STAR BIRTHDAYS
Not one, not two, nor three - but four incredible star-birthday bashes kept Vegas hotspots busy the past few days.
#1: MTV reality star Heidi Montag from The Hills who has been in the headlines over her public and televised catfights with co-star, Lauren Conrad about Heidi’s boyfriend Spencer Pratt, celebrated her 21st birthday with him at new LAX nightspot in the Luxor.
The real-life semi-scripted reality show feud began when Lauren thought Heidi had started an internet rumor that she’d made a sex-tape with another cast member. Recent episodes of the top-rated show have featured the escalating blowouts between Lauren and Heidi. All that was forgotten or pushed under the carpet at the LAX weekend party.
Heidi’s pre-honeymoon-styled romp with Spencer began with VIP treatments at the Venus Pool Club at Caesars Palace. They lunched on chicken nachos and shrimp cocktails, sipping Moet & Chandon champagne from their private hideaway cabana watching professional boxer Sergio Mora relaxing in the water with friends. Her special night began with Heidi taking Spencer and a group of friends off for sushi, sake and socializing at Social House in Treasure Island. They selected fruit-infused sake to go with the trays of house specials prepared by Chef Joe Elevado, who surprised them with a beautiful birthday cake before they left.
Then it really was onto the 21st birthday blowout at LAX nightclub inside the Luxor. Heidi walked the red-carpet with Spencer, posed with fans and joined celebrity friends, including provocative Perez Hilton, the candid and controversial celebrity blogger. Bottles of Veuve Cliquot champagne popped their corks wherever they went in the club, and then Heidi decided to premiere her first single, “Higher” with a live performance. From nowhere, co-MTV star Nick Cannon appeared, grabbed the mic and became an impromptu MC as Heidi and Spencer passed out flutes of champagnes to fans and friends, including Mindfreak magician Criss Angel and actress Vanessa Branch. Doubtless it will all wind up on a future episode of The Hills further inciting the wrath of Lauren Conrad!!!
#2: Hip-hop mogul Ludacris celebrated his 30th birthday for a second time - this one at PURE nightclub in Caesars Palace with Oscar award-winning group Three 6 Mafia and Cee-Lo, the lead of Gnarls Barkley.
Ludacris, who is co-founder of Disturbing the Peace Records, rolled into the nightclub with nearly 30 of his friends where he was immediately greeted by the Vegas Pussycat Dolls. It was a celebration night of Moet Chandon champagne and Hennessy cognac as the burlesque beauties presented him with a special birthday cake and sang him Happy Birthday. Ludacris, an actor and record producer, blew out the candles, grabbed the DJ’s mic and sang several of his biggest hits to the Area Code crowd. Then he gave the mic to Cee-Lo who ripped off an unexpected performance of his chart-topping song, “Crazy.” Watching the pleasure party were Miami Heat star forward Antoine Walker, zany comic Carrot Top and TV’s Kato Kaelin, who ironically gave evidence in the O.J. Simpson murder trial - their paths did not cross while they were both in town!.
#3: Rap-superstar Nas celebrated his 34th birthday with his R&B singing star wife, Kelis at TAO in The Venetian at a 50’s themed party at the Xbox Oasis at the club’s upper beach and pool.
Beforehand, the 40 guests, including NBA superstar Chris Webber, had dinner in TAO’s private Opium room where R&B group The Stylistics performed for them. Nas and Kelis shared a few intimate cheek to cheek dances between the restaurant’s signature dishes of Chilean sea bass and sushi platters. They then took over two private cabanas at the TAO beach where he was presented with a three-tiered cake topped with a 50’s styled jukebox and sparklers. The birthday boy even took time to play a game on Xbox after hugging and kissing his wife for photos.
The entire crew wound up the evening down in the main TAO club where good friend, fellow mogul Jay-Z had eight bottles of his Ace of Clubs champagne waiting for the birthday brigade. While here for the weekend, Nas and Kelis treated 17 of their friends and family to the Cirque du Soleil Beatles show LOVE at the Mirage. Everybody went backstage afterwards to meet cast and crew, who sang him Happy Birthday.
#4: Recording star and record producer, Swizz Beatz celebrated his birthday at the Body English nightclub in the Hard Rock.
He grabbed a Dom Perignon rose champagne to toast the crowds, and then singer Eve got him on the mic to perform an unexpected unrehearsed duet together for the crowd. Later she danced to her hit song, “Tambourine.” Partying along were singers Alicia Keyes and Shar Jackson, first mom of Kevin Federline’s children, actor Taye Diggs and motocross champion, the tattooed Carey Hart - who is opening a new lounge at the resort next year.
It all proves that when you’re throwing a birthday bash and you want the best party of all, Vegas is the only place to celebrate in Luxe Life high-style.