By Barbara Armstrong

We’ve all heard of Beverly Hills, land of the rich and famous.

So it’s not surprising that when driving down its famed Rodeo Drive, one notices a plethora of Mercedes, Maserati, Bentley, Rolls-Royce and other luxury vehicles.

And it’s not surprising that Rodeo Drive is lined with all the famous designer boutiques: Chanel, Dior, Tiffany, Gucci, Louis Vuitton etc., etc., etc. (Remember “Pretty Woman?”)

With all this wealth – and all those expensive cars – you’d think a well-staffed parking lot (where attendants must be tipped handsomely) would be de rigueur for the West Coast’s 1%.

I mean, you have to baby those Bentleys and protect them from dings and scratches, no? One would certainly think so.

So, imagine my surprise, when I turned my 10-year-old Beemer onto Rodeo Drive and found myself dodging $200,000+ cars, which were abruptly changing lanes in order to grab an on-street parking spot as one of their own zoomed away.

I mean, if you’re going to pay $1,500 for a Gucci wallet, and you’re driving a $200,000 car, wouldn’t one think you could afford to pay $20 for a parking facility where your car was out of harm’s way?

Apparently not.

In Beverly Hills, it’s a race to the finish for a parking spot, where you pay a dollar for five minutes – if you’re fast enough to beat out that Aston Martin.

My advice: If you’re going to visit Beverly Hills, take a bus to Wilshire and Rodeo. Get off there, and walk along Rodeo toward the restaurants, shops and beautiful people.

Or take a limo, if you’re feeling flush that day.

Just make sure you’re careful crossing the street. Very careful. Lest you get run over by a Maserati, Mercedes or Bentley.

Who knows? You might be standing in his parking space.



Barbara Armstrong heads a marketing company in Los Angeles, She can be reached at bstrong9@aol.com.