South O' the Highway (and the North too)

Congratulations go to Dan Rattiner, Executive Editor of Dan's Papers, for the rave review his memoir, In the Hamptons, got in The New York Times last Sunday. (The whole review is published on page 107.)

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Works by some of the world's greatest artists of all time - Willem de Kooning, Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, Milton Avery, David Hockney and Louise Nevelson (someone everyone will want to meet after seeing Edward Albee's new biographical play, Occupant) - will be on display at Vered Gallery's annual silent auction and benefit on July 10. Bidding takes place through July 6, and ends with the Last Bid Party from 5-7 p.m. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Trauma Victims of Sderot, Israel. For more information, call 631-324-3303, or visit veredart.com.

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Lara Shriftman and Elizabeth Harrison threw a party at Rita Schrager's Southampton estate last Saturday to celebrate their third book, Party Confidential: New Etiquette for Fabulous Entertaining. Guests dressed in denim and diamonds and included Woody Johnson with fiancée Suzanne Ircha, Fox News' Phil Keating, MSNBC's Dan Abrams, Men's Health editor Dave Zinczenko, rocker Matt White, boxer/trainer Michael Olajide, George Wayne and Kelly Bensimon.

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Amagansett's Sarah Jessica Parker is in talks to star in the upcoming movie, The Ivy Chronicles, about a single girl who lives in a series of wildly unrealistic apartments in New York City and helps rich kids get into elite private schools. The project is based on a novel by Karen Quinn, and will be produced by Jerry Weintraub.

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Frederico Azevedo of Unlimited Earth Care in Bridgehampton won the blue ribbon from Martha Stewart at an Invitational Garden Container Exhibition at LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton on June 28. The exhibition will be on display all summer, Wednesdays through Saturdays, from 2-5 p.m.

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Attention, (mature) American Idol fans! Registration for LifeStyles' immensely popular Senior Idol Competition is officially open. The contest, in its fourth running, is open to New York State residents ages 50 and over, and will hold two rounds of auditions before the finals on September 28 at Suffolk County Community College's Van Nostrand Theater. For more information, call 631-286-0058.

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Christie Brinkley's very public divorce from Peter Cook continues to make headlines. Brinkley's daughter with Billy Joel, Alexa Ray, recently told People magazine that she's proud of her mom for standing up for herself. And the other younger woman, Diana Bianchi, has been preparing to testify at the divorce trial and was spotted sharing breakfast and strategy with lawyer Rosemarie Arnold at The Maidstone Arms in East Hampton.

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Rock star "Sir Ivan" will be bringing a '60s groove and a message of love to the White House in Hampton Bays this Saturday, July 5. He'll be visiting his old pal, DJ Victor Calderone, and handing out 3,000 copies of his latest single from his new album, his own version of the Stephen Stills/Buffalo Springfield 1968 classic cry for peace, "For What It's Worth." The tune fits in perfectly with Sir Ivan's Peaceman Foundation, which supports anti-violence campaigns.

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Novelist Alan Furst has called Sag Harbor home for 15 years, and written many of his successful spy novels right here in the Hamptons. His latest, The Spies of Warsaw, was published by Random House this month, and deemed "smarter and more soulful than most espionage spy novels being written today" by The New York Times.

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Entourage star Adrian Grenier will celebrate his birthday in the Hamptons on July 10. Rumor has it that instead of cake and presents, the popular birthday boy's asking for $50,000 just to show up. It hasn't been confirmed whether any of the area's hot spots have taken him up on the offer, or if Grenier will be blowing out candles alone.

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Image director Montgomery Frazier and Debbie Bancroft were at the opening of designer Jackie Rogers' new Southampton boutique last weekend. The Coco Chanel ingénue has designed pieces worn by Lindsay Lohan, Diana Ross, Courtney Love, Julianne Moore, Condoleezza Rice, Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Patty Lupone.

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For over two decades, the annual Artists Studio Tour of The Hamptons, sponsored by the Artists Alliance of East Hamptons (AAEH), has provided art lovers and collectors with the unique opportunity to view the creative workspaces of artists who practice their craft on the South Fork. The annual Summer Tour will take place this year on Thursday, July 10 to Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A special advance Preview Exhibition and Reception showcasing the works of all participating artists will take place Thursday, July 3, from 6 to 10 p.m., at the Walk Tall Gallery in East Hampton. For more information, call 631-324-2225.

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The Ross School hosted the 13th Annual Artists Against Abuse dinner and auction last weekend. The event benefited The Retreat, the only not-for-profit domestic violence agency serving the East End. Guests included Nobu's Richie Notar, celebrity artist Adam Port, Joe Farrell, Page Six's Richard Johnson, Stella Keitel and NY Giants superstar, David Tyree.

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