Alex McCord

It seems that Kelly Killoren Bensimon, the newest addition to Bravo's Real Housewives of New York City cast (the second season, which is now filming, will air sometime in 2009), is at once the most and least qualified woman to be on the show. A longtime fixture on the Manhattan and Hamptons social scenes, the former model used to be married to fashion photographer and longtime Elle creative director Gilles Bensimon and has been a columnist for Hamptons and Page Six magazines. But, as she told the Daily Transom, “I’m not really a housewife. I own a house, but I’m not a wife.  read more »

Irina Aleksander asks the tough questions at the Metropolitan Opera's Opening Night Gala: Will New York's benefit scene suffer because of the Wall Street meltdown? Julie Macklowe says yes! But Real Housewives of New York City's Alex McCord says, "Cutting back is self-defeating." Mmmkay!

Ms. Aleksander also infiltrates a very exclusive subset of the city's young social set: the headband girls, led by suddenly-everywhere 19-year-old Brit Peaches Geldof (she's married, lads, so stay away from her headband!).

Meanwhile, George Gurley heads to Doubles, the club in the Sherry-Netherland, which seems to be one of the few places in the city impervious to doom and gloom. It's where Debbie Bancroft's hubby first told her he loved her!

And we borrow the Media Mob's Matt Haber for the night to send him to the memorial service for Clay Felker, where his old friends like Tom Wolfe, Gloria Steinem, and Lesley Stahl gathered to remember the New York magazine founder.

The Metropolitan Opera’s opening-night gala—held this year on Monday, Sept. 22—is one of the premiere fall benefits. It precedes other major society happenings like the Whitney Museum of Art gala on Oct. 20, the New York Public Library Lions Benefit on Nov. 3 and the Lincoln Center gala on Nov. 10. But while tickets to all of these have already sold out, some guests wondered how the big society benefits will continue to fare as financial anxiety escalates.

Julie Macklowe, portfolio manager for Sigma Capital Management and recent Vogue It Girl, arrived in punk-rock-influenced, spiked and studded 6-inch Rodarte heels that she exposed for the cameras from under her Louis Vuitton dress.  read more »

Last night, socialite, sometime Gossip Girl, and new face of Myla Lingerie Lydia Hearst hosted a cocktail party and fashion show to celebrate Freshpair.com's 6th Annual National Underwear day. (Every other day of the year is apparently not underwear day!) 

Also in attendance at Espace were Russell Simmons and designers Izzy Gold and Richie Rich, as well as a bevy of reality television habitues: Elle contributing editor and America's Next Top Model judge Nole Marin, Ben DiChiara of Bravo's Make Me A Supermodel, and Real Housewives of New York City stars and co-dependent couple Alex McCord and Simon van Kempens.  read more »