Penthouse view

US Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman sold his penthouse on Burroughs Wharf recently to former Boston Bruins player Brian Leetch and his wife, Mary Beth, for $6.4 million, according to the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds. The four-bedroom condo has two private decks, three balconies, and two fireplaces, according to city records. Bodman has been energy secretary since February 2005, and previously was a deputy secretary at both the Treasury and Commerce departments. Leetch, who announced his retirement from the NHL, is considered to be "one of the most dynamic skating US-born defensemen in NHL history," according to a Boston Globe profile. The Boston College alum played 1,300 games as a pro, won a Stanley Cup when he was with the Rangers, and came to the Bruins for the 2005-2006 season.

Holliston homegirl Jo Dee Messina has gotten herself engaged. The country music singer is getting married to businessman Chris Deffenbaugh. "This is such a happy time for us," the couple, who plan to wed in the fall, said in a statement. "And we are so appreciative for each other and for our families, friends, and fans that have sent us cards and e-mails. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts." Messina, 37, has sold some 5 million records during her career. Her fiance owns Deffenblaster Enterprises, which builds road cases and audio equipment.

In Wellfleet, a new theater rises

Just two days after the Wellfleet Harbor Actor s Theater opened its new home on Route 6, legendary actress Julie Harris (above) dedicated it with a kiss. After being introduced to the audience Saturday night by WHAT artistic director Jeff Zinn, the five-time Tony Award winner waved for the standing crowd to be quiet. Then with a grand gesture, the Chatham resident kissed her palm and pressed it into the brand new Julie Harris Stage. Though she didn't appear in the new theater's opening play, "The Clean House," Harris was the star of the evening. Video of her many performances played on a screen in the lobby overlooking a champagne and chocolate reception. There Harris greeted such admirers as Constance McCashin, with whom she acted in "Knots Landing," and McCashin's husband, film and TV director Sam Weisman. Also hobnobbing before the show: WHAT mainstays Carol Green, Kevin Rice, Gip Hoppe, and Rand Foerster, singer Patty Larkin (below, with friend Fred Magee), and Harwich Junior Theatre honcho Nina Schuessler. A fter the show, Boston architect John Freeman, who designed the space, exulted at seeing it filled with people. "The word that kept coming up was intimacy," said Freeman, "because that's what they had and they wanted it to continue." Meanwhile, "Clean House" costar Laura Esterman marveled at the "posh" new setting while admitting she will always have a soft spot for WHAT's other theater, the Harbor Stage, which will still be used for smaller shows. "You had to use the same bathroom as the audience," Esterman recalled. Still, the new place has its charms. "On the stage, you feel very close to people."

A busy weekend at the Hynes

In between her on-air gigs and signing autographs, Channel 7 anchor Frances Rivera did two four-hour shifts giving cooking demonstrations at a health and fitness expo the station sponsored at the Hynes Convention Center over the weekend. An estimated 70,000 passed through the two-day event, which included appearances by Erik Chopin, winner of NBC's "The Biggest Loser," and Caridee English (above), winner of "America's Next Top Model."

'Wedding' turns into de Matteo family celebration

Actress Drea de Matteo (above center) joined four generations of her family at the Gloucester Stage Company's production of "My Son's Wedding," written by her mom, Donna (above left). The gang was not only on hand to mark the world premiere run of Donna's play but also to celebrate her birthday, which was yesterday , the closing night of the production. Nearly two dozen de Matteos, including Donna's mom , Rae Bendinelli, were at the Franklin Cape Ann in Gloucester on Friday, and 22 attended a birthday celebration dinner at Gloucester's Ocean View Inn on Saturday before attending the performance. Yesterday, Drea, most famous for her stint on "The Sopranos," stuck around for the performance and was slated to attend a party her mother threw for the company at the Franklin Cape Ann.

Paris Hilton will give her first post-jail interview to Larry King on CNN on Wednesday night. Mike Sitrick, a spokesman for the Hilton family, announced the agreement Saturday. Hilton is expected to be released tomorrow from jail in Los Angeles, where she has been serving a sentence since June 3 for charges related to traffic violations. She and her representatives have been negotiating for the exclusive rights to the first interview for most of the past week. Both ABC and NBC were heavily involved in pursuing the interview, but negotiations turned sour after news accounts described potential cash payments for materials that the Hiltons would provide with the interview, like photographs and videos. (New York Times News Service)

Prince William and former girlfriend Kate Middleton have resumed their relationship, British newspapers reported yesterday . The young couple, who announced in April they had split, attended a party at an army barracks together earlier this month, newspapers claimed. William, 25, has also invited Middleton to attend a memorial concert for his late mother, Princess Diana, to be held at London's Wembley Stadium next Sunday, the Mail on Sunday reported. A spokeswoman for William's Clarence House office declined to comment on the reports. Britain's News of the World tabloid claimed the couple had been on a string of low - key dates since their April split. William, second in line to the British throne, and a second lieutenant in the country's army, celebrated his 25th birthday on Thursday and gained access to part of the inheritance left him by his mother. (AP)

Half brothers Julian (inset top) and Sean Lennon have begun speaking to each other again. The reconciliation follows Julian's eight-year feud with Sean and Sean's mother , Yoko Ono, the widow of the men's father, John Lennon, the New York Post reported yesterday. The rift stemmed from comments Julian made about Ono, he told the Post. Julian's mother is Cynthia, John's first wife. "I thought it time to make big changes in my own life," Julian, 44, told the Post in what the paper said was his first interview since 1999. "Part of that has been to get Sean back into my life." (AP)

"Evan Almighty," with Steve Carell taking over for Jim Carrey in a follow-up to "Bruce Almighty," debuted at No. 1 with $32.1 million, less than half the $68 million opening of its predecessor, according to studio estimates yesterday . The Stephen King adaptation "1408," a horror tale with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson in the story of a man trapped in a hotel room with malevolent spirits, debuted in second place with $20.175 million. "A Mighty Heart," starring Angelina Jolie as the wife of kidnapped and slain journalist Daniel Pearl, came in at No. 10 with $4 million. The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," finished just behind "1408" with $20.15 million. (AP)

Scott Heller of the Globe staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.