DREAMY DEBUT

Ocean Avenue’s new beachfront jewel features 175 guest rooms and suites by designer Gulla Jónsdóttir, for a sleek, polished take on barefoot luxury. Sandbourne Santa Monica’s color palette echoes the natural tones of the sand and sea, for a relaxing and comfortable stay with soft linens and woven fibers. Lounge at the pool cabanas with a colorful canned cocktail before dinner at chef Raphael Lunetta’s ingredient-driven coastal California restaurant Marelle. An Artist-in-Residency program invites artists to stay a few days and showcase their art, so you never know who you might run into spinning pottery in the lobby or painting en plein air. 1740 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, sandbournesantamonica.com

FACE FIRST

Kate Somerville grew up in Los Angeles and her Melrose Place skincare clinic celebrates 20 years this year, growing from just three rooms in 2004 under Johnny Depp’s former office space to a skincare sanctuary with 11 rooms that is popular among A-listers like Brittany Snow and Nina Dobrev. This is the place to get ready for festive season parties and ring in the new year looking your best. Holiday specials include 20% off Clearsilk and up to 30% off Morpheus8 treatments, along with other discounts. Pro tip: add exosomes to any microneedling treatment, like Morpheus8, for a beauty boost and less downtime, thanks to the regenerative healing powers of stem cells. 8428 Melrose Place, katesomerville.com

DINNER PARTY DELIGHT

Discreetly tucked away in a shopping center’s underground parking garage, this tiny sushi gem has just 12 seats. There are four seats at the sushi counter where you can watch chef Earl Aguilar and his team deftly mold each piece of nigiri, along with four two-tops for a more private experience. Sushi Note in Beverly Hills is an encore to the original Sushi Note in Sherman Oaks, offering a more intimate and exclusive experience with two-hour, 20-course omakase menus paired with sake or wine. A trio of appetizers is followed by a parade of nigiri; classic delicacies like Hokkaido uni and otoro Spanish bluefin tuna appear alongside dry-aged fish and more esoteric seasonal bites like shiokko (baby amberjack) and shiro ebi (baby white shrimp). 421 N Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, sushinoteomakase.com

FIRST CLASS TO FRANCE

West Hollywood’s newest French restaurant is a 220-seat Provençal-inspired beauty from the same team behind Olivetta and The Draycott. Elegant by design and convivial in nature, the menu at Chez Mia is inspired by the Côte d’Azur’s coastal cuisine with signature dishes like salt baked whole fish gracefully deboned tableside and a towering fruits de mer platter of sustainable seafood. Crispy squash blossoms filled with ricotta and honey, lobster bisque bucatini, and warm fougasse bread with salted Normandy butter are a few more favorites to share with friends. An expansive garden features lush landscaping, blown glass, and rich geometric patterns while an indoor chef’s counter offers a front row seat to the open kitchen. 8478 Melrose Avenue, chezmia.com

NEW HORIZONS

This yuletide season, a newly launched airline by the doggie treat label Bark ensures no Great Dane or Labrador will be left behind for the holidays. Bark Air operates caninefriendly flights from NYC to LA on chartered Gulfstream jets, so pet lovers can bring every member of the family – Fido included – on trips West. VIP travelers and their humans are treated to ample room to stretch and sleep onboard, while a selection of treats, snacks, and drinks (including bone broth) offer your pup the first-class experience. A selection of calming aids are available too, from pheromones to lavender scented towels. air.bark.com