Summer Colony report

What a busy week! With so many events going on here and in the city, I found myself in need of a car and driver. My cardinal rule is that once I’m out, I am out for the season and I never go back to the city. Well, never say never. This week I accepted an invite to a downtown fashion and photo shoot for YRB magazine as they came together to celebrate a fall fashion event titled “How You Rock It.” It was a night of fashion, music, video games and anything goes, including tattoo artists ready to give guests permanent souvenirs of the evening. Big difference from the canvas tote goodie bags we are all used to!

The YRB party was orchestrated by

Lizzie Grubman

, whose publicists really know how to draw a crowd.

Erika Shantz

, who looked stunning in a white Helmut Lang frock, kept the party running flawlessly inside, while

Kelly Brady

handled crowd control on the red carpet, which was at capacity. Notables seen rocking to the music of

Kid Capri

:

Patrick McDonald

,

Josh Madden

,

Izzy Gold

,

Jaslene Gonzalez

,

Kelly Bensimon

(everyone’s favorite Page Six Magazine columnist),

Sophia Lamar

and

Kelly Will

. Guests watched on large flat-screen TVs as an impromptu photo shoot took place, by renowned photographer

Kareem Black

. Models selected outfits from such designers as Miss Sixty, Billionaire Boys Club, Junk Food Tees, Van’s, and Stubbs & Wootton, just to name a few.

It was a mad dash back to Southampton on Thursday for the Southampton Garden Club’s annual Flower Show and Garden Tour, to benefit the club’s many civic and conservation activities. The tour showcased some of Southampton’s most spectacular properties, which included the

Friedrich

estate on Ox Pasture. The home features an indoor and outdoor pool, paddle and grass tennis courts, a soccer field, and fountains that could almost rival any in Central Park. The next stop was the

Carls

’ estate on Coopers Neck, which was equally as breathtaking. The flower show was stunning, with arrangements by

Maggie Embry

,

Pat Tenney

,

Linda Fraser

and

Fran Dalessandro

, whose creative underwater design was my favorite. Sadly, the judges gave the top prize to an out-of-town entrant. I ask you, is that fair?

Friday was the opening of the Fredric Snitzer Gallery in Water Mill. On exhibition were several renowned Miami artists, including

Timothy Buwalda

,

Bert Rodriguez

,

Alex Sweet

, and my personal favorite up-and-coming artist,

Michael Vasquez

. So nice to see that such a prominent Miami gallery now has an outpost in our quaint little summer colony.

This week in town I saw:

Susan Lucci

, in her summer whites, enjoying an ice cream cone—where does she hide the calories?

Ina Garten

, the Barefoot Contessa, was shopping on Main Street with her husband,

Jeffrey

. Have you ever tried her recipe for gazpacho? It’s the perfect remedy for a hot summer night.

Judy Nathan Giuliani

looked stunning in a fuchsia tunic over white slacks as she shopped in Saks.

South Main Street was a traffic jam on Saturday morning as everyone gathered for the annual Country Fair at St. John’s Church. By 9 a.m. it was a frenzy as they opened the doors and the long lines of shoppers rushed in to snap up all the goodies. I gather

Bob Taft

made out rather well, as he was seen hauling numerous bags back to his car. Outside,

Barbara Lord

, with the help of

Jeannie Ferrer

and

Cindy Willis

, worked the flower tent, where one could pick up perennials and annuals for the garden.

That evening it was off to the Diamond Ranch in Water Mill for the American Cancer Society’s first Denim 
and Diamond Gala. This year the American Cancer Society honored four outstanding members of the community for their hard work in the fight 
against cancer. Recipients included

U.S. Representative Tim Bishop

,

Dr. Edna Kapenhas-Valdes

, and

Count and Countess de Lesseps

, and the memorial award went to

Roy Scheider

. Guests 
enjoyed a spectacular array of nibbles by East Hampton’s very own Food & Co.

Seen perusing the fabulous baubles by Jewels of Ocean were:

Kelsey and Camille Grammer

,

Bethenney Frankel

,

Jill and Bobby Zarin

,

David Evangelista

,

Sean Bruns

,

Denise Bornschein

, and

John McGuire

, one of the proprietors of Regulars Café.

The purpose of the evening was to pay tribute to cancer patients and their families, as well as raise awareness of the American Cancer Society and all the hard work they do on Long Island. I overheard one of the event coordinators reprimanding a guest who had a cocktail in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Can you imagine?

This Thursday,

Lisa Crawford

is hosting a little party at her home to showcase her estate and contemporary jewelry collection. Guests can enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while viewing all the magnificent designs, which will be available for sale over the weekend. Please give Lisa call if you are planning to attend.

Friday is the annual Fourth of July parade in town, which brings everyone out to enjoy the small-town festivities. The two-hour-long parade is a must for the weekend, and I have enjoyed watching it since I was little.

Don’t forget that Saturday is the 21st annual American Picnic to benefit the Southampton Fresh Air Home. The highlight of the evening is a spectacular fireworks display by the famous Gruccis. For tickets, please call (631) 283-5847. This is truly a wonderful cause, and I hope to see you there.