THE L.A. DIARIES

Escaping to the hedonistic land of lights, camera and action, Kenneth Goh goes on the prowl in sexy L.A. for the launch of Panthère de Cartier.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

Escaping to the hedonistic land of lights, camera and action, Kenneth Goh goes on the prowl in sexy L.A. for the launch of Panthère de Cartier.

My Reading Room
DAY 1

9:25AM-5PM We land in L.A. after a 24-hour flight. We check into the Beverly Wilshire hotel, which is a perfect respite from the mad hustle of L.A. It’s the hotel that Pretty Woman was filmed in, and when you see the opulent lobby and the unending stream of Bentleys and Porsches coming up the driveway, you understand why this hotel was chosen. It has the glamorous decadence of the ’80s, and you almost expect to see Krystle Carrington and Alexis Colby fighting it out on the stairwell in a scene right out of the iconic Aaron Spelling series, Dynasty. Since this trip is for the relaunch of the iconic Panthère de Cartier watch from the same era, I am glad I brought my leopard Givenchy suit and gold jewellery.

6:00PM-11:59PM After lunch, we have a quick whizz around the block of glitzy shops at Rodeo Drive, which is just across the road, before rushing back to get ready for the cocktail event. Held at the Sheats-Goldstein Residence, this house is an icon of L.A. The hedonistic venue for many a decadent party and film (think Rihanna’s 27th birthday bash and the set for Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle), the snakeskin boots-wearing owner, James Goldstein, is a front-row fixture at all the fashion shows in Paris. This John Lautner building is a space-age concrete, steel, glass and wood graphic structure from 1963, which looks like The Jetsons just checked in with their spaceship. I meet my friend, Nicole Warne of Gary Pepper fame, and we spend the night drinking champagne and watching the stars from Above Horizon, an amazing art installation from artist James Turrell, which has a dramatic open roof that displays the night sky for all to see.

My Reading Room
DAY 2

11:00AM Brunch is a casual affair at the gorgeous Little Beach House Malibu right by the ocean. The setting is perfect for Instagram moments and the who’s who of the fashion cognoscenti are here. All the blogger girls who matter are with the Instagram queens sizing up each other, seeing who has the bigger slice of the Cartier golden pie. Every corner that has natural light or a great ocean view has been taken up by pretty girls in sunnies and sundresses smiling for the camera (with artfully-held watch and jewellery-adorned hand held just so in frame). An after-lunch saunter down the delightful Abbot Kinney Drive with a mix of bohemian shops and cool L.A. eateries is perfect after a great day by the beach.

6:00PM-11:59PM We get back and prep for the big Panthère de Cartier party tonight. I lay out all my Cartier goodies on the bed. First up, the sleeker-than-ever Panthère.  With an elegantly stacked brick-lay bracelet in a soothing honeyed hue of 18-carat gold, this iconic ’80s design classic works perfectly with my stack of golden goodies—Love bracelets (both the classic and new thinner versions), the gorgeous Juste un Clou (ahem… they were my 10th-anniversary gifts)—and I am all set for the night. Dressed in a leopard suit (okay, I think it can pass for a panther with measles?) I do my rounds with the celebrities, snapping shots with Dita Von Teese, Lily Collins and the queen of parties, Paris Hilton. Held at the super cool Milk Studios, the space has been converted into a ’20s jazz café, replete with gold-lit palm trees, glossy veneer interiors and a sparkling grand piano with the uber talented Alicia Keys singing for us all through the night.

My Reading Room
DAY 3

9:00AM We go on an amazing helicopter ride all across the landmarks and iconic spots of L.A. Taking in the beaches, the undulating Hollywood Hills, the grand expanse of space and even celebrity homes, this is literally a bird’s eye view of the City of Angels. We cruise around in a 1966 Cadillac convertible and stop by the famed Chateau Marmont for a quick lunch (we spot Alex Baldwin and family) before we whisk off to the airport with fond memories of this incredible city. All throughout the trip, the golden light reflecting off the Panthère watch, and the clink from the stack of Love and Juste un Clou bracelets, made me feel like a celebrity millionaire. Was this a “Cinderfella” moment? Let’s just say I left a glass slipper behind, hoping for some charming royal to find it.