48 Hours in Los Angeles

It is always a pleasure to escape from New York during the winter months; especially, when the destination is the City of Angels.

A cosmopolitan juggernaut full of wild nights, tasty treats and trendy trysts, Los Angeles was recently my playground for a 48-hour getaway thanks to Delta Air Lines and the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.

As the cold weather continues to paralyze normal life for inhabitants in the Northeast, leaving us struggling to dig ourselves out of the snow, Los Angeles, and its world class shopping and cuisine, is perfectly suited for a weekend getaway to remember.

Mega-City of Angels

Los Angeles is the second largest city in the country - only New York is more populated. Stretching for over seventy-six miles along the Pacific coast, the entire city area covers over four hundred and sixty five miles. As has happened in so many cities worldwide where rapid growth had taken place, Los Angeles has its fair share of problems. Smog, lack of water and frequent earthquakes are an issue (as is crime in certain areas). Nevertheless, none of these challenges made themselves apparent during my recent visit to the city-particularly, because I spent the majority of my trip in the Beverly Hills area.

Suffice it to say, instead of urban problems, I found a culturally vibrant, ultra-hip, ultra-happening haven-easy to navigate, fun and exciting.

Travel; Head Trip

Friday-5:45AM:
I arrived at Delta's Terminal 2 (T-2) at JFK to check-in at the Business Elite counter. Terminal 2 is essentially dedicated to Delta's London Heathrow (LHR), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), International Business Elite, Domestic First Class, Medallion and SkyTeam elite fliers. The feeling of privilege began the second I reached the counter. The check-in experience was quick, smooth, and attentive.

6:10AM:
I believe that the pre-flight lounge experience can be just as enjoyable as the business class flight itself. Although I do not belong to many airport lounges, one of the benefits of the American Express Platinum Card is entry into most of them - as I was traveling Delta's Business Class from LAX to SFO this day, my entry into the lounge was free. The Delta Sky Club lounge at JFK was spacious and comfortable. The club staff were courteous & helpful. The lounge offered free wifi throughout, along with roomy workstations and a well stocked bar. As you might imagine, it was a spicy-Bloody Mary morning. To my surprise, along with the usual cold blueberry muffins and containers of fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt, there were toasted bagels.

7:45AM:
I found row 3 and buckled up in one of Delta's 757 Business Elite seats. The biggest luxury of the transcontinental flight was not the generous amenities - including the comfortable seat, over-sized down airplane-pillow and delicious hot breakfast-but the ability to plug into a conveniently placed outlet and charge my laptop as I accessed the "Gogo" in-flight internet service offered onboard. Leaving updates on Facebook from 30,000 feet brought the idea of social networking to a whole new level.

10:30AM:
Landed in LAX-12-minutes early.

Beverly Hills, 9021-Oh!

11:30AM:
I arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. It was immediately apparent that the priority of the hotel staff's was to make all guests feel immediately welcome, respected and secure. I began my ultra-luxury stay with the same assurance as arriving at a friend's grandiose Beverly Hills estate-and the experience only got better.

Located in residential Beverly Hills, the Four Seasons Hotel hosts 285-guest rooms including 97 suites. Each guest room features step out balconies overlooking Beverly Hills and greater Los Angeles. The hotel's amenities and services include high speed Internet access, VCR, CD player and stereo, in-room safe, mini-bar, twice daily maid service, spring water at turndown, overnight shoeshine, complimentary newspaper, terry bathrobes, one hour pressing and valet service, and 24-hour room service.

My suite was located on the same floor as the Fox Searchlight junket for "Our Family Wedding" with Forrest Whitaker, America Ferrera and Carlos Mencia. I was pleasantly surprised how civilized and laid back the publicists were-the room was so insulated I could not hear a sound.

Into the Tar Pits!

11:15PM:
Popular belief is that celebrities in Los Angeles spend most of their time hiding out in their mansions, away from the prying eyes of star-struck fans. This was far from the truth when it came to the Four Seasons bar on Friday night. My evening's sightings included Mel Gibson, Robert Duval and Forest Whitaker. The bar was truly the place to see and be seen.

Saturday-7:20AM
I got up early to workout in the full service fitness center on the fourth floor. The canopied exercise area offered the latest in fitness machines, including Precore cycles, treadmills and stair climbers. All cardiovascular equipment features individual flat-screen televisions. After the workout I rehydrated with some of the hotel's complementary Gatorade�, grabbed an apple and the paper, and headed poolside for a 30-minute cool-down.

10:00AM:
I traveled in style in the hotels chauffeured Rolls Royce Phantom to the Tar Pit - for the taping of Bravo's Top Chef spinoff for pasty chefs - "Top Chef: Just Desserts." The Tar Pit is Campanile chef-owner Mark Peel's new bar and supper club-located just a few blocks north of their iconic place on La Brea Avenue.

4:00PM:
My trip culminated in another relaxing flight. A flight back to JFK in a Business Class seat on a Boeing 767 operated by Delta. The flight landed in JFK 30 minutes early. Overall, a great trip to the West Coast and an opportunity to escape winter in the lap of luxury from start to finish.