From Boston to Broadway

Faneuil Hall was abuzz yesterday when camera crews descended on Union Street. “We hear it’s Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise,’’ said an employee at the Tap. “We hear they’re filming a commercial - or that it’s Ben Affleck,’’ said an employee at the Purple Shamrock. Turns out, much of the hubbub was caused by the filming of a Patriots commercial for Visa - although Affleck was said to be filming more of his movie “The Town’’ nearby in the North End. . . . Fashionista Rachel Zoe was spotted breezing through Rocca in the South End on Saturday night. The Bravo network star made a quick appearance at Michaela Larson’s restaurant before taking friends to Ed Kane’s nightclub the Estate. . . . Dining at Sonsie the other night were Tampa Bay ballplayers Evan Longoria, Matt Garza, Gregg Zaun, and James Shields. . . . Spotted at Mogehan Sun over the weekend - not far from Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies - were Tyrese Gibson, Spike Lee, and Zach Gilford, of “Friday Night Lights.’’

Local actor Sean Malone, who had a small role in “Gone Baby Gone’’ and just finished filming “The Fighter’’ with Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, was in West Roxbury over the weekend to help auction off two pairs of boxing gloves signed by Wahlberg and Lowell boxer Micky Ward for the John Connolly Foundation. Malone, who plays a friend of Ward’s brother Dickie Eklund in “The Fighter,’’ said he spent more than 40 hours on set with Bale, who portrays Eklund in the film. Despite Bale’s reputation for being a hothead, Malone said the actor was a dream to work with. “I thought he was a wonderful, wonderful human being. He was a gentlemen. I learned a lot just by watching him. I can see why Mark went out and got him.’’

Ray Allen likes the hunt. The Celtics star sent fans on a wild goose chase over the weekend when he notified them on his Twitter page that he’d be leaving a pair of his sneakers for the taking at a random spot around Boston. “I just finished workin’ out and realized I have so many shoes that I don’t wear anymore so as I am driving thru Boston I decided I’m gonna leave a pair of shoes somewhere for whoever to have. When I find a good place I’ll tweet the address,’’ he tweeted. Allen then sent out little hints about the location of the shoes, sending fans to the Lincoln School in Brookline, to the Chestnut Hill Mall, and eventually to a pond where Allen had dropped the shoes by a rock. He tweeted to fans that he’d sign the shoes once someone found them. The game must have been fun for Allen because he dropped another pair of sneakers in Hartford yesterday. They were picked up by a Connecticut fan named Michael who tweeted, “I found Ray Allen’s sneakers under the Colt Dome!!’’

Long before Peter Palandjian became the CEO of Intercontinental Real Estate Corp., he was a tennis player - which is why the Boston exec and his wife, Minou, were tapped to co-chair the 29th annual Legends Ball in New York over the weekend. Guests at the Tennis Hall of Fame benefit included Whoopi Goldberg, Monica Seles, Jimmy Connors, and Robin Roberts, who emceed the festivities. Also joining the party were two of the “Real Housewives of New York City’’ - Jill Zarin and Ramona Singer, who were nice enough to bring their husbands. Palandjian was captain of Harvard’s tennis team and played at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Mike Giannattasio, the Suffolk University student who always seems to be able to get pictures of himself with celebrities while they’re in town (but swears he’s not stalking them), did it again - this time with Drew Barrymore. Giannattasio and his friends caught up with the actress last week as she was on her way out of No. 9 Park. Barrymore was in town to promote her roller-derby movie, “Whip It.’’