ESQUIRE’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
Scenesters of every stripe made the Esquire House their party headquarters this season. The swelligant Coldwater Canyon estate, with its dazzling 360-degree city views, has been the site of one endless mega-bash.
Ben Affleck, bro Casey and wife Jennifer kicked things off with an opening night celebration to benefit “The Art of the Elysium.” It was our first occasion to view the 17,000 square foot Shangri-La, which lived up to its billing as the “ultimate bachelor pad and epitome of 21st century living.”
Champagne-sipping guests drifted through the home’s spectacular spaces, which were created by a talented troop of top notch designers and decorators. They installed everything from sleek, onyx fireplaces to gurgling outdoor fountains and a regal, blue velvet Ferragamo bedroom that any Louis would love.
But the most magnificent room by far was the orchid-filled downstairs den where Richard Sneider built himself a 16,000 gallon floor-to-ceiling fish tank that could hold just about everything except Shamu. The evening wrapped up with a splashy synchro show by the U.S. National Swim Team, making this one heck of a pool party!
Revelers were back in action a few days later when Clive Davis threw a stylish soirée for Stevie Wonder and the City of Hope. Newly slimmed down Janet Jackson was a knockout in a body-hugging brown satin frock while Stevie was spotted in a wild leopard print. Randy Jackson, who’s a big fan of the wonder man, serenaded Malibu Seen with “Superwoman,” but was hard pressed to name his favorite tune. “Where do you start?” he asked. “Innervision? Superstition? Man, I don’t know. There are just too many.”
DJ Zen, meantime, was mixing it up with a little Gary Wright and other rocking sounds from the seventies, bartenders were busy pouring Johnny Walker Blue Label and servers made the rounds with everything from caviar to cotton candy. Davis presented Mr. Wonderful with his “Legends in Songwriting Award” and Stevie returned the favor by serenading us with classics like “Living for the City” under the stars.
The following week, Pierce Brosnan, Keeley Shaye Smith, James Cameron and other environmentally conscious Malibuites hit Esquire House to raise money and awareness for Oceana. The tireless trio was honored for making waves to save our wet stuff and keeping the world’s fragile ecosystem safe for future generations. On Wednesday, Minnie Driver, Felicity Huffman and Colin Firth stepped out to fight hunger at the Oxfam fiesta followed by one final swinging shindig for VH1. Whew!
Yes, The Esquire House has been a little bit of heaven, but we could use a little rest before we jam into ’07!