and devote an entire day to exploring
local retailers. Most make a beeline
to Third Street Promenade, essentially three blocks of Third Street that
were converted into a pedestrian mall
in the 1960s, though it has served as
the center of business since the town’s
inception. The area includes internationally recognized chains like
H&M, Old Navy and American
Apparel, and is also home to outdoor
events, street performers and a biweekly farmer’s market.
Just a short stroll away is Santa
Monica Place, a Frank Gehry-designed
mall. It features world-famous department stores like Barneys New York,
Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s, as well
as designer shops like Burberry, Coach
and Emporio Armani. But famous
designers are only half the Santa Monica
shopping scene, as more independent
stores helmed by fashion-industry veterans are opening their doors nearby.
“As the demographic proves the
TOP LEFT PHOTO BY JOAKIM LLOYD RABOFF; TOP RIGHT PHOTO BY ZACH LIPP
LEFT PHOTO COURTESY OF WATER GRILL; TOP RIGHT PHOTO BY MARIE BUCK
Third Street Promenade draws millions to three car-free blocks of stores and restaurants.
affluence level has greatly elevated—
thanks to the arrival of Google and
many other top companies to the beachside Santa Monica community—so has
the arrival of great boutiques to shop,”
explains Marie Shaffer, former denim
buyer at Fred Segal and owner of Hail
Mary, a new multibrand boutique and
denim bar selling high-end labels like
LA-based eis. “We are always refining
our niche and trending the up-and-coming designers who don’t have corporate
structure. Customers have been coming
back to us to see what’s next, and Hail
Mary is in constant evolution.”
A larger-than-life retail store is Ron
Robinson, opened this past winter by
its legendary namesake. (The brand
first debuted at Fred Segal on Melrose
Avenue in 1978.) The massive flagship
store is 5,500 square feet and beautifully
designed with bleached wood floors,
sea-glass accents and modern displays
featuring an array of merchandise, from
clothing and books to jewelry and gifts.
Ron Robinson’s flagship store on Fifth Street
The Night Goes On
Once upon a time, Santa Monica was
a hotbed for older residents who permanently settled in the quaint seaside town for decades. But today, the
younger generation is attracted to
Santa Monica’s rapid development and
growth, which naturally prompted a
worthwhile nightlife scene.
The Misfit Restaurant + Bar, which
opened in 2011, caters to the youthful crowd with its dimly-lit interiors
and whimsical brasserie feel, with
tall mirrors and velvet curtains,
hanging bulb lamps and rotating
local art. After hours, the restaurant
transforms into a thriving bar scene
packed with surf crews, techie hipsters and fashion trendsetters. The
craft cocktails served there are innovative and unique, and it’s one of the
few places in Santa Monica with a
velvet rope for entrance (mind the
dress code—no shorts or flip flops).
The Bungalow on Wilshire Boulevard
is where visitors will really need to dress
to impress for entrance: The line often
wraps around the building. The sprawling, indoor/outdoor space is elegantly
lit with retro-style interiors, but it’s the
high-style crowd that really woos.
A brilliant new addition to the local
bar scene is, well, Brilliantshine. It takes
craft cocktail bars to a whole new level
with drinks served in bottom-lit bulbs
and delicious bites that are paired
with the cocktails (rather the traditional reverse). While Brillantshine is
something you would expect to debut
in downtown LA, it’s a perfect fit for
Santa Monica’s burgeoning nightlife.
Still, there’s no shame in an early
bedtime in a city where the sunrise
illuminates already-awake surfers, joggers, cyclists and others taking advantage of every drop of daylight. Early
bird or night owl, active body or shopping enthusiast, there is plenty to fill
every itinerary in the timeless yet everevolving beach-side Santa Monica. L
Book It
Notable for its prime location just steps from the Santa Monica Pier,
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is a 347-room, oceanfront resort with
terrific views, offering modern luxury and pampering amenities including
gourmet restaurants, an eco-friendly spa and a variety of fitness classes.
It enhanced the guest experience this spring, when it unveiled a brandnew pool and pool deck.
“Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel was built on a cliff which lends itself
perfectly to being able to capitalize on all that the city of Santa Monica
has to offer,” says Chef Concierge Michael Fox. “When you exit our back
door, you have the beach right in our backyard. You will see the iconic Santa
Monica Pier right to the north and the rest of Santa Monica Beach and
Venice to the south. Our lobby is located on the fourth floor so, when you
exit our front door, you have the famous Third Street Promenade and the
popular shops and restaurants of Main Street right at our doorstep. We are
centrally located in Santa Monica … and we are only 8 miles from LAX.”
LOEWS MAGAZINE
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