Sunday, April 23, 2006 | 7:27 a.m.
Halting her red-carpet strut to answer a few questions on a blustery Friday evening near the Strip, Pamela Anderson said she had big plans for her towering Las Vegas residence.
"They should call it 'Pamorama,' because I am here," Anderson said during the official groundbreaking party for Tower 3 of Panorama Towers on Dean Martin Drive, just west of the Strip. "When I'm at the Palms they should take the 'L,' out, too - 'The Pams.' I like the sound of 'Pamorama.' "
"This was her idea," said a grinning Laurence Hallier, the 38-year-old jet-setter (for real; he's a licensed pilot who flies clients to Vegas on a moment's notice) whose company, Hallier Properties, is building the breathtaking high-rise luxury towers. Hallier happily escorted Anderson to the party and auction, which also served as a benefit fundraiser for PETA.
Anderson's penthouse will be in Tower 4. She already has plans for decorating the residence, saying, "I'll call all of my crazy designer friends. I'll have David LaChapelle help me ... I just don't want any sharp corners. This is Vegas - no sharp edges, please. Let's have some fun!"
Other noteworthy celebs on hand included Mickey Rourke, Ryan Seacrest, Rick and Kathy Hilton, Houston Rockets' Tracy McGrady and Dikembe Mutombo (sitting out the playoffs this year), and accomplished VIP event frequenter Robin Leach. Eschewing the red carpet altogether was actress and poker ace Jennifer Tilly. Vegas newsmakers in attendance included former Gov. Bob Miller and Sandy Murphy attorney John Momot.
Guests were taken on tours of Hallier's three-story, 6,300-square-foot residence, which from various vantage points overlooks the entire Strip. As I stared out one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, a voice from behind me said, "We are really high up." I turned and looked up to see the 7-foot-2-inch Mutombo, an expert on the subject.
NoteMart
Mr. Rourke: The most fascinating sighting for me was Rourke, who looks like he'd just as soon hit you with a lead right as answer a question. That's true even when he is carrying his little 14-year-old pooch, Loki. "I am here because of my friendship with Laurence - that's why I made the trip," Rourke, a longtime friend of Hallier, said while petting the dog ...
Check your lightsabers at the door: Tao hosted Hayden Christensen and his plucky entourage on Friday night; Christensen was celebrating his 25th birthday, which was actually Wednesday. Christensen is best known as playing Anakin Skywalker/young Darth Vader in "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" and "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith," but a far more frighting portrayal was his turn as Stephen Glass in "Shattered Glass" ...
K-Fed express: The listening party for Kevin Federline's new rap album, "Playing With Fire" - which is sure to shake the music industry to its very core - was held Friday at Pure. The event was remarkable for who didn't attend - Britney Spears, who, today, is Federline's wife.
A few celebs - Mutombo, McGrady and the Hiltons - did traipse over from the Panorama event. Also on hand were New England Patriots QB Tom Brady and Tatyana Ali, who years ago played Ashley on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and who has moved on to an R&B recording career ...
So says Consumer Reports: The publication I trust more than any other (aside from the Onion) says the nation's best outlet stores, based on value and quality, are Lenox, L.L. Bean, Mikasa and OshKosh B'Gosh ...
Mashed unit: Last week when the Las Vegas Wranglers trailed the Idaho Steelheads 3 games to 2 in the ECHL playoffs, I ran a couple of hockey-esque license plates and said I needed to get them in the column before the local squad was eliminated. They haven't lost since (coincidentally of course). I took in the deciding Game 7 on Wednesday night, and near the end of the Wranglers' 6-2 victory, the ice was peppered with tan spheroids. A person behind me asked, "What are those?" and I said, "Potatoes."
To reminisce, the first time I'd seen potatoes thrown at a team from Idaho was when I was 10 years old, living in Pocatello, Idaho, when my family went on a road trip through Montana with the Idaho State University basketball team. The tater-toss was executed during games at Montana State in Bozeman and the University of Montana in Missoula. For better or worse, the tradition lives on ...
Maybe we can arrange a summit: Several weeks ago I spied a silver BMW 330 CI convertible with the plate UGOGIRL. On Saturday a reader checked in with a sighting on a nondescript white SUV (no other details) with the plate UGOGURL.
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