Fido’s Best Friend

Amodel life: Super-models are hogging every spotlight these days, showing up at restaurant openings (New York’s Fashion Cafe) and appearing in books (Michael Gross’ “Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women”). While the life of a famous glam girl may look shallow from where you sit, take heart--not every female on the catwalk is self-absorbed. Just the other day we were on the StairMaster at the gym when we saw model Carre Otis on one a few feet away. Otis was staring at a dog whose owner had tied it to a stair rail by the door, leaving the pooch panting in the sun. Otis couldn’t bear the dog’s forlorn look. She dismounted the StairMaster, bought a bottle of water and took it to the dog. We’re sure she’ll get a call from PETA any day now.

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Seattle, Schmeattle: Simile of the week: A Social Climes friend returned from Seattle recently where he went to check out the much-touted music and social scene. He returned disappointed, finding little that justified the hype. Just how bad was it? “It was as dead as a Peckinpah extra,” he said.

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One Sweet Smell: Cigar smoking has hardly ebbed in popularity. “Smokers” have sprung up all over the city. Cigar aficionados, at times criticized for being hedonistic, are showing their altruistic side by staging benefit smokers. This month, the EarthRise Foundation held “Cigar Night” to raise money for scholarships for its “Multi-Spiritual Summit” in June. And cigar authority Richard Carleton Hacker gave a talk and signed books at a “Spring Smoker” recently to benefit Tanya’s Children, a nonprofit children’s advocacy organization. We think this is one trend that shows few signs of going up in smoke.