Clubs and hotels charged $1000 a table, but only a few had anything to rave about

By Jeffrey Jolson & HT Party Patrol

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 1/2/08 — New Years Eve in Hollywood was a commercial affair this year, reminiscent of Las Vegas where most diversions are costly and cater to high-rollers. There were over 40 parties at clubs and hotels in L.A., many charging $150 a head with open bar and $1000 and up for tables to ring in the new year.

Reports over the coming week will tell if the strategy was successful for local promoters, but it never has been in L.A. before, where clubs with big cover charges close faster than a bad book. It was hoped New Years Eve 2007 would be an exception, yet promoters were cutting prices and events like the Girls Gone Wild party at Shag were phoning possible patrons from club lists at the last moment to drum up business. Especially with the writers strike on, the Hollywood professional community is a little nervous about spending $600 for a party of four to have drinks, NYE or not.

Hollywood is a star and entertainment-driven town where few of the VIPs and media who lead the crowds will pay to get in a club. There was little headline talent at the NYE parties and an unusually small celeb turnout. But then again, L.A. is also a professional party town, and New Years Eve is amateur night. We go out to events every night, not when drunks and nightlife rookies fill the venues.

Having said that, it was New Years Eve and you had to go somewhere. An informal survey of those who went to the various events said their particular parties were “good” or even “great,” but with little enthusiasm or recollection of anything special. Of course there were the customary house parties, but we found a couple of large events we liked as well, one with the fashion crowd instead of the usual film or music scenesters, and another with food and a show good enough to justify the pricey ducats.

There’s only one way to ring in the New Year in Hollywood and that’s with a red carpet, a posh mansion hooked-up nightclub style, and a rockin’ show. The fashion crowd threw one of the best events of the evening as design house Bebe, Fashion TV and 944 Magazine pulled out all the stops at an estate overlooking the city lights on top of the Hollywood Hills. The mood was friendly, the music was hot, and the outfits were electrifying. Fashionistas were dressed to the nines, some of the femmes in barely-there mini’s and tanks who wouldn’t even think to cover up for the sake of reason.

The sex kittens paid the price for turning heads by freezing their asses off while waiting on the endless line for the few outside trailer bathrooms. We figured promoters saved a ton on booze as the lack of facilities prevented folks from wanting much liquid in them.

There were designers, socalities and celebrities such as Andrew Keegan of “Seventh Heaven,” Jessie Garcia of “CSI Miami,” Shaun Toub of Golden Globe-nominated “The Kite Runner” and just enough other stars to keep the red carpet photographers busy. The hotshot of the evening was Bebe chairman and founder Manny Mashouf.

He brought a full runway show with him meaning hot models and hotter Bebe Sport outfits in a short but sweet fashion show. The outfits were sexy, comfortable and extremely wearable. It is elegant sportswear meets latest fashion trends with soft, shiny, metallic materials accompanied with large glitzy bags. Mashouf knows his audience both at his 300 stores and what would entertain party throngs on the catwalk.

Midnight arrived and was brought in with a bang. Confetti cannons, pumping music, and flowing champagne. A special guest performance kicked off the New Year by Angelica Bridges (“Baywatch”) and her pop group “Strawberry Blonde” who had the sexiest outfits of the night, shocking pink faux-fur bikini tops and cute little ruffly skirts.

The beats hung hard the whole night by DJ Bobby French and DJ Morty, tag-teaming the drum lines effortlessly and keeping everyone on their feet. Hosts had to issue to keep enthusiastic patrons from table top dancing and especially dancing on the sofas in fear of a heel piercing through the fabric. The whole night, sensational, fashionable, and a smooth sail into 2008.

Down the hill, the DASK 20th Annual New Year’s Celebration took over the entire top floor of the Hollywood & Highland complex including the pool area of the Renaissance Hotel and the Grand Ballroom, best known as the home of the Governors Ball and Academy Awards dinner.

Wolgang Puck’s catered gourmet dinner buffet was considered the best choice for whom wanted to spend more money on food than cocktails. The $175 ticket included four stations with various meat, chicken and shellfish dishes from Classic Italian to Mediterranean Bistro, plus a decadent assortment of pastries and assorted desserts. Pechanga Casino presented the Casino Lounge with gambling tables from their own casino and a Vegas style rock band “The Exclusives” that was playing classic pop-rock tunes for the gamblers.

Over $5,000 in prizes were given to highest score in roulette, blackjack and poker. The outdoor Renaissance Hotel poolside had the Brazilian show band Sambajah and Oya Brazil Samba dancers all night and a countdown performance by the fire-dance group “Fire Groove.” Magician Simon cruised the dinner guests to perform magic tricks while dance music fans enjoyed the Grand Ballroom that offered an enormous space with Power106.and KISS FM DJ’s Peter G spinning pop,rock and hip hop until 2am. Mid western blues fans teamed up with ” Gary Allegretto Band &the Sugar Daddys at the Terrace Lounge before the clock striked twelve.

Karen Ostlund and Amy Asmuth contributed to this report.

Photos of Bebe catwalk models & DASK mardi gras dancers by Karen Ostlund, 944/Fashion TV arrivals by Amy Asmuth, DASK stage show photo by John Barsky.