CHIC HOTEL CONCERT, NO COVER: Summertime is rightly famous for producing certain catchy songs that people listen to again and again (and again). Particular foods pop up that foodies start to rave about and various restaurants gain the spotlight. But fewer trends happen as fast in the hotel industry, which includes models and practices that aren't quite as temporary as a summer hit single. That's changed in recent months with more hotels staging concerts and movie events that are open to both guests of the hotel and locals. The evenings have a relaxed, neighborhood-y feel, but with the swank sheen of the hotel lending the proceedings an element of cool. It's an up-and-up trend that's been around for awhile now, but more hotels, at least around LA region, seem to be jumping into the fun as of the summer of '15. And while a few Southern California properties have gone the movie-screening-by-the-pool route, the InterContinental Los Angeles Century City is hosting a pair of jazzy, retro-vibe, no-cover nights in the hotel garden. Night one is Thursday, July 30 and the second go-around is Thursday, Aug. 27.
CRYSTAL STARR & THE BOWTIES... are set to headline the July 30 show, while Aya and Jazz Electric are on the performing roster for the August event. There shall be bites for sale -- jalapeno crab cakes with pickled onions and avocado mousse is one tasty-sounding selection as are the pork tacos with pork shoulder and belly, dry chorizo, avocado puree and lime marinated onion. And lime continues to rule through dessert, too; lime cheesecake pops are on the sweet side of the menu. Everything gets going at 6 p.m., so your typical Thursday Happy Hour plans can shift to the InterContinental, and everything wraps by 10 o'clock, meaning you can be at work at a prompt hour on Friday morning.
WILL MORE HOTELS... go the free, neighbors-are-invited route during warm-weather months down the road? The line on this graph is pointing upwards, for sure.
