BENJAMIN
by Chrissy Iley I was traumatised when the John Frieda LA salon closed down. It was such a beautiful space with a lovely pool as its centrepiece – it has now been taken over by The Olsens as a Row flagship store. Before John Frieda Neil … [Read more...]
Burberry CEO Reveals Secret to Success
One of the most established Brit brands in the industry, Burberry, has revealed the key secrets to their success. Company CEO and exceptionally inspiring person, Angela Ahrendts, spoke in Los Angeles at a TED talk about how she keeps Burberry … [Read more...]
Star-studded Dining: Craig’s LA
by Chrissy Iley Last night I was invited to Craig’s LA. I’d been there once before in Oscar week and it was a mass of table-hopping celebrities. Weirdly I’d assumed that was a one off, but last night it was Craig’s birthday. I’m not sure if it was … [Read more...]
Library: Fashion Athenaeum, Los Angeles
by Chrissy Iley Just round the corner from where I live, I passed what I thought was a vintage shop. Strange and eclectic mix of looks. Some vintage 1930s, 50s and 80s, and some modern pieces. All of them statements, even though some of them not … [Read more...]
Bambou Le Pho, LA
by Chrissy Iley One of my favourite restaurants in West Hollywood used to be called Green Leaves, except it appeared with musical notes on its entrance and on its menus, so it might have been a miscommunicated version of Greensleeves. It was a vegan … [Read more...]