Beacher's Madhouse vaudville lounge in the Roosevelt Hotel.
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Los Angeles The Roosevelt Hotel has recently added two new venues to the hip Hollywood social scene. Retire to the Spare Room for grown-up game playing in the form of backgammon, bowling and dominoes. The cocktail lounge-cum-gaming parlour has a masculine tone with dark leather chairs, vintage hanging bar lamps and a bar stocked with cognac. In contrast, Beacher's Madhouse, the hotel's colourful new theatre, stages vaudeville-style variety shows in a flirty Folies Bergére-type setting. Visitors are ushered in through a hidden passageway to their cozy booths to watch the antics of fire breathers, contortionists and burlesque dancers. Get there before the end of summer: The venue is slated to turn members-only in September. thompsonhotels.com/hotels/la/hollywood-roosevelt
The beauty of Balenciaga
San Francisco Haute couture designs by Cristóbal Balenciaga are on show at the de Young Fine Arts Museum. Curated by Hamish Bowles, Vogue Europe's editor-at-large, the exhibit takes visitors on a romp through the closets of Balenciaga's well-heeled devotees. The exhibit features 120 bespoke garments, including ensembles commissioned and worn by Baroness Pauline de Rothschild, Gloria Guinness and Ava Gardner. The real draw is seeing the designer's works displayed thematically, according to the influence that Spanish artists, flamenco dancers, matadors and theologians had on his work. Don't miss the 1939 "Infanta" gown (inspired by the portraits of Diego Velázquez) and the intricately beaded matador boleros that would look just as elegant in the bullring as they would on the runway. The show ends on July 4. deyoung.famsf.org
Fido deserves five-star luxury
Boston Pooch-friendly hotels typically don't go beyond throwing four-legged visitors a free bone and doggie bed. Next time you're travelling with your dog, consider checking him into his own luxury crash pad. The newly opened Urban Hound Hotel is as five-star as kennels get. Decked out with high-tech flushing systems, hospital-grade air filtration, K-9 grass and swish sleeping quarters that follow a minimalist Scandinavian modern design approach, the canine hotel is manned 24/7 by professionally trained dog minders who keep residents on a strict schedule of exercise, play and rest. The only hitch: There's no restaurant. Pups must come with their own prepackaged meals and treats. Suites start from $65 (U.S.) a night. urbanhounds.com/about-hotel-daycare
What you leave in Vegas stays in Vegas
Las Vegas Geared to frequent fliers who don't want to fuss with easy-to-forget essentials (think shampoo, sunscreen, shaving cream, and flip-flops) the Vegas Box is a sensible way to store sundries. The industrial-strength 51-by-43-by- 30.5-centimetre lockable box is delivered to your hotel. When you're ready to head home, your Sin City stash is picked up and moved to a secure climate-controlled warehouse until your next trip. It's best not to leave anything too valuable inside. Each box is insured for only $100 (U.S.). The annual plan is $99 (U.S.) and buys a year's worth of storage. thevegasbox.com