Summer Lovin'

Can we resist saying it? OK, perhaps not. It happened so fast. With apologies to John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, this weekend's exhibition of the paintings of artist Annika Connor (left)—a show dubbed Summer Lovin'—was a fine romance indeed. Hosted at the private residence of Hamptons bon vivant Peter Felfe, the show married Connor's ethereal works with the equally mesmerizing sounds of pianist Marina Boldyreva, soprano Katharina Hagopian and pianist Dina Pruzhansky.

Beftting the regal quality of the combined talents of the ladies of honor, even the titled gentry turned out to show their support, namely Real Housewives of New York's Countess Luann de Lesseps and wine guru Baroness Sheri de Borchgrave. It was a grand Hamptons occasion, but one lacking pretense, which made it all the more enjoyable—and rare. Here's to many more like it this season.

For more photos, click here.

Broadway, Aussie Style

It was a veritable variety show at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center last night, as some of the biggest acts from Australia's music scene took to the stage to strut their stuff. (Never mind the fact that most of their names mean absolutely nothing here.) The performers were vastly talented and put on a two-plus hour show that had the many Aussies in the audience going wild and the rest of us feeling very entertained, if befuddled during the periodic inside jokes. Americans lending a hand included tap dancer Savion Glover as well as John Travolta, who is the global goodwill ambassador for Quantas Airways. (see "Travolta Remembers Heath Ledger," ). Particularly impressive were: the cello performance of brothers Pei-Jee and Pei-San Ng; the hand-shadow creations of Raymond Crowe, a man who claims to be his country's only "unusualist"; the booming tribute to Paul Robeson by bass baritone Daniel Sumegi; and the Judy Garland homage by actress and singer Caroline O'Connor. If you thought that Australia's musical talent started and ended with Olivia Newton-John, last night certainly proved otherwise. %%showphotos [setid=72157603784004381]%%

Travolta Remembers Heath Ledger

Stepping onstage to kick off Australia Plays Broadway, an Aussie all-star entertainment extravaganza held at the Rose Theater this evening, actor John Travolta took a moment to recall the late Heath Ledger, who was born in Perth, West Australia: “He is one of my favorite actors. His abilities are rare… it’s a tremendous loss." The Hairspray star went on to conclude: "We love you, Heath. Wherever you are." Travolta's appearance at the Down Under event had nothing to do with the fact that one of his most famous roles of all was that of cooler-than-thou high-school tough chasing a purer-than-pure Australian girl. Rather, Travolta (pictured here onstage earlier this evening with Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin) is the global goodwill ambassador for Quantas Airways.