Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Decorators and other appreciators of beautiful interior furnishings flocked to last night's Design on a Dime benefit, the fifth annual showcase in support of Housing Works. The New York-based charity, which raises funds to support the fights against AIDS and homelessness, maintains shops in Manhattan that sell used clothing and items for the vintage-loving home.

The gala preview, co-chaired by actress Parker Posey, attracted some of the city's biggest-name designers, 40 of whom created vignettes containing an assortment of Housing Works merchandise. Among our favorites included homages to Spongebob and one to Barack Obama. (See photos in the jump.) One of the other great thrills of the night was the presence of the gracious and never-anything-but-stunning Jaclyn Smith. The actress and longtime K-Mart design partner, will appear in next week's "Farrah's Story," which documents the battle that Farrah Fawcett, Smith's former Charlie's Angels co-star, has waged with a pernicious cancer for nearly three years.

For anyone who didn't make it to the gala, Design on a Dime will be open to the public (admission is free), at the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 W. 18th Street) through Sunday. Check it out. But be sure to bring more than a dime. Though the prices are up to 80-percent off retail, loose change will not get you very far at this event.

For more photos, click here.

Fêting Fatty Crab

From the moment word first leaked that West Village foodie hangout Fatty Crab might be coming to the Upper West Side, residents of that nabe—which not too long ago was known as Manhattan's "culinary wasteland"—were aflutter. That was November 2006 and in the more than two years hence, the unusually long foreplay that preceded the restaurant's arrival did nothing to dampen the buzz. And that's a good thing, because at last, Fatty Crab Upper West will unlock its doors to the public—this Wednesday night. Owner Zak Pelaccio threw a a sneak preview party on Saturday evening and anyone lucky enough to have been on his invite list got a sampling of some of the best Malaysian cuisine this side of Kuala Lumpur. The cocktails (especially the Fatty Sour) were pretty darn good, too. Yes, indeed: some things are worth traveling for. Even if getting there means taking the 1 train north of Columbus Circle.

For more photos, click here.