By Drew Grant 5/31/12 6:52pm

Ladies who lunch

Samantha Yanks, Alexandra Lebenthal and Elyse Newhouse

50 Shades of White: UJA Federation Honors Women of Influence, and We Get Them to Dish About What They’re Really Reading

“Oh yes, another ladies’ luncheon,” Linda Jesselson sighed, rolled her eyes good-naturally over the room piled full of estrogen, sushi and cocktails this afternoon at Guastavino’s. We felt for the UJA Federation‘s philanthropy president–they stand for the United Jewish Appeal Federation, after all. It’s one of those causes that seems to bring out the best and brightest of New York’s charity circuit, which can be a double-edged sword, not to mention voice-range.

Literally bright, the 300+ ladies making loud talk before the Federation’s annual Women of Influence panel were all wearing blinding white, celebrating that post-Memorial Day tradition that no one remembers to adhere to post Labor Day.

Speaking of what not to wear, the panel’s moderator this afternoon was Stacy London, of that network-defining therapeutic fashion show on TLC. (We almost asked her to come over to our house afterward.) Read More

By Daniel D'Addario 5/17/12 9:00am

the eight-day week

Alexandra Lebenthal (Getty Images)

To Do Thursday: Yaz, We Can

Yaz Hernandez has a special cause—and no, it’s not tick-borne disease. (Not yet, that is. We’re sending her some literature we picked up at last night’s benefit.) She’s being honored for her commitment to the Latino cultural institution El Museo del Barrio at the museum’s fundraising gala, along with designer Narciso Rodriguez and Bacardi. The Read More

By Tatiana Boncompagni 4/05/12 8:00am

As Seen in SCENE

Good Days by Unruly Heir

Tattle Tales: Tinsley’s Tell-All Tome

There are a few things you don’t expect to see on the cover of a novel. Socialite Tinsley Mortimer’s name is probably one of them. And yet next month, Mortimer, the “It” girl-turned-handbag designer-turned-reality star, will publish her first novel, Southern Charm, about a “Southern Belle thrust into the frenzied world of high society in New York City.” In other words, it’s a roman à clef, and not a very veiled one at that. The book’s plot couldn’t any more closely mirror Mortimer’s real life (or that which she is somewhat public about) without having to be marketed as a memoir. Read More