From varsity jackets to pixelated camouflage prints and denim fringe, the line includes an array of ready-to-wear pieces, leather goods, shoes, jewelry, sunglasses, bedazzled accessories and more. The brand’s signature Damier checkerboard print runs as a throughline, with checkered details on nearly everything. Inside, Parisian streetlights decorate the space and a large bookcase with Louis Vuitton city guides on the shelves opens up to a secret room. Hidden behind the bookshelf in a dark room, the spotlight is on the crown jewel of the collection: the Speedy Bandoulière bag. The bag comes in bright colorways, decorated with Louis Vuitton’s signature monogram. Over the summer, the $1 million made-to-order Millionaire Speedy bag, with its gold hardware, chain strap and pendant-encrusted diamonds, went viral when it debuted. According to Emily Huang, Director of Corporate Communications at Louis Vuitton, the new Speedy bags are expected to sell out first. Williams also collaborated with L.A.-based artist Henry Taylor for the collection, which features miniature reproductions of Taylor’s portraits as an alternate suit embellishment alongside the iconic LV.  

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The case fractured a business relationship between Black and Barth that stretched back into the 1980s, when the two began investing in real estate together. They practiced an informal kind of commerce built on “handshake deals,” Judge Monica Bachner described in her tentative ruling. In one of their business ventures, “other than the initial formation documents, there were no written agreements, there was never a board of directors meeting, there were no corporate resolutions or minutes.”

The two would speak face-to-face multiple times a day, Bachner wrote.

“Until the fall of 2019, Barth and Black had offices in the same suite, separated by about 20 feet with a shared wall.”

Then, in 2017, Barth arranged the purchase of a handsome 11,000-square-foot Cape Cod home at 840 Greenway Drive through LLCs that he managed and in which Black was a minority stakeholder. The companies paid $17.1 million for the mansion.

The Greenway home soon attracted a tenant, Eric Baker, who leased the property until 2018, when he made an offer to purchase it for $21 million. Barth, acting as the agent for the LLCs, countered with $25 million, which Baker accepted. This would have generated millions in profit for Barth and his business partners, including Black.

But according to court documents, before the sale to Baker, Barth surreptitiously sold the house to himself from the LLCs for $16.9 million, a loss of $100,000. The proceeds of the $25 million transaction, then, went to himself.

“Barth violated his fiduciary duty of loyalty by engaging in self-dealing transactions, misappropriating the LLCs’ Greenway property at far less than its actual value, and then seizing for his own personal gain over $6 million in profits that the LLCs would have obtained from their pending sale agreement with Baker,” Bachner wrote.

The ruling, if made final, would award Black and the other investors $6,692,740 in compensatory damages for the lost profits on the sale of the house and $6,692,740 in punitive damages.

Howard King, an attorney for Black, praised the tentative ruling.  

“Following nine trial days of Barth’s attempts to obscure the truth, we are gratified the Judge saw this for what is was, a theft by a fiduciary of his investors’ funds,” he told the Courier. “The unusual award of more than $6 million in punitive damages is confirmation of the outrageousness of Barth’s behavior.”

Robert Klieger, an attorney for Barth, described his client as “disappointed” by the tentative ruling and reiterated his defense that “Mr. Barth intended to purchase the Greenway house as his personal residence from the start.”

Barth only sold the house “[b]ecause the renter’s offer to purchase far exceeded the price Mr. Barth had agreed to pay for Greenway,” Klieger said.

This argument relies on a timeline of events that the court ultimately rejected, finding that Barth had purchased the property only after Baker had agreed to the $25 million price tag, suggesting he had planned to sell the property all along.

Klieger further claimed that Black’s daughter and grandson were the driving force behind the lawsuit, not Black himself.   

“Medical records that plaintiffs withheld until just before trial revealed that Mr. Black was already suffering from pronounced dementia at the time of the filing and was almost certainly incapable of directing this lawsuit,” he said. “The Greenway transaction was consistent with numerous transactions that Mr. Barth and Mr. Black have undertaken for the benefit of their investors, and, had Mr. Black been competent to testify, we are confident that he would have been the first to speak out in Mr. Barth’s defense.”

As the case draws closer to a final judgement, Barth and Black will return to court on April 17 in a case involving allegations that Barth stole nearly $2 million from accounts held jointly by himself and Black. The judge in that case is expected to schedule a trial date to take place within the next couple of months.

Before then, Klieger says that he plans to file objections to the tentative ruling on April 5, a step necessary for appealing the filing decision.

“Assuming the tentative order is adopted as is, Mr. Barth does intend to appeal the ruling and is confident that the ruling will be reversed and that his position will be vindicated on appeal,” he said. 

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Unlike last year, which was marked by closures and restrictions, this summer is colored by rebirth and reopening. With people more excited than ever to go out, the Courier asked prominent influencers with ties to Beverly Hills to share their 2021 summer spots in town. The roster of insiders includes Beverly Hills High School grad and “Million Dollar Listing-L.A.” celebrity real estate agent, Josh Flagg; Hawthorne Elementary school alum and influencer’s influencer, Alexandra Rosenthal; S.F. native turned L.A. transplant and Cycle House fitness luminary, Nichelle Hines; Beverly Hills native and an alum of The Buckley School, Olivia Perez, and more. From seasonal culinary pop-ups, new hotel hot spots, and under-the-radar Beverly Hills gems, here is what they’re up to:

Sophia Parsa
@sophiaparsa

At age 30, Parsa’s titles include Head of Community at FabFitFun, co-founder of the Mountain Gate dinner speaker series, angel investor, Forbes 30 Under 30 board member, event planner, and entrepreneur. Last summer, the Los Angeles native co-founded two new ventures: Golden Rice Co., a restaurant pop-up serving her mother’s home-cooked Tahdig (a traditional Persian rice dish) every Sunday out of Poppy in West Hollywood, and Boxxie Party, a personalized event planning and gifting service. Since then, Golden Rice Co. has been featured in The Infatuation’s “Best Pop-Ups In L.A. Right Now” and reviewed by L.A. Times restaurant critic, Bill Addison, as “spectacular.” Parsa has produced hundreds of events and hosted over 1 million guests.

Euro Caffe

I started walking a lot at the beginning of the pandemic, discovering my city on foot for the first time, basically, and I discovered Euro Caffe. I was walking on Canon looking for a bottle of water and kind of stumbled upon it! I didn’t want to walk into a restaurant like Il Pastaio and just ask for water, right? So, I found this little cafe, and the minute I stepped in, I was like, ‘whoa. I feel like I’m in Italy right now.’ I love to travel more than anything, so I love how European the vibe is. It’s through this beautiful walkway in between little shoe boutiques and has Italian jerseys hanging from the wall. The owner makes such incredible coffees, too. This spot is a hidden gem. 427 N. Canon Dr. #111, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

 Summer Social Club

Summer Social Club is another thing I discovered during the pandemic while trying to get to know other people in the food pop-up scene. It’s essentially a pop-up restaurant incubator run by Employees Only in West Hollywood. A lot of these cool culinary pop-ups you see on Instagram just have a cloud kitchen and operate without a place where people can come in. So, Summer Social Club provides a backyard space and a platform to be able to run a live service for restaurants without a physical storefront using their staff, waiters, and bartenders. Every week, the lineup is different! 7961 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046

Olivia Perez
@livvperez

The 27-year-old L.A. native is an interviewer, journalist, and the host of the “Friend of a Friend” podcast, a weekly talk show in which she interviews the next generation of luminaries. Since founding “Friend of a Friend” in 2015, Perez has interviewed the likes of Maggie Rogers, Bella Hadid, Hannah Bronfman, Symone Sanders, Millie Bobbie Brown, Lindsay Peoples Wagner, and Jordan Firstman, and has moderated panels for businesses like Shopify, Bumble, WWD, and The Wing. She’s made her mark as an editorial and cultural archaeologist, digging up the best of the unknown and sharing it with her followers as a contributing writer for Forbes.com, and through her creative partnerships with brands like Chanel, Kith, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Nike, Calvin Klein, and more.

Chaumont Bakery 

Everyone needs a go-to local bakery, and mine is Chaumont. Whether I’m on a morning walk to grab a coffee, want a quick snack on the go, or am looking for a good coffee meeting spot, Chaumont is one of those places that always feels like a hug, and I know will do the trick. They have some of the best croissants in town, and if you’re looking for a treat yourself breakfast, get their breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese.  143 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212

 Gigi’s

Gigi’s is the perfect recipe for a great night out. Whether it’s date night, girl’s night out, or a family dinner, the drinks and food are incredible, and the vibes are unmatched with a hint of old Hollywood glamour. 904 N. Sycamore Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038

 Descanso Gardens 

Slightly off the beaten path, but definitely worth the drive, the Descanso Gardens is the perfect oasis for a day when you want to do something spontaneous and different. It’s one of the most underrated nature destinations in L.A! Whether you want to go for a walk with friends, take a book to the garden, or get lost in their forest, you’ll leave feeling reenergized after a beautiful day in nature (and have some incredible photos too). 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 

Alexandra Rosenthal
@allymrosenthal

Rosenthal, 29, graduated from Emory University in 2014 with a BBA from the Goizueta Business School. After working on Wall Street for six years, the Beverly Hills native returned to L.A. to work at SET Active, an athleisure startup. Since assuming her role as Director of Operations at SET in 2020, the brand’s signature matching workout sets have attracted the likes of Kaia Gerber, Hailey Bieber, and Kylie Jenner. Beloved by influencers on Instagram, each new drop features limited edition colorways that sell out fast. 

Full Proof Pizza

If there’s one thing my five years of living in New York taught me, it’s an appreciation for good pizza. I’ve been thrilled to see so many new pizza spots pop up all over the city in the past few months. Something I’m really looking forward to this summer is the Lodge Bread Company’s new pizza concept, Full Proof Pizza, opening in Beverly Hills in August. If it’s anything like their current restaurant, it will undoubtedly be a huge hit.

Santa Monica Proper Hotel

Somewhere I’ve loved spending time recently is the Santa Monica Proper Hotel. Immediately upon walking in my first time, I was infatuated by every inch of decor. I’ve been obsessed with every meal I’ve enjoyed there, and I’d also argue that they have some of the best views in L.A. I know for a fact I’ll be spending a ton of summer days at their rooftop pool in my new SET Active swimwear, launching in August, listening to their live DJ with friends. 700 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401

 AKT

The past year has had me really missing in-person workout classes. I was elated to discover that one of my favorite studios from New York, AKT, would soon be opening in West Hollywood. Their classes are the perfect blend of cardio and toning work. It’s one of the only workout classes I take that’s so fun I forget I’m working out! 7111 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046

 Delilah at Wynn Las Vegas

Out of town, you can catch me heading straight to the new Delilah restaurant opening at the Wynn this summer in Las Vegas! Vegas is the best escape for a quick weekend getaway, and now I can’t wait to have one of my favorite restaurants there. Delilah in L.A. is a guaranteed good time and I’m excited to see it make its mark on the Vegas scene. 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109

Josh Flagg
@joshflagg1

Known for starring in Bravo TV’s “Million Dollar Listing-LA,” Flagg, 35, is one of the most sought-after luxury real estate agents in Los Angeles. Having sold over two billion dollars in property, Flagg’s A-list clients include the likes of Adam Levine, Shonda Rhimes, Tom Ford, and Steve Aoki. Beverly Hills born and based, Flagg is ranked by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the top residential real estate agents in L.A. In addition, Flagg sits on the Board of Governors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Temple of the Arts, and The Los Angeles Jewish Home. 

Cara Hotel, Croft Alley Beverly Hills

This summer, the Cara Hotel in Los Feliz is going to be the place to be. It’s so elegant that it gets me out of my 2-mile radius from where I live. In Beverly Hills, one of my best friends, Adam Rubin owns Croft Alley, which is a great place for a quick bite. It’s always packed and filled with great people. Try the tuna lettuce cups. Or, for a real treat, order the super popular Josh Flagg special, a great dish off the menu: it’s a traditional preparation of French scrambled eggs, cooked with low and slow heat, made with fresh herbs accompanied by truffle fontina toast.  Cara Hotel, 1730 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027. Croft Alley, 9433 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Nichelle Hines
@nichelle

A founding member and Chief Ride Officer at Cycle House LA on Melrose, Hines, 44, is known for her star-studded clientele and her ability to push those she trains with to redefine their limits. Since starting at Cycle House in 2008, Hine’s cycling classes (many of which she documents on Instagram) have attracted a cult following, with Jessica Alba, Madonna, Naya Rivera, and Nicole Kidman among her dedicated pupils.  The San Francisco native is an activist, coach, trainer, and actress, with appearances on The Sopranos, Grey’s Anatomy, The King of Queens, Parenthood, Scandal, and NCIS: Los Angeles and partnered with brands such as Tory Sport by Tory Burch, Kora Organics by Miranda Kerr, Eddie Bauer and Vital Proteins.

Tree People

My favorite little spot is Tree People on Mulholland Drive. It’s a really cute walking path right at the line where Beverly Hills sort of ends and the valley is about to start. They plant trees there and it’s a great place to take kids. Whether or not the actual Tree People organization office is open, you can just go there and walk it, or you can drive up and park. Just an awesome neighborhood-friendly spot. They have a trail you can walk that’s for planting trees—it’s amazing and perfect for summer. 12601 Mulholland Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Burgers Never Say Die

I think the BEST burger in L.A. is Burgers Never Say Die on Glendale Boulevard right off of Silver Lake Boulevard. It is the best Smashburger in town and you won’t regret it. What’s so great about those burgers is they’re really thin and smashed, and you can eat it without feeling too full after. They marinate the onions for three days, so you get all the onion flavor with none of the bad breath. It’s by far my favorite burger in Los Angeles. 2388 Glendale Blvd. Unit A, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Caitlyn Chase
@caitlynchase

Chase, 33, is a Beverly Hills-based blogger-turned-entrepreneur who began her career as a fashion and beauty writer after graduating from Pepperdine University in 2009. In 2011, Chase launched her own luxury lifestyle blog, “Caviar & Cashmere,” where she continues to share the latest and greatest in fashion, beauty, travel, interior design, wellness, lifestyle, and more. Having amassed a serious online following among luxury lifestyle lovers, Chase launched a Caviar & Cashmere skincare line in 2018. The influencer has worked with brands such as Olay, Aston Martin, Nespresso, Joe Fresh, Simon G Jewelry, Glamsquad, Fairmont Hotels, and the Four Seasons Hotels. In 2017, Chase was awarded “Trendsetter of the Year” by the Los Angeles Business Journal. 

Bel-Air Under the Stars

Summer is my favorite time of year when the days are longer, and the nights are warm. This season, you can find me having a picnic under the stars at Hotel Bel-Air, where the hotel will set up an outdoor dining experience on the property for a group of two to six, complete with your own private fireplace, s’mores kit, and food and beverage by Wolfgang Puck. Don’t forget to order the Tuna Cone! Hotel Bel-Air, 701 Stone Canyon Road, Los Angeles, CA 90077

Beverly Hills Tour D’Elegance

One event I am looking forward to taking place in Beverly Hills is the Tour D’Elegance. Happening on June 20 this year, locals will rally with their favorite classic and modern cars from the Peterson Automotive Museum, through Beverly Hills, ending at Beverly Hills City Hall. Spectators are welcome to attend and watch the parade of notable cars, free of charge. The event will support local first responders, benefitting both the Beverly Hills Police Association and the Beverly Hills Fire Association.

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The One Beverly Hills development is one of the largest in the city’s history–a $2 billion luxury complex including 340 residential units and 42 hotel rooms. The project site spans 17.4 contiguous acres, a feat achieved by a proposed land bridge over Merv Griffin Way that would connect the Beverly Hilton to the former Robinson-May property. This expanse includes plans for eight acres of gardens designed by local celebrated landscape architect Mark Rios, more than half of which will be open to the public. The structures and overall design come from the mind of Pritzker Prize-winning London-based Sir Norman Foster and his firm, Foster and Partners.

The developers of the project are Oasis West Realty and BH Luxury Residences, which are owned by Beny Alagem and London-based real estate firm Cain International. Alagem, who owns the Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, purchased the former Robinson-May property in 2018 along with Cain for a reported $420 million.

 “This has been a very long journey and the outcome is very exciting,” Alagem told the Courier. “We appreciate the hard work of the City Council, Planning Commission and staff. Their analysis and input improved One Beverly Hills. We look forward to getting started.” 

The June 8 vote split along a now familiar fault line in the City Council, with echoes of the 2020 vote on the Mixed-Use Ordinance. As in that case, Mirisch argued that the city was granting overly generous terms to business interests without sufficient benefits to residents. Members of the majority of the Council offered passionate rejoinders to Mirisch’s sharp critique, defending not just the deal with the One Beverly Hills developers, but also the moral and fiscal considerations with which it was negotiated.

While much of the public comment received during the hearing reflected negative views of the project, the Council also read a letter signed by 155 businesses and residents extolling its potential benefits to the city.

“To those who don’t like this project – and we’ve heard from some – there’s not an option here of no project. The choices are clear, it’s either this project, or the previously entitled projects, which could and probably would be built,” Councilmember Julian Gold said. “And in my opinion, there’s no comparison between what could, or would, have been built and what is proposed to be built.”

Unlike the previously entitled Dalian Wanda Group project or the Hilton project, One Beverly Hills achieves the long-desired goal of connecting the Hilton and the old Robinson-May location. One Beverly Hills also includes the shuttered Union 76 Gas Station.

“This land has been vacant for 10 years,” said Vice Mayor Lili Bosse, who served on the Planning Commission at the time of the Wanda project. “When Wanda purchased it, we all wished it was a unified project and that it was one unified owner, but that wasn’t the case.” It is now. 

But even while One Beverly Hills largely hewed to the entitlements for the Wanda and Hilton projects, maintaining the same square footage, the large swath of green space came at one expense: height. The prior entitlements allow for construction of buildings ranging from nine to 18 stories. The seven major structures now entitled for One Beverly Hills include a 28-story and 32-story building. If constructed, One Beverly Hills would become the tallest development in the historically low-rise city.

While some residents expressed concerns that this could set a precedent for future developments, Mayor Robert Wunderlich said that the deviation stemmed from characteristics unique to the project site.

“Compared with the other projects, it does have tall buildings, but it moves the tall buildings further to the west, immediately adjacent to Century City,” he said.

Similarly, according to Councilmember Lester Friedman, who served on the ad hoc committee that negotiated the development agreement for the city, “The manner in which the buildings are angled and the location at the extreme west end of the site mitigates bulk and mass of the project and allows for the amount of open space that has been proposed.”

Not all of the proposed features of One Beverly Hills are resolved by the Council’s June 8 vote. As a part of the conditions of approval, the Council will return to consider a proposed timeshare-style fractional ownership program once the developers flush out the plans more thoroughly. The Council will decide at that point whether or not to approve the program, which would make 37 fully furnished residential units available to owners for 30-day increments. Both Mirisch and Wunderlich expressed opposition to the program.

From its time in the Planning Commission to its final vote, the project generated the most controversy on the subject of affordable housing.

As a part of the development agreement negotiated by the city and the developers, One Beverly Hills will pay the city a $100 million public benefit fee over eight years (the Wanda project included a $60 million fee). Friedman said the payment represented the largest such fee in the state’s history.

The project will also apply a 5% municipal surcharge (essentially a higher Transient Occupancy Tax) to the new Wilshire Building luxury hotel rooms, and starting in 2030, to the Beverly Hilton. Along with that, the project would pay EMS fees to the city, which will help recoup the revenue lost in allowing residential developments on commercial sites. In the development agreement, the city will receive 2% fees on first time sales and then 3% on subsequent sales.

The $100 million clears the development of any responsibility to provide affordable housing, with advocates arguing that the sum provides more than enough to fund city-led affordable housing projects. But Mirisch was unflinching in his views on the deal. While he said the agreement had some good elements, “its complete and total fail when it comes to affordable housing is the most poisonous of pills, which makes the entire deal unacceptable and which turns a potential inclusionary project into a castle-fortress of exclusion.” 

As a part of his closing remarks, Mirisch brought forward an eleventh-hour study performed by Keyser Marston Associates, who provided financial analyses for the city’s ad hoc negotiating team. The study examined the additional need for affordable housing in the region generated by the project and its resulting demand for service sector labor (the house cleaners, baristas, salespersons, and others who will serve One Beverly Hills’ wealthy residents and guests). The study found that the project would result in a need for 527 units of below market rate housing.

Mirisch’s remarks were met with an equally forceful rebuttal by Bosse, who said she was “almost speechless” following her colleague.  

“There has not been anything on the table regarding affordable housing that has not been supported by our entire council,” she said. 

In response to Mirisch’s questions about the pace of the entitlements process, Bosse pointed out that the City Council decided the Wanda project over three consecutive days of hearings.

“When we talk about a fiscal and moral and ethical value, I can tell you, having been on this Council now and served with everybody here, that everybody here makes all their decisions with a lens of fiscal responsibility, with a moral compass and an ethical compass,” she said.

In the midst of the contentiousness, though, the Council showed signs of possibly realizing plans for affordable housing for seniors. Earlier that day, Wunderlich invited Mirisch to serve on an ad hoc committee “with the goal of finally moving forward with a senior supportive affordable housing project I brought up over three years ago,” Mirisch said.

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Created by Brandon Oberfeld and Charles Gores, a pair of 18-year-old tech entrepreneurs from Beverly Hills, a new drink – aptly named “Confidence” – hit shelves this week. 

“We noticed that there were drinks for basically every psychological effect you could think of. But there was nothing for confidence,” Oberfeld told the Courier. “Confidence is not just a human want, it’s a human necessity. So we wanted to be the first people to make a drink that gives you confidence.”

As recent high school graduates, Oberfeld and Gores said they have experienced firsthand the negative effects of social media and what Oberfeld called the “constant comparison culture” that permeates Gen Z. 

Oberfeld previously worked on a social media platform aimed at improving mental health by removing likes and comments. But he quickly learned that initiating such a cultural shift would be difficult from within the tech world. Instead, he and Gores decided to create a physical product. In February 2020, the Confidence drink was born. 

“We’re a brand with purpose,” Gores told the Courier. “The purpose is to really give people confidence, make people feel good, and to live a more full life.”

The duo spent more than a year working on research and development. Oberfeld said they identified five main elements of confidence to emphasize: relaxation, focus, natural energy, a good mood, and physical tension release. They enlisted the help of Dr. Matea Polisoto, a Beverly Hills-based specialist in naturopathic medicine. Polisoto helped the teens craft a formula of six adaptogens and nootropics – plants and substances aimed at relieving stress and improving cognitive function, memory, and general physiological stability. Confidence contains Griffonia seed extract (5-HTP), gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), ginseng extract, rhodiola rosea extract, numerous B vitamins, and magnesium.

Once the ingredients were set, the two turned their attention to flavor. Confidence tastes like a mix of berries, tea, and hibiscus and is sugar, calorie and caffeine free. 

Oberfeld said he views Confidence as a multi-purpose beverage that can help with stressful situations in all facets of daily life. 

“We think this is something that, once you add it into your daily routine, it really changes the way that you function,” he said. “It really does make a huge difference on your mind.”

Leading up to this month’s launch, Oberfeld and Gores faced their fair share of challenges. There were delays in production and design – most notably needing to relabel 100,000 cans. The pair also experienced a great deal of skepticism and pushback. The doubt was expected, Gores added. “When you innovate, you also have to educate,” he said.

Though there were issues to overcome, Oberfeld and Gores were motivated by their passion and purpose. They have been supported by a handful of investors and mentors, and by the end of June, they hope to grow their team to nine full-time employees and six part-time advisors.

So far, Confidence’s reception has been very positive. They have millions of impressions and views on Instagram and TikTok, and have already processed many orders through their online store. 

As a drink built for Gen Z, Oberfeld added, the focus will be on e-commerce. But Confidence is also available in stores, including several Erewhon locations. They hope to be in every supermarket chain by summer’s end, then expand in California, the East Coast and nation-wide. 

As Confidence continues to grow, and Oberfeld and Gores prepare to head off to college in the fall, they are both full of excitement and gratitude. 

“It’s been a wild journey,” Gores told the Courier. “At the end of the day, we want to look back with pride, knowing that we did something that was impactful and that opened so much more room for conversation in this world about confidence and mental health.” 

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“Businesses generally succeed in Beverly Hills,” Todd Johnson, President and CEO of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce told the Courier. “There’s some that don’t for different reasons, but, for the most part, it’s the safest city in the country. Regardless of what’s taken place, we’re still extremely safe, extremely friendly and walkable.”

Each year, the Chamber, in partnership with the city, travels to New York City in the fall and San Francisco in the spring to scout new businesses to bring into Beverly Hills. The trips are made by Todd Johnson, who is accompanied by the Mayor, Vice Mayor, and the City Manager. 

According to Johnson, the Japanese sportswear brand Onitsuka Tiger, which opened in February at 474 N. Rodeo Dr., came as a result of the Chamber’s trip to New York in the Fall of 2019. The Rodeo Drive location is Onitsuka Tiger’s third brick-and-mortar store and its second flagship in North America. “We were pretty intricate in helping them get through the process of opening,” Johnson told the Courier. 

To celebrate the Beverly Hills opening, the 2400 square foot Rodeo Drive location will carry exclusive limited-edition items including sneakers with “Beverly Hills” embossed on the side. The Rodeo Dr. store is also the first to sell the Onitsuka Tiger brand’s children’s collection.

“When prospective businesses reach out to us, we put them in contact with real estate guys that can help, landlords and that kind of thing to help them find exactly what they’re looking for,” Johnson said. “We’re in talks with probably a half a dozen other businesses, including a lot of restaurants that are in New York who are interested in coming out here.”

The city’s efforts to help restaurants expand their outdoor dining capabilities manifested with the OpenBH initiative, which allows businesses to temporarily expand to adjacent areas such as parking lots and the public right of way. However, even with OpenBH, new restaurants looking to obtain an Open-Air Dining Permit must still pay hefty fees. “Any restaurant is able to obtain an OpenBH permit free of charge, but permanent outdoor dining continues to be subject to the City’s normal application process and associated fees (with the exception of the lease fee),” Ryan Gohlich, Director of Community Development, told the Courier. “The City has always charged a fee for these types of applications, and the fees are based on periodic fee studies that are conducted to ensure that the City’s fees are in-line with the cost of providing services and the staff hours associated with application processing.”

On South Beverly Drive, six new establishments are opening, including the upscale bakery Sweet Lady Jane (214 S. Beverly Dr.) and a new 100 percent grass-fed Wagyu steakhouse called Mat? (239 S. Beverly Drive), founded by the group behind Sugarfish, where Panera used to be. 

“There are some vacancies on South Beverly, but it’s also a very walkable neighborhood and walkable,” Johnson told the Courier. “It’s also just a little more affordable than up in the triangle.”

Total Body Nutrition, a sports nutrition shop, recently opened at 193 S. Beverly Dr., and San Francisco-based coffee chain, Philz Coffee (233 S. Beverly Dr.) is slated to debut soon. SBE’s affordable to-go sushi spot, Krispy Rice, and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop are also opening soon on the 200 block of South Beverly.

After a slew of slow months and incalculable losses, existing retailers on South Beverly are excited to have new neighbors and hope for more pedestrian traffic.

“Things are slowly picking back up,” Adriana Caras, owner of LeSwim (238 S. Beverly Dr.) swimwear boutique told the Courier. “And now, suddenly, it’s like a surge. I have been busy all day. So now with everything opening, I’m kind of on the fence if we should extend our lease past April and stay longer.”

“I’m honestly very excited about having all these restaurants open up,” Jenny, the manager at Peruvian retailer Cottoniere (245 S. Beverly Dr.) told the Courier. “It’s been super dead here, we almost had to close. We’re hoping that when the new restaurants open, more people will come through.”

On Canon Drive, Nusr-Et–a new steakhouse helmed by Turkish chef Nusret Gökçe, known globally as the “Salt Bae,”–is expected to open on April 30 next to Spago. Spanish restaurant Tatel (453 N. Canon Dr.) is also opening at the former Nic’s Beverly Hill location, but has yet to announce a date. Jennifer Fisher Jewelry, a celebrity cult-favorite jewelry brand, recently opened its door at 450 N. Canon Dr. Christian Louboutin, known for luxe, red-soled shoes, also opened a Los Angeles flagship at 477 N. Rodeo Dr. in March. 

With the advent of the parklets and more outdoor dining, the business triangle has been vibrant with new energy and crowded streets. As a result, some retailers have even started staying open later, as more people are out shopping and dining.  “We’ve always been wanting a little more energy and nightlife, because Beverly Hills kind of rolls its street up at 6 p.m.,” Johnson told the Courier. 

Coming soon to North Beverly Drive is the popular salad chain, Sweetgreen (245 N. Beverly Dr.) as well as Erewhon Market (399 N. Beverly Dr.), the upscale health-food store known for its organic, locally sourced and sustainable groceries.

Taking over the former Roxbury Café location, Impasta (459 N. Roxbury Dr.) is offering fan-favorite pasta dishes with zero and low-carb noodles options. “I wanted to open Impasta in Beverly Hills not only because there is a certain type of prestige and notoriety associated with it,” Harrison Litvack, owner of Impasta, told the Courier. “But from a business standpoint, it’s central geography in the greater Los Angeles area allows people to access our yummy and nutritious food more easily.” While the physical restaurant space hasn’t opened yet for patrons looking to dine-in, Impasta began taking to-go orders in February. 

At 434 N. Camden Dr., Beverly Bar restaurant is also gearing up to open, with a menu focused on American-style food. J Watson Fine Art will be opening at 9410 Dayton Way, enticing art collectors and enthusiasts with the gallery’s collection of limited-edition paintings by artists such as Pino, Vidan, G. Harvey, Morgan Weistling, Antoine Blanchard, Peter Max, M.& I. Garmash and more.

In perhaps the sweetest news of all, John Kelly Chocolates chocolatier boutique opened at 9523 S. Santa Monica Blvd. Their specialties include truffle fudge and walnut-caramel clusters. 

In addition to the new storefronts, Johnson pointed to other projects underway in the city.  “You’ve got the One Beverly Hills project coming, the Chanel store remodeling, the LVMH hotel… and Saks has big plans for that little section down on Wilshire where Barney’s used to be. I think we have so much to look forward to over the next year.”

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Entitled “Riding Out the Storm with Suze Orman,” the complimentary Visionary Women webinar addressed some of the challenging economic and personal finance issues resulting from the global coronavirus pandemic. Mae Cheng, senior vice president of Barron’s Group at Dow Jones, moderated. The event drew a national audience, furthering the organization’s ongoing initiative to support women and girls beyond the boundaries of Los Angeles.

During the one-hour virtual webinar, Orman described the new year as “The Great Reset.” She provided a roadmap for ensuring a manageable financial cushion. She touched upon the housing and stock markets, ROTH IRA retirement accounts, credit card and student debt, cybercurrencies and the importance of saving.

Orman also spoke of the emotional challenges of difficult economic times, and specific ways women can support each other. She encouraged actions that provide a direct impact on individuals and communities in need. She praised organizations such as Visionary Women and others that provide a strong community of peers and mentors, those that donate ideas, guidance, propel women to greater heights emotionally and encourage self-worth.

Visionary Women is a Los Angeles non-profit, membership-based community dedicated to women empowering and supporting other women, and girls. The progressive organization supports women’s initiatives both locally and internationally by providing a unique platform highlighting relevant issues and advancing leadership. To watch Visionary Women’s “Riding Out the Storm with Suze Orman” on-demand and for more information on Visionary Women and the upcoming virtual salons, visit www.visionarywomen.com.

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“We have been really busy from May to right now,” Dr. Lawrence Koplin told the Courier. When his practice could reopen in May thanks to loosened restrictions, Koplin explained that he had a backlog of two months’ worth of cases. But, after the backlog dissipated, “we weren’t sure if the phone was going to continue to ring or what was going to happen. And the phone rang, and people came in and we were very often their first venture into the outside world.”

The pandemic disrupted some of the best times plastic surgeons had seen for over a decade, according to Dr. Lloyd Krieger of Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery. “Before the pandemic our case volume was good,” Krieger, who has written about the economics of plastic surgery, told the Courier. “It had just about reached the level of the very good times before 2008.”

Like other luxury sectors of the economy, plastic surgery serves as a bellwether for the strength of consumer confidence. “Meaning when the stock market is up, people feel that they have disposable income,” said Koplin. “When housing prices go up, people feel the same way. They have more worth and they feel that they have a little bit of disposable income and they’ll spend it on themselves.”

“And, conversely, when times are bad, it just shuts off,” Koplin added. “People stop going to restaurants, they stop getting their hair done, they stop getting their nails done, they stop buying at Neiman Marcus and plastic surgery slows down, too.”

Suffice to say, when California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide “stay at home” order on March 19, times looked bad. Based on conventional wisdom, Koplin and others watched the economic figures and forecasts with concern. But the subject of that concern never materialized.

“Our business since re-opening a few months ago has been the busiest we have been, probably ever,” said Krieger.

One key difference from the 2008 Great Recession and now is that in ’08, consumers technically had the option to spend money (if they had it) but chose not to. Now, with public health policies mandating restrictions on commerce, consumers simply can’t spend their money on certain goods and services.

“They can’t go to Barney’s. They can’t go to Neiman Marcus. They’re not going to go buy a car. They’re not going to go to the jewelry stores. They’re closed. They canceled their trip. They can’t fly anywhere to visit anyone. People can’t spend money right now,” said Koplin. This leaves consumers with some extra change in between the couch cushions. “The only thing that people can spend money on is plastic surgery.”

Other factors contributing to the boom: masks and working from home. The isolation of quarantine and the obscurity of masks have provided the ideal context for furtively getting work done. People now have time to prepare a face to meet the faces that they meet.

“We can’t go out, we can’t go to parties, we don’t go to restaurants, we don’t dress up, we’re home in our pajamas and our robes,” said Koplin. “It’s the perfect time to have surgery. It’s the perfect time to look bad. It’s a perfect time to recover.”

These circumstances have also led to a shift in the kind of procedures people are seeking out. “Anything that’s under a mask is very popular,” said Koplin. This includes rhinoplasties, lip surgery, facelifts, and neck lifts. “Botox tends to cause a little bit of bruising, but people are fearless now about Botox.”

“Interestingly, we’re seeing more people have large and invasive surgeries like facelifts and tummy tucks rather than the smaller procedures such as injections and Botox,” said Krieger. “This might be because it is easy to have enough time for recovery from large procedures.”

Celebrities and on-screen talent are some of the most eager clients taking advantage of this rare confluence of events.

Dr. Jason Diamond, a facial specialist who spoke with the Courier, said that business has been as busy as ever–especially with his A-list clients.

“It’s a great time for people to get things done that they’ve been planning for years and years, but can never take the risk of healing for a month or three weeks, because they never know when an audition is going to come up or when a gig is going to come,” he said.

“It is a unique, once-in-a-century time for not just actors, but for public people to get stuff done,” Koplin agreed.

So, the worry lines and other vestiges of a stressful pandemic need not leave a permanent mark on our collective visages.

Koplin added, “When everyone comes back, they’re going to look great.”

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The couple founded Williams & Williams Estates Group in 2006. Four years later they joined Hilton & Hyland, where they currently have more than $1 billion in listings. No official announcement has been made as to their exact separation date from Hilton & Hyland. However, sources told the Courier that The Beverly Hills Estates will begin operations in November. Their offices will be located on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and San Vicente in West Hollywood.

Williams & Williams Estates Group has garnered the top spot in the L.A. luxury real estate market with record-breaking deals in the $75-110 million range in Malibu, Bel Air and the Hollywood Hills. They specialize in historic properties, such as the Frank Lloyd Wright Ennis House in Los Feliz, for which they obtained the highest-ever sum paid for the architect’s work. They are also experienced designers and developers. According to sources, the duo plan to pursue those disciplines in their new firm. The Courier reached out to both the Williamses and Hilton & Hyland for comment but has received no response as of press time.

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