Meanwhile, back at the ranch; her film has big shoes to fill

FRESH FACES The Washington Post reported yesterday that a US Airways shuttle from Logan to Washington was diverted to Albany Saturday evening to pick up Jenna and Barbara Bush. But what the paper didn't say was what the girls were up to in the state capital. Seems the Bush twins were coming off a few days of R&R at Canyon Ranch in Lenox (Mass.), where their stay appears to have overlapped with that of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and daughter Chelsea. The Bushes took a car to Albany, where the plane picked them up. Reached yesterday, the folks at the ranch refused to comment.

IF THE SHOE FITS Predictably, Ramona Diaz's new documentary, "Imelda," is doing boffo box office in the Philippines. "It beat out the competition last week, including `Spider Man 2,' " said Diaz, an Emerson grad who lives in Baltimore. The film, which opens Friday at Kendall Square Cinema, has been helped by the much-publicized efforts of its star, Imelda Marcos, to ban it. (Alas, a Philippino judge denied the former first lady's request for an injunction.) Diaz said the film was never intended to be a valentine to Marcos, but neither is it a hatchet job. "I heard she actually liked it, but when you live in a bubble, you're susceptible to people whispering in your ear," said Diaz. And what about Marcos's excellent shoe collection? "Oh, yes, there's a museum for her shoes in Manila, and we went and visited the shoes," Diaz said. "But, really, the film goes way beyond shoes."

AHOY! It's been a good summer for Kenneth Weiss of Gloucester, and an even better one for his boat, Gitana. The 118-foot superyacht, which was the surprise winner of an elite race in Newport a few weeks ago, has caught the eye of Hollywood director Andy Tennant. Seems Tennant saw the exquisite Italian-made yacht docked at Battery Park in New York and asked if he could film a scene onboard. The director of "Ever After" and "Sweet Home Alabama" is shooting a romantic comedy with Will Smith called "The Last First Kiss." "He was supposed to throw someone into the water, but that didn't happen," said Weiss. "Great things happen when you don't plan them."

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED Organizers of the Pitching in for Kids benefit at the Comedy Connection say Nomar Garciaparra may be gone but he's not forgotten. Carol Troxell and Sara Youngelson are sure No. 5 will be a no-show at their Aug. 12 event, but a jersey signed by Mr. Mia Hamm will be on the auction block; last year's Nomah shirt fetched $1,000. So who will be there? Tim Wakefield and Johnny Damon, for sure, and Derek Lowe, if he's not placed on waivers before then.

SOON TO BE A MOTION PICTURE New York Daily News reporter and Boston native Michele McPhee had to stop using her cellphone yesterday when she approached a security checkpoint. "They see the cellphone and they aren't happy," said McPhee of the New York police officers she covers every day. But it's her book "Mob Over Miami" that's getting the attention now that film rights have been acquired by Paolo Sadri's TMG Films. McPhee's book chronicles the life of Chris Paciello, who rose from Staten Island street thug to king of South Beach night life. Filming is slated to begin in January in Florida and New York. The 90-minute movie covers Paciello's 1999 arrest for the 1993 murder of a Staten Island housewife. Paciello, who co-owned Miami hot spot Liquid, was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison. McPhee has been signed as a technical adviser to the film.

SPECIAL GUEST Viewers of Nantucket's Plum TV got a pleasant surprise this week when they found Tim Russert hosting the cable channel's morning show. Russert, who spends summers on the island with his wife, Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth, did the show as a fund-raiser for the Boys & Girls Club. (He also used the opportunity to promote his book "Big Russ & Me.")

Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.