[All photos by Billy Farrell for PMc]. The Cinema Society and Calvin Klein collection jointly hosted the opening night of “Trucker” (which has a lot to live up to if it wants to surpass “Duel” as THE GREATEST TRUCKER MOVIE OF ALL TIME) the new movie about a female truck driver who reconnects with her estranged 11 year old son. The film was screened at the Village East Cinema, followed by a dinner at The Charles. Guests included film star Michelle Monaghan, director James Mottern, and Karolina Kurkova. More»

[Photos by WILL RAGOZZINO for PMc].

Last night, while you were watching Gossip Girl on tv, something a bit more highbrow was happening uptown.  The Metropolitan Opera 2009-2010 Season Opening Night brought the likes of Edward Norton, Martha Stewart, Billy Joel, Karolina Kurkova, Joy Bryant, Diane Von Furstenberg, Julie Macklowe, Jason Wu, and Henry Kissinger out for Puccini’s “Tosca.” Although everything seemed hunky dory from the red carpet, when the opera ended the audience of 3,800 erupted in a loud and sustained boo directed at Swiss director Luc Bondy and his production team for their poor adaptation of the classic piece.

While we were chatting with society photog Patrick McMullan, he made the bold statement that the Boom Boom Room in the Standard Hotel was the biggest opening since Studio 54. After considering it, he might be right (the man’s definitely an authority, having been to both).  Just sitting in Andre Balazs’s new spot, you can feel the scene. There’s a certain energy in the air. That got us thinking, what really would make a new Studio 54? Since we love spending time during one of the busiest weeks of our year  thoughtlessly pondering, here’s what we came up with… More»

[Alicia Keys, Bill Clinton. All photos by CHANCE YEH for PMc]

Is there anyone more worthy of celebration than Nelson Mandela? Bill Clinton doesn’t seem to think so. The former President hosted a star-studded auction and gala dinner in honor of the first Mandela Day and Mandela’s 91st birthday at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central. Graca Machel,  Mandela’s wife, attended the celebration, as did Alicia Keys, Russell Simmons, Josh Groban, Keisha Whitaker, Karolina Kurkova and Fern Mallis. Also in attendance was everybody’s favorite crush from the 1950s, Harry Belafonte, and Morgan Freeman, who, perhaps wisely, attended without his step Grand daughter/fiancee. The event culminated in a Christie’s auction, which raised funds for The Nelson Mandela Foundation.

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• Anne Hathaway’s new career takes a turn into new heavenly heights of…Pizza Delivery? [Gawker]

• Gossip Girl heavenly heart throbs, Chace Crawford and Ed Westwick finally call it quits…and Chace is even moving out and getting his own blazing bachelor pad at Dwell95!! I guest nothing lasts forever…[Daily News]

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