South O' the Highway... (and the North too)

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Foundation for Long Island State Parks has announced that noted singer/songwriter/performer Billy Joel is the honoree receiving the Long Island State Parks' Tenth Annual Master Builder Award in recognition for his achievements in the entertainment industry and his efforts to protect Long Island's historic maritime industries. The black-tie award gala will be held at Bethpage State Park's Carlyle on the Green on October 11, 2007 and will be hosted by State Parks and the Foundation for Long Island State Parks.

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Women's Health Magazine has selected Gurney's Sea Water Spa in Montauk as one of the 27 most spa-tacular spas in the United States.

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Over Memorial Day Weekend, Hamptons celebrities, including Mel Brooks and Susan Strohman, Robert Benton, Barry Sonnenfeld, Howard Schultz, Jaci and Morris L. Reid, Sandy Gallin and Ross Bleckner enjoyed the food and celebrity-watching at Nick & Toni's in East Hampton.

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Ferregut Tower Gallery director Yolanda Merchant will curate a show of Dan's Papers Editor-in-Chief Dan Rattiner's ink drawings, titled Ode to the East End, at the Southampton Inn on Hill Street in Southampton from June 25 until September 11. An artist's reception is planned for July 7 from 6-8 p.m. The exhibition premiered at the Ferregut Tower Gallery in February and will be on view at the Inn for the summer of 2007 before it travels to Boston, Massachusetts this winter.

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The director of Ross School's Theater Program, Gerard Doyle, was honored with an "Audie" Award at this year's Gala Award Ceremony at New York's Rainbow Room on June 1. The "Audie," awarded by the Audio Publishers Association of America, recognizes excellence in audio book narration and publishing. This is Gerard's second "Audie" nomination. On May 31st, Gerard enjoyed the honor of being presented with The Benjamiin Franklin Award, an award given by The Independent Book Publishers Association of America, for his recording, published by Scholastic, of "The Looking Glass Wars" by Frank Beddor, producer of the movie There's Something About Mary. In the past 6 years, Gerard has narrated over 60 books and has received 15 "Earphones" awards from the critics in Audiofile Magazine.

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The Hamptons will experience the debut of THE ESTATE, a private five-million-dollar property in Southampton this summer. Dedicated to providing the best weekend experience on the East End, EM Group, with partners and Tenjune owners Eugene Remm and Mark Birnbaum, will captivate guests with celebrity barbecues, spectacular rooms, VIP hotel-like services, and outdoor decor by Pottery Barn.

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Debut novelist Holly Peterson will discussing and sign her novel, The Manny at Book Hampton on Saturday, June 23, at 5:30 p.m. For more information, contact Anna Crowe at (212) 782-9186.

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Over 1,000 mourners turned out for the funeral service for film producer and former head of fashion house Evan-Picone, Charles Evans of Quogue, who died last week at the age of 81. Among those at the Temple Emmanuel service were David Koch, Donald Trump, Richard Meier, Ali McGraw, Gerald Schoenfeld and the Prince of Hanover.

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Veteran baseball player and former New York Met Keith Hernandez dined with his wife at Almond in Bridgehampton on Saturday evening. Shortly after his meal, he signed an autograph for an 8-year-old fan in the parking lot.

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Local designer Ralph Lauren launched his new fragrance, Polo Explorer, on the anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, complete with a squadron of Land Rovers slicing through the sands of Napeague. The only glitch came up when the Town of East Hampton's Marine Patrol pulled up to warn the revelers about disturbing the piping plover nests.

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The Retreat will be celebrating their 20th Anniversary at Artists Against Abuse on June 23 at Hampton Hall in Southampton. The evening of cocktails, dinner and entertainment will honor and recognize Leonard and Judith Ackerman, Stuart and Lynn Epstein, Harvey and Karen Silverman and Mary Bromley. Over the past 12 years, many generous artists, including Ross Bleckner, Louise Bourgeois, Eric Fischl, Bryan Hunt, Bill King, Rosie O'Donnell, Yoko Ono, Susan Rothenberg, Thomas Rutt and Cindy Sherman, have contributed to make Artists Against Abuse one of the premier events of the summer.

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The Jewish Center of the Hamptons has appointed Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman to be the congregation's new spiritual leader. He will take over the pulpit from Rabbi Myron Fenster, who has been the Center's guest Rabbi for a year. Over the past decade, Rabbi Zimmerman has held major leadership roles within the larger Jewish community, serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hebrew Union College and as the Executive Vice President of Birthright Israel. Most recently, Rabbi Zimmerman was Vice President, Jewish Renaissance and Renewal for the United Jewish Communities.

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The Thunderbird Sisters, Hoss Hed Juju and world music artist Tiye Giraud will perform at the Hayground School Graduation on June 8. In addition to the graduation speeches and awarding of diplomas, Comcajac Nation representatives and Bitonga Divers of Sonora, Mexico will present the graduates with Journey bags and bracelets. Hayground founder Jon Snow is Artist in Residence for Ocean Revolution and Hayground Council member Timothy Dykman is the founder and co-director of Ocean Revolution.

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Msgr. Edward Trench, Pastor Emeritus of Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary Church in Southampton, was the guest of honor at a celebration at the Hill Street church to mark the 50th year of his ordination as a priest.

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The late Patricia Kennedy Lawford's posh Sutton Place duplex was sold to hedge fund mogul Scott Bessent, a former partner of George Soros, for a reported twelve million dollars.

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Hamptons artist Haim Mizrahi will exhibit his works at The Depot in Montauk from June 15 to June 25 in a special group show that will include works by Naeme Clark, William Clark and Jeffrey Dicker at the Old Train Station in Montauk at the junction of Edgemere and Flamingo Roads. An Artists' Reception will take place on Saturday, June 16 from 5-7 p.m.

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Hamptonite Alec Baldwin has turned down an invitation to be the target of a forthcoming Friars' Club roast.

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On Saturday, the East Hampton Lady Bonackers softball team lost to South Glens Falls (1-0) in the State Class A Championship Game at BAGSAI Softball Complex in Binghampton. Earlier that day the Lady Bonackers defeated Hendrick Hudson (4-1) in the semi-finals to advance to the championship game. Junior pitcher Jessie Stavola recorded 30 strikeouts over 16 innings and allowed only one earned run.

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Allen Brill, CEO and President of Rolex USA, and philanthropist Patricia Kennedy, Anniversary co-chairs of this year's Career Transition for Dancers 22nd Jubilee at City Center, hosted a kickoff luncheon at Sardi's in New York City for their committees. Southampton's Janice Becker organized a splendid summer lunch for the announcement of this year's honoree, Anka Palitz. Committee members and Chairs in attendance included Cynthia Gregory, Donna McKechnie, Kevin McKenzie, Jane Powell, Ann Reinking, Chita Rivera, Ethan Steifel, Yolanda Santos Garza, Peg Ranieri, Mercedes Ellington, Alexander Dube, Allen Greenberg, Victoria Herbert, Greg Kriser, Floria V. Lasky, Daniel Stern, Helene Alexopoulos Warrick, Laura Zeckendorf, Ann Marie DeAngelo, Ann Van Ness, Roberta Silbert, David Goldring and Michael Weiskopf. Also in attendance were Hamptonites Carol Lieberman, Laurence Krashes, Chris Pennington, Cynthia Fischer and Larry Barkley.

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