South O' the Highway (and the North too)

Last weekend's Hamptons International Film Festival saw a bevy of stars. Among the attendees at the festival were Bob Balaban, Alec Baldwin, John Cusack, Phil Donahue, Alison Eastwood, Marcia Gay Hayden, Famke Jansen, Harvey Keitel, Lisa Kudrow, Blake Lively, Sidney Lumet, Gretchen Mol, Frankie Muniz, Amanda Peet, Vanessa Redgrave and Keri Russell.

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Bill Clinton keeps his cool even around the men who may have broken his daughter's heart. The former president and possible first First Husband hosted a book party in New York for the launch of Elvis is Titanic, the memoir of Ian Klaus, Chelsea Clinton's ex-boyfriend. But all was far more civil than middle eastern affairs at the party, where Chelsea, Bill, Klaus, and Chelsea's new beau, Marc Mezvinsky, all mingled. Klaus' moving book chronicles his time spent teaching in Kurdistan.

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This year, The Hamptons International Film Festival's coveted Golden Starfish Award, carrying an awards package of over $185,000 of in-kind production services, was awarded to German director Birgit Möller for her film Valerie. The impressive film by the first-time director depicts a woman struggling to survive at the margins of society while maintaining her dignity. The Golden Starfish Narrative Jury also handed out a Special Jury Best Actress Prize to Famke Janssen for a brave and touching portrayal of a woman fighting for her child and her life in Chris Eigman's Turn the River, a film that had its US premiere at the festival and took home the Zicherman Family Foundation Award For Best Screenwriter as well. The Golden Starfish Documentary Feature Film Award, carrying a cash prize of $5,000, was awarded to Matthew Galkin's I Am An Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA, a film that had its world premier at the festival.

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Quogue's philanthropist and former model, Bonnie Pfeiffer Evans, the widow of Charles Evans, a successful film producer (with hits including Tootsie) and former head of fashion house Evan-Picone, is putting up for sale the Park Avenue triplex where she lived with her late husband. The luxurious apartment has an expected asking price of $30 million.

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Stuart Match Suna, Board Chairman of the Hamptons International Film Festival, has announced that Karen Arikian, currently serving as Co-Director of the Berlin International Film Festival's European Film Market as well as the festival's Official Delegate for the US/East Coast, will become the Hamptons International Film Festival's new Executive Director. Ms.Arikian will assume her duties in March of 2008.

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East Hampton's Martha Stewart had second thoughts recently about moving into the $35 million worth of apartments she bought earlier this year at the glass-encased 165 Charles St. condo building. While the talk show host looks for a Manhattan townhouse to live in when not on the East End, she has decided to hand over the keys to the West Village block of apartments to her daughter Alexis, a Sirius radio show host.

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On October 27, Hamptons mother and son artist/writer team Betty and Michael Paraskevas will be at FAO Schwarz in New York City for a book signing and a "Dress as Your Pet" Event for their new book Peter Pepper's Pet Spectacular. The prolific East Enders will be taking over the famous toy store from 1-3 p.m.

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The Guggenheim Museum's theatrical production of Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli's Right You Are is set to take the stage on October 27, but the cast is still largely unknown. Rumors have it, however, that the A-list cast will include Cate Blanchett, Ellen Burstyn, Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, David Strathairn, Elaine Stritch and Dianne Wiest.

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Hamptons socialite and media heiress Gillian Hearst-Shaw added another dash to her last name when she tied the knot with her fiancé, lawyer Christian Simonds on Saturday at The Pierre Hotel on Fifth Avenue. Sister Lydia Hearst-Shaw was Maid of Honor and cousins Amanda Hearst and Angelina Carmignani were her bridesmaids. All of the ladies, including the beaming bride, were dressed in Badgely-Mischka at what was, of course, an incredibly elegant affair. Nobody would expect anything less.

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Billy Joel was honored in Farmingdale last weekend by The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Foundation for Long Island State Parks. The Long Island native received the 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. Proceeds from the annual Master Builder Award Gala go to the Foundation for Long Island State Parks. The Piano Man is being recognized for both his music and his local philanthropic efforts. Long Island loves him.

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If you're tired of reading about rich people and real estate, stop here. Tamara Rennart, daughter of Ira Rennert, infamous owner of the biggest house in the Hamptons (in Sagaponack), has forayed into the big bucks real estate game as well. She just purchased Vera Wang's 14-room, third-floor apartment at 778 Park Avenue for north of $30 million.

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