Alan Peppard

Next week, bookstores nationwide will receive the latest offering from Dallas writer Mark Seal, Celebrated Weekends. Mark has leveraged his twin roles as diligent writer and traveling celebutante to produce his latest work.

He has homes in Dallas and Aspen. His contributing editor gig for Vanity Fair has included a cover story on yacht-hopping through the Mediterranean, including a day on Ari Onassis' floating love shack, Christina O. Mark also had the tough duty of sitting down with Bo Derek to co-write her autobiography.

While interviewing celebs over the years, Mark kept scrupulous notes. He has compiled this book of favorite celebrity cities and favorite haunts in those cities.

He has insider tips from Denzel Washington, Kevin Costner, Ben Affleck, John Cusack, Halle Berry, John Travolta, Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Celine Dion, Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Alba, Mark Wahlberg and Owen Wilson on cities such as Aspen, Miami, San Diego, New Orleans, Berlin, Paris and Rome.

It continues to be a treat to have actress Danica McKellar ( The Wonder Years, West Wing) in town filming web episodes of the Lifetime Movie Network show Inspector Mom. Danica and the Mom crew recently shot scenes at Iris restaurant that will be shown in March.

After the show launched on TV, it migrated to the web where episodes are shown on www.lmn.tv.

Late Saturday night, Danica was in Iris for dinner.

Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, the only child from the glamorous marriage of Rita Hayworth to Prince Aly Khan, will be the honoree at the Pink & Black Ball Feb. 10 at the Women's Museum in Fair Park. Chaired by Laura Hunt, the event will benefit the Greater Dallas Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and the Women's Museum.

Also look for former Miss America Phyllis George and Architectural Digest's long-time editor Paige Rense to be there.

Powerhouse interior designer Carleton Varney is serving as national chairman for the black-tie gala and is dispatching 400 yards of fabric he designed to adorn the tables.

The Dallas Contemporary, an art venue in the Wilson Historic District, has lined up works by top Texas artists to be auctioned at Saturday night's sixth Wish! Auction. Dallas Sotheby's associate Eve Reid (wife of Sotheby's chairman of operations Warren Weitman) is auction chair and reports that the live auction will include works by Bill Komodore, Pamela Nelson, Nic Nicosia, John Pomara, Robert Rauschenberg and Linda Ridgway.

Interested bidders can check out the art ahead of time at Thursday night's Premiere Peek party.

In a year of transition, the venerable Turtle Creek Chorale has been put in the hands of one of its most well-connected members, man about town Peter Anderson, director of catering and sales at the Hilton Park Cities. Peter has been elected chairman of the board of the men's chorus.

Artistic director Timothy Seelig is retiring after 20 years. "We are producing a grand sendoff for him," says Peter.

The Chorale is also launching a cooperative venture with the Dallas Summer Musicals. The group will be featured in 16 songs in the DSM's production, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring Tony Award-winner Faith Price. The March 15-17 shows at the Music Hall at Fair Park will also feature Dallas diva Denise Lee.