Retreat of a Different Drummer
by Kelley Marcellus

The setting was chic and sophisticated - 75 smartly attired people gathered by poolside at twilight, the encroaching darkness repelled by candlelight that illuminated dozens of ivory roses while a band played soft background music and celebrants graciously partook of gastronomic delights from a sumptuous spread.

Not exactly what one might expect at the digs of a rock musician. But fatherhood can tame even the wildest heart, and Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres and his wife, Venezuelan model Alejandra Marquez-Torres, were commemorating the baptism earlier that day of their 4-month-old baby, Tico. The mood and every detail were just as the couple would have it.

"It was a really romantic atmosphere with the roses and candles everywhere," Torres says. "The party was amazing, and it went off without a hitch."

Not that its success was a surprise for the couple, who've been married three years. They enjoy hosting family and friends at their Admirals Cove home in Jupiter, where they've lived for 11D2 years. "I have to," Torres says, "I'm an entertainer."

This affair was the first large-scale get-together held here, though Torres says he can imagine comfortably holding parties twice as large in the space. The couple spends Christmas at the house, where a huge, ceiling-high tree looms in the living room. Torres himself prepares the traditional Cuban-styled meal and serves it at the patio's rustic wooden table. Such family celebrations are more intimate, usually numbering about 25.

As for Torres' extended family, his band mates have yet to visit the drummer's home.

"When we're off, we don't really see each other," Torres explains. "If they were coming to Florida, they'd visit, but Bon Jovi has been together for 21 years, and we work really hard. So when we're off, we're off."

Torres takes full advantage of that down time, but his pursuits these days are more leisurely than they used to be. He recently parted ways with some high-speed friends, including an airplane, several cars and a few motorcycles - "Too many toys, not enough time," he shrugs. An avid golfer, Torres does find enough hours in the day to hit the links. As one would expect from any rocker worth his weight, Torres also knows how to make waves. The backyard, which features an outdoor kitchen, cabana, and pool with a footbridge, overlooks a waterway where the couple's 42-foot Azimut is docked, ready for quick trips to the Bahamas, a favorite getaway.

Idyllic though it is, the backyard is not reserved just for festivities. Torres begins each morning by walking out of the master bedroom to the patio. He fixes himself a cappuccino and has a swim in the pool.

"We live out here," Torres says. "We bought the house because of the backyard. Honestly, after we looked at it, I couldn't remember what the rest of the house looked like, but I loved the backyard."