Christmas Party 2014

L.A. designer Geren Lockhart opened her first retail concept inside the new Geren Ford Hollywood headquarters in October. The shop is a destination for the complete Geren Ford collection, along with limited-edition jewelry, home accessories, and art—and it's also available for buyout for events. The space holds about 35 for a seated event or 50 for a reception.

For events or meetings, the Orlando Hotel’s third-floor Entertainers Suite is a two- to three-bedroom connecting suite with a wide balcony overlooking the corner of Orlando Avenue and Third Street. The newly remodeled suite is finished in a contemporary style using earth tones and textures of wood, leather, marble, and glass. There's a master bath with a freestanding egg-shaped soaking tub and TV, a standard bath, and a powder room. There are two 42-inch HD flat-screen TVs and over-size desks and work areas in the living room-dining room area. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the boutique hotel.

The Hotel Hanford in Costa Mesa had a grand opening in August, after a soft opening earlier in the year. It offers a boardroom with a grand conference table and black leather seating. It has a private bathroom and an outdoor patio. The boardroom comes with 12 appropriate chairs, but the room fits approximately 18 people.

The Hotel Hanford's wine salon is right for a wine-centric tasting event or other small gathering. There's a table for 10 guests, and groups can expand into the adjacent lounge. An on-site wine expert has 25 years of experience.

Chef Roy Choi's newest restaurant, Sunny Spot, serves West Indian cuisine in the former Beechwood space. Opened in November, the whimsical venue has two separate rooms: There's space for 56 in the Rum Den and 59 in the main room. The total maximum indoor capacity is 115, and there's also a patio for 65.

The petite Papilles, from Santos Uy, has room for 30. The new Hollywood venue takes its cue from the French bistronomique movement—an attempt to take the fuss out of dining. Dishes might include torchon of duck foie gras, chilled almond soup with figs, and braised veal cheeks with artichoke fava ragout. Wine carafe pairings are available. The space was reconfigured from an old strip-mall pizza place and has red booths, dark wood furniture, and a brightly colored, porcelain tiled floor.

SBE Nightlife Group's new Greystone Manor Supperclub is meant to evoke the Renaissance, with ornate chandeliers and millwork. There's a dance floor surrounded by two full-service bars, plus a menu of shared plates. Decor includes vintage sofas finished with aged leather and velvet. A lounge area within is right for smaller groups.

Agency is a new Hollywood nightclub with room for 300 guests. The venue also has a back room area that holds 50 people for more intimate events that can be sectioned off with a curtain for privacy. Decor includes bold red tones and animal prints. The venue has an LED wall and a massive DJ booth that commands attention in the space.

Il Covo opened this fall with a private dining room for 50 guests. The restaurant is the recent project from veteran restaurateur Sean MacPherson (who's behind Swingers Diner, Jones, and the Roger Room). Set in a 1920s Mediterranean-style former four-plex apartment, the venue has been reinterpreted with the look and feel of a Mediterranean home and garden. It has three salvaged antique fireplaces, a long bar area with carved wood accents, and an enclosed patio. With a menu executed by Milanese-born Roberto Maggioni, formerly of Santa Monica's Locanda del Lago, Il Covo offers classic and contemporary Italian dishes.

In the hills just east of Malibu, Malibu Golf Club has unveiled Malibu and Vine Bar & Grille, a wine-centric steakhouse with a farm-to-table influence that also offers a 300-seat, outdoor wine bar. Various private areas inside work for meetings, with two private dining rooms that hold as many as 50 each.

AV Nightclub opened in April in the historic Marion building with room for 320. A DJ booth is the centerpiece of the space, and it is surrounded by Baroque-era-inspired embellishments. There are Roosevelt tufted chesterfield banquettes behind each table, and there’s a patio with ivy-covered walls and an outdoor fireplace. AV comes from hospitality veterans Matt Bendik and Tosh Berman of AV Hospitality. Interior designer Davis Krumins is behind the look, and Steve Lieberman of SJL Lighting designed the lighting system to go along with the venue’s Funktion One Sound System from Dan Agne of Sound Investments.