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Scenes
from a Venetian Masquerade Ball. Photos by Mary Jo
Almeida-Shore |
I might as well face it; I don’t need much
of an excuse to party. Hell, give me a couple of rolls and an
iPod and I can make sunshine out of rain clouds. Still, that’s
not to say that a good excuse doesn’t come in handy sometimes. I
mean, if it wasn’t for Saturday’s Venetian Masquerade Ball in
honor of Michael Capponi’s 35th birthday, I would have
looked pretty silly strutting around Sunset Island in
tights and a mask. Luckily, the newly constructed mansion of
plastic surgeon Dr. Lenny Hochstein, where the posh
anachronistic affair took place, was littered with costumed
members of the social elite dressed just as ridiculously as I
was. I did sport two masks, one for me and one for the
inevitable asshole at the door who showed up screaming my name
and, of course, sans façade.
Those
huddled masses, however, who braved the rain and made their way
to the opulent B-day bash might recall the doctor’s yellow
speedboat from the ill-fated (but totally South Beach) TV
reality show, Miami Slice. Hochstein, a friend of
Capponi, was one of the show’s cast members and was often filmed
on his boat surrounded by perfectly sculpted beauties.
Regrettably, doctor/patient confidentiality prevented him from
telling the 411 if Capponi had any work done now that he’s five
years from 40.
The
speedboat might be the only thing anyone recognized, as most
partygoers were enjoying the anonymity provided by their
disguises. Some of the nightclub impresarios who did peek out
from behind their masks included the likes of Shareef
Malnik and Tommy and Michelle Pooch. Though no one
arrived by sea, a few waterside onlookers did take in the
splendor of the festivities from their watercraft. No doubt they
were in awe of the grandeur, which included an orchestra and
models in true Venetian fare, tossing rose petals from the
balcony.
It’s a
good thing most of the people in attendance had the luxury of
fat wallets, otherwise they would have been none too happy that
some enterprising meter maid, no doubt irked at not being
invited to the party, had papered every car that refused to
valet with a $33 ticket.
Ready, Set, Relapse!
Does
anyone else appreciate the irony of two twentysomething females
asking the tattooed bouncer at the rock ’n’ roll hot spot the
Love/Hate Lounge if he knew whether Britney Spears
was in town? Well, I did, and having been tracking the star
since she whisked into town on a private jet, and not wanting
the bouncer to bitch-slap the poor tourists, this information
operator interjected and sent the two ladies to the
Ritz-Carlton, South Beach. Although she was staying at the
Four Seasons on Brickell, the Toxic star had just been
spotted at the Lincoln Road hotel wearing a large hat and
accompanied by a bodyguard and another young woman just before
they made their way to the shops around Eighth and Collins.
Much
like at Spears’ show in Orlando, where a lip-synch track was
heard skipping over and over during her performance, Britney’s
show at Mansion on Sunday night was reportedly riddled
with the same Milli Vanilli tactics. At one point the
weave-wearing singer was struggling with a pink bejeweled top
that was just dying to pop off in the middle of her act; Spears
made her way offstage to change it while a lip-synching track
was clearly heard still playing. As if that weren’t shameful
enough, Spears had to go back to her hotel to tighten up her
weave before heading back to party at Mansion. It seems the pop
princess is back to her naughty shenanigans, as sources told of
seeing her and her backup dancers boozing it up and closing down
Set at 5 in the morning. Allegedly drinking all night and
taking repeated trips to the bathroom for God knows what reason,
the singer has apparently relapsed into the partying ways we
have all come to love/hate, or at the very least expect.
Not Spotted
I
recently had my secret desire to replace Jared Leto as
Tila Tequila’s top friend dashed when the Myspace queen was
a no-show at the Bull Run Rally party at Casa
Casuarina, partying instead in Montreal. Canada vs.
Miami? Ugh! As if that weren’t bad enough, Paris Hilton,
whose presence was repeatedly reassured to the 411, was nowhere
to be found either. Why are you women toying with my emotions
like this? How is a decent stalker supposed to track you people
down when you keep changing your itinerary? Jeez, have a little
consideration for the fans and the crazies who make your life
seem normal and for God’s sake show up where you are supposed to
for once! I’m just kidding. I love you Tila, and you too, Paris.
All is forgiven. Just, please, please, be my friends, OK?
Seriously, call me. It’s all good.
Spotted
*Amy
Winehouse chilling
by the pool at the Shore Club last Thursday and getting married
the next day to Blake Fielder-Civil.
*Hillary Clinton
and Bernie Kosar at Lucky Strike for a political
fundraiser on Monday. No word if she brought her own bowling
shoes.
*CNN’s
Anderson Cooper at Table 8 on Friday.
*
Wyclef Jean taking the mike at Oxygen in Coconut Grove last
Tuesday.
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