Star Power: The Haute 5 Celebrity Hangouts in Los Angeles
This is Hollywood. When it comes to celebrites, the fact is, they’re simply part of the fabric of our city. I remember my very first day living here, stopping at a traffic light and looking over to see Fabio in the convertible next to me (true!)—and just a few weeks ago, dining at Delphine and seeing Nicholas Cage in the next booth. But the fact is, celebs can be very much like you or me. Though it often surprises people—I’m not sure why—they do all kinds of everyday things, and you’re just as likely to run into Zoe Deschanel at Amoeba Records as you would Marla Sokoloff at Kate Somerville’s day spa. Even the Encino post office has a huge wall of personally inscribed headshots. Then there’s the Coffee Bean. They are always at the Coffee Bean (the one at Sunset and Fairfax). Bottom line, some celebs are obsessed with the latest hot spot, others creatures of habit. Name a Haute 5? Here you go:
Trousdale
Brent Bolthouse is not to be counted out. After the longtime Hollywood promoter parted ways with the SBE group, he created this dark, booth-filled spot with a super-VIP back room (those are his hot waitresses above). Are you worthy to shoot pool with Katy Perry & Russell Brand, Zoe Saldana, Mischa Barton, Doug Reinhart, Ashlee Simpson, Benji Madden, Simon Rex, Adrien Brody, Nicky Hilton, and Deryck Whibley? Everyone, it seems has been in, except (quite famously denied) Lindsay Lohan.
Trousdale is located at 9229 West Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, 310.274.7500
Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi
Location, location, location. This rustic-with-white-tablecloth family Italian restaurant, set where Chatauqua Boulevard meets Pacific Coast Highway, attracts the likes of Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes, Jake Gyllenhaal & Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Kim Kardashian, Hillary Duff, Hayden Panettierre, Rhianna, Christina Aguilera, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Cameron Diaz, and yes, unfortunately, Mel Gibson too.
Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi is located at 114 West Channel Road, Santa Monica, 310.573.1660
My House
Although they’re probably moving on to David Judaken’s new spot My Studio as we speak, the celebs who have drank and danced at My House include Paris Hilton, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Brody Jenner, Whitney Port, Kristin Cavallari, Audrina Patridge, Amanda Bynes, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, Kellan Lutz…wow, this list just keeps going…
My House is located at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard, 323.960.3300
Madeo
You don’t have to be paparazzi-fodder to get a table at Madeo—a celeb magnet since Frank Sinatra’s day—but it wouldn’t hurt. Let’s see who’s eating… Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, James Caan, Matt Damon, Jeremy Piven, Ellen Degeneres & Portia DiRossi, Tobey Maguire, Heidi Klum & Seal, Ryan Seacrest, Paula Abdul, Jessica Simpson, Kimora Lee Simmons, Christina Millian, Ellen Pompeo, and yes, you better believe it, Mr. Don Rickles.
Madeo is located at 8897 Beverly Boulevard, 310.859.0242
Urth Caffé
Anytime this topic comes up, the first place any Westsider mentions for celeb sightings is not a club or restaurant, but this organic coffee shop (they now have locales in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Downtown, but this is the original). Recently spotted: Joe Jonas, Sienna Miller, Lauren Conrad, Jessica Alba (with daughter Honor Marie), Katharine McPhee … heck, Entourage even filmed there. So it’s practically a cliché.
Urth Caffe is located at 8565 Melrose Avenue, 310.659.0628