Marina del Rey and Beverly Hills
 

My husband and I are going to L.A. for the first time Labor Day weekend.. We have a wedding at the Beverly Hills Hotel and we are staying at the Ritz Carlton in Marina del Rey for a few days ahead of time.. Where should we go? We are really into good food, good wine and fun.. No touristy type things.. and I know this sounds ridiculous, but I am a celebrity fanatic.. I just have to see one in person! Any recommendations on where to go.. I don't want to stalk or anything.. Thanks!!

You must try Venice Beach. It's close to Marina Del Rey. Especially on a weekend or holiday it is a real picture of the "true" California. Celebs love it but they are hard to recognize 'cause everybody dresses down (if at all). For a little culture, go to the Getty Art Museum. Near UCLA.

<BR>Venice a picture of the "true" California?! <BR>I think not! <BR>"Carnival & weirdo side show" might be a more apt description. <BR>(unless, of course, one's perceptions are formed mainly by watching a lot of homogenized network TV).

To spot celebs, try some of the more hip night spots like Sky Bar or Moomba. You may also see people on the streets of Beverly Hills. Maybe not Rodeo but Beverly and Canon. Also, I saw Cindy Crawford at Chaya Venice (a restaurant on Main Street in Santa Monica).

I used to live in that area before it got so touristy and ran into celebs during daily life (at the grocery store, Savon, walking in the neighborhood I'd run into Arnold S or Jane Fonda, etc) but not sure where you can go to count on it except perhaps very expensive restaurants (even then there's no guarantee) like Ivy or Spago. I agree that Venice Beach is not at all a picture of true California (and I'm not anyway, but lived there many years happily and am a UCLA alum) IMO. Venice Beach used to be kind of a funky, low-key neighborhood spot I'd go with friends for a casual dinner or drinks, the beach on Sat morning wasn't crowded, or to bike -- now it is very touristy because tourists like to gawk and that brings out the exhibitionists, it's a never-ending cycle. I will tell you that Gold's Gym in Venice has a LOT of celebrity members, if you want to work out--but I don't know if they allow day passes or not. If you aren't into the very expensive restaurant thing, but younger, I'd just go to Hollywood/W Hollywood and hang out at Barney's, Viper Room, Sky Bar in Mondrian Hotel, shop on Melrose, etc, you might see someone but probably nobody that fantastic. I think your best bet might be to just go shopping on Rodeo Drive in Bev Hills, you will probably see someone around there; that is fun to do anyway as it is so different (just window shop if you can't afford anything)--a cheap restaurant around there that a lot of celebs go to is Nate n Al's deli. If you really HAVE to see one, there's usually one around on a TV or Universal Studio tour. I don't really understand your quest, to be honest, I could understand wanting to see someone you really liked and admired, someone special, but why is it so important to just see ANY celebrity? I used to work at CBS and then NBC studios and saw them every day (I answered fan mail for one), my life went on in its typical humdrum fashion. A lot of them don't look that great up close, either BTW.