My husband and I have won a trip to L.A. to see the Grammy's! We've never been, so I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions over the next two weeks. I would like to have lunch at The Ivy - yes, I know it's expensive and the wait staff is rude, but it's somewhere I've wanted to go for awhile. Anyway, can you make lunch reservations? If so, what is the best time to go for lunch in the hopes of celebrity spotting? We will be going the day before the Grammy's, Tuesday, Feb. 7th.

1.30pm...Table 41...Floppy hat, oversized shades.....fish and chips....alka seltzer.....

Ha-Ha! Okay, does anyone have any advice? And can I request the patio when I make the reservation?

Becca....I am ofering advice...Request lunch reservations for 1.30, you would like Table 41 which is ON the patio...It is the most sought after table in the joint.The papparazzi across the street will strain their necks to see who it is.They watch the door and Table 41.....Look the part, wear the hat and the shades...Use an aristocratic name when making the reservations so they will all wonder who is this????......The fish and chips is good, a huge platter and well, greasy.Therefore, a littl a/s will be welcome..Enjoy!!

Will they even give table 41 to just anyone or do you have to be someone the papparazzi actually want to "shoot" in order to get seated there?

Anyone can request Table 41...If you are there, waiting, waiting,waiting and you see someone seated @ T41 right b4 your name is called, then you try to figure out which celeb it was....not nice to stare! I have friends who have been seated there during peak lunch--1.30pm for the celeb crowd btw--so yes it happens....

Thanks BeachBoi! I thought you were just being cute! Can you make a reservation and request Table 41 or is it just first come/first serve? My last name is "Bond" which everyone always finds funny - "Bond... Rebecca Bond." Is it "aristocratic" enough for the Ivy? Ha-ha.

i doubt if they'll give you that table or any specific one. they're smart enough to know who's who. order the chopped salad if you want to be in the 'know'.

YES YES YES!!!!!!! Now, when you call, just be very very definite.....Usually a female takes the reservations and usually pretty hurry-hurry....Date/time/Last name/Table 41 please......Thats it......Report Back, Double O !!!

Becca,

You MUST report back here to let us know how this turns out. Inquiring minds want to know.....

congratulations!!! Can't help with the Ivy, but I'd love to hear a full trip and Grammy report when you return!!!

I just made the reservation: Tuesday, Feb. 7th (the day before the Grammy's - more chance of seeing Grammy celebrities than the day of the Grammy's, I would think), at 1:30. I requested Table 41, and she said "okay." I wonder if that means it is a definite or only if it's available - probably the latter. Thanks for all your advice, and I will definitely give a full report of The Ivy, L.A. and the Grammy's when I get back!

You lucky thing! So, if you don't mind sharing, how did you win tix to LA and to the Grammys?

I'm a HUGE Paul McCartney fan, and when I found out he had been nominated for 4 Grammy's and would be playing at the Grammy's, I thought how wonderful it would be to go! Here's the story of how I won the contest, which I also posted on the Paul McCartney message boards:
I entered a couple of online contests - Target and Heineken. Then I heard that my local radion station in conjunction with our local CBS affiliate was running a contest. Each night last week, the local CBS news would announce a "Grammy scrambler" word. You then had to unscramble the word and turn to the radio station. At 7:50, the radio announcer would begin taking calls and the first one through with the unscrambled correct word would win a Grammy compilation CD and a $50 mall gift card and be qualified to win a trip to the Grammy's. They took 5 qualifiers (Monday through Friday) and last night they drew the grand prize winner. The grand prize winner would win airfare for 2 to L.A., stay at the Hollywood Renaissance, tickets to the Grammy's, tickets to an after party, spending money, and a $250 mall gift card.
I decided last Monday that the first night of the contest would probably be the easiest to qualify as not so many people would know about the contest. Since my Step class at the gym didn't end until 7:15, I put my husband in charge of watching the 7-7:30 news. I gave him strict instructions not to move from in front of the TV set! I also guessed and told him that the scrambled up word would be probably be the name of a band and I used the example of Green Day. Well, when I got home right at 7:30, he told me there had been no announcement. I then called the local news station, and they told me that they had indeed made the announcement. After a bit of begging, they told me that the Grammy scrambler was "energ yda" - yep, you guessed it, Green Day! At 7:50 when told to call, I was the first caller through and gave the correct answer. The radio announcer asked who I most wanted to see if I got to go to the Grammy's, and of course, I said Paul McCartney!
All last week, I was convinced I wouldn't win. I was listening to Paul McCartney's nominated song "Fine Line" in the car one day, though, and the local radio station's truck drove by, so I considered that a good sign! Last night when my husband came home, he said that he had a good feeling I would win (all last week, he had been saying there was no way). Then at 7:50, they called my name, and after letting out a couple of blood-curdling screams, I called in and won! Today my husband and I went down to the radio station to fill out the paperwork, and here is the link to our pictures on the radio station's website:
http://www.star1021fm.com/index1.php
Anyway, now the big dilemma is what to wear?!

WOW! How cool is that???!!!!

Congratulations, Becca! Have a fabulous time!

That is truly amazing! I saw Sir Paul at a charity concert last year (He and his wife are into removing land mines which kill and wound thousands of children all over the world) and he will NOT dissapoint! For these events, at the Grammy's anything goes, but I don't think you will feel out of place in a little black dress... cocktail style (you will find that outfits run the gamut from celebs and artists who are "dressed" to seat fillers who are basically out of work actors who run in to fill empty seats for the cameras when they do audience pans.. they usually wear what I would call "thrift store" nice clothes..all in all it's a fun evening.. Have a blast! Welcome to LA!

Have a wonderful time, and puh-leeze write a trip report!

ttt

Becca? Still recovering?