Rickki Kleiman and Bill Bratton, Joan Jedell, Developer of Beekman Regent Dennis Herman

High-wattage glitterati flocked to the award-winning Beekman Regent for a “Spring into Summer” cocktail reception hosted by The Sheet with Beekman developer Dennis Herman. The Taittinger champagne was flowing as A-listers rubbed elbows in the posh $15-mil duplex penthouse, with a breathtaking 360-degree view of the city from wrap-around terraces on both floors. The 64-residence one-of-a-kind building, designed by famed architect Costas Kondylis, rises above the landmarked facade of a turn-of-the-century schoolhouse on 51st Street.

As guests arrived, they toured the prestigious “Private Reserve” loft condominiums (the first lofts built on the East Side in modern times!). The building also houses terraced four-bedroom duplex-townhouses with grand staircases; duplex residences; and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. Amenities include 14-ft. ceilings, 10-ft. Romanesque windows, Brazilian cherry her-ringbone wood floors, white marble windowsills, wood moldings, onyx master bathrooms with sterling silver faucets, Jacuzzi spas, gourmet kitchens, and high-speed Internet access.

Upon returning to the penthouse, guests noshed on scrumptious hors d’oeuvres: filet-mignon cigar wraps, chicken quesadillas, shrimp skewers, and tuna tartar on wontons, just to name a few. The icing on the cake: chocolate-dipped strawberries, raspberry cream-cheese squares, chocolate chip cookies, and frozen Yodels (a favorite guilty pleasure), all provided by the superb Lawrence Scott Caterers.

Of course, we at The Sheet would never let our guests leave empty-handed! As revelers left the soirée, each received a fabulous Estée Lauder goodie bag (which included Pleasures Gem-Infusion Fragrance spray for women and Aramis Life Cologne for men).

Those on Cloud Nine included: Ahmet Ertegun; Prudential Douglas Elliman’s Dottie Herman; Fox News’s Rita Cosby; Meera Gandhi; John Catsimatidis; Colleen and Gary Rein; Juliana Terian; Jerry Cohen; Tolly Travis (widow of the late NY Post columnist Neal Travis), who was visiting from Australia; RFR Realty’s Richard Farley; Park Avenue Mortgage’s Ellen Bitton; Howard Lorber; Mickey Sherman; Sharon Allan; Estée Lauder’s Sally Sussman, Teruca Rullan, Jennifer Bartsch-Allen, and Gayle Fox; Mark Green; and Sydney Biddle Barrows.

Surprise guests: LA Police Chief Bill Bratton and attorney Rikki Klieman, legal analyst on Court TV and NBC’s Today Show. In from LA for a mere 12 hours, Bratton luckily was able to see his old friends all at one time, at the bash. He told The Sheet that he really missed NY but had to go back the next day to deal with a breaking crisis in LA.

Absent from the fete: Tom Cruise, who, at least, has good manners. His flack called to RSVP—Cruise couldn’t make it this time (but that doesn’t necessarily mean he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, buy a condo in the building!).

It was a high-altitude meeting of the minds, a lofty kickoff to an uplifting summer!