South O' the Highway (and the North too)

A painting by artist and illustrator Michael Paraskevas, who celebrates 20 years with Dan's Papers this year, was selected as the artwork for the 2008 Hampton Classic poster. Paraskevas has been awarded this honor three other times, in 1987,1992 and 1998. He and his mother, Betty, are hard at work on their new animated series, "Taffy Saltwater," with Saban Entertainment, and a new Junior Kroll book is due out this fall. Find out more at thecheapshow.com.

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The National Convention of the Democratic Party in Denver, Colorado, kicked off on Sunday with an inter-faith gathering. Rabbi Marc Schneier, president of The Foundation of Ethnic Understanding, was among the religious leaders who led delegates in prayer. The inter-faith gathering brought delegates, elected officials, local residents, musical guests and spiritual leaders from many communities of faith together. A group of religious leaders launched the event with a joint prayer, and representatives of nine different faiths shared the stage at the Denver Convention Center and discussed religion, responsibility and solidarity. It was the first such forum held at a Democratic convention.

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Paris Hilton recently put her acting skills to new use when she shot a video in response to John McCain using her image in an anti-celebrity campaign ad. The video was shot in Hilton's Southampton home, and by the time the film crew arrived, she had already memorized her lines, and done her own hair and makeup. After only four takes, the video was complete, and Hilton made turkey sandwiches for all.

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Emanuel Sylvano recently met with casting director Grant Wilfley and Michael Wudyka, owner of East Hampton Studios, where Kelly Preston will soon be shooting the HBO pilot, "Suburban Shootout." Based on the British series, "Suburban Shootout" is a dark comedy about a woman who escapes the city for suburban bliss only to find herself caught between two rival gangs of homicidal housewives vying for control of the town. Preston will play Camilla, the formidable leader of one of the gangs. She joins the previously cast Kerri Kenney and Rachael Harris.

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Rumor has it that Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, star of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New York City," stole the show at the Southampton wedding of Blue Star Jets owner Todd Rome and Vanessa Brahms last week. In front of 200 guests at Nello Summertimes in Southampton, the countess borrowed the microphone from Andy Hilfiger's band and sang two songs, apparently causing quite a stir.

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Lexxi Saal, a middle school student from Deer Park, won the WLIU 88.3 FM National Anthem Singing Contest at the 33rd Hampton Classic Horse Show. The event, which was broadcast live on WLIU and on WVVH-TV, headlined the Manhattan Mortgage Company's Opening Day activities at the eight-day equestrian event.

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Prudential Douglas Elliman chairman Howard Lorber was honored last Sunday at the Meadow Lane estate of Eleanor Wohl by the Chabad of Southampton Jewish Center, which he helped in its zoning fight.

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Jon Bon Jovi attended the Music for Mercy Corp benefit for Darfur held last weekend in Water Mill. Sarah Silverman, The English Beat and Bill McCuddy performed, and auction items included walk-ons in a Robert Zemeckis movie and the ABC show, "Dirty Sexy Money."

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Mother Nature has not been kind to Martha Stewart this summer. After lightning struck a white pine on her Bedford farm a few weeks ago, a thunderbolt hit her home on Lily Pond Lane in East Hampton, damaging molding and shingles and frying her sprinkler control panel, stereo system and electronic driveway gate.

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Seen out and about in the Hamptons recently were Mercedes Ruehl at Cherrystone's Clam and Lobster Shack in East Hampton; Boris Becker at Nello Summertimes in Southampton; Nathan Lane at Indian Wells Tavern in Amagansett; Geraldo Rivera at the Montauk Yacht Club; Julianne Moore at Tutto Italiano in East Hampton; Fred Schneider, Liev Schreiber and Sam Champion at Wei Fun in East Hampton; and Jack Nicholson, Ben Bradlee, Sally Quinn, Naomi Watts, Peter Morton, Linda Evangelista, Chevy Chase and Barry Sonnenfeld at Nick & Toni's in East Hampton.

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