South O' the Highway (and the North too)

Frank McCourt, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Angela's Ashes and a regular lecturer at the Southampton Writers Conference, passed away last weekend after contracting meningitis while traveling. He was 78.

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Michelle Pfeiffer was recently shopping at The Fancy in East Hampton.

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Designer Tory Burch petitioned the Southampton Architectural Review Board for permission to demolish her Meadow Lane home, which she recently purchased for $22.5 million. Architect Daniel Romualdez presented plans to the board to build a brand-new house located further from the ocean.

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"Real Housewife" Bethenny Frankel will star in her own reality show on Bravo this fall. "Skinny & the City" will follow Frankel as she prepares to wed fiancé Jason Hoppy.

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Southampton's Beth Ostrosky hosted a Halston trunk show in Water Mill to benefit the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons.

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Jodie Foster was seen with handfuls of ride tickets at the Bridgehampton Carnival.

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Celebrities galore have been chowing down in the Hamptons. "Real Housewife" Kelly Bensimon picked up takeout at Turtle Crossing in East Hampton; Kelly Ripa had lunch at Ziggy's in Bridgehampton; and Amy Irving, Ebon Moss Bachrach, and Itzhak Perlman and his family dined at Rowdy Hall.

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Sagaponack, Bridgehampton, Amagansett and Southampton had the dubious achievement of being on Forbes magazine's "America's Most Troubled Luxury Neighborhoods" list. Included towns had a 30:1 (or higher) ratio of real estate listings to sales in the past 90 days.

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Day & Night Restaurant Beach Club held its first weekly Dinner with the Stars. "Real Housewives of NY" star LuAnn deLesseps attended; DJ Nick Cohen kept things movin'.

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The Tory Burch boutique in East Hampton hosted a shopping event benefiting Art for Life. Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen and Allison and Chip Brady hosted shoppers, who received 10% off. A portion of sales went to the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation.

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Dr. Jim Bennett, director of the University of Oxford's Museum of History & Science, and Southampton designer Art Donovan (who pioneered last year's successful Steampunk exhibit in Bridgehampton) recently announced a special Museum Exhibition of Steampunk art, featured exclusively at Oxford's MHS.

Dr. Chuck Hitchcock of East Hampton was named chair of the 62nd United Nations Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organizations Conference: "For Peace and Development: Disarm Now!" to be held in Mexico City, Mexico this September.

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Stella Keitel and Amanda Hearst hosted a summer kickoff party at Intermix in East Hampton last weekend.

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This year, the Ann Liguori Foundation Outback Steakhouse Dinner Dance at Duckwalk Vineyards in Water Mill benefited the American Cancer Society and Healthy Children, Healthy Futures. Kathy Rae, associate publisher of Dan's Papers, received the Foundation's first Media Award. Sharon Bush, painter/sculptor Malcolm Morley, Olympic silver medalist Tim Morehouse and former Jet John Nitti were attendees. The Foundation's upcoming charity golf classic is October 5 at the Maidstone Club. Email innerview@aol.com for more info.

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Acclaimed author Anne Nelson signed copies of her critically well received new book Red Orchestra, The Story of the Berlin Underground and the Circle of Friends who Resisted Hitler at OSO Restaurant at Southampton Inn last Sunday. Longtime friend and Inn owner Dede Gotthelf Moan introduced Nelson. Guests included Dan's Papers founder and author Dan Rattiner and Christine Wasserstein Rattiner, Jean Shafiroff, Teri and Steven Ludsin, Keiko Aoki, Chuck Taylor and Liz Derringer.

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Eddie Largo lives! Remember the thrilling Marakesh nights? The glory days live on at the first Club Marakesh reunion, Saturday, July 25, 8 p.m. - 1 a.m. at Tavern Night Club in Southampton. It's a benefit for The Mission of Angels Foundation. Just 25 bucks!

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