out and about
Added: October 21, 2008, 10:11 am	Share    Print    Email

After reading all my notes about what our friends and neighbors have been up to while I've been hitting the fashion shows and going to posh parties I'm feeling like a bit of a sluggard. From the playing fields of the Olympic Games in Beijing to the Hampton Classic to the streets of New York, Hampton residents have been racking up some really impressive accomplishments while all I have to show for the last few months are a couple of pairs of worn down Jimmy Choos. All in service to you my dear readers.

Oh well, there's still the book I am really going to start writing but until then I'll fill you in on all of the deep dish.

Brooke Shields, Gilles Mendel, and Tinsley Mortimer at an event to honor Brooke. Photo by PatrickMcMullan.com

Renee Zellweger didn't make it to the Annual Artists & Celebrity Birdhouse Auction, of which she was once again honorary chair. But girlfriend had a great excuse that everyone connected with the South Fork Breast Health Coalition was just thrilled to hear about. Renee just wrapped up the final reels of "Living Proof," a Lifetime TV movie about the true story of Dr. Dennis Slamon, who after years of intensive research, developed the breast cancer drug Herceptin. Renee was Executive Producer of this film which features many characters familiar to all like Ron Perelman and Lily Tartikoff, breast cancer awareness advocate and wife of former NBC head Brandon Tartikoff.

Harry Connick, Jr. stars as the good doctor and Angie Harmon plays Lily. Rounding out the stellar cast are Amanda Bynes, Bernadette Peters, Amy Madigan, Swoosie Kurtz, Paula Cale, Jackson Hurst, and Joe Nemmers as Perelman. As you may know, Renee has a personal connection with the subject, recently revealing she had a breast cancer scare in 1996 with what luckily turned out to be benign tumors. The Lifetime movie premieres on Oct. 18 with additional airings on Oct. 19 and 20. Renee's story is a great reminder for all of us to keep up those monthly exams.

The late Claudia Cohen would have been very proud as her daughter Samantha Perelman unveiled the sign on the new Ronald O. Perelman Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine at Weill Cornell Hospital. Cohen also has a building named after her at the University of Pennsylvania. Both were donated by her ex-husband and best friend, Ronald Perelman. Samantha, who has already followed in her mom's footsteps as a reporter on Kid's News, said, "We all loved her very much. I am so touched that my mother's memory lives on not only in our hearts but also in these great institutions."

Over on the fields of the Hampton Classic in Bridgehampton, we were able to cheer on
one of our favorite young Southamptonites, the ever smiling Brittan White who has made us many a cocktail as a bartender at 75 Main where she worked this summer. Brittan, whose family owns Clearview Farm and had until recent years raised potatoes and other produce until converting it to a horse farm, was competing in the very difficult Equitation events and scored several ribbons while the crowd cheered wildly. A rider since she was a little girl, Brittan is now looking towards a career in finance but with a company close to a stable! You go Brittan!

The Para Olympics in Beijing were treated appropriately with all the fanfare of the preceding games - and all the attendant pride and nail-biting for observers. Surely there was no prouder group then the family of Nick Springer whose dad Gary is the long-time publicist of the Hamptons International Film Festival. Nine years ago at the age of 14, Nick was stricken with a rare disease, Menacoxcemia, which is a flesh eating disease, that cost him his limbs. When I first heard this story my heart broke for this good looking, funny athletic youngster but my tears were unnecessary as Nick was undaunted and went on to college in a specially designed wheelchair, drove his own car and returned to the rugby playing field he loved so much. I shared beers with him at one of the festival screenings last year and was truly taken aback by this young man who saw a world of possibilities where others would see the impossible.

This year, Nick along with his team, headed off to compete in the Para Olympics in Beijing not knowing that his mother Nancy's cancer had returned - for the worse. Knowing her son was so close to the gold, Nancy told Gary not to come back until the games were over. Gary put on a brave front and cheered Nick on as Nancy lay near death watching on a computer screen. Friends with her said she faded in and out but her heart monitors spiked when Nick's named was called out. They won the gold!

Newlywed couple Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan at the Second Annual Golden Heart Awards dinner for God's Love We Deliver in NYC. Photo by Wire Image

Only then when the ceremony was over did Gary inform his son that they had to return immediately to America. A day of great joy crushed by sadness as the Springer's headed home arriving at Los Angeles at 7 p.m. - sadly Nancy had passed away at 4 p.m. My prayers and thoughts go out to the Springer family.

Tripping across Union Square in New York this week, I was astounded to see a six foot tall red high heel right in front of one of the grand monuments and a crowd of several hundred folks carrying old shoes. Turned out it was a big promo for Marshall's Department Store to help bring awareness to October as Stop Domestic Violence Month. The store was giving away free shoes in exchange for a gently worn pair that would go - along with a sizable contribution from Marshall's - to Safe Horizon, whose mission is to provide support, prevent violence, and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families and communities.

For over a quarter of a century Safe Horizon has been at the forefront of helping victims of crime and abuse through their crises. Hosting the street side event was none other than frequent Hamptons visitor Leighton Meester of "Gossip Girl" fame. The young actress has been working with the organization to spotlight this national problem. We're going to have to catch up with her on her next visit out East to introduce her to Tracey Lutz and The Retreat which does such extraordinary work in helping victims of domestic abuse all over the region.

Finally, the long-awaited wedding of Howard Stern and Beth Ostrosky took place at Le Cirque. The shock jock and his leggy lady had booked the whole restaurant (the first time anyone has ever taken over the entire place) for a sit-down dinner for 180 guests, including Donald Trump. Beth's wedding gown was designed by Georgina Chapman. And guess who performed the ceremony? Mark Consuelos, husband of Kelly Ripa, who is certified to supervise wedding vows.

"ABC World News Now" has a new gossip guru. The irrepressible columnist and frequent Hamptons.com contributor R. Couri Hay joins the show as a weekly contributor to its gossipy "What's the Buzz" segment. From Main Street Southampton to West Side studio - good for you Couri!

Last week, Southampton's Emanuel Sylvano strutted the runway for LL Cool J's new clothing line for Sears at CUNY in Brooklyn. Hoards of college students and high school girls fell in love with our own Emanuel and he said it was one of the best days of his career to meet his fans since on film and TV sets like "Royal Pains" he only gets to play to the cameras.

Just in time for what would have been John Lennon's 68th birthday and the opening of Imagine Peace in SoHo, dairy delight maker Ben & Jerry's and The Lennon Estate introduced a new ice cream flavor called "Imagine Whirled Peace." The new flavor is a caramel and sweet cream whirl of chocolate-covered peace signs and toffee pieces. I am not going to feel guilty about scarfing down a pint of this yummy confection - how can anything called Whirled Peace be bad for you?

Ran into the always smiling and gorgeous - even without make-up, damn her - Brooke Shields with her hubby Chris Henchy and kids on Southampton's Main Street last week. Brooke was ecstatic about the audience response to "Lipstick Jungle" and told me she was having a blast with the new Candace Bushnell created show. Brooke was doing a little shopping for her tykes at our hip kiddie stores.

I didn't see him myself but I can tell you that Clive Davis indulged in a little personal pampering this week. The music mogul checked into a two bedroom suite at Gurney's Inn and booked six hours of spa treatments a day. Guess the music biz isn't as bad as it seems.

Kudos to those newlyweds Simon Doonan and Jonathan Adler who finally tied the knot - legally in San Francisco. Big kisses, boys!

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