Living the Pop Life at JW Marriott L.A. LIVE
Maybe you've memorized Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day" by heart. Maybe you love the Dodgers so much, you named your firstborn son “Shohei”. Maybe you know literally every single line in The Big Lebowski, including the stage directions and camera transitions. Whatever your favorite entertainment niche, a true pop culture obsessive like you simply has to be in the thick of the action—in other words, the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, a glittering, 54-story tower of blue-tinted glass in the heart of “the most entertaining place on the planet.”
Your first morning, you jump out of bed and rip open the curtains, taking in the view of the Peacock Theater, which has hosted the ESPYs, the AMAs, several American Idol finales, and every Emmy Awards ceremony since 2008. You’re surrounded by pop culture past, present, and future and there’s no better feeling.
You take the elevator downstairs - this 1,001-room skyscraper houses both the Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and the giant lobby is bustling with wide-eyed tourists, business travelers and entertainment junkies like you. You breakfast at Savoca, where you can either sample Italian-tinged fair like Eggs in Purgatory (with spicy Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese) or go whole hog with the Breakfast Buffet. "Maybe next time," you tell yourself while downloading wandering out into Peacock Place to explore LA Live.
Next up, a matinee at Regal L.A. LIVE—the new Marvel film is out and you expect nothing but the most up-to-date cinematic experience. The Regal’s RealD Premiere screen is literally the biggest movie experience in Los Angeles, featuring stadium seating for 800 guests, a 70 foot screen and “immersive sound”. And because it’s a Tuesday and you're a Regal Crown Club member, your ticket is only $8! Score!
You don’t let yourself OD on popcorn—there’s too much good eatin’ to be had around here. Oh hello Katsuya, Fixins Soul Kitchen, Emmy Squared Pizza, Fleming's Steakhouse, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, and Yard House.
After lunch, you head to the GRAMMY Museum—do you check out the museum's collection of vintage guitars, mandolins, and ukuleles from the National String Instrument Corporation, long favored by some of the world's foremost blues and Americana artists. Or do you moonwalk over to the MICHAEL JACKSON exhibit, featuring artifacts from the Gloved One's "Thriller" and "Bad" eras. Don't stay too long, though—you have courtside seats to tonight’s Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena, a full 20-second walk from where you’re standing.
You head over and take your seats as the whistle blows - OMG OMG OMG, you’re sitting next to Denzel Washington. A few Miller Lites later, and it feels like a really good idea to invite Mr. Washington to some late night bowling at Lucky Strike, so you can get your Lebowski on.
When Denzel politely declines, you retreat back to the glowing blue JW Marriott monolith you call home for a nightcap at The Mixing Room bar.
As the DJ spins sexy lounge music, you sip your White Russian and ponder the awesomeness of your day, noticing that the guy next to you looks an awful lot like The Dude. He turns to you and smiles. You utter the infamous words of Walter Sobchak that will mark this as the most pop-culturally perfect night of your life: “F*ck it, Dude. Let’s go bowling.”
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
900 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles 90015
213-765-8600
