Stars party through the pain of hurricane

Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe and supercouple Jay-Z and Beyonce were among the stars who escaped the misery of storm-lashed New York by enjoying a lavish party at a Manhattan nightspot.

Residents of the Big Apple were plunged into darkness on Monday night (29Oct12) as superstorm Sandy battered the East Coast, and thousands were still without power on Friday (02Nov12).

Staff at Cipriani 42nd Street opened the venue's doors for a star-studded Halloween bash on Wednesday (31Oct12), and celebrities flocked to the restaurant to shake off the doom of the week's events, according to New York Post gossip column Page Six.

Guests at the party included funnyman Jonah Hill, rapper Timbaland, and burlesque star Dita Von Teese, and many revellers partied until 6am.

A source tells the publication, "Without power, many escaped uptown, and rather than staying on a friend's couch or in their hotel room, they went out. People at the party were just happy to be around others."