THE PENINSULA BEVERLY HILLS.

"The next part of our day in paradise featured body pampering, pampering, and more pampering."

Whatever you order, be sure to save room for the pumpkin creme brulee, easily enough for two. This dessert is so creamy and luscious, it was hard for me to believe it was spa cuisine. But at only 200 calories, this concoction of egg whites, orange concentrate, and fresh pumpkin is a winner at any meal. You can also opt for kiwi, mango, raspberry, coconut, or other seasonally prepared sorbets as a fitting and light ending to your meal. Though the Roof Garden offers a wonderful selection of lighter spa meals, if you've finished your exercise and want a reward, don't miss the Peninsula Cobb Salad with roasted chicken, avocado, bacon, blue cheese, and eggs. Or the yummy Angus beef burger with Tillamook Cheddar cheese (known as the best burger in town). A girl can dream, can't she?

The next part of our clay in paradise featured body pampering, pampering, and more pampering. We looked over the list of treatments and had great difficulty selecting just a few since they all sounded so amazing. We checked out the treatment rooms and noted that they were candle lit, the massage tables heated. To top it off, each had custom warming units for the lotion bottles as well as heated hand and foot mitts for use in facials. One of the best details about The Peninsula Spa is that it is open from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. How great to be able to get a massage late in the evening after a long hard day of work!

My husband started with the Men's Executive Facial, a 60-minute treatment including cleansing and massaging of the face, neck, and shoulders. I opted for the Peninsula Facial, which included my choice of hand or foot massages. My final choice of the day was the Wine and Roses indulgence experience. It starts with a relaxing hydrotherapy bath complete with rose aroma essence sea salt and essential oils, followed by a full body scrub using grape seeds from Napa Valley The finishing touch, a special massage with white rose petal aromatherapy oil. My husband continued on to the Ultimate Massage with two therapists working in tandem, We both came out of The Peninsula Spa purring like a pair of languid cats. Needless to say, it was a divine experience and one that we will indulge in often.

Here's a great tip: I customized my own spa day, but there are some wonderful, specially designed spa days available, including the 3 1/2-hour Just the Basics (1-hour Swedish Massage, Peninsula Facial, Deluxe Manicure and Pedicure in the poolside cabana), the 4-hour Rodeo Retreat (Foot and Scalp treatment, Wine & Roses treatment in the hydrotherapy room, a 1-hour Massage with white rose petal aromatherapy oil and a Deluxe Manicure & Pedicure) and the 7-hour appropriately titled, The Ultimate, (including, a variation of the full Wine & Roses treatment, Deluxe Micro Dermabrasion Treatment, Silver Ion Mask, lunch at The Roof Garden, Deluxe Manicure and Pedicure enhanced with Hand and Foot Paraffin treatments).

To sample some delicious spa cuisine at home, check out the recipe featured on the next page.

THE CLUB BAR

Stephen Rebello

"Entering The Club feels like walking into a very cool gathering of friends..."

Discovering a very good bar can be like making a very good new friend. You know in a heartbeat when you happen on the real thing. As a writer who has interviewed more than his share of household names -- several of whom shouldn't be mentioned in any decent household -- I've chosen some of the world's very best bars as locales for especially revealing interviews. I normally take a pass on hotel bars, though. Great ambience can't be invented and hotel bars are too often personality-free and flavorless, with libations to match. Wandering on a weekday night into The Club bar at The Peninsula Beverly Hills after a spectacular meat at The Belvedere rearranged my hotel bar biases. The first thing I notice is that I notice nothing in particular. Instead, I feel everything. Entering The Club feels like walking into a very cool gathering of friends in the handsome, birch-paneled den of a host who really knows how to throw a party. Smart, convivial conversation hums and, mercifully, that conversation is anything but all about three-picture deals, net and gross, and foreign sales. Sure, the glow of brass sconces reveals famous faces around the intimate, warmly-lit room -- two hot young actors chat about the Lakers over martinis at one table, a TV legend sits surrounded by a circle of friends at another, a supermodel turned actress and her hipster boyfriend canoodle at still another. And, yes, discreet word around town says that the place is frequented by such stars as George Clooney, Al Pacino, Sting, Cameron Diaz and Jim Carrey. But, as regulars at The Club quickly discern, there's nothing about the place that smacks of the transiently trendy, tragically hip and off-putting. This is a place where the famed arid the unknown get treated alike by servers like Kristin -- funny, smart and friendly. The Club is welcoming, inclusive. Patrons and bartenders like the fearsomely talented Randy, greet you with knowing grins that seem to congratulate you for discovering one of the city's best-kept secrets. And, when late in the evening the George Bugatti jazz trio plays the achingly beautiful standard "I Fall In Love Too Easily" crooned by George, with phrasing, respect for lyrics and feeling reminiscent of Tony Bennett's, I realize it doesn't get much better. Nobody wants to leave. But I'm guessing everybody will be back sometime soon. I know I will be.

LAURIE'S FAVORITE PICK FOR FABULOUS SPA CUISINE (Go ahead, try this at home).

Chilled Cucumber and Enoki Mushroom Salad -- By Executive Chef Bill Bracken

(Serves: 2-3)

Since low-salt content is considered a great part of The Peninsula spa cuisine, I recommend that you salt to taste when preparing this dish at home. Persian or European cucumbers do not need seeding or peeling, but if using regular cucumbers, make sure to peel and seed before proceeding with the recipe.

Lime-Pepper Dressing:

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/5 cup Japanese rice vinegar

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 shallot, finely minced

1 pinch of dried red pepper flakes salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish:

8 cherry tomatoes, halved freshly ground pepper

Salad:

2 small Persian cucumbers or 1/2 European cucumber

1 cup thinly shredded Romaine lettuce

3 scallions, green parts only, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Prepare the dressing: In a small saucepan bring the lime juice and vinegar to a boil. Allow to boil for 10 seconds and then remove the pan from the heat. Immediately add the remaining dressing ingredients and allow to cool slightly.

2. Combine the salad ingredients in a mixing bowl, toss with the dressing, arrange attractively on salad plates, garnish with the cherry tomatoes and serve immediately with a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper.

THIS SIDE OF PARADISE AT THE PENINSULA SPA

The beautiful present of the Virtual Buddha is as serene as its name -- a simple, yet beautiful Japanese teapot and cup resting on a Japanese tray."

Lauric Burrows Grad

I have often been called "the Queen of Light," because the focus of my work is writing about food that is light and healthful. I'm always on the lookout t for food that tastes great and turns out to be great for you. My quest recently took me to The Peninsula Beverly Hills. I decided to make it a on night local getaway to really experience the full effect of the exercise, pool, treatments, and spa cuisine all at one time.

I checked in and decided if this was to be a true spa retreat, I had t put a little extra effort into my workout knowing that I would be rewarded with a soothing spa treatment later. The 60-foot outdoor heated pool beckoned me, but decided to work up a sweat on the Gybex Treadmill Trotter equipped with a TV and headphones with fresh foam speaker covers. I watched the ladies gossip on "The View" while sweating off a few calories, crunched away on the Cybex NB Crunch, did a few leg presses, and rounded out my workout with free weights and the shoulder press. For those who want more one-on-one instruction, you can easily turn t the private trainer who is on hand to assist with workouts, or book an appointment with her for a complete customized fitnees and nutrition program.

After my workout I popped back into the ladies' spa and took a few sips of the complimentary lemony iced tea to replenish my fluids. [skipped the sauna and headed right to my next stop, the eucalyptus-infused steam room. After I showered, using all the delightfully scented shampoos and shower gels that were offered, I was ready for the next activity on my retreat itinerary: lunch with my husband.

We dined al fresco at the flower-filled Roof Garden restaurant which is adjacent to The Spa and the ultra-exclusive Peninsula rooftop pool. We admired the wonderful tented poolside cabanas stocked with bottled water on ice, fresh fruit, televisions, sunscreen, fax machines and mobile phones. I opted for the iced citrus ginger mint herbal tea, although the Kava Pacifica tonic (for strees busting) or Virtual Buddha tailored to open the heart chakra and to help one relax and energize) looked very appealing. The beautiful presentation of the Virtual Buddha is as serene as its name -- a simple, yet beautiful Japanese teapot and cup resting on a Japanese tray.

We started our meal with the grilled tofu and sauteed cold vegetables with hisin vinaigrette, which was light and flavorful, We also tried the diced vegeta le salad with shredded romaine and mustard dressing which proved to be delightfully refreshing and, surprisingly, fat free. I discovered this fact right on the menu, which notes the calories, grams of fat, and salt content under each selection of spa cuisine.

I really loved the orange-teriyaki grilled Chilean seabass with bean threads, scallions, and cucumbers (especially tailored for lovers of The Zone diet). The whole portion had under 300 calories but was totally satisfying. We also sampled the artfully presented sauteed Lake Superior whitefish with a spring radish and watercress salad in parsley vinaigrette. The chef usually has a daily fish special -- the day we visited, it was the grilled ahi with bok choy salad and mango vinaigrette.

DINNER AT THE BELVEDERE

Sharon Boorstin

"There's no more elegant restaurant in town nor one that pampers its guests with such personal service."

My husband Paul and I have had a really hard week. Make that a very hard month.

We need a break. My plan: dinner at The Belvedere at The Peninsula Beverly Hills. Just the two of us. There's no more elegant restaurant in town, nor one that pampers its guests with such personal service. Not only is every table a "good" table, but Executive Chef Bill Bracken's innovative cuisine never ceases to surprise and amaze me.

We arrive in time to watch the sunset glimmer beyond the French doors that lead to the patio. I delight in seeing a sprinkling of pink rose petals awaiting our arrival.

Paul and I slide into the creamy leather booth - as soft as kid leather gloves. The rich green napkin that the maitre d' drapes over my lap is so silky I think for a moment that I'm wiping my bands on my dress.

"Would you care for a cocktail before dinner?" the waiter asked. The wine list is almost the size of a small town phone book. The choice of wines by the glass is most impressive.

Our champagne complements the home-baked breads, and the taste tickler sent from the kitchen: a demitasse of chilled cranberry soup as refreshing as a sweet-tart gazpacho.

"When choosing a favorite hang-out for the characters of "FAMILY LAW," we wanted a place that was drenched with style and taste. The Peninsula Beverly Hills shows its style the moment you step through the door. And as for taste, have you ever eaten at The Belvedere? Enough said."

Paul Haggis

Emmy Award winning writer-producer

Co-Creator of CBS' FAMILY LAW

Part of the fun of dining at The Belvedere is that you can mix and match a variety of dishes -- "small bites" (literally bite-size portions of the Chef's Signature dishes, with irresistible, unique presentations), "small plates," "indulgent plates" and "large plates." Because we're intrigued by so many of Chef Bracken's appetizers -- and we can't agree on any that we both want -- we settle on a selection.

The macaroni and cheese is a decadent, rich rendition of the American comfort-food classic (a well-disguised nod to Kansas native Bracken's "Heartland Integrity"). Trust me, they never ate mac and cheese like this back in Kansas. A small crock holds a mix of elbow pasta and creamy Taleggio cheese, shot through with fresh black truffles, and topped by a crisp Parmesan tuile.

In the tiniest skillet I've seen, a delicate quail egg, done sunny-side up, perches atop a melange of earthy roasted mushrooms. We savor a few slivers of caviar-crowned house-smoked salmon served on a scallion-pancake. It is followed by another delightful caviar-crowned delight -- a bite-sized version of a baked baby golden potato, a.k.a. Fred Hayman's favorite appetizer. As if on cue, a crisp, tempura-style soft-shell crab, bursting with juicy flavor is brought from the kitchen. It shares the plate with a "slaw" so exotic in flavor, I must ask the waiter what it contains. The waiter rattles the ingredients off: radish, jicama -- and, would you believe -- unripened peach!

I can already feel the stress melting away As Paul's favorite foodie expression goes, "Our mouths are having a party for our heads."

We continue the feast as I choose a glass of supple Merlot, Paul a ravishing Pinot Noir, to go with our entrees. Mine is an Asian-inspired bouillabaisse, bursting with fresh salmon, lobster and scallops, perfumed with fresh ginger. Paul goes for a heartier dish, lamb shank with meat so succulent, it's falling off the bone. Each of us is so enraptured with the exquisite interplay between the flawlessly prepared delicacies and our outstanding wines, that time passes unnoticed while we indulge in silent reverie.

Ordering dessert is the evening's big dilemna. How does one choose between the Valhrona manjari chocolate obsession with caramel ice cream, and the warm apple tart with cinnamon ice cream and caramel sauce? Easy have one of each. In fact, the extremely attentive server anticipates our dilemna and introduces us to yet another Belvedere innovation - the "small bites" dessert menu.

Needless to say our every need attended to, we slept soundly that night -- completely sated and refreshed.