Assouline forges West

Melrose Place is looking a little more bookish today as Assouline, the Parisian publishing house for "people of taste", opened up its first L.A. boutique inside the restaurant Bastide. The townhousey bookstore-cafe will serve food under the helm of Joel Pytka from 8am to 10pm. Looks like a great place for lunch and a cocktail. Who's in?


That's Prosper Assouline himself who founded the publishing house in 1995 with his wife Martine Assouline...

...who was looking as chic as ever in the Garden Room with her leopard-print coat on over her shoulders. And did anyone else notice the Beverly Hills Hotel palm wallpaper?



There's a cozy fire place around the new editions in the main library and a vintage room off the entry of gems personally curated by Prosper Assouline.



Ingo Maurer chandelier in the main library = awesome.