Valentino's dream night

It was a Midsummer Night's Dream that even Shakespeare would have had a hard time matching. A thousand guests -- many of the ladies in Valentino's best -- sipped flutes of sparkling wine as they strolled past the priceless marble sculptures of Rome's Galleria Borghese museum, on their way to a gala ball set up under a tent in the adjacent park. "I love you, all of you very much," an emotional Valentino (left) said during his toast at Saturday night's event, which culminated two days of celebrations marking the designer's 45 years in fashion. Rome hadn't seen such a bright red carpet in decades, probably since the "Dolce Vita" 1960s, which coincided with the beginning of the 75-year-old designer's career, as golden boy of the international jet-set. Leave it to Valentino to gather in the same room Mick Jagger -- in town for a Rolling Stones concert -- the widow of the late shah of Iran, Farah Pahlavi, and Princess Caroline of Monaco and family on their way to a Mediterranean cruise on their private yacht. Among top models at the gala were Elle MacPherson and Claudia Schiffer. Actresses on hand included Uma Thurm a n, Sarah Jessica Parker, Anne Hathaway, and Jennifer Hudson. Designers included Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, Donatella Versace, and Tom Ford. Pop star Annie Lennox offered the highlight with a surprise performance. Schiffer flaunted a gown in Valentino's trademark flaming red. Hathaway was in a black Valentino with white embroidery, while Oscar-winning actress Hudson was in Valentino brown. "Valentino is a sweet man, a fantastic couturier, and I just hope he goes on designing for a very long time," said Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida, a longtime friend, as she walked the red carpet in a vintage Valentino red gown. On Friday evening, Valentino served up another gala in a temple in the Roman Forum, for 500 guests including former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi. (AP)

Parker, Longoria marry in Paris

The sun smiled on Tony Parker and Eva Longoria's wedding day, breaking through after days of gray Paris skies. Their VIP guests, though, were concealed by big black umbrellas. Glamour and security went hand-in-hand as the NBA champion and star of "Desperate Housewives" exchanged vows Saturday in a church across from the Louvre Museum. The Roman Catholic ceremony at the Saint Germain l'Auxerrois Church -- frequented by French royalty in centuries past -- was stage two in a weekend wedding extravaganza. First, the mayor of Paris pronounced Parker, 25, and Longoria ( top right, arriving at Paris City Hall), 32, husband and wife in a civil ceremony Friday. Then, a priest married them Saturday afternoon. Following that: an exclusive bash at a storied French chateau. Longoria's fellow "Housewives" garnered the most attention from several hundred mostly French fans outside the church, who booed bodyguards for blocking their view. Teri Hatcher, in a silky blue gown, came with her 9-year-old daughter, Emerson Rose (bottom). Felicity Huffman (middle center) , in a beige dress with ruffled V -neck collar, brought her husband, William H. Macy. Nicollette Sheridan (middle left) wore a strapless pink gown. Also attending were singer Sheryl Crow and the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich. Bodyguards used huge umbrellas to shield guests from view. Police also erected 10-foot-high wooden panels in front of the church, and the bride and groom kept well out of sight. Later, the couple headed to the 17th century Vaux le Vicomte chateau 35 miles southeast of Paris, with its marble-floored ballroom, chandelier-studded dining room , and precisely pruned gardens. For the civil ceremony, Parker, who was born in Belgium and grew up in France, asked Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe to officiate. Parker's friends translated when Delanoe gave a speech calling the basketball star a model in the fight against racism. (AP)

Stars help open Tanglewood

Hollywood superstar John Travolta and his stunning wife, actress Kelly Preston, added a little wattage to the Boston Symphony Orchestra's opening night at Tanglewood on Friday. The A-listers were the guests of James Taylor and his wife, Kim. Also spotted at the festive pre-concert dinner that raised $375,000 to replace the more than 300 trees lost in a December storm and repair damage to the lush Berkshire grounds were Governor Deval Patrick and his wife, Diane, maestro Andre Previn and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. . . . And speaking of Taylor, Sweet Baby James is going to be a grandfather. Sally Taylor, James's 33-year-old daughter with Carly Simon, told USA Today recently she is expecting a baby boy in September. A Martha's Vineyard denizen, Sally is a singer-songwriter in her own right.

Donnie Wahlberg back on TV

Donnie Wahlberg has been down this road before, so he underplays his starring role in "The Kill Point," the new Spike TV drama. "There's so much beyond what I can control, I can only focus on my character and what I can do," the Dorchester-bred actor told us about the show that premieres July 22. "I do feel like there's a lot to work with in this series." And Wahlberg, who plays a Pittsburgh police hostage negotiator, isn't shy about ticking some of those things off. The cast includes John Leguizamo and all eight episodes were directed by Steve Shill, whose work includes "The Tudors," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and "Brotherhood." Wahlberg starred in "Runaway," a drama the fledgling CW network killed off last year shortly after the first episodes aired. "So much was wrong with that experience . . . and then Steve [Shill] had so much to offer with this show," Wahlberg said. There is a benefit for Wahlberg in having nearly two dozen film credits and working on several TV series. "I haven't been pigeon holed as a lot of people thought I would be from my musical career," the former New Kid on the Block said. "That's what I think this show will do best. . . . Keep 'em guessing."

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz will help get things rolling at the All-Star game in San Francisco this morning when he unveils his new signature cleat. Canton-based Reebok tapped the All-Star to put his John Hancock on the "Big Papi 2M Mid. "

Natalie Cole will headline a Boston Pops concert Aug. 11 on Nantucket that will benefit the island's hospital. A UMass-Amherst alum, Cole has sold more than 30 million albums . Island summer resident Tim Russert, host of NBC's "Meet the Press," will host the 11th annual concert. . . . And when Keith Lockhart and the Pops make their annual stop at the Hyannis Village Green on Aug. 5, "Everybody Loves Raymond" star Ray Romano will be the guest conductor for the 22nd annual Pops by the Sea concert , sponsored by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod . The comic has family ties to Wellfleet , said Beth Dunn, the foundation's spokeswoman.

Former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson and his ex-wife, Jackie, recently sold their 5,854-square-foot Colonial-style house in Weston for $3.65 million. The couple made headlines last summer when they were arrested for assault and battery. Jackie told police that the former Super Bowl champ repeatedly pushed her head into a bookcase, according to published reports. She later recanted those statements . The couple divorced late last year. Johnson was back in the spotlight earlier this year when he talked to Globe sports columnist Jackie MacMullan about the debilitating concussions he suffered during the 10 years he played as a pro.

Former "American Idol" Clay Aiken was involved in an airplane disturbance with another passenger Saturday morning while en route to Tulsa (Okla.) International Airport, a newspaper reported. The dispute on a Continental Airlines flight took place between Aiken, who was traveling to a performance at the Brady Theater, and a woman, the Tulsa World reported yesterday . Concertgoers who attended the singer's show said afterward that Aiken joked on stage about being beaten up by a girl earlier in the day. FBI Special Agent Gary Johnson confirmed that there was a dispute, but not that the passenger was Aiken. He said the dispute was over the man's foot resting on the woman's armrest, and there was an allegation the woman gave the male passenger a "minor shove" during the argument. " The flight crew was able to resolve the situation," Johnson said. (AP)

Miss New Jersey has received a second threatening package from someone trying to blackmail her into relinquishing her crown, her lawyer says. Anthony Caruso said he was told about the package Saturday and that it contained a threatening letter and possibly new photographs of the 22-year-old Amy Polumbo . Caruso would not comment on the contents of the package or who received it, but said he had given it to state investigators. Polumbo, a student at Wanger College in New York, announced Thursday that someone was trying to blackmail her with old photographs and demanding that she give up her crown by Friday. She did not . Caruso did not say what the first set of photos showed, but said that it was the captions on the photographs that troubled Polumbo, not the images. He would not reveal what the captions said. The first runner-up in the pageant denied any involvement . "I wish only the best for Amy and her family at this time," Ronica Licciardello told New York newspapers. (AP)

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