South O’ the Highway (and the North too)

Academy-Award-winning directors George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and East Hamptonite Steven Spielberg joined forces during last week’s Oscars to present legendary director Martin Scorcese with his very first Academy Award, for Best Director.

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Democratic lobbyist Liz Robbins, famous for the star-studded fundraisers she hosted for Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton with fellow Hamptonites Billy Joel, Alec Baldwin, Christie Brinkley and Vera Wang, and her husband, WABC “Eyewitness News” anchor Doug Johnson, finally sold their beachfront home in East Hampton last month after two long years of searching for the right buyer. Buyer Leslie Alexander, owner of the Houston Rockets basketball franchise, will now be able to shoot hoops with his new neighbors Tommy Hilfiger and Jerry Seinfeld, who might have even secured a seat at Liz’s next fundraiser.

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Full-time Hamptonite and songstress Alexa Ray Joel is scheduled to perform at Marist College in Poughkeepsie on April 10, one week to the day before her father, Billy Joel, is set to play the Times Union Center in nearby Albany.

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Former Southamptonite Sean “Diddy” Combs lived up to his party-boy reputation on Oscar night, jetting from one party to another all night long. At Sir Elton John’s 15th annual Oscar viewing party to benefit the Elton John Aids Foundation, Diddy dined with actress Sharon Stone and fellow musicians Jon Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Gloria Estefan and Eve. During the celebrity auction, Diddy bid $65,000 on a soccer lesson from David Beckham, but was outbid. Other celebrities at the fete included Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Hamptonite Arianna Huffington, Anderson Cooper, Bill Maher, Dennis Hopper, Sean Penn Zac Posen, Dita Von Teese, and Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and Kelly Osbourne. After helping raise $4.2 million for the Elton John Foundation, Diddy moved on to the Vibe magazine after party, where he danced the night away with hostess Queen Latifah and Dennis Rodman.

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Hamptonite actress Lorraine Bracco has taken her Bridgehampton home off the market after listing the five-bedroom Butter lane postmodern with Prudential Douglas Elliman for a month.

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Local Long Island girl Lindsay Lohan took a break from her new healthy lifestyle to kick back and party with Rosario Dawson, Brett Ratner and Chris Tucker at Harvey and Bob Weinstein’s post-Independent Spirit Awards party at Ago last Saturday night.

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A commissioned portrait by Southampton Artist Ceravolo, whose works reside in the homes of celebrity collectors such as Hugh Hefner, Sir Elton John and Rod Stewart, fetched the top bid at the BAK School of The Arts Fundraiser last week, held at the Palm Beach Estate of Bill and Bridget Koch.

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Long Island local Billy Baldwin celebrated the Oscars in style at the 13th annual Entertainment Weekly bash at Elaine’s with fellow stars Mariska Hargitay, Bam Margera, Mo Rocca, Angela Bassett, Rachel Leigh Cook, Candace Bushnell, Chazz Palmintieri, Tatum O’Neal, Ice T, Erika Christensen, Chris Noth, Jane Krakowski and Richard Belzer.

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Ted Seiter, Annselm Morpurgo (a.k.a. Artemis Smith) and Andrew T. Towner, esq. sent out a press release last week alerting the media that the Morpurgo House in Sag Harbor is now in the final stages of contract preparation after receiving a “lucrative offer of undisclosed sum.” The press release also states that the lawsuit between Annselm Morpurgo/ Artemis Smith and her sister, Helga Morpurgo (a.k.a. Christine Stanley) is pending final settlement.

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East Hamptonite Renée Zellweger’s manager, John Carrabino, was seen hobnobbing with the stars at publicist Lara Schriftman’s Mercedes Benz Oscar-viewing party at the Four Seasons Hotel. Celebrities in attendance included producers Ben Silverman and Mary Parent, Linda Foster, Kathy Griffin, makeup artist Sue Devit, and Jessica Simpson’s hairstylist best friend, Ken Paves.

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Gini Frati, executive director of the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons, is featured in this week’s issue of People magazine. However, Ms. Franti has inspired many more famous names to help the animals of the East End, and this coming August, Alec Baldwin, Dorothea Bon Jovi, Jon Bon Jovi, Caroline Hirsch and Victoria Bijou will chair a cocktail benefit for the Rescue Center in honor of Missy Hargraves and Andy Sabin. For more information about the benefit, call (631) 329-5480.

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This Saturday, the Peconic Land Trust Plein Air Traveling Show will kick off its tour with an opening reception at Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton. It will include work from all of the artists featured in last year’s successful Columbus Day Show at Ashawagh Hall.

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Broadway producers Irv Welzer and Herb Blodgett invited 70 of their closest friends, including many Hamptons celebrities, to the rescheduled preview of their Broadway show Talk Radio, starring Liev Schreiber. Before the show, Talk Radio cast members, producers and friends dined at Sardi’s.

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Thank you to Hampton Jitney driver Dwayne Davis and attendant Fazal, who drove this writer through a midnight blizzard to make sure that she arrived in the Hamptons before deadline, even though she was the only person on the bus.

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Bridgehampton playwright Richard Cummings’ newest play, Soccer Moms From Hell, opened at the Theatre Studio Inc.’s new two-theater complex on East 24th street to rave reviews from fellow playwright and Hamptonite Edward Albee.

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Next Tuesday and Wednesday, Amy Zerner, couture fashion designer and psychic to the stars, will be showing her new collection at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. Her husband, Monte Farber, will be on hand to give complementary psychic readings.

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Sagaponack artist Sheila Isham’s work will be exhibited at the Walter Wickiser Gallery in New York City from March 3 to 28. The opening reception will be on Saturday, March 20. The exhibit comprises paintings from her “Oasis Series” that communicate visions of animals and birds.

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Do you know a woman who helped support wartime production during World War II? The Long Island Assembly Republican delegation plans to present “Rosie the Riveter” awards to these brave, hardworking women. Please call Assemblyman Thiele’s district office at (631) 537-2583 for more information or to nominate a Rosie.

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