Beverly Hills Hotel

Through some particular events in my GF's life I found myself at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Thursday afternoon for a one-night stay. The Beverly Hills Hotel is a 5 star hotel with a legendary history. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor honeymooned in one of the bungalows there (Number 5), Will Rogers and Douglas Fairbanks used to eat lunch in the Polo Lounge every day, Guns n'n Roses signed their record contract there.

She had a hair and make-up appointment at the salon they have; I caught her in the hallway as she was leaving for it and I was arriving to the room. After about 30 minutes I went down there to see how things were going but it looked like she was getting water-boarded; she was tilted back flat in the chair and the make-up artist was leaning over her intently. I decided instead to grab a bite at the Fountain Room, a coffee shop diner they have (and is where GnR signed signed their contract).

Later, she went to her event in the hotel-provided limo and then a few hours later came back. In the interim I had reservations for the Polo Lounge for dinner for us. She called me as she was leaving so I could meet her in front to help with her stuff; award statue, gifts and flowers. As I was waiting some older movie producer types got out and walked up the ramp into the hotel; gray hair, big round black rimmed glasses, pullover shirt, leather pants. Bowling ball pot bellies.

As we came down the stair case I swear Lauren Bacall was in front of us in line. We were seated at a decent table but we did not see anyone we knew as a celebrity but obviously there were some fairly well-off people there.

The next morning we went to breakfast at the Fountain Room; James Taylor walked in and sat down at the opposite end. He was scruffy and hauling a backpack around with him. We later saw him in the lobby waiting for someone; he was wearing a baseball cap.

But that was it. It was an interesting experience but also fairly expensive for my loser middle-class lifestyle. But now I can say that I have stayed in the legendary Beverly Hills Hotel and eaten dinner at the Polo Lounge.