Hot Spot

L.A.'s the Standard. Since opening in May '01, the lounge has become the celeb hangout, giving much-hyped competitors Moomba and Skybar a run for their money. THE VIBE Retro '70s meets futuristic chic in this Sunset Boulevard lounge. Owned by Andre Balazs -- who also operates the Chateau Marmont, as well as NYC's Mercer Hotel -- the Standard has a reservations-only policy that keeps star-gawking stragglers to a minimum. WHO Tobey Maguire, Keanu Reeves, Nicolas Cage, Marilyn Manson, and Pamela Anderson are among those who've appreciated the bar's go-go-booted waitresses and strategically placed swings. STANDARD FARE Eclectic nibbles (ahi tuna tartare, potato crisps, tobiko caviar) are washed down with the lounge's signature ''straight-up-and-dirty martini.'' WHY CELEBS FLOCK HERE Says Balazs: ''It's got a very chilled, sexy vibe that the L.A. crowd feels comfortable in.''