That Bastille Day is neither an American holiday nor on July 12 mattered not to socials Olivia Chantecaille and Ferebee Bishop Taube, who, together with St-Germain liqueur, celebrated France’s Fête Nationale on Saturday night with a little shindig at East Hampton’s Kobe Beach Club. Partyhopping Hamptonites, including Calvin Klein’s Francisco Costa, Jill Stuart, and Robert Buckley, sucked down St-Germain cocktails like they were going out of style—they’re not, by the way; elderflower-infused liqueur happens to be more addictive than crack—and noshed on French bistro snacks like baguette grilled cheeses. It was très Paris-by-way-of-the-Long Island Expressway, which, with the dollar this weak, is probably the closest we’ll get to the City of Light for a while.—Evelyn Crowley

L.E.S. is more, at least below Delancey Street. The lower Lower East Side, an area bordered by Delancey, the Bowery, Canal, and the East River, is experiencing a quiet boom. First there were rumors that Keith McNally was in a bidding war for a spot on Canal, then that H&M is eyeing a spot on Delancey. But regardless of whether the big names move in, the L.L.E.S. is the neighborhood of the moment, packed with great places to eat, drink, and shop. Here are our picks:

Clothing
Still Life, 77 Orchard St., (212) 575-9704
Kaight, 83 Orchard St., (212) 680-5630
Valley, 48 Orchard St., (212) 274-8985
aNYthing, 51 Hester St., (212) 777-0919
Project No. 8, 138 Division St., (212) 925-5599

Food
Brown Café, 61 Hester St., (212) 477-2427
Sweet Life, 63 Hester St., (212) 598-0092
Les Enfants Terrible, 37 Canal St., (212) 777-7518
BabyCakes, 248 Broome St., (212) 677-5047
Barrio Chino, 253 Broome St., (212) 228-6710
Good World, 3 Orchard St., (212) 925-9975

Bars
Lolita, 266 Broome St., (212) 966-7223
Happy Ending, 302 Broome St., (212) 334-9676
East Side Company Bar, 49 Essex St., (212) 614-7408

Culture
Miguel Abreu Gallery, 36 Orchard St., (212) 995-1774
East River Music Project, www.ermp.org
—Romney Leader

Photo: Romney Leader

St. John will celebrate its 45th anniversary next month with a special collection inspired by the company archives and designed by the label’s co-founder Marie Gray and her daughter Kelly Gray, who recently rejoined the brand as a creative consultant after an absence of several years. The pieces are youthful and pretty enough to make you rethink St. John’s rep as the go-to label for Beltway and boardroom types. But what really piqued our interest at a recent showroom appointment was a small group of knit suits, crocheted frocks, and Day-Glo tunic-and-pants sets dating to the 1970’s. We think brand ambassador Angelina Jolie would look fetching in one of these curve-loving knit dresses. The vintage collection will be touring St. John stores; first stop, the Fifth Avenue boutique during Spring fashion week.
—Nicole Phelps

Photo: Nicole Phelps