Monday, July 21, 2003 | 10:43 a.m.
VegasBeat went to Hollywood this weekend -- and never strayed more than 100 yards from our favorite table at Simon Kitchen & Bar at the Hard Rock Hotel.
On Saturday we chatted with old friend and Oscar winner Adrien Brody at a private birthday party at the restaurant for Mary Parent. She is the president of production for Universal Studios and a regular on those Most Powerful Women in Hollywood lists.
Brody, still rail-thin from his role in "The Pianist," and wearing a white mesh shirt and Yankees cap pulled down over his face, spent most of the evening sitting quietly with Chef Kerry Simon and DJ Adam 12 (whose real name is Adam Bravin), scarfing down plates of food.
Hey -- after winning an Academy Award, he's entitled.
Earlier that evening, we saw Ashton Kutcher, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore at the Duran Duran concert at The Joint. A few guests got a chuckle when the trio headed down a back hallway to leave the concert -- with Ashton carrying sleepy 9-year-old Tallulah Belle Willis.
That extended family had dinner at Nobu, located right across the hall from Simon.
We also spotted "Sopranos" vixen Drea DeMatteo, Tom Green and Jenna Elfman enjoying the reunited Brit new-wave band.
At dinner at Simon, we sat with local magazine publisher Michael Politz, his old high school girlfriend Amanda scheer-Demme -- widow of director Ted Demme ("Blow") (who was the nephew of "Silence of the Lambs" director Jonathan Demme) -- and Tinseltown superagent Brian Medavoy.
Medavoy, who was also the executive producer of "Dharma & Greg," had just come from the secret (until now!) celebrity wedding at Four Seasons of Leah Remini ("King of Queens") and Angelo Pagan ("Swordfish").
Medavoy regaled all with tales of how Robert Redford used to ask Medavoy's dad, Mike, if he thought Park City, Utah, was a good town in which to host a film festival (the town is now host to the Sundance Film Festival).
Mike Medavoy founded Orion Films and then ran Columbia TriStar Films, bringing hundreds of movies to the big screen, from "Sleepless in Seattle" to "The Terminator" to "Silence of the Lambs."
Of course, Robin Leach was working the room, as was producer and Henderson resident George Ciccarone (HBO's "Cathouse"), who was taping the party for the syndicated show "Extra!
The Hollywood scene was also circulating around VegasBeat's Simon bar stool Friday night.
Model and Rod Stewart's ex Rachel Hunter was drawing lots of stares as she sipped her 7-Up at the bar.
"Saturday Night Live" star Jimmy Fallon was bouncing around the place, boasting that he knew more Elvis Costello lyrics than anyone. We can vouch for him; VegasBeat sat near Fallon at Costello's Friday night show at The Joint and Fallon was singing along -- and madly jumping and pumping his fist in the air -- to virtually every song.
But the real stares were reserved for a happy family dining in the back room.
After Chris Robinson finished his opening set for Costello, he and his pregnant wife, Kate Hudson, her brother, Oliver Hudson, their mother, Goldie Hawn and Hawn's longtime boyfriend, Kurt Russell, all enjoyed a late dinner.
Afterward they spent about an hour playing blackjack in the Peacock Lounge with Allman Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes, who had played alongside Robinson during Robinson's appearance at The Joint.
Perhaps the only glum folks at Simon were Macy Gray and the musicians in the all-star jam band, Camp Freddy. They were scheduled to play an outdoor set by the Hard Rock pool Friday night, but the plug was pulled by the hotel just four songs into their set because lightning flashes were spotted overhead.
There was also some Hollywood elsewhere in Las Vegas.
John Leguizamo hosted a private screening of his new HBO movie, "Undefeated," for casino execs and high rollers Saturday night before a reception at Light. Rosario Dawson and Jennifer Esposito were among the guests.
VegasBits
Show girl: Roslyn Kind -- she is Barbra Streisand's sister -- went to see Gladys Knight on Friday with producer Marvin Lashever. The two are putting together a touring female entertainer tribute show which will be based in Las Vegas. They also hit Bootlegger Saturday night and jammed with Sonny King and Buddy Greco...
They're back: For those keeping track, Moore (with Kutcher) and Willis took daughter Scout and several of her young friends to see Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat on Sunday morning, and the kids all swam with the dolphins. Afterward, the group all took rides on the Big Shot over at Stratosphere. The entire group spent the weekend bunking at The Mansion at MGM Grand, a 29-villa complex whose luxury accommodations are available only to celebs and high-rollers ...
Star power: Mike Tyson, Serena Williams and Tyrese sitting in the same row (but not together) at the R. Kelly concert at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts on Saturday night ...
Sets up shop: Kim Mervine has left the exclusive Escada boutique (Forum Shops at Caesars). She has opened La Belle Boutique, a designer consignment store in Henderson ...
Palms girl: Playboy model and MTV personality Jenny McCarthy was at ghostbar Friday night and Rain in the Desert on Saturday night, where she was eyed by, among others, Matt Harpring of the Utah Jazz ...
Spark: "X" show comedian John Padon is leaving the show next week. First in line to replace him is "Queer as Folk" star Hal Sparks. Producers Bobby Boling and Angela Sampras met with Sparks on Sunday night to iron out details ...
Hoops: The annual high school basketball tourney run by adidas exec and longtime prep hoops svengali/guru Sonny Vaccaro gets under way Tuesday at 15 Southern Nevada high schools. Vaccaro's legacy includes hooking a young Michael Jordan up with Nike ...
Power table: Henry Kissinger was spotted dining at Picasso (Bellagio). He was expected to attend Larry Ruvo's fund-raiser for Vice President Dick Cheney this morning, along with Gov. Kenny Guinn, Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., Attorney General Brian Sandoval and consultants Pete Ernault and Sig Rogich.
From Sun wires
Democratic Party stalwart Streisand will be welcoming a Republican president home.
Her husband, actor James Brolin, has been cast as Ronald Reagan in a four-hour CBS miniseries titled "The Reagans," set to air during the November sweeps period.
Brolin, who starred in the TV series "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Hotel" and "Pensacola: Wings of Gold," will play Reagan as he moves from his film career to California governor to president.
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