It took a week before the hottest summer kick-off party reached the ears of the press but sweet readers I was there when all the other press were nixed and now I can tell you what really went on in the Hamptons most famed castle.

Rock star Sir Ivan Wilzig lowered the bridge over the moat to welcome some 300 guests for a very exclusive, over-the-top, Bunny Birthday Ball for his ever present sidekick, the gorgeous Mina Otsuka. Mina's got a thing for bunnies and Sir Ivan, who never does things in a small way, would never disappoint the lovely Mina. He transformed his hilltop Hamptons castle into a bunny-lover's paradise. The recording artist's medieval castle, complete with gold leaf gate, chain and wood drawbridge, multi-tiered moat with seven waterfalls, secret passages, gargoyles and dragons, looked like the world's largest Easter parade. Only Channel 1, Germany's largest TV network, and Channel 6, France's biggest station, were allowed to film the party for European audiences exclusively and me, of course.

Sir Ivan and Mina at the Bunny Birthday Ball at the castle. Photo by Jennifer Tuesday

Everywhere on the sprawling estate there were 10-foot-high bunnies. Over 500 pink bunny head beach balls floated in the pool. Guests who came from all over the world were asked to don leather, lingerie, or pajamas. One gent coming directly from the airport was sporting the pajamas given to him by British Airways for his First Class transatlantic flight. Upon arrival, all were handed floppy bunny ears by sexy bunnies in pink fishnet stockings.

In any event, the Veuve Clicquot Rose flowed like the Seine and the elegant crowd lapped it up as if they had just crossed the Kalahari. Culinary wizard/party event master Frank Tramontano not only fulfilled Sir Ivan's décor dreams but kept the well-heeled crowd well stoked with fierce Thai dishes from a constantly replenished buffet.

When Sir Ivan – all in black and wearing black wings - and Mina in a Barbarella–esque body suit with enormous white wings descended to the stage, the crowd went wild and the dance floor exploded. The flying bunny pair led a virtual conga line around the pool before heading back to the stage where an enormous carrot cake, 6'x5', with an eight-foot bunny atop was wheeled in ablaze with giant sparklers. The revelers sang Mina a lusty Happy Birthday and then all took to the dance floor and rocked on until the wee hours with Castle resident DJ Lee Kalt.

I was surprised that certain reports made it sound decadent and kinky when it was a really just a great costume theme party with grown-ups acting like kids. Real fun!

In great contrast was the wedding of theater titan James Nederlander, Jr. to sweetheart Margo McNabb. Elegant old-style was in evidence everywhere from the ceremony at historic Christ Church with Margo decked out in a long beaded white gown handmade by Naem Khan to the trolleys that took the over 300 very VIP guests to the Four Seasons which closed its doors to the public for the reception and exquisite seated dinner. Rudy and Judith Giuliani, Francine Lefrak, Rick Freydberg, Nicole Miller and Kim Taipale, Charlene Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, gossip guru Cindy Adams and Yankees honcho Randy Levine were among the select.

Speaking of Cindy whom I love to catch in her NBC weekend morning show appearances gave a great plug to our fave Real Housewives star Jill Zarin. Cindy took up for accusations that Jill was "too Brooklyn". Cindy, another Brooklyn girl herself (she was once Miss Bagel back when), immediately rushed to Jill's defense with some snappy put-downs of the other Housewives. Cindy's tough and takes no prisoners.

One party that DIDN'T happen this weekend was the blast Patrick McMullan and his son Liam were set to host at Dune on Friday night. The bash was canceled over the invitations Liam and his "Purple Foam" bandmate, Chris Young, were handing out. The invite showed a photo from High Times magazine of Liam and Chris smoking pot. The inside buzz is the club owners canceled the party, saying they don't condone that kind of behavior.

Liam and Patrick McMullan at the Fashion Rocks after party at Radio City Music Hall. Photo by PatrickMcMullan.com

Note to my Fire Island and Sayville pals, the Fire Island dance fest Dancers Responding to AIDS benefit on July 19 will be hosted by none other then Whoopi Goldberg. When I asked her why she was doing it, she replied, "Hell, didn't you know I'm really a gay man?"

Steiner Studios is being staked out by the paparazzi hoping to catch a glimpse and/or a quote from Madonna whose marriage is reportedly on the rocks. Madge is rehearsing for her Re-Invention tour which by all reports will be her most scandalous and controversial show ever.

The show reportedly opens with Madonna simulating sex with a female tango dancer. When she sings "Papa Don't Preach," she'll be backed by a chorus line of scantily clad, heavily pregnant babes. That ought to provide comic relief from the set-up for "American Life," when the audience gets to hear the sounds of bombs dropping and watch a video montage of troops battling in Iraq.

A video of sickly, starving children will reportedly be screened on a Jumbotron while Madonna delivers her cover of the John Lennon classic "Imagine." The show's closing number will show Madonna at her most provocative. The lights will go down and, following a flash-storm of fireworks, Madonna will reappear strapped into an electric chair and writhing to escape. She'll rise from the dead and sing the Kabbalah-inspired lullaby, "Bedtime Story." Whew!

The brilliant artist Kevin Berlin, who delighted everyone last summer with his Made in China series of paintings which spoofed our obsession with labels - Louis Vuitton, Prada et al, is back from Italy for his annual summer stint in Southampton with two friends, Giovanni Rossi and Boris Ivanovich Petrov who'll show with him at RVS Gallery starting this weekend. Kevin, who always mixes a little performance art to go with his paintings, will perform in the RVS window on Saturday at 7 p.m. Giovanni will take over Sunday and Ivan will fill the window on Monday.

I love when you know someone for their expertise in one field and then they surprise you by doing a 180 and blow you away. Such is the case with commodity market expert Philip Gotthelf who returns to his musical roots to perform at OSO at Southampton Inn on Saturday

During the heyday of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul and Mary, folk clubs in Manhattan teemed with aspiring artists. Among them was a young artist, Philip Gotthelf, now better known to TV audiences as a leading expert in commodity markets. But back then, Philip played all the great clubs - Folk City, The Electric Circus, The Bottom Line Café Wha, The Bitter End, and The Night Owl Café. He also plied his trade in the Hamptons hitting night spots like The Artful Dodger, The Hampton Arts, The Drivers Seat, The Cove, The Club at Canoe Place, and more.

Now, he'll present his retrospective in a unique performance at The Southampton Inn. You'll recognize him as the guy who regularly appears in a bow tie on CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and the three networks. But he'll be un-buttoned and more casual, avoiding questions about crude oil price trends and the direction of the corn market and focus on the music!

Seen Around the Villages:

MSNBC's Dan Abrams, David Zinczenko, Richard and Sessa Johnson schmoozed at Rita Schrager's Southampton spread for a book party toasting Lara Schriftman and Elizabeth Harrison on their new book "Party Confidential."

Actor Greg Bello turned up at Kobe Beach Club to congratulate first time author Jasmine Rosemberg on her witty "How the Other Half Hamptons."

Ralph Lauren and Jerry Seinfeld brunched together at the Surf Lodge in Montauk. Actor, singer, writer and producer Shaun Cassidy was spotted at Tutto Italiano picking up some groceries.

The surf was up at the launch party for the Asparagus Beach collection at Amagansett¹s Stephen Talkhouse. Among the revelers making fashionable waves were UK beauty expert Cindy Jackson and concert promoter Ron Delsener.

Nick and Toni's, getting ready for its 20th Anniversary bash this week for The Great Chefs Dinner to benefit The Hayground School for the AAA list hasn't neglected their regulars. As always, every night brought a major power player - Wednesday it was Starbucks mogul Howard Schultz and his wife. Thursday brought producer Sandy Gallin, on Friday Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg with Nick Pileggi and Nora Ephron. Saturday Robert Benton and his wife had a table, and Sunday it was Alan Grubman and family.