How Nancy Reagan Got a Salad Named After Her at the Hotel Bel-Air
Los Angeles has no shortage of legendary hotels with many a story to tell about their legendary guests. There is the Beverly Hills Hotel, the "Pink Palace" that has provided a sumptuous escape for an eclectic roster of A-listers, from Charlie Chaplin to Elizabeth Taylor, since 1912. There is also the more notorious Chateau Marmont, a Sunset Boulevard icon for more than 90 years that has seen its fair share of scandal. And then completing this trio of grande dame L.A. hideaways for the super-famous is the Hotel Bel-Air, the youngest of the group, which turns 75 this year.
What these three most have in common, besides really posh digs and excellent real estate, is their commitment to discretion. They're hidden deep behind lush, verdant flora, shaded from the prying lens of paparazzi (and plebeians), and dotted with fabulously appointed bungalows that further reinforce that feeling of sublime seclusion. But if the BHH and Chateau Marmont are characterized by a more see-and-be-seen, celebrity playground-esque atmosphere, the Hotel Bel-Air has maintained a reputation as a real refuge, one of Old Hollywood glamour, understated luxury, and actual privacy that has attracted stars and royalty since opening its doors on August 24, 1946. Take, for instance, the time when three members of the Beatles—Paul, George, and Ringo—were separately staying at the hotel, yet had no idea of each other's presence. Or that Edward, then Prince of Wales, claimed to have "slept better in the Presidential Suite of the Bel-Air than in any other hotel in the world."
This is the type of place that has a literal swan lake at its entrance, along with 12 acres of manicured gardens. It's no wonder Grace Kelly chose to spend the night here after her Best Actress Oscar win in 1955, or that she called the hotel her home-away-from-home during her engagement to Monaco's Prince Rainier. In fact, the princess spent so much time at the Bel-Air that a suite was named after her.
But for an L.A. establishment, the Bel-Air is incredibly discreet about its celebrity connections. The Grace Kelly Suite is the only bungalow to bear a famous name, while in the restaurant, Nancy Reagan has the honor of being the only person with a namesake dish—consider it a less a tactic for publicity than a way to honor the hotel's most loyal patrons.
The Reagans were frequent guests here, and became all the more so when they moved back to California after their second White House term and settled into a ranch-style home in Bel-Air. In 1984, their daughter Patti got married at the hotel. And the former first lady enjoyed near-daily lunches with Betsy Bloomingdale at the restaurant, after which the two would take long strolls in the garden. Her order was always the same: the Spa Salad, a healthier riff on the Cobb with chicken, avocado, turkey bacon, aged cheddar, egg, and a Meyer lemon vinaigrette. "She would always ask for it to be chopped smaller and smaller," says general manager Denise Flanders. And so the Nancy Reagan Chopped Salad was born—and it has been a beloved menu item ever since.
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