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. 

The scene inside the Dussault Apparel Motel, 8010 on 
L’ Avenue Melrose. The street may never be the same.

Melrose Motel: Here’s a fat-chance LA scenario: sitting out on the street in a hot tub hoisting some cocktails under heat lamps while it….snows?!!? That’s exactly what was going on at one end of the closed-down 8000 block of Melrose Ave. It was a blowout street bash—complete with a mini Pink’s hot dog stand and a sno- cone vendor to boldly announce the arrival of edgy clothing, accessories and jewelry retailer Dussault’s concept store, the Dussault Apparel Motel. Production company Airparty did up the street in retro 70’s style with couches, tables, lamps, ashtrays and artwork collected from garage sales, flea markets, antique shops and thrift stores. Gene Simmons, whose line Money Bag is featured at the store, came but didn’t KISS, and Criss Angel worked some magic while DJ Skribble dropped beats for fashion-conscious partygoers. 

I wanna be sedated: Ramones tribute band 
Hamones celebrated Hurley’s Ramones clothing 
line at Fred Segal Fun

Not CBGB, but: More cool clothes and retro punk rock at Fred Segal in Santa Monica last week. Joey Ramone T-shirts, anyone? There are boxer shorts, too. 

Frederick’s and Foos: In an incongruous pairing perhaps reminiscent of Bob Dylan and Victoria’s Secret, surprise musical guests Foo Fighters whipped things into a frenzy at the Frederick’s of Hollywood extravaganza event recently at the Palladium. All decked out to look like, what else, a bordello, the catwalk first took center stage as a parade of leggy models busted out the latest in ultra-sexy and over-the-top lingerie that would class up any porn flick. After not one but two opening musical acts on side stages, Dita Von Teese performed her gloriously sultry burlesque routine for the revved-up crowd and then boom, hair a-flying, it was Dave Grohl and the Foos that heated things up to 100 degrees within the red-velveted walls. TAR even suffered an unintentional belt to the mouth in all the excitement of being so close to the Fighters, who played their hearts out for close to an hour. 
 

WASPs and Rum: Most book signing events are cut, dried and rather boring affairs at Duttons, Borders or Barnes and Noble. Not so the Sunset Tower Hotel launch of Susanna Salk’s “A Privileged Life: Celebrating WASP Style.” It’s a coffee table book filled with society and celebrity photos including  Robert Redford as Hubbell Gardner, Lilly Pulitzer, Anderson Cooper with his mom Gloria Vanderbilt and Ryan O'Neal as Oliver Barrett IV, the perfect gift for white Anglo Saxon Protestant friends—and those who aspire to be all that. In keeping with the theme, white-jacketed waiters served Mount Gay Rum Southside cocktails (very around-the-pool in the Hamptons and Palm Beach) and the crowd dined on ham and cheese sandwiches, corn fritters, and of course, chilled shrimp.
 

PAPERFISH AT MAPLE DRIVE

Unless you work right there in the ‘hood, you may not have known that the venerable edge-of-Beverly Hills restaurant/bar Maple Drive has been closed for more than a year.  So here’s great news for business lunchers and happy hour habituées whose commissary was Maple Drive: it’s reopening soon as Paperfish, part of Joachim Splichal’s Patina Group. Named for a rare tropical fish and featuring undersea design flourishes and a swirling bar, the new joint will specialize in fresh seafood and feature dishes including pan-roasted halibut, sautéed skate wing and snapper en papillote. Lunch service begins November 28 and rezzies will be taken from Nov. 16 on. And although dinner won’t be officially served until January, the Clive Wilkinson-redesigned space is available for private parties, and a bar menu will be on tap from 2 until 8 pm daily. Cheers!

Paperfish, 345 N. Maple Drive, Beverly Hills, 310.858-6030