The Better Hef

By Jessica Pelligra
Photography by John Mireles
Styling by Andrea Ross and Simone Perloff
Hair & Makeup by Benny Hancock
Photographer’s Assistants: Zach Bollinger and Sergey Martinovich

Crystal Hefner, 29, is multimillionaire media mogul Hugh Hefner’s third wife. When she married the Playboy magnate - “Hef,” now 89 - on December 31, 2012, she was 26 years old. December 2009’s Playmate of the Month, Mrs. Hefner left her fiancé at the altar five days before their original wedding date in June 2011. But the two reconciled, and now the matron of the famed and mysterious Mansion is more of a homebody, willing to adhere to Hef ‘s strict curfews.

“I feel like I’m older now,” she says, “and going out to a nightclubs doesn’t really appeal to me anymore.”

Born in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, Crystal moved to San Diego with her family as a child, later attending La Jolla High School and earning an undergraduate degree in Psychology from San Diego State University.

And while going to nightclubs may be a thing of her past, she says rocking dayclubs into poolside oblivion is her current passion.

“I have a residency at Rehab at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas this summer, spinning for 3,000 people,” she says. “I really love DJ-ing for everyone that’s so happy and splashing around to my music.”

A model, singer and DJ, Crystal cites Calvin Harris and Steve Aoki among her musical influences. Her EDM EP, which she’s been working on for nearly a year, is due out this summer.

“Hef is a feature on one of the tracks,” she says, clarifying that her husband doesn’t actually sing on the record. “He’s just kind of talking on it.”

Hef, it seems, not to mention his bride, remains a kid at heart. Case in point: for her birthday, he took her to the Happiest Place on Earth.

“I went to Disneyland; it was super fun,” says Crystal. “Hef got me a Chanel watch I really wanted. It was really sweet of him.”

As for whether the two will have kids together...

“I feel like two dogs are enough for now,” says Crystal, “They’re a handful. They’re kind of like having children.”

Spaniels Lady and Charlie accompanied Crystal when she came to San Diego to pose for the cover of PacificSD in early May. Like their human companion, they played on dog beach in Del Mar, smiled for the camera by the pool and took breaks in a glamorous hotel room at L’Auberge.

“I love San Diego so much,” Crystal says. “I’ll be down there again soon.”
w