Mark Consuelos, Kelly Ripa, Andy Cohen.

There was a horn of plenty for Shindigger last week, as invite upon invite boasted gastronomic splendors and choice libations—and none disappointed, from savory amuse-bouche at Monday night’s after-party for Robert Redford’s The Company You Keep to a lavish cornucopia at the AIPAD Photography Show’s Wednesday night opening gala at the Park Avenue Armory. But the most mouthwatering night of all, Tuesday, was sandwiched in between.

The evening began at Food & Wine’s Best Chefs event, as Shindigger embarked on a culinary adventure inside Pranna, the Flatiron District eatery. There, April Bloomfield of the Spotted Pig served haddock fritters with herbed spaetzle, parsnips and mint; WD-50’s Wylie Dufresne offered popcorn soup with shrimp, jicama and tamarind; and Godiva tempted attendees with triple-threat dark-chocolate mousse.

Shindigger indulged foremost in a Santa Lucia Highlands pinot noir.

“Hello! It’s so nice to see you,” yelled celebrity chef Anne Burrell over DJ Harley Viera-Newton’s dance beats. (Just the day before, we had seen Ms. Burrell cooking alongside Michelle Obama.)

Shindigger yearned to gobble more gourmet goodies with the other acclaimed chefs in attendance, like Angelo Sosa and Tom Colicchio, but we had another dinner engagement a few blocks away, and we had almost missed all of cocktail hour.

At the American whiskey bar and restaurant Maysville we found a jubilant Lucy Sykes and a handful of boozy men’s magazine editors littering the bar area. What was the occasion? Gilt Groupe was hosting a rather intimate dinner in honor of Bravo’s Andy Cohen, celebrating the recent release of his book, Most Talkative.

“What a lovely dress,” Shindigger told Kelly Ripa of her blossomy silk frock.

“It’s old. It’s a little old thing. I like to recycle,” she giggled, before telling us about a recent getaway she took with husband Mark Consuelos. “We were in the lower Grenadines. It was beautiful.”

“We should sit down!” interrupted a bubbly but determined Mr. Cohen. (Cocktail hour was now approaching cocktail hour and a half.)

“He is the best,” Ms. Ripa cooed of the evening’s guest of honor. “I feel like we grew up with him, even though we were in different states and we never met. I’d work with him in a heartbeat.”

But Shindigger had gotten distracted while Ms. Ripa sang Mr. Cohen’s praises.

“What’s the deal with the ceiling lighting?” we asked, looking up.

“This is the grid of wherever this is in Louisiana—no, Kentucky,” Ms. Ripa corrected herself. “There is a town in Kentucky that this restaurant is named after.”

“You’ve gotta sit down,” an organizer snapped just then, whisking Ms. Ripa off to a leather booth.

“This will be a meal that I daresay will be amazing,” began Gilt’s VP of men’s editorial and creative, Tyler Thoreson. (For starters, chef Kyle Knall had prepared several knockouts: a quinoa-spring vegetable salad and grilled quail with pigeon peas and cornbread croutons.)

Mr. Thoreson continued, “In some way, I think we’re here tonight because a strange man grabbed me by the back of my collar late one evening at the Top of the Standard. That man is to my left, and his name is Andy Cohen. We were there celebrating the launch of Gilt Man.”

“I had no idea what I was doing at that party!” the man of the hour screeched in his own defense.

“I would say the same if I was being accused of grabbing a strange person by the back of the collar at a crowded bar,” Mr. Thoreson retorted, adding that, in spite of how the two men first met, their relationship has developed into a creative and commercial collaboration.

“The leftovers from tonight’s dinner will be on sale at Gilt.com,” joked Mr. Cohen, quoting one of his snarky tablemates as he took the floor from the Gilt exec. “Thank you, Tyler. I don’t remember that night. Sometimes after my show I grab handsome strangers by the back of their necks.”

“He seems like the gropey type,” hissed one not-to-be-named fashion guru at our table. And then we dove into dinner: slow-roasted arctic char, duck breast and grilled rib eye cap with collard greens.

It was a southern feast that would have horrified even the most moderate dieter. Shindigger, unwilling to enter spring looking like a beached whale, “ducked” out before they served dessert and headed to our next affair.

“These things are too early,” grumbled Judah Friedlander of 30 Rock as we exited the lift and sashayed into the ridiculous $14 million penthouse at 497 Greenwich Street for the Cinema Society after-party for Danny Boyle’s latest film, Trance, starring Rosario Dawson, James McAvoy and Vincent Cassel. “I always miss the movie,” Mr. Friedlander added.

“So do we,” Shindigger confessed.

While the cuisine is rarely the best part of a movie premiere—that honor is generally awarded to the spirits—this event proved a marvelous exception. Shindigger, abandoning beach-body plans, devoured endless plates of Olivier Cheng Catering’s vegan dim sum and noodles as we concluded our food fest.

For a nightcap, we repaired to the rooftop terrace with a glass of red and huddled with Mr. Cassel, looking out on the lit-up city skyline.

“The last time I stayed in New York for a while was when I was shooting Black Swan, but to me the city was really happening back in the days when I was young and used to live here,” Mr. Cassel said in his cooler-than-cool French accent. “Back in the ’80s, when there was Danceteria, I was crazy about New York.”

It’s true, that multistory nightclub has been shuttered for decades. But Mr. Cassel can have his nostalgia, we thought. We’ll take the multicourse menus.

Kelly Ripa and hubby Mark Consuelos gettin' frisky!

Given that it was our second evening in a row at Cipriani's – albeit at the midtown franchise on this occasion – our usual penchant for the venue had been dampened somewhat, and the inclement weather certainly wasn’t helping. But the UNICEF Snowflake Ball managed to turn our well plucked frowns upside down in a glittering evening of philanthropic revelry, with celebrities in a multitude of fields pitching in to lend a hand. The sumptuous menu was designed by revered chefs; the entertainment led by a veritable swing legend, and the auction prizes donated by some of America’s hottest talent. It is fair to say that UNICEF, like the bartenders, got the mix just right.

Katy Perry was the evening’s surprise A-List attendee, swishing through the foyer’s revolving doors in a fishtail dress designed by another of the evening’s guests, Naeem Khan. The couturier’s wife, jewelry designer Ranjana Khan, recently ventured into reality TV land with several appearances on The Real Housewives of New York and was quick to dispel her involvement with any of the cattiness the show has become famed for.

“Being on RHONY was fun, but I didn’t get caught up in the drama,” she told The Observer on the red carpet. “My friend Carole [Radziwill] wanted me to be involved with the last season, and she’s returning for the next one, so I know she might want me to do something again.” Did Mrs. Khan just let an inside secret slip, perchance? Ms. Radziwill is yet to officially confirm her involvement with season six, but you heard it here straight from the jeweler’s mouth. The Observer 1, RHONY 0.

Indeed, spilling secrets seemed to be a trend throughout the evening, with Manhattan’s favorite crooner Tony Bennett revealing: “Lady Gaga called me last night from Peru. She wants to do an album together and we’re going to do it, just me and Gaga. It’s going to be a big swinging album with a big hot band.” Well, perhaps it wasn’t quite the juicy nugget we initially imagined, given that Mr. Bennett has been quoted as saying that the "Poker Face" singer called him the previous night from New Zealand with the idea for a collaborative record. That quote happened three months ago.

Given that Mr. Bennett is at the ripe old age of 86 and still put on a glorious show – some of which was without a microphone – we’ll forgive this little slip. But please be more careful next time, Tony, when toying with our Gaga-fueled emotions.

From genuine secrets to recycled ones, there was one couple on the red carpet who weren’t attempting to hide a thing – step forward Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. The fruity pair didn’t miss a beat when volunteering to talk about their ahem, romantic interludes, with Ms. Ripa divulging: “We have an Indonesian holiday themed bedroom, and a bed from Bali. Which may or may not have broken once.” Quick, somebody call Poirot, we’ve got a cryptic case of too much information on our hands.

After the duo’s domino effect of smut polluted The Observer’s innocent mind, we went in search of some good clean fun at our table, where we dined with the chefs who put the menu together. Best-selling author and UNICEF ambassador of 12 years Marcus Samuelsson had drafted in help from fellow restaurateurs Michael Anthony and Marc Murphy, who co-created a meal trumped in deliciousness only by their company. As they wined and dined us with a feast of truffle lobster salad and Wagyu steak, the flavors of the food were perfectly enhanced by the Wynton Marsalis Quintet, whose jazzy tunes rose to the very top of Cipriani’s lofty ceilings.

Just edging out the edibles in terms of success was the auction, which contributed to the event's staggering $2.5m raised for the very deserving charity. A backstage pass with Selena Gomez, who was decked out in a floor length Dolce & Gabbana number for the event, scooped two high bids of $20,000 apiece, contributing to the money raised by other high bidders on lots for Lady Gaga tickets and a day on the Knicks’ court as player Tyson Chandler’s personal guest. The guests were not left wanting when it came to an eclectic mix of goods, and spunky auctioneer Courtney Booth of Sotheby’s coaxed the cash from the crowd’s pockets with ease.

There was just time to honor Harry Belafonte before the evening came to a close, and he undoubtedly made a deserving recipient of the Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award for his commitment to the charity over the past quarter of a decade. With the audience on their feet as he took to the stage, the emotion in the room was palpable.

It was clear that UNICEF was close to the hearts of all of the evening’s attendees, including Uma Thurman and Téa Leoni, and as we slunk out of Cipriani’s once more, the prospect of returning didn’t seem quite such an imposition.

Mike Strahan on 'Live! With Kelly' (ABC)

From the NFL to Fox sports to Live! With Kelly--Michael Strahan must have himself a really good publicist. Rumors abounded on TMZ yesterday that the New York Giants defensive end would finally fill the empty chair left vacant by the departure of Regis Philbin last November.

This morning, WABC, a syndicate of the network that produces the morning show, announced that the 6-foot-5 Fox Sports commentator would be offcially joining the 5-foot-3 human percolator on September 4.

Which leaves just one question: Out of all the 59 hosts that ABC has used as rotating guest hosts, why Mr. Strahan, a name that carries far less cachet than say, NY1's Pat Kiernan, Mario Lopez, Seth Meyers or Alec Baldwin?

According to one television insider, the choice of Mr. Strahan speaks more to his new television partner's status than it does to his own. "Kelly was able to host the show for so long because she had so much sway over the producers. While it's easier to book a celebrity guest host for one day than a permanent replacement, there is no doubt that many  pop-ins were bigger stars than Mr. Strahan."

So Ms. Ripa just likes watching the guy strip:
http://youtu.be/U2PF6HuUDjw

The thought being that now that Ms. Ripa is the bigger personality on the program, she doesn't want to be overshadowed by another Regis-like figure. Even though kids these days might think of  Mr. Philibin as that old guy who once hosted Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, in 2004 he entered the Guinness Book of World Records for most hours in front of a television camera (15,188 of them, to be exact).

And while Mr. Strahan might not be the most obvious choice--though he was adorable when he filled in during a June taping--Ms. Ripa should have no fear about becoming the sidekick to a bigger star. In related news, Mr. Strahan will be keeping his gig on Fox NFL Sunday, meaning that Fox doesn't view ABC's morning show as competitive with its own brand.

Agreeableness all around! Now, how often do you see that in television or sports? ABC and Ms. Ripa have yet to make an official comment on Mr. Strahan's new position, but don't be surprised to find Mr. Strahan sitting in Mr. Philbin's old chair in two weeks.

The Kiernans traded sky living for stoop sitting.

Pat Kiernan might not be taking over Regis Philbin's spot at “Live! With Kelly,” but at least the cultishly-popular NY1 anchor can console himself with the $3.8 million that he just made on the sale of his Upper West Side penthouse, according to city records.

Even if Mr. Kiernan and wife Dawn did set a neighborhood record when they paid $2.05 million for their new house in Williamsburg, the couple will  have more than a little extra pocket change from the sale of the four-bedroom co-op at 215 West 75th Street.

The buyers, Mary Haviland and Thomas Neff, who list their current address as Lyme, Conn., paid only a little under the $3.95 ask for the apartment, which the Kiernans built out of a collection of maid's rooms and a superintendent's apartments that they bought in 2001.

Mr. Kiernan had, apparently, tired of looking down on the city from on high and wanted to be among the people on Bedford Avenue, living in a siding-clad townhouse that he admitted to The New York Times was not "a trophy property from the front."

The couple's 75th Street penthouse, on the other hand, has an impressive 800-square-feet of outdoor space and views that mimic the city backdrops of a nightly news broadcast. The house appears to have gone on the market in February, although the listing is no longer available.

Such a change, while cementing Mr. Kiernan's place in the hearts of New Yorkers, may have indicated to producers that he wasn't snooty enough for the likes of the show, given that previous host Regis Philbin considered a move to the Upper West Side slumming it.

kvelsey@observer.com

While Mr. Meyers is said to be able to continue doing "Weekend Update" on SNL if he gets the gig, Mr. Friedman speculates he'll have to step down as head writer given the demands of the Live schedule. Could this be a period of renewal at Saturday Night Live after the departures of Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg, and (we think...) Jason Sudeikis? Or another "Saturday Night Dead" epoch?

Via a press release copied to his Pat's Papers website:

April 30, 2012 – NY1 anchor PAT KIERNAN co-hosts with Kelly today. Kelly and Pat sit down with Donald Trump to discuss the newest season of "Celebrity Apprentice," and the latest eliminated contestant from "American Idol" performs.

May 1, 2012 – PAT KIERNAN is back as Kelly’s co-host this morning. "Hawaii Five-O" star Daniel Dae Kim chats with the hosts, and iconic DJ Samantha Ronson steps out from behind the turntables to perform her original song, "Summer of Sam."

Fans of Kiernan have been attempting to get the NY1 morning anchor with a cult following named to the spot for over a year now—yes, they have a Facebook page—which is to say nothing of Kiernan's high regard for the gig.

Finally, to editorialize, ever-so-momentarily: We greatly look forward to Kiernan, a mild-mannered brilliant commander of subtle wit, speaking with Donald Trump. That will be good television.

fkamer@observer.com | @weareyourfek

The designer garage sale was co-hosted by Donna Karan, Kelly Ripa, Emma Roberts and Ariel Foxman, who were also in attendance. With designer threads on major discount, Super Saturday has become one of the most anticipated fetes of the season. Kelly Ripa declared this Super Saturday’s success with an excited tweet (and an ambiguous exclamative): “Whoop!... Everything is sold out! Way to go #OCRF.”

Just minutes ago on "Live With Regis and Kelly" you announced that after more than 40 years on television, you will be leaving the air after this year.

"This will be my last year on this show," you said to your audience this morning, as your perky co-host looked on in rare tearful form. "But there is a time, there is a time that everything needs to come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people."

Regis Philbin is 79 years old.

From 1988 to 2000, Philbin greeting early risers across the country with "Live With Regis and Kathie Lee." When Kathie Lee Gifford left the show in 2000, Kelly Ripa stepped into her shoes.

"I think I can only speak for America and all of us here when I say that it has been a pleasure and a privilege and a dream come true, and I wish I could do something to make you change your mind," Ripa told Philbin on air this morning.

If there's anyone who speaks for America, it's you, Kelly Ripa.

In one of the more memorable stages of his career Regis Philbin played ringmaster in the circus that was "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," a flashy game show that captured some sort of cultural zeitgeist en route to soaring ratings and international ubiquity.

So, we know you say you're leaving, Regis, but we have to ask: Is that your final answer?

The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 11:30pm): Queen Latifah; Emma Watson.

The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:35pm): Bob Newhart; musical guest Al Madrigal.

Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, 12:05am): Actor Dane Cook, 6-year-old genius Pranav Veera, musical guest Franz Ferdinand

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 12:35am): Julie Chen; Michael Ian Black; Will Dailey.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 12:35am): Kelly Ripa; Mark-Paul Gosselaar; musical guest Amadou and Mariam.

Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, 1:35am): Ken Jeong; musical guest Delta Spirit.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 11:00pm): Rerun.

The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 11:30pm): Rerun.

Chelsea Lately (E!, 11:00pm): Marissa Jaret Winokour, comedians John Caparulo, Heather McDonald and Brody Stevens.