Now That Takes a Lot of Brass

Why is the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey different from other hotels?

Drive by, keep your eyes on the curb and you’ll notice that the 11 fire hydrants surrounding the complex aren’t your standard-issue yellow hydrants.

Oh, no. The ritzy Ritz-Carlton demanded something more upscale, so polished brass hydrants were custom-made to better match the hotel’s decor.

“We ordered these especially for the hotel,” General Manager John Dravinski told Buzz. “So, as you’re driving down Admiralty Way you know you’re in wonderful Marina del Rey and passing by the Ritz-Carlton.”

When we asked how much these fire department-approved hydrants cost, Dravinski said:

“I’m not really sure, but they were much more expensive than the usual ones. Our big fear was that someone was going to steal them; you know, someone could drive up, be dressed like a worker and unbolt them.”

But what would one do with a stolen polished brass fire hydrant? we inquired.

“I don’t know,” Dravinski replied. “Sell it to another Ritz-Carlton?”

Now You See ‘Em . . .

The Ritz-Carlton isn’t the only hotel to offer something special to its guests.

The brand-spanking-new Hotel Nikko on La Cienega in Beverly Hills offers a bit of high-tech technology in its Matrixx restaurant.

Inside is a glass-walled meeting room that, with the flip of a switch, becomes an incognito meeting room.

Fiber optics transform the transparent glass walls to opaque, so whatever people do in meetings can be done in private.

More techno-pop is offered on the eatery’s pasta menu, which is laid out like a matrix: Pastas are on one axis and sauces are on another.

For non-linear diners, the chef has indicated, via dots, his recommendations for user-friendly combinations.