Santa Baby…

Guess what we all got from Santa Claus this year?

santa claus obama michele roohani

It’s been a horrendous holiday season and my images below illustrate the Christmas mood of Rodeo Drive:

via rodeo sign christmas 2009 michele roohani

The real estate market is so bad, they are giving away whole buildings!

via rodeo christmas 2008/2009 michele roohani palm trees

The haute couture has a small “sale” sign but no buyers…

via rodeo christmas 2008/2009 michele roohani ferre red

The Christmas decorations are as gorgeous as ever but with no money to spend, people are just not in the mood,

via rodeo christmas ornament 2008/2009 michele roohani reflection

and the  Cinderella slipper has to wait for a better (non-bankrupt) prince.

rene caovilla gold shoe michele roohani beverly hills cinderella

The doormen at Prada are waiting in vain too— the headless/moneyless client is entrapped in Koolhaas’ quirky cell:

michele roohani prada christmas 2008-2009 headless man

Last year’s night version of this was way more cheerful…

michele roohani reflection christmas 2008-2009 vuitton

Africa’s still bleeding in spite of De Beers pretty windows:

michele roohani reflection christmas 2008-2009 de beers

An exercise in futility if you ask me but Harry Winston is still showing off its ridiculous necklaces.

michele roohani reflection christmas 2008-2009 harry winston

The poinsettias are effortlessly beautiful and everywhere—they keep bringing a smile to my face without costing an arm and a leg.

michele roohani christmas 2008-2009 poinsettias

poinsettia michele roohani christmas

An espresso and the man of the year to wrap up the day.

michele roohani patisserie nahid christmas 2008-2009 obama man of the year

It looks like we’re going to have to take Einstein’s advice, whether we like it or not: “everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

Christmas in Beverly Hills – a light post for nonreaders

Christmas is here with all the usual joy and gore! I took some pictures last night from my neck of the woods. Welcome to the winter in the Lala Land.

michele roohani rodeo drive christmas chandelier

We are trying so hard to look like New York or Boston in the winter holidays but Los Angeles stays Los Angeles, a comfortable 55 F on Christmas eve.

michele roohani rodeo drive christmas beverly regents hotel

The Beverly Regent (AKA the pretty woman hotel) looks great in red.

michele roohani rodeo drive christmas via rodeo

michele roohani christmas via rodeo nutcracker

“My little dog – a heartbeat at my feet”

michele roohani christmas via rodeo poodles

Of course what is all this without music?

michele roohani christmas rodeo music

And these are some of my favorite store windows – the fabulous Rem Koolhaas‘ Prada flagship is amazing. I’ve always liked his Seattle public library as well.

michele roohani koolhaas prada flagship

Red has always been my favorite color.

michele roohani christmas via rodeo red dress

I have added Blue as another favorite some years ago.

michele roohani christmas  rodeo tiffany

I like them equally now.

michele roohani christmas  rodeo superman

By the way, I hate shopping/the crowd/malls – I wished people would stop accumulating extra-everythings (from candles to cars)…We all know people that are hopelessly deluded, bathed in trivia, mesmerized to the point of idiocy by almost any celebrity, amusing themselves to death, self-defeating and absurde at times. I made you read!