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To Do in Santa Monica: The Cocktail Trolley, Photo Booth and Zoltar at The Casa Del Mar

Where: 1910 Ocean Way [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

We've already told you about the new gluten-free menus at Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, Calif. but we nearly forgot the most important part--gluten-free cocktails!

Regardless of where you stand on the gluten-free trend (silly or imperative), these gluten-free drinks are delicious. Even better, they are wheeled around on a little cocktail trolley and crafted at your behest by the hotel's mixologist. For instance, we requested something not too strong but not too sweet and we were given a Sunflower ($12) made with Absolut Citron, Veev Acai and Lemon Sour. Delightful.

Later on, the hotel let us sample some of the gluten-free entrees at Catch prepared by Chef Jason Bowlin such as a prosciutto and melon salad topped with burrata, rosemary and olive oil ($14) and a variety of spiedini or Italian-style kebabs, with swordfish, white prawns, pork tenderloin or beef. (Our fave was the prawns with chorizo, fennel and olives, $26.)

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The Kate Spade Bike Goes Round and Round at Shutters on The Beach

Where: 1 Pico Boulevard [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

In Santa Monica, Calif. the June Gloom has finally lifted (on most days at least) to make way for perfect beach cruising weather. And now at the beachfront luxury spot, Shutters on the Beach you can do your cruising in high style, thanks to their new Kate Spade bikes.

The eye-popping green bikes are actually handmade Italian bicycles from Adeline Adeline but they've been styled by Kate Spade and the green is the brand's signature color.

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Healthy Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

Bye, Bye Burger and Fries, Here Come The Gluten-Free Menus

Where: 1910 Ocean Way [map], Santa Monica , CA, United States, 90405

Hotel restaurants are getting savvy about catering to their diners palates. Several spots started offering vegan fare and now the Hotel Casa del Mar is going gluten-free on one of its menus. (But they aren't the first. Fairmont Hotels also made a similar move back in January and Vegas has done gluten free for a while.)

Unlike some eateries that only offer one or two appropriate dishes, the Santa Monica hotel's Catch restaurant has a substantial menu of gluten-free goodies, from crudo and salads to entrees and sides.

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Drunkies Beware: iPads Are Coming To The Bar at the Casa Del Mar

Where: 1910 Ocean Way [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

Let's not call this an accident waiting to happen

Another day, another hotel finding another way to make use of its iPads. This time it’s the Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, which has been trumpeting its tech-savvy over the past week. First, it was its display of Google Image Searches as art. Now, it’s providing iPads in its restaurant, Catch, to act as sommelier.

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For the Sake of Hotel Art / Hotel Art / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

Are Google Image Searches Art? The Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica Thinks So

Where: 1910 Ocean Way [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

If you're walking through the Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, you may do a double take when you see canvases of screen shots from websites like Google and Facebook.

Artist Ken Solomon uses social media and other websites as inspiration for his paintings, drawings and videos. He tries to comment on the constantly changing digital age and attempts to slow down the constant flow of information on the Web by capturing websites in his art.

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Casa del Mar in Santa Monica Now Offering a Private Membership

Where: 1910 Oceanfront Walk [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

How close you are to the beach at Casa del Mar.

Looks like The Standard NYC isn't the only hotel interested in going "private." The Hotel Casa del Mar, a luxury beachfront hotel in Santa Monica, has just announced their own private club membership that gives guests year-round access to the pool and fitness center, along with spa discounts and priority seating at the hotel lounge and restaurant, as well as one-time "benefits" such as a one-night stay in the Penthouse, breakfast in bed for two and several spa treatments. Total cost per year? Just $2,500.

Here's the complete breakdown of what you get:

One-Time Benefits
· One night, Penthouse stay
· Breakfast in Bed for two
· One 60 minute facial treatment
· Two 60 minute massages
· One 70 minute Thai Ritual
· Two personal trainer or yoga sessions
· One Moonview session of your choice (a half-day mind/body/spirit experience)

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iPad Hotels / Hotel Technology / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

Shutters on the Beach Now Offering iPads in Their Premier Suites

Where: 1 Pico Boulevard [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

We're loving this! More and more hotels are offering iPads in their rooms for guests to use. The latest to join the cool tech crowd is Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica.

The hotel now has complimentary iPads available in their Premier Suites for guests to use during their stay. Aside from all the usual things you can do on an iPad, the hotel has installed a Personalized Digital Concierge app on each one that will allow guests to order room service, reserve a cabana and even book a massage appointment.

The iPads will also come pre-loaded with a selection of movies and music, the Kindle app (so you can pick up where you left off if you left your Kindle at home) and other popular apps like CNN and SportsCenter. No word if Angry Birds is on it though.

Rates for the Premier Suites start at around $830 a night so yes, please make very good use of those iPads.

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'Catch' The Ocean Views at Casa Del Mar and Maybe Even Pull in a Celeb Sighting

Where: 1910 Ocean Way [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

We often forget about Casa Del Mar, located on the beach in Santa Monica. That's probably because we're too busy focusing on the celebrity sightings at the valet at Shutters on the Beach or the tequila tasting that goes on at the party-centric Viceroy Hotel.

However last Saturday, we remembered just how much we loved the views from Casa Del Mar's lobby bar which has full-frontal views of the Pacific Ocean. And since we hadn't tried dinner at the hotel's restaurant, Catch, we thought that would be the best way to enjoy a low-key Saturday night with friends.

We picked a good day too as the waves in Southern California were hitting record heights, giving us a little more action with our ocean view. The restaurant, just to the left of the lobby bar, is actually quite small and most of the tables are situated near the windows, of course.

We were seated in a small booth which had comfy, neutral-colored cushions with cute little back pillows. We actually sank into the booth which we much prefer over of one of those hard wood booths or one with squeaky leather seating (ladies who wear short dresses you know what we mean.) However, we probably sank a little too low as we felt like a small child sitting at the grown-ups table. Want more rigid seating? Ask for a table directly next to the window.

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Sheraton Delfina Sends Us To The Circus

Where: 530 Pico Blvd [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

So we didn't like it when the Sheraton Delfina wanted to charge us for using their iPod and we didn't much like the view, but it's amazing how fast we can forget these indiscretions now that they've put together a package with our favorite lil' circus of all, the Cirque du Soleil.

With Cirque's incredible Kooza show soon to start running in a big top on Santa Monica Pier, the Sheraton Delfina has put together a combo package so we can enjoy the circus and have a decent place to sleep nearby. Despite the corny name - Kooza for Twooza - the deal seems good: you can get overnight accommodation for two, tickets for two to Cirque du Soleil, a bottle of wine and free transportation to and from the show.

Packages start from $359 plus tax which isn't too bad for a room and tickets, but you have to buy them at least a week ahead of time. The deal is good for nearly all of Cirque du Soleil's season from August 16 to December 20 but there's a blackout on November 3 to 11 – and the performers get Monday off so make sure you time your stay right or you'll have to entertain yourselves with your own circus antics.

[Photo: spcbrass]

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Spend a Fortune to Sleep with John Mayer at Casa Del Mar

Where: 1910 Ocean Front Walk [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

This is for a good cause — 100% of the proceeds from this package are going to Musicians On Call ("a nonprofit organization that brings the healing power of music to patients in healthcare facilities") — so we're not going to hate on this despite the way some of us may or may not feel about John Mayer. We just want to tell you about it in case, you know, you're a big enough John Mayer fan that the idea of being pushed out to sea on a boat with him might seem awesome.

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Hotel Restaurants / Santa Monica Hotels / Hotel Renovations / → All Tags

One Pico at Shutters Gets a Facelift

Where: 1 Pico [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

One of our personal favorite beachside Santa Monica hotels has got a new look inside. Eater LA has the scoop on the renovations completed at the One Pico fine dining restaurant inside Shutters on the Beach.

The room will have a breezier look, lots of ocean blues (in this case teal tufted leather chairs), dark wood accents; the lovely beachside views remain.

Michael Reardon, who's now executive chef of all the ETC Hotel properties (Casa del Mar next door and Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara included), created a seasonal, Italian-inspired menu. Think: grilled octopus with potatoes and capers, homemade pastas, steak Fiorentina, John Dory with langoustines and farmer's market vegetables.

The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner and should open officially sometime this week. For a more casual setting, hit up Coast on the bottom floor which also got a renovation fairly recently. The terrace and pool deck is still under construction and will reopen on April 25th.

Fun fact: the hotel will chauffeur you around in a Mercedes-Benz with the license plates 1PICO. That's so California!

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Brady's Baby Momma Secretly Rejoicing at Shutters Hotel?

Where: One Pico Boulevard [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

While Tom Brady was having the worst game of the season in the biggest game of the year yesterday, Bridget Moynahan (his ex-girlfriend and baby momma) was cool as a cucumber while brunching at Shutters on the Beach Hotel in Santa Monica.

Gossip Girls report:

The "Recruit" actress was caught by the paparazzi over at the Shutters Hotel yesterday afternoon for a little pre-game grub. And the new mommy was looking comfy and casual in a striped sweater, overcoat, and a simple pulled-back hairdo. If she was feeling a little jealous of her ex, Tom Brady, it didn't last long.

Ok so technically if she was there before the game started she couldn't be rejoicing (yet) but maybe she was confident that her game jinxing tricks would work?