Joan Jedell

As the summer of 2007 winds down to its final, magical close, I find myself musing about memories and moments, and faces and places past. And if life were a Web site (it already is a blur of digital photos and personal blogs), then every- one would certainly have their own list of frequently asked questions—to pass out, along with their business cards. Here, then, are my FAQs, compiled in the wake of the Hamptons Wave—the flood of suave social events—where I’ve seen … and been seen.

How would you describe this summer in the Hamptons?

A virtual marathon of parties and events in the Cashamptons. From benefits, polo, and the Hampton Classic to private dinners and concerts @ the Ross School, it’s been a fun Hamptons ride! Luckily, this summer was free of the DWI offenses near favored hot spots that marred seasons past, and was a respite from the blur of blondes behaving badly on the West Coast.

Have the parties this summer been as studded with bold names as in years past?

Absolutely! Partying in the moon light, under the stars—at bonfires on the beach—I’ve been with pre sidents (as in Bill) and junior senators (who else but Hillary?), celebrities (including Anne Hathaway, Anjelica Huston, Renee Zellweger, Alec Baldwin, Christie Brinkley, and Leonardo DiCaprio), the social set, rock stars (such as Billy Joel, Prince, and Bon Jovi). A cross section of New York/ Hamptons society has not only been on my pen but on my lips, in my lens and … don’t ask, don’t tell….

From the vantage point of someone who chronicles the comings and goings of VIPs, where is the best place to be at an event?

It’s no longer just the VIP area of an event to strive for; it’s the VVIP area! At the polo games, celebs are separated from the motley VIPs into their own VVIP tent and served VVIP food such as lobster rolls and shrimp, vs. the bite-sized hors d’oeuvres offered to the mere VIPs. The stands, of course, are where people really watch the game (depends on what you define as “game”). Every-one else is more interested in their fellow “players.” Those on horseback seem to be a backdrop for the schmooze going on in the tents.

How come my picture isn’t in The Sheet?

Well, there’s an old saying (a twist on a quote from honest Abe): “You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”

How do you dress when, at times, your first party on your schedule starts at 1 p.m. and the last ends at 1 a.m.?

Well, that’s difficult. When time prevents me from going back to Southampton to change outfits, I just bring evening attire along and play it by ear. It’s not as tricky as being Clark Kent, but it does take some careful, strategic sleight of hand. When I went to the recent Hamptons premiere of Becoming Jane, I changed in the ladies’ room of the theater and was perfectly dressed for the after party at Jerry Della Femina and Judy Licht’s beach-front home in East Hampton.

Isn’t it exhausting to go to all of these parties?

I actually don’t get tired of it at all. I love people and get off on their energy. I’m an energy collector, or you could say that I’m “energy addicted.” Home confinement just wouldn’t work!

When do you have time for a personal life?

This is my personal life (aside from my little G-Baby, Emily Reese Jedell-Weiner (page 11), whois two and a half). I do have family down time … but just enough! I find that I truly enjoy my own company and the company of some select friends and dates. I’m having a ball!

Is it a plus or minus to be single on the social circuit?

Well, it certainly avoids the endless debate about when it’s time to leave a party or call for a car. And when escorts are de rigueur, the variety of conversation (and jokes!) is a stimulating relief. Some times, I feel like I am my own husband, and call myself a “we.” To illustrate this point, the other day, I went into Prada to buy a $700 turban (a sumptuous price for something made of so little fabric, if you ask me). Still, I just had to have it! So, I said to the sales person, “I’ll take it, but don’t tell my husband!” (Trust me, I’ve learned from my married friends that this is the best way to finesse big-ticket items. You ladies out there in the Don’t Tell My Husband Bunch know just who you are!) I’m not married, but share the same instincts. I don’t want to see a large total when the bill arrives, so I sometimes pay half in cash and put half on a credit card. You see, I can conjure up a husband’s sensibilities, and often do.

Is The Sheet published all year?

Yes! As the Hamptons social scene winds down, the NYC social calendar revs up—the black-tie galas, the private dinners, the Broadway openings and movie premieres! And we also highlight the best happenings in Palm Beach. For a sneak pre view, check out our calendar of great NYC events to come (page 30), and don’t miss the candid photos and commentary on the 2007 summer party scene throughout The Sheet. Check out the concerts @ Ross (page 8), Super Saturday (page 26), the Hampton Designer Showhouse (page 13), the Becoming Jane premiere (page 16), the Broadway happenings (page 18), coverage of the Hairspray and No Reservations premieres (page 23), and more. Finally, without reservations, we know that you won’t want to miss our cover story on the “Lovely & Luscious” Catherine Zeta-Jones (page 20)! In a summer that marked the unprecedented scheduling of midnight Harry Potter book-release parties in cities worldwide and the passing of Brooke Astor, grande dame of NYC society, we salute the fine art of social interaction. Enjoy! Partake! Reminisce! You might just spy your picture within these pages, after all. So sit back, toast the summer of 2007, and enjoy The Sheet!

Joan Jedell appears on national and local TV and radio including guest segments on the CBS Morning Show and on 77 WABC radio every Saturday morning at 9:10. Her photographs are syndicated worldwide.