Talk of the Town

Charity Register: August 17-23

August 17, 2012

Candy Udell will be honored at the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons' Beach Ball

Peconic Baykeeper
What: Mrs. Peter Salm hosts Celebration of Our Bays at her home to toast and support the Peconic Baykeeper’s clean water programs. As a special guest of honor, Alec Baldwin joins revelers for cocktails, music, and hors d’oeuvres. The organization is the only private nonprofit to defend Long Island’s Peconic and South Shore waters.
When: Friday, August 17
Where: Port of Missing Men, 2277 N. Sea Road, Southampton

The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
What: The third annual “Be Our Guest” Gala heads to Kristin and John Miller’s waterfront estate this year. After cocktails, guests attend themed summer feasts designed by select hosts at their private residences. Proceeds benefit the community-based arts organization, Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center.
When: Friday, August 17
Where: The home of Kristin and John Miller, Quogue

Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons
What: Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (ARF) honors Candy Udell with its Champion of Animals Award at this year’s Beach Ball Jewels of Summer event. More than 200 animal lovers will come together for cocktails, dinner, a silent auction, and online auction by charitybuzz.com to raise funds vital to the organization’s continuing efforts to save animals. ARF cats and dogs are also available for adoption at the fête, which is emceed by Chuck Scarborough.
When: Saturday, August 18
Where: Bridgehampton Tennis & Surf Club, 231 Mid Ocean Dr., Bridgehampton

Evidence, A Dance Company
What: Evidence’s annual “On Our Toes” ... in the Hamptons summer benefit honors Ruby Dee with the Lifetime Achievement Gatekeeper Award and Jason Moran with the Visionary Gatekeeper Award. Supporters enjoy a luxury auction, awards presentation, and dance performances.
When: Saturday, August 18
Where: The Hayground School, 151 Mitchells Lane, Bridgehampton

Paul Robert Carey Foundation
What: Designer Tanya Trayovski of Isadora Story hosts a trunk show at Bridge Street Gifts with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Paul Robert Carey Foundation. The beneficiary organization supports cancer patients with quality-of-life funds.
When: Saturday, August 18
Where: Bridge Street Gifts, 183 N. Ferry Road, Shelter Island

Shelter Island Charity Cricket Club
What: The Shelter Island Cricket Club hosts its inaugural “Big Game” charity cricket match to raise money for the Shelter Island Ambulance Foundation. The local team will compete against a team from London’s St. James Cricket Club.
When: Saturday, August 18
Where: Shelter Island School, 33 N. Ferry Road, Shelter Island

Wall Street Rocks
What: Wall Street Rocks presents its 2012 Battle of the Bands at The Stephen Talkhouse to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project and ReserveAid. The organization consists of financial, technology, and entertainment employees who want to support American citizens who serve our country.
When: Saturday, August 18
Where: The Stephen Talkhouse, 161 Main St., Amagansett

Center for Therapeutic Riding of the East End
What: A summer evening of cocktails and a silent auction await at the Sebonack Golf Club for the Center for Therapeutic Riding of the East End (TREE) at Sebonack affair. All proceeds support the nonprofit center and its riding programs for children and adults with special needs.
When: Thursday, August 23
Where: Sebonack Golf Club, 405 Sebonac Road, Southampton

Dispatch: Paul McCartney Rocks the Apollo Benefit; Blythe Danner Hits the Beach

August 15, 2012

Gigi Grazer, Richard Johnson, and Michael Michele at Grazer's book party for The After Wife

Early in summer, except for the random “Real Housewife,” the East End of Long Island feels nearly celebrity-free. But by August, one just can’t seem to escape the notables. Yes, that was Mad Men star John Slattery, who turned 50 earlier this week, celebrating at Amagansett’s Sotto Sopra.

And Guild Hall was chock-a-block with art stars (Cindy Sherman, Ross Bleckner, April Gornik) last Friday for the crazy-beautiful Eric Fischl retrospective.

Fischl captures a world of semi-clothed rich island hoppers in a way that, to a degree, lampoons the well-heeled at leisure. “It’s always the most fun to have shows out here,” said Gornik, also an inspired painter. “How could I not be happy,” chimed in Fischl. “With an adoring crowd?”

Next stop on Friday was a book party for Gigi Grazer’s new novel, The After Wife, hosted by Chris Burch at his fab spread in Southampton. Grazer, the ex-wife of producer Brian Grazer, is perhaps the sexiest and funniest of Hollywood exes. She’s also ripped—she blamed the musculature on yoga, and told Dispatches she has two more parties for the book in L.A., “but this is the only one that counts. There is a lot of nude dancing . . . just kidding!”

At 2 p.m. the next day, Venus Williams hit balls with writers—who tend to suck at tennis—at Rita Schrager’s endless estate. “This is Harold,” Williams said, introducing her Havanese pooch. “He hates parties.”

Williams wore a brightly patterned dress from her new EleVen by Venus Williams collection, which she'll also be wearing at the U.S. Open.

More bad luck for Bridgehampton Polo. Match number four was canceled because of soaking rain. But the revelers partied on. Chilling by the baseboards was Mitch Winehouse, who had hosted cocktails the night before in Southampton for the Amy Winehouse Foundation, named for his late daughter, which aids the homeless in the United States. “In the UK, the foundation is more about rehab,” he said. At his event, Mitch, who has played at Royal Albert Hall, sang “Fly Me to the Moon.”

Sir Paul McCartney performing at the Apollo in the Hamptons benefit

That night, at Ron Perelman’s historic estate, The Creeks, “Apollo in the Hamptons: A Night of Legends” went down like clockwork. After a chic buffet in Perelman's barn-like screening room, a slenderized Jennifer Hudson gave an unforgettable performance, stepping out into the audience to work the crowd. The night went on with all-out performances by Usher, Pharrell Williams, Jon Bon Jovi, and The Isley Brothers, who sang "Twist and Shout" with Sir Paul McCartney.

Also spotted were Barry Manilow, Roberta Flack, Anjelica Huston in a long, sexy white number, Penny Marshall, Richie Sambora, and Roger Waters.

The same night, at the Best Buddies Hamptons Gala at Ashgrove Farm in Water Mill, the home of Jay McInerney and Anne Hearst McInerney, Dispatches was seated at Jay’s table, next to the elegant Valesca Guerrand Hermès, who was just back from Europe. A known oenophile, McInerney kindly sent special bottles off to friends like Lady Liliana Cavendish.

Host Anthony Shriver’s kids are so cute it defies belief. And he was dancing with the littlest, Joey, who has a lion’s mane of blond curls, on his shoulders. Jay’s charming trainer Ed Cashin, also at our table, trains Ross Bleckner—they met in Gstaad.

Best Buddies provides mentoring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “We’ve raised about $35 million for the organization [in all],” said Shriver before dinner. And everyone got teary when a graduate of the Best Buddies speech-coaching program gave a talk.

Carie Lowell and Richard Gere; Jon Bon Jovi at a screening of Arbitrage

On Sunday, in East Hampton, Brioni sponsored The Peggy Siegal Company's screening of Arbitrage, which was produced by Southampton’s own Mike Heller and stars Richard Gere, who described his character as “smart and entitled.”

“He appears to be normal,” he said. “But living on a different planet with someone else’s money.” Sound familiar? The after-fête, at the East Hampton home of Leila and Mickey Straus, was both tasteful and reserved. Guests self-parked at the 10 acre estate, next to East Hampton's very first farm, and continued behind the modern, art-filled house, where bamboo poles strung with lights encircled a flock of white tables.

Also spotted this week: Vanessa Williams ordering an omelet at Muse in the Harbor. On Monday, a post-workout Alec Baldwin ordered breakfast for two at Mary's Marvelous. On Sunday, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw took a table on the patio at Nick and Toni’s. At lunch on Saturday, Usher was a no-show for his two-top at Almond. And he had booked yet another unused table for his “security detail.” Bad form.

But Dispatches’ big brush with greatness occurred at a beach that shall go nameless on Sunday. Two small children began playing on the two-foot sand cliff in front of my family’s chairs. One had bright blonde hair and looked like a mini-me of her famous mom, not present. She and her smaller brother were shoving each other off the precipice when grandma, Blythe Danner, walked up. When a wave suddenly swamped us, Danner, beyond nice, quickly helped us recover our towels and shoes in the watery swirl.

—JEFFREY SLONIM

For more entertainment and society news, visit jeffreyslonim.com or follow @JeffreyJSlo on Twitter

Scenes from the Weekend

August 13, 2012

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Anne Hearst and Jay McInerney hosted the 2012 Best Buddies Hamptons Gala at their Water Mill home. Guests of the French-themed gala included Best Buddies chairs Alina and Anthony Shriver, Kathy Hilton, Katie Lee, and Nate Berkus, among others.