South o’ the Highway 9.13

Bridgehampton played host to a stylish start of New York Fashion Week as Ralph Lauren staged a glamorous show at Khalily Stables on Sept. 5. Among the A-list attendees was singer Usher, who turned heads in a Ralph Lauren Purple Label butter-yellow matching set. The singer — who performed the Super Bowl Halftime Show earlier this year — told USA Today he was also there to “enjoy the beautiful weather of the Hamptons and the last (days) of summer.” 

Set against the backdrop of the designer’s $15.2 million equestrian estate, the event drew a star-studded crowd, including First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, who sat in the front row next to Ralph Lauren himself. Other notable guests included country star Kacey Musgraves, actor Tom Hiddleston, and actress Joey King. Usher praised the Lauren family for their contributions to American fashion, calling the show “an American story about an American family who… has managed to create culture,” Yahoo! reports.

Beloved culinary star Ina Garten is opening up about a painful chapter from her past. In the East Hampton resident’s upcoming memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, set for release on Oct. 1, Garten shares the emotional and physical abuse she endured from her late parents, Charles and Florence Rosenberg. 

“I was terrified,” the celebrity chef told People, describing her father, who often hit her and pulled her hair when he was displeased. Garten’s mother also played a role in her “very lonely” childhood. “I was physically afraid of my dad. I literally remember thinking he would kill me if I did something. I was physically afraid of him. And my mother just was unsupportive.” 

The kitchen extraordinaire, known as the Barefoot Contessa, recalls spending countless hours locked in her bedroom for safety. “If there’s a threat of violence, you’re always afraid, even when it’s not happening. So I basically spent my entire childhood in my bedroom with a door closed,” Garten said of her self-imposed solitude. 

Beyoncé celebrated turning 43 on Sept. 4 with an intimate beachside party. The singer — who appeared to spend the summer at her East Hampton abode with husband Jay-Z, who was regularly spotted enjoying leisurely walks around the neighborhood — dressed in a Pucci minidress paired with matching sandals in photos posted on her Instagram. “I’m so grateful for another year. Thank you for the loving birthday wishes,” she captioned the post. 

Amagansett local Alec Baldwin’s manslaughter case might not be over just yet. The actor faces the possibility of the case being reopened after special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey requested that a judge in New Mexico reconsider the dismissal. The charge was previously dropped after evidence was withheld during the trial. Morrissey argued that the evidence in question, a set of rounds brought to law enforcement this year, was irrelevant to the actor’s criminal culpability on the day Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot. The legal back-and-forth continues, as Baldwin’s legal team pushes back against the request, citing the previous ruling that dismissed the case with prejudice.

Amid the ongoing legal proceedings, the Baldwins have also been busy wrapping up summer. Alec’s wife Hilaria took to social media on Sept. 4 to share a personal milestone: six of their children were heading back to school.

After a five-year hiatus, Gwyneth Paltrow is making a return to acting, and it’s all thanks to her daughter Apple Martin’s crush on actor Timothée Chalamet. The 51-year-old actress — who has a home in Amagansett — will star alongside Chalamet in the upcoming A24 film Marty Supreme. “As soon as Gwyneth told Apple that Timothée is not only a producer but also the lead actor, she pleaded with her mom to accept,” a source told the Daily Mail. Paltrow, who hasn’t starred in a major film since 2019’s Avengers: End Game, admitted she had no desire to return to the screen but was convinced by Apple, who plans to be on set as much as possible.

WE HEAR…

50 Cent brought the house down at The Surf Lodge on Aug. 31, performing alongside Tony Yayo in an electrifying Labor Day weekend show, drawing a packed crowd that included former reality star Bethenny Frankel. Model Lauren Besselman also partied at the Montauk hotspot during The Martinez Brothers’ DJ set on Aug. 30. Meanwhile, Julianne Moore’s son Caleb Freundlich recently took the stage at the same venue, closing out the summer season.

Martha Stewart jetted off to the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado for the premiere of Martha, the documentary about her life directed by Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning R.J. Cutler. The film will make its East Coast premiere at this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival before its Netflix release later this year. “We are delighted to welcome Martha back to the Hamptons,” said HamptonsFilm Executive Director Anne Chaisson.

Jessica Seinfeld announced that her sixth cookbook is hitting shelves this November and it’s all based on desserts that won’t break the scale. “Like a lot of people, I’ve been trying to cut down my sugar intake but hate skipping dessert,” Jerry Seinfeld’s wife wrote online. The book, co-authored with Sara Quessen Berry, features low-sugar dessert recipes, with some that are also gluten-free and vegan.

SIGHTINGS

Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell were seen sharing a kiss on an ice cream date in the Hamptons in late August.

Jon Bon Jovi and wife Dorothea Hurley spent some quality beach time in the Hamptons on Aug. 25.

Don Lemon and husband Tim Malone enjoyed a romantic boat ride in the Hamptons on Aug.31.

Summer House star Carl Radke held a pop-up for his new non-alcoholic drink brand, Soft Bar, at fitness studio Post House Hamptons in Sag Harbor on Aug. 31. Meanwhile, his ex-fiancée and co-star Lindsay Hubbard had her “last lunch Out East” at Dockers Waterside.

Ramona Singer had a “fabulous day” at SALT Waterfront Bar and Grill on Shelter Island on Aug. 31. The Real Housewives of New York City alum ditched plans to dine at Duryea “because the waters were too rough.”

Ciao House Season 2 contestant Hanna Haar, who has been a chef at Amber Waves in Amagansett, celebrated her recent engagement to boyfriend Ben, sharing the happy news on her Instagram, flashing a stunning ring and captioning, “I said yes!”