Toronto will not be able to outmatch the glittery extravaganza thrown in Los Angeles for David and Victoria Beckham two weeks ago. We don't have Tom and Katie, Will and Jada or Ashton and Demi. We've got Eugene Levy. Maybe a Canadian Idol judge or two.
But a dearth of boldface names doesn't mean that Hogtown can't roll out the Hollywood North red carpet for the 32-year-old footie superstar this weekend.
Not even the midfielder's ankle injury has put a cramp in party plans, though it could affect whether he makes his
North American televised debut tomorrow in a match that pits the Los Angeles Galaxy against Toronto FC.
As of last night, Mr. Beckham had already kick-started his social circuit with an invitation-only reception at the Hugo Boss showroom in Yorkville. The high-end label is the official outfitter for the Galaxy (when they're not in sweaty soccer jerseys). No doubt this was a good opportunity for Hugo Boss Canada president Les Minion to show roughly 200 customers the added value of being brand-loyal.
Local entertainment impresarios fought hard over the past week to attract him to their venues. An appearance by Mr. Beckham means priceless residual publicity; few superstars can claim an international fan base that ranges from youngsters to soccer moms.
"Everyone is trying to get at [him]," agreed Zark Fatah, whose boîtes for beautiful people include Blowfish, Century Room and Doku 15 in the Cosmopolitan Hotel.
He is also a partner in Atelier, where the likes of Richard Branson, Sigourney Weaver and Arianna Huffington have held intimate gatherings.
But as Mr. Fatah conceded of the private and chic after-hours club on King Street, "They're not going to be coming here. If it were just David and Posh, maybe, but soccer players want to party and go nuts."
"Everyone is going after [Beckham's party]," echoed Jeff Mandel, proprietor of Lobby, a sleek boutique hotel-inspired bar on Bloor Street that has hosted Bono and Brad Pitt in the past. "Do I think Lobby has a chance? Yes, but Lobby always has a chance."
As it turned out, that was wishful thinking on Mr. Mandel's part. Instead, the team headed to an ultra-exclusive dinner and ensuing blowout bash at Ultra Supper Club, a sultry resto-lounge on Queen Street (famous in its former life as The Bamboo). Chef Chris Zielinski heeded the team's request for meat, meat and more meat by creating three different protein-rich meals to be served over the course of the night. By 10:30, a couple of hundred pretty young things schmoozed on the upstairs outdoor deck in hopes that Mr. Beckham would bend their way.
"It's going to be mayhem; everyone is freaking out," Ultra's VIP host, Mike Chalut, said in anticipation of the evening. He added that corralling extra staff was a non-issue. "No one is missing this party. Everyone just wants to look at him."
With any luck, Ultra will not be the only opportunity. Team practice today takes priority, but Bloor Street will be a draw for the soccer stud who, along with Victoria, was just listed among Vanity Fair's 68th Annual International Best Dressed List. The key to succeeding at Beckwatch is to stake out shops where he would find merch unavailable back home.
Roots is almost a certainty. According to Raymond Perkins, the company's long-time liaison to the VIPs, the two-
storey store has accommodated Shaquille O'Neal and the Lakers, Britney Spears and the Rolling Stones in the past. (Stars often receive a generous selection of luxe leather gifts, but Roots does not pay them to show up.)
Becks will probably find solace in the personal shopping suites at Holt Renfrew, since they offer privacy (and an entrance via the adjacent office building) that precludes the feeling of being a footballer in a fishbowl. Dior Homme and Alexander McQueen, two of Mr. Beckham's preferred brands, are carried exclusively at Holts.
