Night Lines: Hotel Indigo Opening Party

With party season in full swing, last night provided no shortage of social options. Gaslight threw a soiree on its patio. And Esquire held an event for media and subscribers at Eastern Standard.

But the biggest, most see-and-be-seen bash of the evening was not so easily accessible, requiring a trip to the ‘burbs, believe it or not. Six hundred guests endured heinous off-Pike traffic to celebrate the opening of Hotel Indigo in Newton.

The hotel’s picturesque pool deck drew some of Bostonista‘s favorite schmoozers, all of whom left with complimentary day passes for the pool, like mayor’s office darling Tony Nunziante, celebrity stylist Erica Corsano, the Intercontinental’s Tim Kirwin, PR delight Max Buccini, the Mezrichs, and Soul Clap‘s Eli Goldstein (who played inside with partner Charlie). While the musical stylings of UK ’80s rock band the Fixx were satisfactory, the outdoor acoustics were fantastic. Way to go sound guy!

Though drinks were aplenty (recommendation for the future: if you’re having an A-list event, please serve at least one white wine alternative to chardonnay; sauvignon blanc or even a simple pinot grigio option will make those of us who aren’t into the buttery-oaky-heavy thing much happier campers), food inside the hotel’s Bokx 109 steakhouse was scant.

We waited in the buffet line for a whopping 17 minutes, only to be greeted by a bowl of ice garnished with a few limp shrimp and a vat of mussels swimming in messy red sauce (not ideal if you’re wearing an all white Marc by Marc frock, which we were). As for the restautant’s decor, very ’70s, very low ceilings, very Boogie Nights. Seriously, try to hang out in there for more than five minutes without mentally reliving the bludgeoning-with-roller-skates scene, or, if you’re more of an optimist, the prosthetic one.

Speaking of Marky Mark, he was not there. And though he was not “scheduled” to be, plenty of other celebs were. Debbie Harry, Linda Ronstadt, and a gaggle of Celtics and Patriots Players, among others, were expected to make appearances.

But the only VH1-familiar face we saw in the crowd was Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, and the only sports-related guest around was Celtic legend Jo Jo White. However, as the night wore on, and the event’s publicists had a few more cocktails, we got the real scoop: Sammy Hagar and “others” were in the building but refused to join the party. Joan Jett, however, had made a cameo but an unwelcome snapping ambush by Globe photog Bill Brett sent the former Runaway stomping back to her suite.