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THE HAMPTONS GOSSIP
Story By: Edward Callaghan
Champagne tastings, Polo, Charity Galas and nightclub bashes lured the celebrities and socials from their posh seaside palaces this weekend.
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Emeril Lagasse
Emeril Lagasse Toasted at Chefs & Champagne
The James Beard Foundation honored highly acclaimed chef, TV personality and multi James Beard Award winner Emeril Lagasse at the foundation's annual summer fundraiser at Wolffer Estate Vineyard the Chefs and Champagne Dinner The event featured culinary offerings from a select group of more than 40 fine chefs, from all over the nation, and many from JBF award-winning restaurants. The super foodie fete attracted not only Martha Stewart but a dapper looking Richard Gere.
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Betsy JohnsonNacho Figueras & Fellow Players Return to Two Trees Farm
Despite losing sponsor Mercedes Benz, polo came back again this year to Two Tree farms. Top polo player & face of Ralph Lauren was once again in the saddle to the delight of guests like Russell Simmons, Betsy Johnson & daughter Lulu, Jean Shafiroff and Kelly Klein. As always, a portion of entry fees are donated to a local charity. This week the charity was the very worthy Bridgehampton Childcare and Recreational Center headed up by my dear friend Bonnie Cannon.
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Hunt SlonemCalvin Klein Steps Up For ACRIA
The A List art & fashion crowd turned out in full force Saturday night, at photographer Steven Klein's house in Bridgehampton for ACRIA -- the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America -- 2011 annual Cocktails at Sunset.
The top shelf crowd was no surprise given the heavy weight committee that included Andre Balazs, Andrew Benedict, Ross Bleckner, Sandra Brant, Nan Bush & Bruce Weber, Bob Colacello, Francisco Costa, John DeStaphano, Gaby & Gian Paolo DeFelice, Tonne Goodman, April Gornik & Eric Fischl, Deborah Hughes, Calvin Klein, Kelly Klein, Steven Klein, Leslie Klotz & Mary McBride, David Maupin, Jack Pierson, Isabel Rattazzi, Cynthia Rowley & Bill Powers, Andrew Saffir, Stewart Shining, Ingrid Sischy, Stefano Tonchi, Rachel Zoe and Rodger Berman.
Also on hand to support ACRIA’s life saving work were polo great Nacho Figueras and his gorgeous wife Delfina Blaquier, ina Cho, Dawne Marie Grannum, Tripoli Patterson, Robert Verdi, Lauren Ezersky and Yigal Azrouel.
In addition to spectacular trip packages and other once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the silent auction featured incredible work by some of the world's most celebrated and talented artists: Ross Bleckner, Nina Bovasso, Dan Colen, Candida Hofer, Ryan McGinley, Angel Otero, Herb Ritts, Stephen Shore, Hunt Slonem, Donald Sultan, Spencer Tucker, and Massimo Vitali.
ACRIA is a leading HIV research and education organization. ACRIA tests the newest HIV therapies; undertakes cutting-edge research to understand better who has HIV and how to keep people with disease healthy; provides life-saving HIV health information to disadvantaged communities around the world, and strengthens community-based groups through a comprehensive technical assistance program.
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Kimora Lee SimmonsSocial Life Toasts Cover Girl Kimora Lee Simmons
Social Life’s Justin Mitchell & Devorah Rose popped the corks to toast this week’s cover girl Kimora Lee Simmons at The Beach House this weekend.
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Lauren BushNavy Beach & Moët Ice Imperial Host FEED Pop-Up
Shop With Lauren BushNavy Beach and MOËT Ice Imperial partnered with activist and model Lauren Bush to host a special FEED (www.feedprojects.com) pop-up this past Sunday. Guests – including Lauren’s main man David Lauren could help ’FEED the World’ by purchasing a FEED bag, t-shirts, FEED 5 bracelets, teddy bears and scarves. A limited edition bag, the FEED 10 ’Moët Navy Beach Picnic’ bag, perfect for a picnic lunch and bottle of MOËT Ice, was also available for purchase. Navy Beach will continue to sell the FEED 5 bracelets through the end of July. Each bracelet purchased provides 5 school meals to a child in need through the United Nations World Food Programme’s School Feeding program.**** 
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg Confirms Jurassic Park 4 in the Works
No Hanging around the pool at his East End estate, Steven Spielberg was on the other side of the country making his first-ever appearance at San Diego Comic-Con today, and talked plenty about The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn .As always the award winning act ahs a raft of projects on his plate including War Horse, Lincoln, Robopocalypse. But the big news came when he confirmed to the crowd that Jurassic Park 4 is in the works, too:
We have a story," Spielberg told 6,000-plus fans in the San Diego Convention Center. "We have a writer who is writing the treatment and hopefully we are going to make Jurassic park 4 in all of our foreseeable futures, hopefully in the next two or three years."
The director then took a long trip down memory lane, thanks to audience questions. Among the things Spielberg revealed were that he produced but perhaps wished he has directed American Beauty (though he credited the great job done by Sam Mendes). Also, that he perhaps had the best time producing "Bob Zemeckis' three Back to the Future movies.
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Alec BaldwinAlec Baldwin Continue with His Philanthropy to Two More Hamptons Institutions
Just a few months ago, Alec Baldwin presented Guild Hall of Eats Hampton with a check for $250,00 from his Capital One commercial deal. Now we hear he has gifted the Hampton International Film Festival with a similar amount. The announcement of Baldwin's gift - from the proceeds of his credit-card commercials - took place shortly before he and his girlfriend Hilaria Thomas attended the fest's screening of "Page One: Inside The New York Times at Guild Hall in East Hampton As you might remember he has hosted the Festival’s Summer Doc series at Guild Hall. Next on his list is the East Hampton Library who recently named him Founding Co-Chair of its acclaimed literary event The Authors Night Series.
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Michael BoltonMichael Bolton Added to List of HEAT Benefit Guests
We hear soulful crooner Michael Bolton will be joining in honoring Kim Cattrall, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb at the July 30 HEAT event, hosted by Steven Klein at the West Kill Farm, with emcee Rosanna Scotto. Donna Karan and Laura Linney are the Honorary Chairs. All event and auction proceeds benefit one of our favorite charities Southampton Hospital’s Ellen Hermanson Breast Center, Ellen’s Well and the Ellen Hermanson Foundation, all for breast cancer patients and their families.
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Jeremy Piven
