THE GARDEN OF EDEN CHATEAU MARMONT EXISTS

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

HELMUT NEWTON

The Chateau Marmont, in West Hollywood, is without question, the Garden of Eden.  Here there are too many apples on the trees to choose from, all ripe and gorgeous. Few, if any are bad, so you are pretty safe.  If you want a seriously fabulously fun hotel, with gorgeous staff, in Los Angeles, this is the place to be. It came highly recommended from the wonderful actor,  Michael Wincott who arranged for a darling little cottage there,  to sleep in.  My house is irritatingly inhabited with tenants. I can't say they  have been very amusing.  I shall not easily rent my house again.  I did it because I thought I would not need to come to Los Angeles.  The minute I do these things, I want to be in the very place, I thought I would not be.

The Chateau is totally charming and whilst I usually stay at the Beverly Hills Hotel, I thought it was good to change and sample other hotels.  I loved it. It has not been touched since it was first built in the 1920's. Crumbling yet not, it is original and thank goodness it has not been modernised.  The dreary way which hotels are decorated now makes me want to sleep on the streets. This feels old.  This feels right. The cottage had an original kitchen and bathroom in it which was totally charming. Clean and comfortable with character.

PRETTY GIRLS ARE JUST EVERYWHERE

HELMUT NEWTON

IN THE DOORWAY

FRENCH SINGER COCOVAN AT THE CHATEAU

In life I have to flow with the wind. This week end I was supposed to be filming in Michel Comte's film Madame Butterfly, in the desert. Everything that could possibly go wrong, did. The car got a puncture, broke down. I got the shuffles, and so did my friend who was in the film too, Edward Bennett Coles. Sometimes things are not meant to happen. Instead I stayed in my room trying to feel better. Boredom became intolerable so I went to a delicious Thai restaurant Toi on Sunset Boulevard.  Outside I gave a young boy twenty dollars who said he needed some money to go to the funfare. I am sure he was lying but there was something charming about him. He was so pleased and promised he would say please and thank you in the future. On the way back I dropped in to see Bun Bun, the live white rabbit who lives with George Blodwell, then saw Sean Borg on the street walking his dog. 

I also managed to visit the Perry Rubenstein Gallery which was showing unusual photographs of Helmut Newton's.  Perry was there generously hosting a delicious lunch. The gallery is a great space and Los Angeles needs it.
Followed by meeting Rushka Bergman my life could not be better.
So the Chateau wins first place for the number one place in LA.