Over 2OO guests gathered around the pool at the Playboy Mansion West in Beverly Hills, CA, to celebrate the publication of Lisa Rinna's (soon-to-be ex-Taylor, MELROSE PLACE; ex-Billie, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, right) cover and pictorial in the September issue of Playboy magazine. Rinna's photos were taken when she was six months pregnant - a first for the magazine, which celebrates its 45th anniversary next year.

GIRL TALK
"You'll love working with everyone on MELROSE PLACE," promised Rinna to MP newcomer Rena Sofer (ex-Lois, GENERAL HOSPITAL, with hubby Wallace Kurth, GH's Ned). who will join the show in October. The women compared notes on motherhood, nursing and raising baby girls.

PHOTO OP
Rinna's best pal, Barbara Crampton (Leanna, YOUNG AND RESTLESS; ex-Maggie, BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL), smiled while Rinna regaled partygoers with her experiences during the Playboy photo shoot on the beach.

HOW THE HALF LIVES
Ingo Rademacher (Jax, GH) joined the Kurths and admitted he was awed by the infamous mansion. "It's an incredible property," he raved. "I liked the exotic birds, the Koi pond and the spider monkeys the best. I liked meeting the Playmates, too! You'd never know you were right in the middle of Los Angeles." Kurth echoed Rademacher's sentiments: "This ain't Port Charles! The Playboy Mansion is legendary. Rena and I were dying to come up and see it for ourselves. It's more incredible than we imagined."