David and Victoria Beckham

New York  

Hollywood took Manhattan by storm last Monday night, bringing a heaping dose of excitement to a city that practically invented the stuff.  

In the universe of events, there are only a handful that consistently bring the stars out en masse. The Academy Awards is one. Barbara Davis’ bi-annual Carousel of Hope Ball is another. And the annual Costume Institute Gala which took place last week in Manhattan is yet another.  

Co-hosted this year by Vogue Editor in Chief  Anna Wintour, design icon Giorgio Armani, and Hollywood heavyweights Julia Roberts and George Clooney, the guest list for the 2008 Costume Institute Gala, which benefits New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, was as over the top fabulous as its superheroes theme.  

Combining their high-wattage superpowers for the first time in a while, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes joined fellow uber-glam power couple David and Victoria Beckham on the red carpet at the gala, simultaneously attracting more flashbulbs than almost any one else and putting to rest rumors of a rift in their relationship.  

Later in the evening, both couples were seated at the night’s premiere table, which belonged to Mr. Armani himself. While Victoria reportedly got cozy with Julia Roberts over dinner while chatting about motherhood, Tom Cruise remained as affectionate as ever with wife Katie, even leaning over to lick her neck during dinner according to a report in Fashion Week Daily. Aw. Those crazy love birds!  

Elsewhere at the $7,500 a head gala event, Jennifer Lopez looked post-baby stunning in a blue-green Alberta Ferretti number, Eva Longoria and Dita Von Teese dazzled in Marchesa, Thandie Newton, Kate Bosworth and Audrey Tautou looked chicer than chic in Chanel, Claire Danes scored a fashion home run in Narciso Rodriguez, Kate Moss and Stella McCartney pulled no punches but looked fab in Stella McCartney of course, Scarlett Johanssen showed off a sexy Dolce & Gabbana couture creation along with her blinding diamond engagement ring from new fiancée, Ryan Reynolds, Donatella and Allegra Versace stayed elegantly true to their prestigious family brand by wearing designs from their own label, and Liv Tyler and Eva Mendes radiated modern glamour in Calvin Klein.

I could go on and tell you that the audience also included Lindsay Lohan, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, David Bowie and Iman, Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady, and so many others… but instead I’ll just say that if you ever needed to get a grasp of who is and who is not on the mythical A-list, you’d only need to take a gander at the international crowd of celebutantes in attendance at this year’s Costume Institute Gala and you’d have all the information you needed.

The heavenly evening ended with an after at the exclusive Bungalow 8, where Fergie and John Mayer serenaded birthday boy George Clooney with a rendition of "You Make Me Feel So Young."  

Now that is one evening that sounds like more fun than heaven should allow…  

While still in New York, supermodel and super party girl Kate Moss hit the town on Tuesday for the Agent Provocateur bash celebrating the debut of the Nick Knight-directed bridal campaign entitled White Wedding, in which Moss stars. Also taking part in the very special evening was designer Phillip Lim, Rinko Kikuchi, Damon Dash, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Zoe Kravitz, Lake Bell and the Misshapes. And so the fashionable world just keeps on spinning.  

Coming up in the Big Apple, look for ‘it’ actress Rachel Bilson to take over hosting duties from Kate Bosworth, when she co-chairs the Whitney Museum’s 2008 Art Party on June 17 at NYC’s Skylight Studios. At the event, DJ Stretch Armstrong will be spinning, Bronson Von Wyck will be taking charge of décor, artwork by John Baldessari and Matthew Brannon will be up for grabs at the silent auction and all in attendance are sure to have a swell time. Ah… the simple pleasures of culture.  

Paris  

Kylie Minogue kicked off her KylieX2008 worldwide concert tour at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy on Tuesday night and she did so in eight smashing couture looks from Jean Paul Gaultier, the mastermind responsible for the unforgettably racy costumes that helped make Madonna’s 1990 Blonde Ambition tour legendary.  

Kylie, who received the Chevalier Dans l'Ordre Des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Arts) from the French government in the week before her concert debut, plans to rock her new Gaultier drag all over the globe and back, until she returns home for a final string of performances currently scheduled to end in London on August 14. Life certainly seems “Wow” for the diminutive Australian diva these days. Good on her!  

South of France  

In the category of “guess who’s getting married and guess where they’re doing it?’, the buzz all last week was that the impending nuptials of Hollywood golden couple, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, are scheduled to take place in the South of France within the month onboard Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen’s mega yacht Octopus.  

The news was allegedly leaked by one of the sixty permanent crew on Allen’s floating mansion who refused to sign a confidentiality agreement about the big event. Logistically speaking, Allen’s yacht seems a perfect choice for what will surely be the A-list wedding of the decade.  

At 414 feet, not only is the $200 million Octopus the second largest superyacht in the world not owned by a head of state, it also has two helicopters on the top deck (one in front and one on the back), a pool on one of her upper decks, two submarines and a battery of priceless artwork. Throw in the fact that yacht has already played host to nearly every bold-faced name on the planet, including Usher, Martha Stewart, Billy Joel, Steven Spielberg and Jon Bon Jovi, and I couldn’t imagine a more glittering backdrop to a more star studded affair. Could you?  

London

Well, well, well look who's life is rosier than ever?   

Taking her return to the positive side of the spotlight “Step by Step,” so to speak, Whitney Houston triumphantly warbled her way to widespread praise on Thursday night at the Legend’s Ball in London, a benefit for the Cauldwell children’s charity.  

Good news for Whitney fans given that a little over a week ago at the Plymouth Jazz Festival, Houston’s performance earned mixed reviews, which might have been encouraged by Whit’s apparent confusion as to the island on which she was singing. Reportedly La Houston repeatedly acknowledged the neighboring island of Trinidad during her set, though she was actually in Tobago. Aw… bless!  

Some published reports claim that the pop icon was paid as much as $5 million to appear at last week’s Legend’s Ball event, while others suggest she earned somewhere in the high six figures for the comeback performance. The truth probably lies somewhere in between, given that Whit-Whit reportedly collected $3 million for her 30 minute set in Tobago. Bottom line: The path to Whitney Houston’s comeback is clearly paved with cash, cash and more cash.  

Turning out to hear the first lady of pop deliver an hour long set that included some of her biggest hits as well as a rare duet with daughter Bobbi Kristina was a galaxy of stars from both sides of the Pond that included Joan Collins, Kelly Rowland, Buzz Aldrin, Ronan Keating of Boyzone, SugaBabes Heidi Range and Keisha, Mickey Rooney and Jane Russell. Elton John, who has already been tapped to perform at the charity do next year, was also in attendance with his partner David Furnish who is clearly one of Houston’s acolytes.  

Of Houston’s return to the stage and public life, Furnish was definitive and succinct in comments reported by the UK’s popular celebrity glossy, Hello Magazine:  

"She hasn't been doing much live performing … so I think this is a real coup to get her out and performing live again,” Furnish said.  

"I think relaunch is the wrong word, I think when you have someone like Whitney who is spectacularly talented, I think they can take as much time off as they want and if they get the right songs they can come back and sell lots of records."  

Jolly well said, wouldn’t you agree? On that upbeat note…  

That’s another glamorous wrap. Until next time…Cheers!