FOUR MILLION DOLLAR FETE!
The tally is in and it looks like this year’s Carousel of Hope ball turned out to be one of the poshest and most profitable ever. Glamorous guests dug deep, helping to raise a whopping $4 million for Barbara Davis and her Center for Childhood Diabetes. A starry crowd arrived at the Beverly Hilton for what they knew would be an evening to remember.
The festivities kicked off with a VIP cocktail reception and silent auction, which featured some irresistible must-haves like Louis Vuitton bags and glorious getaways. Malibu was well represented, with everyone from Jane Seymour to Holly Robinson Peete and Kelsey Grammer on the glittering guest list.
Jane, who brought daughter Katie Flynn as her date, donned a stunning, cherry red evening gown while Katie sported a similar style in lilac. Hard working hostess Barbara looked pretty in pink. She paired her gala gown with three strands of impressive pearls and carried a dazzling minaudiere clutch in the shape of a carousel.
Miniature merry-go-rounds dressed up the dinner tables along with arrangements of pastel-colored roses.
The stage was also decked out, this time with a stable of whimsical carousel horses. Jay Leno dished out the laughs while Denzel Washington and wife Paulette received this year’s Brass Ring Award. Kelsey Grammar stepped up to the plate during the live auction and placed a bid of $150,000 on a Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG roadster.
In keeping with tradition, Malibu music man David Foster put on a show worthy of the Grammy Awards. The program featured appearances by longtime pals Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Josh Groban, as well as American Idol sweetheart Katherine McPhee and those tremendous teen sensations they call the Jonas Brothers.
The Mercedes-Benz 30th Annual Carousel of Hope gala was founded by Barbara and her late husband Marvin Davis in 1977 to fight juvenile diabetes. There’s no horsing around when it comes to bringing in the bucks at this fundraiser. Over the years, Barbara has raised more than $75 million!
FULL HOUSE
They wrapped up another rocking year at Hollywood’s Esquire House. The ultramodern showcase has been party central the past few months, with a string of A-list events. The Esquire season kicked off before Election Day with a “Rock the Vote” party hosted by sexy songbird Christina Aguilera. Next, Malibu’s Minnie Driver joined celeb chef Giada De Laurentis and “Mamma Mia” star Colin Firth in support of Oxfam, an international relief organization for famine around the world.
The Hollywood Entertainment Museum honored the cast of “Heroes” along with Rob and Chad Lowe at its Legacy Awards. The hot spot was also the scene of VH1’s Save the Music Foundation bash. The dedicated group has donated more than $43 million worth of musical instruments to public schools. In these lean times, that’s music to any orchestra’s ears!
Got a hot happening or a cool event? Send the 411 to kimdevore@malibutimes.com.