By Mi-Ling Stone Poole – Some destinations evoke memories of old  Hollywood  ̶  places that remind us of Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball and others.

In Los Angeles, Hollywood Boulevard and the Beverly Hills Hilton come to mind. The Beverly Hilton once owned by Merv Griffin, is probably best known as the venue for Golden Globe Awards.

Recently, I traveled to Los Angeles to attend the 35th Annual Gracie Awards, sponsored by the Alliance for Women in Media   ̶   formerly known as American Women in Radio and Television  ̶  to honor women in media. The event was held at the historic Beverly Hilton Hotel.

From the moment I walked through the door I was catapulted back in time.  Even with the 80 million in renovations, the designers stayed true to the era. The grand entry of the hotel, with beautiful crystal chandeliers and comfortable sleek furnishings, set the tone for what was to come. The famed pool area, Trader Vic’s lounge and my individual guest suite, brought back memories of old Hollywood glamour. The elegant modern style of the 1950s and early ‘60s was perfectly executed.

As I waited in the lobby for a friend, Sharon Osborne of “America’s Got Talent” walked past me.  And later at lunch with HGTV’s Kim Myles we spotted Queen Latifah, who was filming a movie just outside at the famous pool, which is still one of the largest of any hotel in Beverly Hills.

But the stars really shined bright at the 35th annual Gracies, and it was wonderful to meet some of my favorites like Mel “B” Brown, (“Spice Girls”) and her husband Stephen Belafonte, (son of Harry Belafonte), and  California First Lady, Maria Shriver and Suze Orman to name a few.

Obviously, the hotel is still the place to be seen. I felt the presence of Orson Wells and Tony Curtis as I sat and chatted with guests after the program at the bar. History was made that evening, with the likes of Jessica Simpson and others who gathered to celebrate the achievements of women in media  ̶  and I was part of Hollywood history, that night, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.