Names

Culinary artist at the MFA

Eric Ripert with Jan Dorman, honorary chair of the MFA’s patron steering committee, at the VIP reception. (Gretchen Ertl for The Boston Globe)

By Mark Shanahan & Meredith Goldstein

October 2, 2009

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Celebrity chef Eric Ripert was at the center of attention the other night at the MFA, where he delivered a lecture and then hosted a VIP reception. Ripert, co-owner of Le Bernardin in New York, makes occasional appearances on “Top Chef’’ and stars in “Avec Eric,’’ the new PBS series chronicling his culinary adventures.

Hornby meets his fans

British novelist Nick Hornby was in Boston the other night to read from his new book, “Juliet, Naked,’’ about a reclusive, Daniel Johnston-like songwriter who’s making a comeback of sorts. Hornby (far left), whose best-known works include “High Fidelity’’ and “Fever Pitch,’’ signed copies of his new novel at Brookline Booksmith before crossing the street to read at the Coolidge Corner Theater.

Stylin' at ICA benefit

Rag & Bone designers David Neville and Marcus Wainwright proudly showed off their stylish garb at a fund-raiser for the Institute of Contemporary Art held the other night at Saks Fifth Avenue. Among the 400 guests at the event were ICA deputy director Paul Bessire, stylist Nina Endrst, and Ame & Lulu designer Amye Kurson, who brought her rat terrier to the festivities. Sadly, we didn’t see Tom Brady - who’s a fan of Rag & Bone’s designs - at the fete.

Scene around the town

Olympic gymnast Alicia Sacramone dropped by the gift suite at marlo marketing/communications this week. The Winchester wonder added her John Hancock to items signed by other celebs that will be donated to charities. . . . “Zookeeper’’ actress Rosario Dawson dined with friends at the Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro, and afterward posed for pics with patrons.

Ogletree shares his views on Gates arrest

Harvard Law professor Charles Ogletree is writing a book about the controversial arrest of his friend and Harvard colleague Henry Louis Gates Jr. Ogletree, who was repped in the deal by Ike Williams, a principal of the Boston-based literary agency Kneerim & Williams, served as Gates’s attorney after the academic’s much-publicized arrest by Cambridge Police Sergeant James Crowley. The book, we’re told, will examine the events of July 16, and what they reveal about race and class in America. A few weeks after the incident, Gates and Crowley joined President Obama and Vice President Biden for beers at the White House.

Twice the heists

Bank robbers - both real and fake - took over the North End yesterday, making things a bit confusing for locals in the neighborhood. At about 9 a.m., Boston Police responded to a call that the Sovereign Bank on Hanover Street had been robbed by an unarmed white male in his 30s who passed a note to a teller with a demand. The report seemed strange, mainly because Ben Affleck’s bank robber movie, “The Town,’’ was filming a chase scene right down the road, on North Bennet Street from Hanover to Salem. Boston police spokesman Jamie Kenneally said the robbery at Sovereign was the real deal and had nothing to do with Affleck’s movie. “It was real,’’ Kenneally said, adding sarcastically, “Ben Affleck did not rob the bank.’’ For the record, Boston Police described the bank robber as 5 feet 8 inches. Ben is 6 feet 2 inches.

Pitching DVDs

Still haven’t seen “The Lost Son of Havana,’’ the poignant pic about should-be Hall of Famer Luis Tiant? Tomorrow and Sunday, El Tiante (inset) and producers Bobby Farrelly and Kris Meyer will be at Twins on Yawkey Way before the Sox game selling the DVD. (They’ll be there when the gates open at Fenway.) The well-received documentary tells the story of Tiant’s emotional return to Cuba after 46 years away.

Floating on ‘Air’

Singer Terry Sylvester - he of the Hollies - is in town tonight, playing with John Ford Coley at the Kowloon. Sylvester told us yesterday he’s delighted that his former band, whose hits included “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’’ and “The Air That I Breathe,’’ has been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “People used to say, ‘I can’t believe the Hollies aren’t in,’ and it started to get on my nerves,’’ said Sylvester. “It’s a very private club. When we got the nomination, I was floating around for a few days.’’

Cruise sighting

Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise were busy shooting yesterday near the Bank of America Pavilion in South Boston.

Read the Names blog at www.boston.com/namesblog. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.