DANCING WITH THE STARS
You got to hand it to Liane Weintraub, when it comes to first-class fetes; our Malibu hostess with the mostess knows how to throw one heck of a bash. Liane and a flock of fabulous friends put on a splashy Yves Saint Laurent pool party to benefit their Center Dance Arts organization. It was the perfect way to kick off the swinging summer social season. The vibe was classic So Cal chic and what could have been cooler than the Bev Hills Hotel, that posh pink and green palace that epitomizes starry LA glam?
Wherever you turned, the people-watching was pretty much a 10. Ashton and Demi pranced past photographers and headed for their private cabana. Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin waltzed down the red carpet followed by Kristin Davis, Kristin Bell, Kerry Washington and Liane’s godmother, Barbara Walters. There were plenty of local pals on hand with Jane Seymour, Minnie Driver and Kenny G making up the Malibu contingent. Lyndie Benson (aka Mrs. G) was all aglow over the couple’s upcoming trip to Croatia. “I’ve never been,” the talented shutterbug told Malibu Seen. “Neither has Kenny. We’re really looking forward to it.”
Nicole Richie sailed in with no shortage of fashion flair. Looking white hot, she sported a billowy chiffon halter dress, while Liane took the plunge in a dramatically low-cut cocktail frock. Speaking of cocktails, a small army of servers made the rounds with flutes of champagne and melon shooters as guests munched away on fois gras, fresh oysters and smoked salmon canapés. Behind the banana palms and bougainvillea, DJ Max Chipchase was busy warming up. The British music maker has been such a hit at L.A.’s A-list shindigs he’s decided to make a permanent move stateside. “I love it here,” he said. “Everything is so affordable and the weather is just fantastic.” So what did this gone-Hollywood hipster have on tap? “I’m going to start upbeat,” he explained. “Bring it down a little bit at dinner and then it’s absolute mayhem for the dancing afterwards.”
The celebrity spinmeister broke out lounge favorites like “Fever” and worked up to a little basa nova. By that time, Liane’s 3-year old had already hit the dance floor, bouncing around in a girly floral party dress and pint-sized white sandals.
It was a fashionable crowd with a fashionable cause, and Liane couldn’t have been happier. “The partnership between fashion and the performing arts, especially dance, is so natural and organic,” the arts aficionado explained. “In many ways, this is CDA’s coming-out party, and I hope it will become an annual tradition.”
As the sun went down, guests headed for their tables, which were elegantly dressed in gold and white with puffy arrangements of blue hydrangea. The clothes-loving clan tucked into a tasty dinner of chilled main lobster and truffled lamb loin with organic veggies before the world-class water troupe Aquartistes made waves in the hotel pool. As the stars came out, it was time for dessert and on to the dance mayhem that DJ Max had been promising.
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