Our much-anticipated Haute 100 list is a compilation of influential individuals in business, entertainment, technology, and the like. We didn’t have to search far to find the 100 most intriguing, trendsetting and successful people in Los Angeles. But with a list consisting of movers and shakers of this caliber, a yearly update is simply not enough. Haute Living proudly relaunched Haute100. com this month, a wealth of up-to-the-minute information on all our favorite haute listers.
Sam Nazarian Honored with 2012 Robert Mondavi Wine And Food Award
Hospitality heavyweight Sam Nazarian, chairman and CEO of sbe Entertainment Group, is receiving a special honor for his many contributions to the industry. The man behind a variety of luxury brands was honored with the Robert Mondavi Wine and Food Award. Nazarian was presented with his well-earned award– an honor only given to the most influential people in the industry–at the Hospitality Uncorked gala on March 3. To celebrate, guests enjoyed plenty of cocktails, entertainment and gourmet offerings from guest chefs from the best restaurants in the area. “The Food & Wine award is a reflection of the tireless work and commitment of my entire team at sbe, our valued partners like AEG and of course my family,” Nazarian said.
Anthony Pritzker’s Under-Construction Mansion Wows
Hyatt Hotel heir and Pritzker Group managing partner Anthony Pritzker is helming quite the construction project in LA. While it might be the size of a hotel, it’s much more intimate than that. The enormous structure is simply a home for Pritzker and his family. The massive mansion is wowing even the wealthiest homeowners, boasting a whopping 49300 squarefeet. To put it into perspective, one report compared the work-in-progress to the White House, which measures 55000 square-feet. A Parisian architecture firm is behind the colossal dwelling, which will contain a bowling alley, gym and hairdressing area, among its many other amenities. Kirk Kerkorian Helps Fund Boxer Brain Study Boxing greats like Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks are real-life evidence that the effects of boxing can be brutal. Now, billionaire hotelier Kirk Kerkorian, who was also an amateur boxer, is providing most of the funding for a study to find out more on the subject and help boxers stay safe.
The study seeks to discover why a blow to the head results in impaired thinking in some boxers, but can show no substantial effect in the brains of other boxers. Currently, 148 boxers and fighters are being studied by the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. Researchers and doctors hope to find a way to make boxing and fighting safer for its participants.
Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Dreamworks To Embark On New Venture
DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg recently signed a partnership with two Chinese media companies for a new project. Together, they will embark on the creation of a new studio facility in Shanghai.
Shanghai Media Group and China Media Capital, both state-owned companies, are teaming up with Dream- Works to construct a space for television, film and live stage productions. The deal comes in a time where China’s media realm and economy are booming while the United States’ film industry is slow-moving. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping calls the deal the “most significant deal to involve a Hollywood studio in China.”
Kelly Wearstler To Release Book This Summer
Kelly Wearstler wears many hats—she’s a new designer, established interiors expert and the creative mind behind husband Brad Korzen’s many luxe properties (Viceroy Santa Monica, Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills amongst them). This summer, she’s adding another title to her already budding resume: author.
Wearstler is penning a book on seven of her recent interiors projects, due to come out in just a few months. While her designing responsibilities have pulled her a bit back from interior work, she’s using this book to reconnect. Her lovely line just celebrated its first birthday, and her styles just walked the runway at New York Fashion Week.
Brett Ratner To Direct Pilot For Spy Drama On Fox
Renowned movie director Brett Ratner is taking his skills to a different realm. He is set to direct the pilot for a new spy drama by writer/producer Karyn Usher on Fox.
The thriller TV show is about a teenager who, on a path to be a CIA operative like her dad, meets a mysterious man on her journey. This isn’t Ratner’s first move in TV: he directed the pilot episode for hit shows Prison Break. The show remains untitled as of press time.
Edythe And Eli Broad Rank On List Of Top 50 Philanthropists
Edythe and Eli Broad are often regarded for their generous philanthropic gestures, so it’s no surprise that they made The Chronicle of Philosophy’s list of top 50 philanthropists in 2011. The couple, who donated $27 million to their Broad Foundations in 2011 alone, ranked 49th on the list. Broad Foundations support education, civic programs, medical research, scientific research and contemporary art. The Broads’ next endeavor is funding the Broad Collection Museum; they are spending $130 million for construction of the museum and $200 million for an endowment.
