Hennessy Paradis hosted a cocktail hour and the singer performed a rousing set at the avant-garde Kellogg Doolittle house
Words by ELIZABETH VARNELL
Photography by MARK PATRICK/BFA.com
An eclectic group of tastemakers arrived in Joshua Tree for a private concert and epic sunset held at the curvilinear Kellogg Doolittle house on February 7, hosted by cognac maker Hennessy Paradis and featuring its first female brand partner, singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. The high desert dinner, set on the national park’s edge, drew Keys’ husband Swizz Beatz, along with Gabrielle Union; Hennessy’s Laurent Boillot and Jasmin Allen; singer-songwriter Moses Sumney; C cover girl Elizabeth Olsen and her musician husband Robbie Arnett; Adam DiMarco; Troye Sivan; Samara Weaving; models Alton Mason, Sofia Boutella, and Stella Maxwell; Chriselle Lim; Brittany Xavier; Jessey Lee and wife Cherie Chan; and interior designer Brigette Romanek.
LEFT: Hennessy Paradis entry signage at the Kellogg Doolittle House in Joshua Tree. RIGHT: Laurent Boillot.
Elizabeth Olsen, Alicia Keys, Gabrielle Union.
LEFT: Troye Sivan. RIGHT: Stella Maxwell, Sofia Boutella.
Ross One, Harley Vera Newton.
Jasmin Allen.
Alicia Keys, Sherie.
LEFT: Adam DiMarco, Moses Sumney. RIGHT: Chriselle Lim.
Gabrielle Union, Alton Mason.
Before Keys sat down at a piano to perform a set list that included “Empire State of Mind” and “No One,” Doolittle House owner Scott Leonard led tours of the space. Ken Kellogg, architect and one-time friend of Frank Lloyd Wright, originally designed the residence against massive boulders for artist Bev Doolittle. Cantilevered concrete columns sunk into the bedrock, giving the building its striking—seemingly improbable—silhouette, arched above guests as they got a look around. Cocktail hour gave guests an introduction to the cognac, created in 1979 by master blender Maurice Fillioux. At its inception, he compared the silky, melodic drink to a symphonic orchestra, and Keys’ soaring tunes, accompanied by violinist Angelina Sherie, underscored Fillioux’s initial inspiration. Chef Jesse Schenker’s dinner led to a final round of toasts as guests gazed into the star-filled high desert sky.
Feature image: Moses Sumney, Alicia Keyes, Swizz Beatz.
February 17, 2022
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