During the work week I am constantly driving around Los Angeles meeting clients. As the city is widespread, it can take me an hour or more to drive back home after a meeting. This week the roads have been especially busy, as President Obama is in town and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s 340-ton rock Levitated Mass is being transported to the museum (at a speed of between three and five miles per hour). I have been looking for restaurants, coffee houses and book stores close to my meetings so I can sit down and finish my emails and research before the day’s end. So far, Starbucks has been a godsend, since there are so many locations. However, more often then not, the crowds are too loud and distracting.

As the week wore on I finally began to find my havens! The hotels in downtown Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica offer an afternoon tea service in their informal dining rooms. I look for a table, couch or chair in the back of the room so I do not feel guilty opening my laptop and putting my cell phone silent. With the more subdued crowd, luxurious setting and amazing tea and pastry options, it makes the work go by quickly and beats sitting in traffic or racing back to my office to finish my emails. Recently, I visited Montage Beverly Hills’ tea service, held in their lobby lounge. The service is open from noon until 4 p.m., with artisan teas and sweet or savory pastries and snacks.

Depending on my meetings next week, I plan to check out Hotel Palomar’s tea service in Santa Monica. Would anyone like to join me?

— Carly Allen, account executive