PARTY HEARTY, SANS CLOTHING Look closely: the “clothes” of these women are painted on Even by Playboy Mansion standards, scads of naked women (aka the Blu-ray Girls) with artfully painted- on outfits were a sight to behold as they worked the crowd at the second annual kickoff party for the ESPY Awards, sponsored by Sony PlayStation3 and Blu-ray. Traditional bunnies in bright satin and Hef himself mingled with athletes (Jose Canseco, Greg Oden) actors (Michael Vartan), musicians (Ryan Cabrera) and Playmates (Kendra Wilkinson. Holly Madison). Always amazing with the in your face sexuality that people are so well-behaved, except for the gent who got a slap in the face for trying to pat a painted fanny. The giveaway green & white striped bikinis were a big hit with the ladies (the guys had to settle for beach towels), and as the night wore on, a couple of guests slipped them on and frolicked in the pool and grotto, providing another great photo opp for the evening.

BAD NEWS ANTIDOTE: SUMMER OF FUN A Beatles tribute band rocks the back lot of Paramount for the Concern Foundation’s Block Party honoring Avi Lerner Capped by yesterday’s 5.4 magnitude quake, the LA basin from Malibu to Holmby Hills to Hollywood, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills rocked during July. One Saturday night saw dueling music industry events involving iconic British legends on rival campuses: The Grammy Foundation’s gala honoring Beatles producer Sir George Martin at USC vs. VH1 Rock Honors the Who at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. The thrilling concert featured Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Incubus and Flaming Lips performing Who songs, before the legendary band, fronted by surviving original members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend brought down the house. Feel it here: Click here. The same night at Paramount, Concern Foundation’s 34th Block Party raised $1.5 mil for cancer research and brought out 3,500 revelers for a food, wine and drink lover’s paradise created on the back lot, all done up in 60s psychedelic colors with huge peace sign floral arrangements on the tables—all of which were snatched up as parting gifts. Tribute band Stars of Beatlemania made sweet Fab Four music. Sixty restaurants, 15 wineries and 12 bars kept the crowd sated and nothing was left to chance as Pechanga supplied the gaming.

BRINGING SEXY BACK TO THE CITY The four-play is dazzling at the NYC premiere of the hotly anticipated “Sex and the City” As one veteran New Line executive put it: “This is a pigfuck.” That graphic yet unusual term might aptly describe the scene outside Radio City Music Hall last Tuesday as hordes of pissed off, well-dressed people tried to pick up their tickets to Life imitates art: Chris Noth can’t be bothered to marry his baby mama get inside the premiere of “Sex and the City.” While a massive throng of fans on the sidewalk with no police crowd control screamed out for the stars of the film as they arrived, scuffles broke out between security guards and people whose tickets were supposedly at will call. Apparently the studio had issued several thousand passes, about as worthless as, gulp, used condoms, creating confusion and pandemonium. A brief downpour added to the discord. After going through the gauntlet, guests made a run for the SATC boxes of Jason Lewis with two of his untold legions of admirers: the years haven’t been kind popcorn and Vitamin Water being handed out at the concessions. Once inside the theater, director Michael Patrick King introduced all of the men of the City who were in the audience, from Big to Blatch, and then….the ladies took the stage Mario Cantone : they should have left the party planning to him , with Sarah Jessica Parker making a succinct intro to the film they had all been waiting for: "Let's turn it over to the film's rightful owners--New York City." Reams have already been written about the must-see movie, which picks up four years after the show ends, but we found it parts of it painful to watch, pieces of it glorious and the big funny scene with Charlotte’s pants not amusing at all. Comedy seemed limited to a riff about area code snobbery and a couple of one-liners here and there. No spoilers, but the rumor started by Cynthia Nixon that one of the characters dies…is not true. Kim Cattrall: 50 is the new fabulous! Jennifer Hudson’s blunt cut shows off her gorgeous skin The after-party at the Museum of Modern Art’s sculpture garden featured champagne, Cosmos (“Why did we stop drinking these? Because everyone else started.”), tray-passed shrimp, three kinds of ceviche at the buffet, all the stars and more you-can-take-the-girl-out-of-New-Jersey-but-you-can’t-take-Jersey-out-of-the-girls than you might expect. Eyes wide open: a joyful night for Cynthia Nixon Party-planners apparently had a tight budget, but were sorely lacking in creativity as well. Run of the mill premieres are much more themed to their film, as are big TV openings (think knights on horseback at “The Tudors” premiere.) Nothing about the event was branded as anything specifically SATC, unless you count the Malibu Dante (Gilles Marini): sex on the beach never looked so good hot pink floral centerpieces or the pink lighting in the upstairs VIP area. There should have been a Manolo wall, a catwalk, Magnolia cupcakes, bikini waxing booths, copies of Vogue tossed about…so many fun opportunities that were missed. Companies would have killed to be part of this bash, but offers of such participation were apparently refused. Apple, Mercedes…dozens of product placement real-life opportunities that would have made it much more than generic. Regardless, an historic, thrilling night, and ultimately in the end, pig-free.

CELEBRATING IN THE CITY Revelers smashed bottles on the street: no sweeping of all the broken glass underfoot What if you threw a party for the hottest ladies for the laddies and not many of them showed up? That’s what happened at the Maxim Hot 100 party recently on the New York St. backlot at Paramount. Not that it mattered….about 1,500 others partied the night away, including list members Stacy Keibler (star of those fun Axe body wash spots), Amanda Beard, the ubiquitous Audrina Patridge—will these Hills people all just go away?--Tila Tequila, Joanna Krupa, and Amanda Bynes. Men about town Kevin Connolly and Vince Vaughn hung out at the Hennessy lounge, as did Christina Milian, Kat Von D. and Nikki Sixx. And what LA event would be complete without Bai Ling running around in a whack outfit?

SEX GOES GLOBAL SJP rocks a glamorous green Philip Treacy hat at the SATC London premiere Charlotte, er, Kristin Davis, previously promoting SATC and posing pretty in Moschino New York, one of the main characters, will just have to wait its turn. The hotly awaited and hugely hyped “Sex and the City” movie premiered in London Monday night, with what the girls were wearing taking centre stage and giving a few Brit designers a worldwide spotlight. Sarah Jessica Parker wore a green Alexander McQueen with a fabulous matching hat. (Pity those who sat behind her trying to watch the film!) Kim Cattrall sizzled in a red Vivienne Westwood get-up. Cynthia Nixon traversed the red carpet in a black, slit up to there Calvin Klein gown and Kristin Davis chose a vintage fuchsia ensemble. A couple of notable no-shows: Chris Noth and Jennifer Hudson. The fabulously fashionable four next hit Berlin before the big night in New York right after Memorial Day.

LA FASHION WEEK: DOLLING IT UP The Pussycat Dolls bring some much - needed energy to the Smashbox stage at the close of Spring 2008 LA Fashion Week; Sean Combs was in the house A pretty passel of gowns brightens up the runway at Julia Clancy’s show, which also featured a symphony of black. TAR foresees the Brit’s creations getting a lot of red carpet exposure. My name is moustache: Giovanni Ribisi and Jason Lee take in the sights at Whitley Kros Chalk it up to the writers strike, the high price of gas or the subprime mortgage crisis, but LA Fashion Week this time around was, sadly, just a shadow of its former self. The number of participants and sponsors was way down from last fall’s outings, and on opening night, there wasn’t even a step and repeat up for poseurs. Shame, Mercedes Benz. (The situation was rectified later in the week.) A couple of high-profile events saved the day. As the grand finale at Smashbox, Robin Antin premiered her Pussycat Dolls lingerie line on the catwalk. Perhaps never before has so much ass been seen on the runway, with a striptease/chair dance making the show even more burlesque. And then the shaking their booty Dolls came out on stage performed a full set, including “Don’tcha Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me?” Fun fun! The hallmark of Sue Wong: (partially obscured by microphone at left) stunning ultra-feminine beaded dresses But the most coveted invite of the week was a fete for designer Sue Wong at her magnificently restored turn of the 20th century Los Feliz home. The queen of beaded gowns—normally a cornerstone of LA Fashion Week—opted not for a runway show but for a glitzy 20s/30s era cocktail party with a requisite dress code, complete with a jazz band and old time-y announcer. As guests juggled martinis and mini-cheeseburgers from Patina, live models and mannequins showcased Ms. Wong’s exquisite work throughout the equally exquisite hilltop aerie, which has been the abode of Johnny Depp, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Dennis Hopper.

OSCARS: ALL THE RIGHT PEOPLE WON BUT MASSES DIDN’T WATCH Pretty and pregnant in purple: Cate Blanchett at the 80th annual Academy Awards Dennis Rodman, in sweat pants, gives some love at the APLA Oscar bash at the Abbey, after getting kicked out of Elton John’s at the PDC Mercedes Benz remade the Four Seasons ballroom into a swanky club for its Oscar viewing party. Some hotel guests weren’t happy as the festivities went loudly and late into the night The Atkin Report is firmly in the Jon Stewart-can-do-no-wrong camp, and thus he didn’t disappoint in his Oscar hosting gig—even if the ratings did. Favorite joke: “Atonement,” finally a movie about the sexual heat of Yom Kippur.” Sweetest moment: when he brought Marketa Irglova back onstage to give her acceptance speech for Best Song from “Once.” Much has already been made of the fact that the four acting winners are all European, and all accepted the little gold man with grace. Daniel Day-Lewis and Javier Bardem both had a lock on their awards, but the women, Marion Cotillard and Tilda Swinton (who came in last place in the makeup awards—oy) knocked out favorites Julie Christie and Cate Blanchett. But overall, it was a night of few surprises and a palpable lack of excitement, with “No Country for Old Men” as best picture, its helmers Joel and Ethan Coen as best directors and writers of adapted screenplay and Diablo Cody for her original screenplay, “Juno.” Oscar moment that will go down in history: DDL kneeling before Helen Mirren, regal in a stunning ensemble styled by George Blodwell.

GRAMMY A GO-GO Fergie shows off the rear view in olive silk Versace for her performance at the 50th annual Grammys Several defining moments from the 50th annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center: Kanye West’s boast that “we own this thing” has some music industry insiders predicting that might be his last Grammy. Seems people in the room—Grammy voters—are real tired of the ultra-arrogant, I should have it all attitude, even in the face of grief for his beloved mother. Vince Gill picked up on the vibe when he got his Grammy from Ringo Starr and said, “"I just got an award given to me by a Beatle. Have you had that happen yet, Kanye?" Amy Winehouse’s performance via satellite from London favorably impressed and momentarily erased images of her…doing other things. Catch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR0WZY2NHhQ Smashbox Studios hosted the Grammy Style Studio featuring designers Vivienne Westwood, Thomas Pink, Hugo Boss, Toni Maticevski, H. Stern, Cutler hair products, Make Up Forever cosmetics, St. Tropez tanning products, Hugh Puppies and K-Swiss Warner Music Group took over St. Vibianas downtown and Krislyn Designs transformed the outside into a “forest” using deadwood from California trees as décor and for chairs and centerpieces. The new STK on La Cienega made its LA debut as the venue for Entertainment Weekly’s afterparty for Def Jam’s L.A. Reid, Uni celebrated at the Palms and Sony/BMG partied at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Earlier, in the days leading up to the show, it was busy backstage as Distinctive Assets hosted its talent lounge for the 9th year running (presented by Kinerase and featuring Xbox’s Rock Band). Within just a few moments, Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban came through, as did presenters and performers including Ringo, John Legend, Kelis, Amy Lee, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Ludacris, Feist, Jason Bateman, Blair Underwood, The Plain White T’s, Natalie Cole and Brad Paisley. They got goodies like Gibson guitars, Croton watches, Snow Queen vodka, Rituals cosmetics, the Sak handbags, Havaianas sandals, commemorative jackets from Dickies, jeans and hoodies from the new Anarchy Denim, iPod accessories from iHome, metal road cases from Procase—and enough Kinerase to smooth out wrinkles and repair some of the skin damage from too much partying.

GOODBYE STRIKE, HELLO OSCAR PARTY SHUFFLE Marion Cotillard with Harry Dean Stanton (and Julian Schnabel) at the Chopard/Picturehouse soiree for La Vie en Rose at the Chateau Marmont last week Hooray, the WGA strike is over! Not as if the damage can be undone overnight, and Oscar season has already suffered major casualties. After splashily announcing that its Oscar party would be moved to Craft in Century City from the now-closed Mortons, Vanity Fair pulled the plug on its….hate to use this cliché but it’s actually true…star-studded bash, even as it was apparent the strike was going to settle. Notoriously tight-lipped, the VF folks aren’t revealing the real reason for the cancellation, but it’s left people scrambling to get into the other Oscar night parties: Elton John’s AIDS Foundation, Aids Project LA and Night of 100 Stars, all of which are actually viewing parties that start at 5 pm. Other cancellations include Ed Limato’s Friday night party and Barry Diller’s Saturday luncheon. Will anyone step in to take over the major after party event of the night? Probably too late and too costly at this late date…

RAINY RED CARPET AT THE 2008 SAG AWARDS Diane Lane glows in Versace hours before Josh Brolin claimed the "No Country" trophy Break out the bubbly: Moet’s personalized Swarovski-crystallized bottles for SAG nominees at Mediaplacement’s Luxury Lounge, which also featured L’Oreal, Guitar Hero, Rembrandt & Boiron For one night, glamour prevailed in Hollywood as a star-studded list of nominees and presenters made their way into the picket-free Screen Actors Guild Awards. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt dazzled, as did Kate Beckinsale in a bold canary yellow gown and a pregnant Cate Blanchett in a glam Balenciaga number. Bearded and slimmer James Gandolfini and an elegant Edie Falco led the Soprano clan as the brilliant show rode into television’s sunset with top honors for each of them and the entire cast. But the top film acting awards went to seasoned Brits: Daniel Day-Lewis with his moving speech accepting the award in honor of Heath Ledger and Julie Christie making a point that unions are important. Javier Bardem and Ruby Dee took the supporting trophies. Josh Brolin led the brigade of old and not so old castmates as they took the big trophy for best ensemble cast, one night after “No Country for Old Men’s” directors, Joel and Ethan Coen, accepted best director honors from the DGA.

TARNISHED GOLDEN GLOBES, BUT GIFTING GOES ON The Globes didn’t happen but dinner did: part of the plentiful spread at the SHM suite at the Luxe Hotel If people have to watch Billy Bush make any more stupid comments about awards winners…well, just one more reason to hope the AMPTP comes to its senses and settles the WGA strike before the Oscars. Or, that the guild does reverse course and grant a waiver. But wait, we were talking about the Golden Globes, and the travesty that was made of the whole thing by racing through the recitation of the winners at breakneck speed. Congrats to “Sweeney Todd,” “Atonement,” Johnny Depp, Julie Christie, Tina Fey, Jon Hamm, Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, “Mad Men” and “Extras” for taking the top prizes. The show did go on earlier in the week at a few select swagfests. Access Hollywood put on its second annual “Stuff You Must” lounge, and that stuff included Palm Centro, Spanx, CVS Pharmacy’s beauty bar, Nine West and Norman Covan jewelry. Miss Golden Globe Rumer Willis made the rounds, as did Josh Groban, Katherine McPhee, Perry Reeves and Chandra Wilson. The Kari Feinstein Winter Style Lounge featured Langenburg Oxygen Water,Talika eye products, Dearfoams, Orlane, Reebok, Billion Dollar Brows, Charlie Lapson, Luxe Jewels, Nioxin Haircare and a whole lotta Heineken. On tap were Jeremy Piven, Cisco Adler, Ali Landry, Marlon Wayans and Ken Davitian. Roger and Lynn Neal and Anita Talbert hosted the SHM Suite with Jelly Belly, Natalie K. Diamonds, Maggie Ferrari jewelry and the Nicole Barr B.E.L.T.S. foundation and a dinner party for 130 at the Luxe Hotel, with Chef Kurt Ehrlich’s celebrated cuisine and stunning ice sculptures making for a festive night, under the circumstances. The Secret Room in Brentwood’s Metro Couture showcased Bali lingerie, Denim Design Lab, Anchor Blue and R.D. Alchemy skin products.

BABY BOOM BOOM Chris Noth and gal pal Tara Wilson: Orion Christoper Noth was born 1/18 Denise Richards and her two new reality television co-stars, with Robeez shoes But the biggest gifting suite had nothing to do with the Globes. The Boom Boom Room filled about 30 rooms of a Century City hotel filled with all sorts of kid stuff. Father-to-be Chris Noth and longtime girlfriend Tara Wilson—who knew?-- and Denise Richards and her kids checked out all the merch. And just so everyone felt a little bit better about all the free stuff, most of the events benefited the Writers Guild strike fund or its foundation.

Nothing says hot-ticket party like a private performance by a killer band. Acts you would pay big money to see in concert. Open bar? Check. Scantily clad dancers or models sashaying down a runway? Even better. Free food? You’re not here for the food. But seeing an In-N-Out truck on the way out is pretty heavenly. 

Since You Are (lucky to be) Here: 

Kelly Clarkson brings it for Motorola at The Lot
RAZR’s Edge: At the Moto 9 bash in a mezzanined soundstage at the Lot, the theme was black, white and silver and as always, the mood was exciting, yet chill. DJ Steve Aoki kept things bumping as go-go dancers clad in white grooved to his beats. This party has always featured memorable performances--from the likes of Christina Aguilera, Pink, Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J and Missy Elliott--and this time, an energetic and emotive Kelly Clarkson gave it all up for the intimate crowd in a 12-song set wrapping after midnight with “Since You’ve Been Gone.” 

Steve Aoki mixes it up at the turntables

And then there was that genius burger-mobile catering to the crowd making its way out of THE party that kicks off the holiday season, big time. 

FASHION FRENZY

It’s never going to be New York or Paris, but LA’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios has really come up in the world. Compared to its chaotic beginnings just a few short years ago, it’s well on the road to becoming a well-oiled machine, with the frenzied aspect almost fun—in stark contrast to the incredibly annoying wannabe scene it used to be. 

Nearly impenetrable security prevents almost all but the most blustery crashers—usually men looking to pick up models-- from entering and taking up space in the bar line. The shows run like clockwork—an hour late. The parties are thick with camera crews from a proliferation of media, most of which you’ve never heard of. Almost refreshingly, celebs are few and far between, and mobbed by cameras when they do appear (Jaime Pressly, Kirstie Alley, Bai Ling, Adrian Grenier, Paris Hilton.) 

An entertaining sideshow: watching random people crash the front row and steal gift bags, only to be busted by earphoned security and returned to their place in the standing section. Chutzpah. Show highlights: Heatherette’s war and grease paint on the models and outré outfits for gals and guys—those metallic Speedo-type things got a huge reaction—Chick by Nicky Hilton’s blue stiletto print short and sweet dresses, Dina Bar-El’s satin charmeuse, sexy, colorful red-carpet gowns and cocktail dresses, Evidence of Evolution’s up to there minis—butt cheeks, anyone?—the models with attitude at Jeremy Scott and their road sign dresses with tire belts and white garbage can hats, the crazy frizzy huge hair with jewel-tone silk chiffon gowns at Petro Zillia, where guests also got handed a quiz to see “how LA” they were and fittingly, poster child Paris Hilton took it all in. 
 

While all of these established designers had something to say, it was an added bonus to discover some of the fresh items from up-and-comers at the Design Suites, like Dan Sara’s gorgeous embellished and studded boots—each pair a work of art (available at Metro in Brentwood/check danssara.com for other stores). Anna Kosturova’s hot crochet bikinis already made Sports Illustrated; now she’s making sexy silk cover-ups, tops, skirts and dresses.  Zova L.A. does slinky jersey tops and dresses from all organic fabrics that will make you feel green all over, Blue Tattoo mines the graffiti-inspired look for hot jeans and tops and Smooch Jeans goes for bias-cut denim and cords with a bootylicious fit.
Junior jeans line YMI kicked off FW festivities with a well-received fashion bash/runway show at Boulevard 3, and Gen Art tented the Petersen Automotive Museum’s parking lot for its 10th annual Fresh Faces in Fashion show, showcasing 12 emerging talents including Suh-Tahn, Orthodox and Endovanera.
 

Just what the world needs:  another picture of Paris Hilton (at Petro Zillia)	Adrian Grenier without his entourage/with Hillary Atkin at Evidence of Evolution

IT’S A WRAP FOR THE EMMYS
It’s all over but the goddamn war. Thank you, Sally Field. We like you, we really like you! And you too, Ray Romano and you as well, Katherine Heigl, with your natural response to hearing your name called out. Congrats to all the winners! But something’s gotta be done to fix the sinking ratings of the show. How about a troika of Stewart, Colbert and Carell hosting next year—with sidekicks Cartman and Kenny? We’ll see how Mr. Stewart performs at the Oscars before committing to that concept…
Some select comments from those who took home the trophies:

Tina Fey, on her character Liz Lemon in the Emmy-winning comedy 30 Rock:
“Liz is sort of close to me, a truthful portrayal of a woman in her 30s in a male workplace. She’s the antithesis of those Sex and the City ladies, not having a lot of sex and not wearing fabulous clothes. She’s more regular. She’s a person whose only successes in life have been in the realm of work so she’s a little stunted in her personal endeavors. She’s like me, obedient and cautious, with a real jealous streak that needs to be tamed. I like trying to use her uglier qualities as a jumping off point for stories.” 

Robert Duvall, on his turn as Print Ritter in Broken Trail:
“I really feel like what you need for a Western is a good hat and a good horse.  On Open Range with Costner I broke some ribs.  I wanted to make sure I was ready with a horse that was bomb-proof.   I wanted to develop a good seat, and practice drawing a weapon.  I only ride when I have an objective.”
Thomas Haden Church on his role as Tom Harte in Broken Trail:
“Before I reported to Alberta, I had to tighten up in the saddle and grow a moustache. It was not negotiable. If you want to have credibility in a Western, you have to have a moustache. Why? Razors were few and far between and mirrors even scarcer. They actually called them nose and chin whiskers. It was the first time I ever grew a moustache.  My mom thought it was fake.” 
Church was reportedly the first one at the Governors Ball catered by Patina and vino from Napa’s BV and then it was off into the night for the other fetes. 

 The Godiva chocolate bar at the scrumptious ET/People Magazine bash at Walt Disney Hall, where Duran Duran rocked the house that Gehry built

The fourth annual Entertainment Tonight Emmy party sponsored by People left its longtime home at the Mondrian for the culturally loftier climes of downtown’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, yet retained the fun indoor/outdoor vibe, with Dave Koz and bandmates setting the mood outside. Guests lined up for a Patina-created buffet featuring mini-scallop burgers, planked salmon and a mashed potato bar with truffle butter, Rocquefort crumbles, apple wood smoked bacon and more to swirl on top. Kodak took keepsake pix and Maybelline New York and Garnier Fructis handed out goodies before the big excitement of the evening: Duran Duran’s performance.

At the HBO party, designer Billy Butchkavitz outdid himself with an ornate purple and gold Thai theme, complete with a massive Buddha blessing the proceedings on the terrace of the PDC. But it was James Gandolfini and The Sopranos crew that stole the spotlight, just as they did on the telecast and for the seven memorable seasons before they went to black. Kanye West—man, was he busy that night, playing with Justin Timberlake and John Legend at two other venues—grabbed a second helping of the tasty Thai cuisine. Makeup artists from Laura Mercier got the beauty on partygoers as the dance floor filled with revelers. Network executives out from New York, quite pleased with the proceedings, were among the last to leave.
Across a closed San Vicente, DirecTV went all out in throwing its first-ever Emmy night bash, to celebrate the upcoming launch of 100 HD channels. Erected on a softball field, well, if you build it they will come. The dome featured video projections inside and out and stole the night’s top prize for high-tech innovation. Creating a hip, club-like atmosphere, the party attracted a black-clad crowd, with DJs AM and Brent Bolthouse spinning the tunes. Bolthouse Productions & SBE did their usual stunning job with attention to detail, down to the oversized, thick bronze silk napkins and gorge flower arrangements.
TV Guide’s party at Les Deux was a lot about the music, as it always is. It wasn’t just West’s surprise appearance with John Legend, who had been billed as the headliner, but Teri Hatcher jumped on stage to perform with Band From TV, featuring DH co-star James Denton, Hugh Laurie, Bob Guiney, Bonnie Somerville and Greg Grunberg.

 Things got a little hazy—in a good way—inside the specially constructed dome for the DirecTV 
bash set up on a softball field across from the PDC 

The night before, NBC/Uni threw a refreshingly red carpet and paparazzi-free hot-ticket party, now in its fourth year. Guests crammed into Spago, cruising and schmoozing with Ben Silverman, Lorne Michaels, Larry David, Tony Bennett, Tina Fey, Heidi Klum and Seal, Debra Messing and Patricia Arquette—and the Deal or No Deal ladies. As usual, the raw bar—piled with lobster, crab, shrimp and oysters was a big hit, but the newly launched Absolut 100 (proof) was a little scary if a breathalyzer test was in one’s near future.
All through the week, suites hosted the Emmy crowd. Some of the highlights: 
Sonya Dakar’s Emmy Beauty Boot Camp provided red-light collagen treatments, lipo-massage, sunless tanning by the new Sun Style, lash application, hair styling and a gift lounge featuring ABS, the Sports Club/LA and an eco-friendly gift bag  from Green Girl Guide. At Platinum Guild International, guests were treated to La Prairie hand and face treatments, caviar and champagne, as jewelry expert Michael O’Connor advised scores of nominees how to bling it big time from a $20 million stash of jewels. Tony couldn’t afford this, but Edie Falco ended up sporting $2 million worth: 20-carat diamond and platinum earrings and a 14-carat diamond and platinum ring.  HBO’s 5th annual Luxury Lounge with its Belvedere Beauty Bar—always good to get toasted while having your toes done, right?—attracted so many nominees and celebs over the weekend (130+) that some, gasp, had to wait in line. But the “BadaBing Crush” and the “Ari Gold Standard” were awaiting, not to mention products from Klipsch, PF Flyers, Hanky Panky, Freeze 24-7, CAO cigars, Adriano Goldschmied “Entourage” jeans, Sephora and Mrs. Beasley’s cupcakes. Among the attendees: James Gandolfini, Kevin Dillon, Aidan Quinn, Edie Falco, August Schellenberg, David Chase, Aida Turturro, Doug Ellin, Lorraine Bracco, Tim Daly and William Shatner.
Jane Ubell was running around making introductions at her Madison & Mulholland/Mix Media green suite in the penthouse of a nearby hotel. A crush of people including Tim Daly, David Boreanz, Greg Grunberg, Michael Urie and Cheryl Hines jammed in to see the Tango commuter car (George Clooney owns one of the first) and Vectrix’s electric scooter (hot in the Hamptons and in Malibu) on display, and to be gifted by Zuca luggage, Lady Lanell’s Swarovski crystallized sandals, Chuao Chocolatier, Butler couture handbags, Nvey eco-makeup, Head shampoo and Magnolia Audio/Video.
 

FASHIONISTAS WHO ACTUALLY EAT FOOD, IN SMALL BITES

Teri Hatcher and daughter Emerson party at One Sunset with Mark Badgley + James Mischka
Countless St-Germain liqueur artisanale cocktails were downed and  truffle pizza, mini-crab cakes, tuna tartar and beef tenderloin were snatched up by a tres- fashionable crowd Monday night at One Sunset to honor Teri Hatcher as the new face of Badgley Mischka’s fall campaign.  DH castmates Felicity Huffman, James Denton, Andrea Bowen and Dana Delaney turned out to show their support along with Sama Eyewear’s Sheila Vance and jewelry designer Michelle Roy.
One Sunset, 8730 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 310.657-0111

BARON DAVIS + LA STARS = MAGIC
 Angie Stone rocks the crowd at the LA Stars “Rodeo Drive Experience” earlier this month, raising money for the charity overseen by NBA All-Stars Baron Davis and Paul Pierce to benefit at-risk youth in Southern California, and furthering work done by Magic Johnson and his eponymous foundation. Always a pleasure to see his smiling face. 

PLENTY CONCERNED
 CONCERN FOUNDATION’S
33rd Annual Block Party on Paramount’s backlot July 14 raised $1.5 million for cancer research, and the live auction brought in an additional $100,000.  More than 3,200 guests attended the event honoring philanthropists Gene Rosenfeld and Rick and Debbie Powell. Fifty-six LA restaurants and drink purveyors made sure no one went away hungry or thirsty. Congrats to Concern!

DEPARTED, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
It’s all over but the huge DVD sales for The Departed. Oscar Week 2007. Let out sigh of relief here. After the hands-off non-campaign that paid off big time for Marty Scorsese (finally, after six nominations!) and screenwriter William (“Valium does work!) Monahan, Brad Grey can still tell everyone he produced the film.
Was Jack Nicholson taking a page from the Britney Spears songbook? His riveting turn in the film as Irish mob boss Frank Costello didn’t rate with the Academy this time, but it turns out his new ‘do is actually for another role--in Rob Reiner’s The Bucket List, in which he plans a cancer patient livin’ life to the fullest before the inevitable end. We should all do that.

Ellen Degeneres’ line, “Without blacks, Jews and gays, there would be no Oscars—or anyone named Oscar,” will go down in Academy Awards lore. Take that, red states, along with almost-president Al Gore’s anointment as the biggest politico turned huge movie star since….never. Sacha Baron Cohen turned down a presenter’s gig, leaving his Golden Globes acceptance speech to evoke the warm fuzzy memories of Borat this awards season.
Speaking of, co-star Ken Davitian, fresh off a glowing Los Angeles Times  feature that revealed him to be an American-born restaurant owner (The Dip in Hollywood and in Sherman Oaks) spent Oscar night greeting well-wishers at the fabulous AIDS Project LA bash at the Abbey. Hosted by Jennifer Love Hewitt, the SBE Entertainment Group created a magnificent viewing dinner atmosphere under a see-through tent with sparkly lights and stunning floral arrangements by Gabriel Pacheco for the 650 invited guests. Fresh off the stage of the Kodak theater, the Pilobolus dance troupe made a surprise entrance to perform for the crowd.
 
 

CATCH THE SPIRIT
With AMPAS blowing off its celebrated $100k gift bag because the tax man cometh, there wasn’t exactly a shortage of swag around town. Backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards Saturday in a tent at the beach, On 3 Productions hosted a presenter gifting lounge that attracted the likes of Sharon Stone, Robert Downey, Jr., Matt Dillon, Minnie Driver, James Franco, Rachel Bilson, Lucy Liu, John Waters, Zach Braff, Rosario Dawson and Sally Kellerman. Each was given a red or black rolling Kipling bag to load up with goodies including two nights in an executive suite at a Thompson hotel, a $5,000 gift certificate for Lasik, a Dior Beauty flight kit with a killer white leather-encased mini-makeup palette (Stone loved it), stunning Melamed Italian leather belts (Dawson grabbed two), Ugg sheepskin thongs (sandals, folks, they haven’t ventured into lingerie yet) Invicta rose gold diamond-encrusted watches and round cufflinks made of moving parts, which Dillon wore on stage.  Oh, and a Palm Treo smartphone and organic body products from Desert Essence.
Alterna’s TEN Shampoo and Conditioner   Collection, made with VOSS® Artesian Water, given to Spirit presenters, along with $25,000 to the WaterAid Foundation 

FEKKAI, LIBERACE, ANASTASIA AND SONYA DAKAR
Oscar Week is about nothing so much as getting gorgeous, from a brilliant blowout by Frederic Fekkai to a masterful pedicure from Melissa Bozant. The big beauty guns and makeup houses with their top artists were all in town, set up in salons, hotel suites and houses in the hills, providing the primping for days and nights on the town. Laura Mercier was loving winged eyeliner, and either gold or silver shimmer on the face. But with red lipstick, “no shimmer, no gloss,” she admonished. “Red lipstick makes you instantly beautiful, glamorous and chic. It gives you elegance, femininity and sexuality, but you have to wear it with confidence. It will make you look like a million bucks.” Go for it, girls.

 You’re beautiful! Cosmetics queen Laura Mercier (center) with company makeup artists Jerry Johnson and Barbie Laurino at Frederic Fekkai

Superstar facialist Sonya Dakar was working with long-time client Gwyneth Paltrow at her eponymous Beverly Hills salon, while the building buzzed with a top-tier swag suite featuring sexy silk pleated dresses from ABS, trendy makeup by Tarte and Flux Nouveau clothing--and an upstairs lounge space designed by Carrie Zack, where the Supreme vodka martinis were free-flowing .
Brow diva Anastasia opened her home up to VIP guests (and camera crews) who noshed on sushi, shrimp cocktail and fresh-squeezed juices as she and Prive’s Laurent D. worked their beauty magic as other guests snared lingerie from Wendy Glez, Backlace necklaces and Kaenon sunglasses. Supporting actress nominee Rinko Kikuchi, trailing a retinue of handlers and admirers, took a cigarette break out by the pool. 
At the Liberace rooftop/poolside venue hosted by Primary Action, Isla Fisher (funny, Sasha Cohen Skater was there but not her Sacha Cohen Borat) was intrigued by the Pucci-like swimwear from Barcelona’s Maji Beachwear, Paul Haggis and his wife were entranced with the eco-friendly and cruelty-free products from Eminence Organics and Neve Campbell was all smiles as she was given a gold charm bracelet from jeweler Simona Rosato. Other guests ate up Kama Sutra products (literally--they’re edible) and checked out House of Petro Zillia, Tigi Bed Head’s new cosmetics, the Krol Vodka bar and Peruvian cigars.
 

 Table for six:
The view from the SoHo House

SAFE HAVEN/SOHO HOUSE
Private lunches and dinners kept the week-long SoHo House humming with a parade of black Cadillac Escalades dispensing guests to a home off of Doheny. Along with untold quantities of Perrier Jouet, guests grabbed Earnest Sewn jeans, Cowshed body products, Mac cosmetics, Hugo Boss apparel and Mulberry leather goods. 
At the nearby Haven House, swag suite by day also turned into parties every night, including a fete for Signature International, showcasing the photographs from celebrity photographers including Jessica Alba, Forest Whitaker, Laura Harring, Michael Madsen, Natalie Portman and Susan Sarandon. They’ll be auctioned off to charities of each photog’s choice. Yes, often it is so much better to give rather than to receive….. 

 Swarovski Rocks: 

Over the top costumes like this fanciful get-up, paired with wild makeup on the models (green lipstick, anyone?) wowed the crowd at the Ace Gallery Bev Hills soiree last Tuesday

LA DOLCE DONATELLA 

Donatella Versace, surrounded by Trudie Styler, Eva Longoria, Kanye West and Jennifer Lopez at the Walk of Style in Beverly Hills, February 8, 2007. They’re having fun.

Totally off the hook. That’s the best way to describe last Thursday night’s blowout bash at a tented Beverly Hills City Hall for the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style? Award honoring Donatella Versace and her late brother Gianni Versace.  The amount of beauty in the room was staggering: Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, Naomi Campbell, Penelope Cruz, Sharon Stone, Drew Barrymore, Mischa Barton, Amber Valetta, Demi Moore, Jada Pinkett Smith and Brooke Shields—all decked out in plunging Versace gowns. After an Italian dinner buffet featuring hand-carved rack of lamb catered by Along Came Mary, Maya Rudolph (Donatella’s Saturday Night Live doppelganger) got the party started via videotape. Reclining on a couch in full Versace regalia and smoking a blue cigarette, she intoned in her best Donatella voice: “It’s a party! You can drink in here, but you can’t smoke, and if you do—get out!”
Donatella laughed, ensconced between Elton John, Trudie Styler, J. Lo and Marc Anthony, Longoria, Kanye West, Barrymore, Prince and Cruz, on white embossed leather Versace couches. 
Sharon Stone auctioned off the new Versace Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Roadster to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation—promising that the winner’s girlfriend “would fuck him before they even got out of the driveway.” It went for a cool half mil. 

Sir Elton took the stage to accept the award on behalf of the late Gianni Versace. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of Gianni. He was not only a great friend, but family, and I dearly miss him,” John said. He told a story about turning Versace on to Franck Mueller watches when they first came out, and how Gianni proceeded to buy 17 of them in one day. He quoted Gianni as saying to him, “Bitch, you ruined my life,” as a result. He also reminisced about how Versace once tried to convince him to buy a $1 million tablecloth that took nuns 17 years to make.

Then Elton moved to the piano and performed three songs he said were specifically requested for the occasion. “Your Song,” Rocket Man,” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” During the spirited performance, Kanye West displayed some ADD by repeatedly checking his BlackBerry. Maybe texting someone that he was there was more important than being there?  Then, Axl Rose & Guns N’ Roses came out on stage, but within a few bars of their first of only two numbers, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” the gum-chewing La Lopez and Anthony—with Longoria in tow—decided to make their exit. So much for recording artists’ respect for other artists.  Rose proceeded to thoroughly rock the house with a rousing rendition of the monster hit “Sweet Child O’Mine.”
Prince, with Penelope Cruz at his side, rocked a pair of glitzy Versace sunglasses, never taking them off the whole night--apparently still recovering from his Super Bowl shadow show.
After the performance, other VIP guests milled about and schmoozed Donatella before saying goodnight. Staying long after the others to party past midnight were Rose and Quincy Jones, who was last seen pouring a bottle of Laurent Perrier champagne into flutes for his companions. 

Here’s a toast: Axl Rose and Hillary Atkin at the Walk of Style
And there was champagne aplenty flowing the night before—and loads of caviar-topped appetizers--at a pre-party/plaque unveiling at the newly redone Versace Boutique in Two Rodeo, sponsored by C Magazine.

An insanely gorgeous white leather and gold trim luggage set with matching handbag, heels, belt and jackets at the Versace boutique. Private jet-worthy only. The price: if you have to ask….

GRAMMY J. BLIGE, CHICKS
Oh, boo, hoo. Along with untold millions in the Pacific time zone, I didn’t get to vote for one of three young lovelies who would share the spotlight with Justin Timberlake at the 49th annual Grammy Awards, Thanks, CBS! But there must   have been some white knuckles in the control room as the cameras capturing the twosome came perilously close to revealing a danger zone that would have made the Justin-Janet Super Bowl breast flap look like a Disney Channel promo. Yikes, girl, I hope you were wearing your Cosabellas. The crotch-length dress overshadowed any vocal talent on display and made women everywhere cringe. Straight men, maybe not so much.
Best line from the show came from Chris Rock intro-ing the Red Hot Chili Peppers. “They put their jocks in socks long before Justin put his d(bleep) in a box.”
In the days leading up to the 3 ½ hour Dixie Chicks-dominated extravaganza, Ocean Way Studios and InStyle hosted the Grammy Style Studio®, where guests including John Legend, Gnarls Barkley, Katharine McPhee, OK Go, Weird Al Yankovic and Peter Frampton imbibed on Hypnotic Breezes, (a potent mix of the blue vodka/cognac/fruit juice elixir, Malibu Rum and a splash of pineapple) and autographed a Swarovski-encrusted bottle to be auctioned for the Grammy Foundation. Other suite visitors enjoyed expert makeup from Urban Decay VP Eric Jimenez. If you haven’t seen it yet, UD has the most rockin’ glitter eyeliner, aptly called “Heavy Metal,” in shades ranging from crystal to copper to teal, green and purple. Other highlights: L.A.M.B.’s hot new timepieces, including an enamel bracelet with a mother of pearl face framed by Swarovski crystals, cowboy hat company Stetson, with a hip new line of plaid and corduroy newsboy and driving caps that were quickly snatched up, the new Grammy Brand line of luxury products including leather jackets, evening bags and shades plus FUNimation Entertainment’s vivid Japanese anime T-shirts—along with a slew of designers like Vivienne Westwood, Moods of Norway, Jenny Packham London, Kyri, Zegna and Ted Baker. 

DONATELLA DOES RODEO

Don’t even think of going near Rodeo Drive next Thursday night unless you have a coveted invite to the Walk of Style’s evening honoring Donatella Versace and her late brother Gianni Versace.  The night’s events, hosted by Rupert Everett, include a dinner reception, the Walk of Style? Award ceremony, special surprise musical performances, and a live auction of the new Versace Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Roadster benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation--the perfect vehicle in which to induce molten rivulets of envy from autophiles.
For those with a short memory, the house of Versace was founded by Gianni in 1978. He rose to worldwide prominence and became the hot-hot-hot Hollywood designer when Liz Hurley wore his sexy, black safety-pinned dress to the 1994 premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral with then-beau Hugh Grant. Since Gianni’s shocking murder at his villa in Miami in 1997, Donatella has been creative director of the Versace Group. Hurley is expected to attend (along with Sharon Stone, Prince and many other devotees) but Maya Rudolph, who does a droll Donatella impersonation on SNL, may or may not attend.
The Versaces are the ninth and tenth honorees of the Walk of Style award, following in the formidable footsteps of other fashion luminaries including Giorgio Armani, Salvatore Ferragamo, Mario Testino, Tom Ford and Herb Ritts.
And just in time for all the festivities—and exactly when you thought Rodeo had gone all Guess?—comes the revamped Versace door at 248 North.
Versace Plaque Unveiling, 5 pm Wednesday February 7, 2007, 248 N. Rodeo Dr., BH
Rodeo Drive Walk of Style, 7:30 pm, Thursday February 8, 2007 
 

PARK CITY, PARTY TIME
Unless you really must, who wants to wait outside in the teen-degree cold to see a movie when you can wait and see it in a nice, warm screening room in LA, without passersby hustling you for tickets? As it has been for years now, Sundance 2007 was more about the parties and the swag suites than the films. Getting a dinner reservation anywhere on Main Street required a strategic plan, a credit card deposit and the greasing of palms, but for a high-level crowd of 250 people every night during the festival, Chefdance was the place to be for dinner. Taking over the downstairs restaurant at Harry O’s, Chefdance showcased the culinary chops of top toques nationwide including Kerry Simon (Simon LA and Las Vegas), Joseph Ojeda and Michelle Bernstein (Social Hollywood), Gerry Garvin (G. Garvin’s), Todd Mark Miller (STK) and Shawn McClain (Chicago’s Spring).  Guests could view kitchen preps live on big screen monitors throughout the buzzing room. Choreographing a timed, four-course dinner for 250 is challenging under the best of circumstances, but the staff pulled it off with aplomb in crowded and a bit chaotic conditions. Some of the flavor: Simon’s dinner featured a savory roasted butternut squash soup with dried fruit chutney, lamb porterhouse and molten chocolate cake, perfect fortification for the long night of partying still ahead.
Up in the hills of Deer Valley, a green carpet led to Spin Shoppe, Double Platinum and Shag Hollywood’s Green House, not to be confused with the similarly-named lounge on Main St. 
 

Velvet Revolver was set to play the house its first night, but a death in the family of one of the band members necessitated a last-minute cancellation. LA’s Daredevil Jane stepped up to fill Scott Weiland and Slash’s shoes and entertained with an acoustic set. Other nights saw Sienna Miller and Steve Buscemi celebrating their upcoming Interview with a VIP dinner, and Justin Timberlake hosting a dinner for his mom. Earlier in the day, house guests sampled a buffet of products and services from Robbie French Designs, Hollywood Lips, Tarte Cosmetics, Hollywood Diet, 2 B Free, Disney Vintage, Dessert Essence—a great organic body products line, Dermacia, Girlie Designs, Max Azria, Izze, Motley Bird and Tommy Hillfiger. Tommy’s brother Andy, one of the few men in a sea of beautiful women during happy hour, was displaying an adorable navy blue and white striped bikini with an anchor embroidered on the butt, invoking momentary thoughts of warmer climes where scarves and gloves live in the drawer and never come out. 
One of the most desirable guest lists on which to get your name was for the Motorola Late Night Lounge in a cavernous space a block behind Main St., which unlike the typical Sundance party, allowed for a refreshing amount of breathing room. For those not drinking, dancing and networking up a storm, reps from Nintendo showcased a new Wii action game that required a certain level of sobriety to properly navigate. 

COLD HANDS, GOLDEN DAYS
Awards season festivities in LA got off to a chilly start a few days before Sacha Baron Cohen stole the show at the Golden Globes. At Silver Spoon, reps from Kama Sutra, Dermalogica, Nioxin, Xtreme Lashes and Carrol Boyes shivered in the wintry cold, while Etienne Aigner got lucky with a warm spot inside a private residence in Beverly Hills, all the better to showcase the line’s eye-catching leather and canvas riding boots. The Four Seasons played host to the HBO Luxury Lounge, where guests got their beauty on courtesy of L’Oreal, and InStyle, which featured brows by Anastasia, eyelash extensions—if you had the patience to lay still for 90 minutes in a frosty tent—and amazing makeup from Sisley. Kari Feinstein’s Style Lounge rocked with cool vendors like Rubber Duck snowjoggers, Magic Bullet, Spread, Pour Moi and Jaime Pressly, while Primary Action’s Liberace suit featured Diesel, ABS, Ed Hardy, Dermacia makeup and Country Girl. At the Platinum Guild event, guests were riveted by the 50-carat sparkler designed by Jacob the Jeweler (worth $1.5 million) and other blingy baubles, many of which were quickly snatched up by nominees to wear on the red carpet leading into the Beverly Hilton. 
 

Brow Diva Anastasia working her magic at InStyle at the Four Seasons

It’s always a blast to hit the Golden Globe afterparties at the Beverly Hilton, running into everyone you know and want to meet in the lobby, in line for the elevator and of course, at the bars and in the bathrooms. The hurdle is the race against time. Everyone except InStyle unceremoniously shuts down by about midnight. Perhaps the liquor budget runs out by then. This year, HBO did amazing things with the pool area and NBC/Uni gave the parking garage rooftop space a huge dose of elegance with guards keeping a close watch over vintage Cartier tiaras and brooches on display above the dance floor.

GOLDEN GLOBES TIME
   L’Oreal Paris  2007 Red Carpet Compact

Forty percent. That’s the statistical probability that Leo DiCaprio and Clint Eastwood both have of taking home a Golden Globe Monday night in the best actor and director categories in which they’re each nominated twice. And speaking of seeing double, all of the Globe nominated ladies can check their look in the mirror in a stunning two-mirrored compact designed by Kwiat and featuring Swarovski crystals on 18 karat plated gold and a red ruby crystal clasp, courtesy of L’Oreal Paris. (It’s also available in limited edition for $100 with part of the proceeds going to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Call 310.360-6555.) 
Despite the fact that as of this writing, the much-lauded and goody-loaded Oscar gift bag isn’t in the cards this year because of the tax brouhaha, gifting and beauty and swag suites show no signs of abating this awards season. (Or maybe its value will be under $600, the taxman’s limit—and a far cry from the north of 100k value previously assigned to the bag.) 
Morton’s even got in the act early last month by handing out $1,000 gift certificates to EVERY Globe nominee, inviting them to host a dinner party in the steakhouses’ private dining rooms.  1k should buy their buddies a few Porterhouses and a lot of baked potatoes with sour cream…
GG primping and partying starts in earnest today in the hills and in the flats. Some of the best places to prep for the big night: Platinum Guild, HBO Luxury Lounge, Silver Spoon, Liberace and Kari Feinstein.