parties

Demi Moore & Martha Stewart Party on Russian Billionaire's Megayacht

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Events, Wealth

Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Martha Stewart made the New Year's scene in St. Barths as guests of Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko aboard his Philippe Starck-designed megayacht 'A' (above). The awe-inspiring 390-ft. craft ranks as the 11th largest yacht in the world and cost an estimated $300 million to build. The celebs were in town for oligarch Roman Abramovich's star-studded New Year's Eve bash featuring the Black Eyed Peas at his lavish estate on the island. While on board the yacht Moore strutted around in a barely-there bikini and caught some rays.

She and Kutcher also played around on the vessel's jet skis. The yacht's interior features $40,000 bath faucets, $60,000 stair banisters, and an all-white, 2,583-sq.-ft. master suite wrapped in bulletproof glass and accessed by a silver-plated staircase with a fingerprint scanner at the door. Key decor accents include Baccarat crystal tables, alligator skin and Kudu horn chairs, stingray skin upholstered walls and hand-stitched leather paneling. Filling the A's gas tanks alone costs $500,000 a pop and running costs come to about $20 million a year.

Tags: Andrey Melnichenko, Ashton Kutcher, celebrity, Demi Moore, Martha Stewart, megayacht, parties, Philippe Starck, Roman Abramovich, Russian billionaires, St. Barths, superyacht, yacht

Ukranian Billionaire Flys in Ducasse, Cirque du Soleil for $6 Million Birthday Bash

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Wealth

Ukrainian billionaire Viktor Pinchuk (above) is spending more than $6 million on an opulent 50th birthday bash for himself in the posh French ski resort of Courchevel tonight, flying in the Cirque de Soleil and superchef Alain Ducasse for the occasion. The steel magnate and contemporary art collector, whose has an estimated fortune of over $3 billion, is sparing no expense for the 300 guests invited to the event, the London Telegraph reports. It has taken 50 workmen two weeks "under difficult climactic conditions" to set up an enormous marquee to showcase the Cirque du Soleil, the world-renowned Canadian circus troupe, the paper notes.

Ducasse's haute cuisine will be accompanied by oceans of the finest champagne, vodka and top grand cru vintage wines. The evening will end with a spectacular fireworks display before guests retire to the resort's 11 five-star hotels, all booked out for the occasion. Pinchuk, who owns one of London's most expensive houses, has his own private museum in Kiev housing major works by Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons and Louis Vuitton collaborator Takashi Murakami. He has a number of philanthropic projects and arts sponsorships in the works with the likes of Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Steven Spielberg, George Soros and Bill Clinton, all of whom could turn up at the birthday blowout.

Tags: Alain Ducasse, billionaire, Cirque de Soleil, contemporary art, Courchevel, Damien Hirst, events, france, Jeff Koons, museum, oligarch, parties, Paul McCartney, Russian billionaires, Takashi Murakami, Ukraine, wealth

Camacho Cigars Official Sticks of Oscars Style Lounge

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Events

I've heard all over that Oscar parties are supposed to be a big deal this year. While you're donning your formals and schlepping over to someone's house to see who walks home with glory, think for a few moments about what will be going on at the Academy Awards Style Lounge at the Intercontinental Hotel in Beverly Hills. One thing will be certain: the guests will be cutting and lighting Camacho Cigars. At the party on March 6, 2010, Camacho will be the lounge's official cigar.

Says Dylan Austin, Director of Marketing for Camacho, "Camacho Cigars is proud to be a part of the Academy Awards Style Lounge," continuing, "We are excited to be aligning Camacho Cigars with the Oscars, and to be part of this grand celebration in honor of the 82nd Annual Academy Awards."

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Tags: Academy Award, Academy Awards, academy awards 2010, AcademyAward, AcademyAwards, AcademyAwards2010, beverly hills, BeverlyHills, Camacho, cigar, cigars, oscars, Parties

How to Throw the Perfect Party

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Lux Tips

Whether its just friends getting together for drinks or a big soiree full of people you want to impress, the trick to throwing a truly perfect party is to plan out the details in advance so you can relax and have fun at the event. The mood of the host or hostess sets the tone for the whole party, so being stressed and uncomfortable around the guests is not an option. In order to create the perfect atmosphere here a few good rules of thumb appropriate for any party.

Don't sweat the small stuff. Plan and prepare the little details till your heart's content (they can really make a party) but if something goes wrong or doesn't turn out just right don't panic. If you stay relaxed and happy your guests will be that much more comfortable (and a few imperfections can be endearing).
Know your guests If you're serving food find out ahead of time if there are any special guest requirements (vegetarian diet, allergies, etc). Also make sure the music is appropriate for everyone, and plan ahead for special guest groups like the elderly (plenty of seating) and children (places to play). You don't want to be scrambling for extra chairs as the guests arrive.

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Tags: entertainment-pedia, hostess, hosting, main-pedia, parties, party, party planning, PartyPlanning

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Photos from Abramovich's $5 Million New Year's Bash

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Wealth

The kids at Gawker got their hands on pix from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's lavish New Year's Eve bash in St. Bart's which my colleague Deirdre Woollard first reported on. Abramovich is said to have spent about $5 million on the bash for 250 of the chosen, including Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr.

Despite some bad weather, the party proceeded as planned at the 70-acre $89 million estate Abramovich purchased on the posh island back in September, with loads of fancy food, an ocean of champagne, fireworks fired off from one of his superyachts and musical performances by Gwen Stefani, Beyoncé, and Prince. Click here to see the photos.

Tags: celebrity, Gwen Stefani, GwenStefani, Lindsay Lohan, LindsayLohan, New Years Eve, NewYearsEve, parties, Roman Abramovich, RomanAbramovich, St. Barts, St.Barts

Art Basel Is Fun Again

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Art

Art Basel was fun again this year. After a recession-stained climate last year led to toned down partying, collectors and dealers (and everyone else) was back in style this time around. According to the Wall Street Journal, it seemed like everyone was throwing a party this year, with the likes of Larry Gagosian and Lance Armstrong getting in on the action. And, the parties didn't suck. Hosts went all out -- with live music and other attractions -- to separate themselves from the competition. Some even tried something new, with the words "Everybody has a Damien Hirst" uttered.

Of course, there were enough celebrities in supply to ensure that every host had one to boast about. Scott Stapp, lead singer of Creed, and Russell Simmons, for example, were present at the Mondrian South Beach Hotel. Simmons is a committed collector of works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Barbara Krueger and was in town to raise money for his charity, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation.

An after-party hosted by Julian Schnabel's art dealer son, Vito, attracted some big names, as well. Peter Brant, an art collector who recently tried to move "Brother Sausage" by Basquiat at auction, was there, along with Abby Rosen.

Yet, there were more intimate dinners and cocktail parties than in past years, according to Art Basel regulars. A few corporate sponsors still made the plunge, including UBS, NetJets and Cartier.

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Tags: art, art collecting, art collection, art collector, art dealer, art exhibit, art exhibits, art fair, art show, ArtCollecting, ArtCollection, ArtCollector, ArtDealer, ArtExhibit, ArtExhibits, ArtFair, ArtShow, basquiat, cartier, damien hirst, DamienHirst, jean-michel basquiat, Jean-michelBasquiat, julian schnabel, JulianSchnabel, Lance Armstrong, LanceArmstrong, Larry Gagosian, LarryGagosian, miami, miami beach, MiamiBeach, NetJets, Parties, peter brant, PeterBrant, russell simmons, RussellSimmons, Scott Stapp, ScottStapp, south beach, SouthBeach, ubs, UbsAg

Bravit Candles Shift Shape While Burning

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

These very cool "pathing" candles -- Bravit Decoration Candles, by Authentics ($28) -- leave you in the dark as to what shape they will become while burning. Due to the weaving wick, they will continually change shape as the wick moves about. The wick formation also will cause the flame to split into two at any intersection. Available in a number of patterns on different Web sites, and also available in the numbers 0-9 ($24); great idea for birthday parties! You'll also want a base ($6-8), available on the same page as the first candle linked in this post. As seen on youTube!

Tags: Authentics, candle, candles, parties, party, Unica Home, UnicaHome

The Portable Dry Ice Maker

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets

This is one cool gadget for your holiday parties. A portable device that can create a one pound block of dry ice in around one minute. Dry ice is a superfast coolant for foods and beverages. Plus it looks really neat. It would be wonderful for Halloween festivities. The device from Hammacher Schlemmer requires a connection to a cylinder of compressed liquid CO2 with a dip tube or siphon which must be purchased from local gas dealers or a welding supply shop. One 50-lb. CO2 cylinder at room temperature yields up to 11 blocks of dry ice and handling requires use of insulated gloves, also not included So it's a teensy bit complicated. Still cool though. . It sells for $499.95.

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Tags: drt ice, DrtIce, entertaining, parties

Outrageously Extravagant Birthday Parties for Children

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

Sometimes you've got to wonder at what point a kiddie party becomes more about the parents than it does about the kids. I'm sure they all love their children dearly and have the best of intentions, but kids can only appreciate so much when it comes to extravagance and money spent. Birthday parties have become the new way for parents to both shower their children with love and impress the competition,*ahem*, neighbors, at the same time. Gone are the days of balloons and cake in the backyard, replaced instead with renting entire clubs and candy stores while serving dinner on fine china. These days some people are spending upwards of $30000, $40000, and even $50,000+ on their children's birthday parties.

Ridiculous, or simple displays of affection from those who can afford it? You decide, I'm too jealous.

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Tags: b-day, bday, birthday, birthdays, cake, child, children, chilren's, extravagant, kid, kids, money, parties, party, spending

Planning a Party? Rent A Rockstar!

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Celebrity Shopping

We mentioned that singer George Michael was hired to play at a New Year's party in Russia for $3 million. What we didn't mention is that he was at the party for just over an hour. This is a classic example of the luxury party trend of renting rockstars (or other celebrities) to show up at parties. Christina Aguilera, Bette Midler and Robin Williams have done over the top birthday parties. 50 Cent and Aerosmith have done multimillion-dollar bat mitsvahs. "It's common knowledge that Bruce Springsteen and U2 won't do it," said the head of the corporate and private events division for Creative Artists Agency, but just about everyone else will.

The artists may be doing it for the money (at thousands of dollars per minute, who wouldn't?), but they're also making some people really happy by appearing at their special event. Is it worth the payout on the part of the consumer? That's for you to decide the next time you're throwing a million dollar birthday party.

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Tags: celebrities, celebs, events, parties, rock stars, Rockstar

Rent Out the Gherkin

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Need a good place to hold a party in London? How about 30 St. Mary Axe, otherwise known as the Gherkin? The restaurant and lounge bar can hold from 120 to 260 guests for a cocktail reception and the hiring fee is £9,000 + vat. There are also private dining rooms with city views. Exclusive dining memberships are also available.

[via London Launch]

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Tags: gherkin, london, parties, st. mary axe

Hyatt Throws Sweet Sixteen Parties

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Since sweet 16 parties are now all the rage, Hyatt Resorts has launched the "HyaTTeen Suite 16" program, which creates a Sweet 16 sleepover party at participating Hyatt Resorts. The package includes a consultation with the "birthday concierge," a stay for up to two adults and six teens in a two-bedroom suite. limo, robe for the birthday teen, use of a digital camera, dinner for eight including a special birthday dessert, popcorn and candy and movies and a continental breakfast the next morning. The package starts at $2,500 and add-ons can include spa treatments, jet ski tours or surfing lessons.

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Tags: hyatt, parties, sweet 16, Sweet16, teen, teen parties

How Much is Too Much for a Party?

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

This New York Times article about the TV show My Super Sweet 16 really got me thinking about spending. The show, if you are unfamiliar with it, is a reality program that follows the planning and preparation for some of the most expensive teenage birthday parties in the country. Many of the parties cost upwards of $200,000, not including the gifts of cars, clothes and jewelry that many of the lucky kids receive in addition.

The show has its fans and its critics, but the critics are always the most vocal, saying that such "celebrations of self... [are] an excuse to prolong the whiny, self-centered greediness that gives infantile a bad name." In contrast, a mother whose daughter appeared on the show said "Unless they were crazy or hated their child, any parent who was financially able would do it." Would they? Is there a point where the spending for a child's entertainment should stop?

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Tags: 16, birthday, critics, mtv, new york times, NewYorkTimes, parties, pary, spending, super sweet 16, television, too much

Bankers Drink London Dry

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Ever since the story last year of a banker who covered a room of a London club in champagne, we've known that London, bankers, and champagne can be a dangerous combination. Now, according to Decanter, those nutty bankers have been drinking enough to cause shortages of the bubbly. Bankers partying up after their bonus checks have caused a shortage of Dom Pérignon jeroboams (bottles that are four times the size of a normal one). The methuselahs (eight bottles worth) are still holding up. Bonus season is also good for Veuve Clicquot, Corney & Barrow, which runs 12 wine bars, reports that magnums of Veuve are top sellers.

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Tags: champagne, dom perignon, london, parties, veuve cliquot, wine

Last Minute Tickets To Super Bowl Parties

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

If you are still dreaming of attending the Super Bowl or one of the many, many parties in the Detroit area, it's not too late. I checked in at Cheap Premium Tickets to see what the various events were going for. Tickets for the game now sell for upwards of $2,450 each, in pairs. Tickets to the parties are a little more reasonable but if you want to see Tommy Lee guest DJ at The Vault it will run you $548 ($1,158 gets you access to the VIP section to party with Penthouse Pets). Tickets to the Pepsi Smash starring Kanye West and Nickelback run $366 each for VIP.

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Tags: detroit, kanye west, parties, super bowl, super bowl tickets, SuperBowl, tommy lee, vip