Living La Vida Luxe

(page 2 of 2)

Behind the Velvet Rope

“Nothing is off limits; as long as it’s legal, we’ll do it.” Perhaps it’s Patrick Flettman’s die-hard approach to customer service that makes the Ivy Hotel (619-814-1000; ivyhotel.com) the in-demand spot on the local nightlife scene. Flettman is director of VIP service for the Gaslamp Quarter’s hotel’s nightclub, Envy, where Hollywood hipsters like Gwyneth Paltrow, Nick Lachey, Vanessa Minillo and Meryl Streep flock for luxury-imbued nightlife south of L.A. While the celebrity presence keeps the buzz mill humming, Flettman says local regulars are his top concern.

“Guests who come in once or twice a week and spend $700 to $800—that’s the normal check—are the VIPs we want to make sure are taken care of more than anyone else.” He recalls recent guests from Las Vegas, two guys who dropped nearly $20,000 on Cristal champagne and the hotel’s $4,000-a-night suite.

Envy’s VIP guests are greeted at a separate entrance by a host, who escorts them to a choice table where their preferred cocktails await. “It’s all about anticipating every VIP’s needs and making sure we deliver,” says Flettman. “We know what’s going on in the city and use our contacts to make sure guests have access to whatever they need—whether it’s concert tickets or a party at another venue.”

Pony Up

Fancy hats, luxury suites, Thoroughbred racehorses. Few San Diego landmarks capture the spirit of the lavish life better than the Del Mar Racetrack.

“This is the track that Hollywood built,” says Joe Harper, head of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (858-755-1141; dmtc.com). “We inherited that energy and ambience, and it’s still the best place to be.” Harper has hosted many a VIP, from a Saudi prince to Katie Couric (“She got the best reception I’ve ever seen”). But he tells all of his customer-service employees to treat everyone like a VIP, because “you never know who you’re talking to”——like the guy in shorts and tank top who walked up to the betting window and put down $20,000 on a race.

Betsy Christmas, the track’s VIP concierge, keeps the big players and horse owners happy. “She’ll handle private jet travel, make sure their name is known around town, get them into the best restaurants even if they’re full, call local real estate brokers to find rentals for their stay and, of course, get them the best seats at the track,” says Harper. She also might get their kids into surf camp, or plan a trip to the zoo. “Like any good concierge,” she says, “we always have something in our hip pocket to take care of people.”

The continued interest by Holly wood only boosts the track’s luxurious image. HBO filmed an episode of its hit series Entourage at the track, reinforcing its reputation as a playground for the glitterati.

Groomed for Greatness

Where do the luxe-minded go for the ever-essential spa and beauty treatments? Guys head to Well-Heeled (619-338-8385; wellheeled.biz), a gentleman’s spa and retreat inside downtown’s Diamond View Tower. It’s the Bentley of barbershops—a full-service men’s spa that offers an array of grooming, massage and waxing services, as well as manicures and pedicures.

“We have clients who drive from Escondido and Poway,” says marketing director Alex Mendez. “We’ve created a gentleman’s sanctuary for our clients, who have a work-hard, play-hard mentality.” One such client is a commercial developer from England, who visits regularly for business and doesn’t leave town without paying a visit to Well-Heeled for some coddling in a decidedly masculine environment (the 2,665-square-foot space was designed by Porsche). Other clients are locals who come for their weekly straight-razor shave.

“It costs nothing for a guy to get up in the morning and shave his face,” says Mendez, “so the guy who comes here and pays $50 for a shave values that kind of pampering.” Monogrammed robes, shoeshine service and clients’ favorite cocktails awaiting their arrival (spa staff does its research) are other VIP perks.

Another place to realize the allure of that magical combo of cocktails and spa treatments is Sea Spa at Loews Coronado Bay Resort in Coronado (619-628-8779; loewshotels.com). It hosts weekly “Fizzy Fridays” from 5 to 7 p.m., when spa-goers indulge in the Champagne & Caviar manicure and pedicure. A caviar firming complex works its magic on hands and feet, while a signature champagne cocktail performs its own alchemy. Does the good life get much better than bathing in caviar and champagne?

Castles in the Sky

What does the most expensive condominium ever to hit the San Diego real estate market look like? In a word: palatial. Offered at $12.5 million by Neuman & Neuman Real Estate (619-595-7025; palaceinthesky.net), the 4,400-square-foot condo, dubbed Palacio del Cielo, or Sky Palace, occupies the 22nd and 23rd floors in the south tower of the Renaissance building in downtown’s Marina District.

“It’s like living in Hearst Castle in San Diego,” says real estate broker Gregg Neuman. The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath condo at First Avenue and G Street features a 1,500-square-foot garden terrace and two-story main hall with 2,000 square feet of Italian marble flooring, gold-leaf ceiling and a 20-foot-tall fireplace. “The detail is beyond belief,” says Neuman. “Elaborately carved woods, stonework, hand-painted artwork—every detail was created on the spot.” Another detail: Each toilet is covered in silver gilt. Other features include a state-of-the-art kitchen, two wine cellars, a home theater and game room.

Neuman says the interest level has been “extraordinary.” The property’s listing page on Realtor.com has received more than 15,000 hits in the past 90 days. Owners Jerilyn and Jim Shaw bought the penthouse in 2004 and began the multimillion-dollar renovation to transform it into their Italian palace. The couple is now looking to their next building project.

The Plush Life

For San Diegans accustomed to the finer things, it’s only natural their canine companions share the lifestyle. Enter Plush Puppies Kennel & Daycare Center (619-561-4299; plushkennel.com) in El Cajon. The VIP treatment begins the moment the Lincoln Town Car stretch limo pulls up to whisk pooches off to the free-range kennel operated by Catz Plush (yes, that’s her real name).

“People have started calling it Disneyland for dogs,” says Plush. “It’s the alternative to traditional boarding in that play time is all the time.” Facility features include 5,500 square feet of outdoor play yards with shade trees, agility jumps, a large swimming pool (and wading pools for smaller dogs) and a waterfall. “It’s a very Zen type of atmosphere,” says Plush, who leads daily games and activities. She also operates a cattery, a separate space with four “kitty condos.”

Plush “interviews” all dogs prior to acceptance into daycare or boarding. “We want to ensure each dog is comfortable in a social setting,” she says. “Creating a safe and a stress-free environment is our top priority.” She recently opened the Plush Puppies Doggie Depot, a convenient pickup location for dog owners who live or work in the downtown area.

Opening next month in Sorrento Valley, Snug Pet Resort (858-643-0010; snugpetresort.com) bills itself as a “four paws” resort, with more than 22,000 square feet of space for dogs to lounge, play and be pampered. Dog trainers Toni and Michael Stone teamed up with LaDainian and Torsha Tomlinson and veterinarian John Boyd to create the ultimate all-in-one resort for pooches, complete with EasyTurf play yards, swimming pool, a grooming/spa center, luxury suites (each with its own window and television), a training academy, full-time veterinary clinic and upscale retail boutique.

“LaDainian and Torsha are big animal lovers, and they’re really involved in creating a state-of-the-art facility where everything is top-notch,” says Toni Stone, who became friends with the Tomlinsons after training their dog. “They know there’s a huge need for something like this in San Diego——a place that offers all of these services in one spot.”

Sweating in Style

For some, merely getting to the gym for a workout is a luxury. For others, real luxury means the gym comes to them. Addie Merrill and her husband, Tyler, offer private, in-home personal training through their business, Addie’s Personal Training Studio (858-483-2711; addiesstudio.com), which has semiprivate, appointment-only gyms in Pacific Beach and La Jolla. “We take a boutique approach to fitness by offering customized personal-training sessions,” says Addie.

One La Jolla client she trains five mornings per week called on her to re-create Addie’s Pacific Beach studio at the client’s home. “I built her a complete 1,600-square-foot gym, bringing in all the equipment I use in my own studio,” she says. Addie also trains the woman’s husband and stepdaughter in their home gym and has developed a comprehensive nutritional program. She’s hit the road with them on vacation, too.

“They took us to Hawaii with them for a week so they could stay up on their training while on vacation,” says Addie. “We did a lot of outdoor training on their private beach, went hiking and kayaking and were able to monitor their nutrition.”

Do you like what you read? Subscribe to San Diego Magazine »