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Marissa Hermer Wants to Provide "a Respite From the World" With New Olivetta Location
The Ladies of London alum considers her two eateries, now open for outdoor dining, "necessary oases from the stresses of this pandemic."
A lack of adequate space for outdoor dining wasn't going to stop Marissa Hermer from finding a way to safely resume operations at Olivetta restaurant.
"Our Olivetta site on Melrose Avenue unfortunately doesn’t allow for ample outdoor dining, which is what L.A. restaurant operation guidelines require for right now," the Ladies of London alum explained to BravoTV.com via email. "We wanted to offer our loyal guests a respite from the world — if only for cocktails and dinner — and felt a responsibility to keep our restaurant family employed."
The solution, Marissa explained, came about when she teamed up with the nearby La Peer Hotel to open Olivetta on Holiday. "Together we’ve created a poolside paradise and rooftop retreat," she wrote. "It is a delight to be able to take our friends on a little Olivetta holiday at our new al fresco residency. We are so grateful for our community’s love and support."
Reopening Olivetta and her Pacific Palisades eatery, The Draycott, was important to Marissa as she considered the emotional wellbeing of herself, her staff, and her customers.
"These are trying, scary times. But I also value my mental health and want to inject some fun into our patrons lives," she explained. "We all need reminders of what was, and also to have some hope for the future. We need to escape and let our hair down. Just in a safe way. So our restaurants, The Draycott and Olivetta, are these necessary oases from the stresses of this pandemic."
The Draycott, however, has been able to resume outdoor dining in its permanent location. "The Draycott was built for a pandemic — meaning we have a big al fresco terrace over looking the Palisades Village Green — where we’ve also been able to add tables for dining," Marissa wrote. "As Palisades Village is an outdoor shopping destination, it all feels buzzy but also safe."
For customers heading to The Draycott, Marissa quipped that the restaurant's signature drink, the Watermelon Picante, "is exactly what we all need to get us through quarantine."
In addition to running her restaurants, Marissa and her teams at Olivetta and The Draycott are continuing to work on their YOU GIVE. WE COOK. THEY EAT initiative, donating meals to frontline workers, first responders, the elderly, and those who cannot shop for themselves.
"To date, we have raised over $50,000 from these gracious donations," Marissa wrote. "We are humbled to play a role in nourishing those in need."
