noplasticshowers

First off, I have to admit that I’m fine with weird. Better weird than generic.

What Hotel Current has done is take a classic garden style hotel from the ’60s and update it for the hip. Kind of reminds me of Marimba’s old HQ in Silicon Valley. Every office had its own bathroom.

So you get this terrible architecture that pays homage to its parking lot all gussied up with some Morcheeba piped into the atmosphere through craftily disguised waterproof speakers. And you get random stickers on the wall in your room that say words like “inspired” (though maybe “trite” would be more accurate).

Room 133 transforms a well-known space

One of those words. This one says “SERENITY” in all caps.

But all in all they did the best they could with the space. And it’s certainly weird. The only real bug in the place is a massive overuse of hotel deodorizer. Awful. Was there a cat in here? Or a smoker? Or maybe a rotting possum? Whatever it was, it has been nuked into oblivion by chloroflourocarbons. Mmmmm, smells like cancer.

The bathroom has been hacked to look like this.

Mirror mirror on the wall.

Sadly, the shower suffers from a shower curtain. Alas. So close to glass perfection and yet so far.

Nice tile. Nice space. Curtain?! No no no.

The Ken does not approve of the common dispensers (which may well be filled with Nair or Dye or Evil Chemical #4).

Dispenser of pure evil disguised as soap for the Socialists.

Here is what a cashmere coat looks like on a “do not steal our hangers” hanger. We hate that.

Not so good.

Ultimately, we like the weird factor enough to go for four showerheads, but we will subtract one penalty showerhead for the chloroflourocarbons.

All is not lost in Long Beach, however. The District Wine bar is delightful. Spent some time handing around google glass to the staff and chatting with the owner Mark Dunton (whose wife Angela is co-owner). We played “name that wine” which was a complete blast. This place is well worth a visit. Rock on Long Beach.

And now a Chirouscuro video (mostly the dark bit) from District Wine.

Also of note was a fantastic lunch visit to Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se, which though not fancy is run by warm and generous people who whip up some superb Indian food. Old fashioned, simple, and delicious.

Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se

And in case you are wondering why I didn’t stay at the generic Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach…

Renaissance charm