• Is Tiger Woods in New York right now? Did he settle with his estranged wife by handing her a check for $300 million? In two pretty dubious stories now making the rounds, a friend of Elin Nordegren says Woods' scorned wife—who spent the holiday weekend at a French ski resort—has been telling pals she got a $300 million gift for Christmas from her estranged husband. Meanwhile, rumors also surfaced that Woods was spending the weekend holed up at New York's Trump International Hotel, where he ordered huge amounts of Red Bull and vodka and was accompanied by a "leggy blond." Alas, the paparazzi camped out outside the hotel never caught a glimpse of him and the hotel staff denied Woods was ever there. [NYDN, NYP]
• Down in St. Barts, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich made it rain by hosting a $5 million New Year's Eve party at his $90 million estate. Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani and Prince all performed at the shindig, and the Russian mogul's party—along with fetes hosted by Larry Gagosian and Paul Allen—attracted a long list of boldface names to the island, including Jay-Z, Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr, Marc Jacobs and Lorenzo Martone, Rachel Zoe, Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman, and Russell Simmons. For her part, Lindsay Lohan spent much of the weekend aboard Abramovich's boat, where she was seen jet-skiing and shopping in a teeny bikini and ginormous wedge heels. She also sent out a rather ominous tweet on New Year's Eve: "Everyone get ready for more (but positive—LOHAN MAYHEM!!!" Sigh. [NYP, People, DM]
• According to Peter Biskind's new biography of Warren Beatty—and some "simple arithmetic" on the part of Biskind—the actor has bedded 12,775 women during his lifetime. Annette Bening must be so proud. [NYP]

Chloe Sevigny turns 35 today. Project Runway winner Christian Siriano is turning 24. Owen Wilson is 41. Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly is turning 39. Former MSNBC anchor Rita Cosby turns 45. Elizabeth Perkins of Weeds is 49. Singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik is 40. Comedian Kevin Nealon is turning 56. The Office's Oscar Nunez is 51. The rapper Fabolous is 32. Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett turns 47. Former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens is turning 86. And former Dynasty star Linda Evans is 67.

[Looks like the cash-strapped Annie Leibovitz sold her likeness rights to Chloe Sevigny, who was seen impersonating the photog's signature rumpled look in L.A. last night. Image via X17]

• Mischa Barton went to see "Tosca" at the Metropolitan Opera the other night. Naturally, when she showed up and saw a red carpet, she started walking it... until she realized it was for the screening of Michael Moore's new documentary at Alice Tully Hall. It was then that the light bulb went on and she ran across the street. Pull it together, woman! [P6]
• Jessica Simpson can't catch a break. Tony Romo ditched her; her dog got snatched by a coyote; her friends keep dishing to the media; and now her ex, Nick Lachey, appears to be reuniting with his ex, Vanessa Minnillo. Poor Jess. [E!]
• Tyra Banks appeared on Larry King Live last night and talked about how she dealt with packing on some lbs (again), her real hair (again), and how she loves being naked (unless the lighting in the dressing room sucks). [CNN, ET]

Tyra lets it hang out. Paparazzi want to hang Tom and Gisele out for an alleged shooting. And Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze, Jr are hanging out with a new baby. Welcome to your Wednesday morning gossip roundup!

• Friends worry Jessica Simpson is "at the lowest point of her life" now that she's lost her beloved dog, Daisy. Others say she's coping "better than her friends may realize." Either way, we she's probably feeling much better now that her friends are sharing her innermost feelings with the tabloids. [People]
• The man suspected of breaking into Lindsay Lohan's house wasn't a complete stranger: The two reportedly hung out on the set of her film Labor Pains last year. The girl's not the best judge of character, as you've probably realized by now. [TMZ]
• The drugs that were prescribed to Anna Nicole Smith amounted to "pharmaceutical suicide," according to newly unsealed court documents that were obtained by the LA Times. Most disturbing: The documents also reveal that both of Anna Nicole's doctors "transgressed professional boundaries by having sexual contact with their famous patient." [LAT]
• Michelle Obama gave Barack the silent treatment at points during his campaign for president because she was pissed about all the women throwing themselves at him, according to a new book. There was even a hot young campaign aide who was mysteriously "relocated" after developing a close relationship with the President. [NYDN, P6]
• Did you catch President Obama's appearance on Letterman last night? [MTV]

The rain on Wednesday evening didn't keep the crowds away from the launch party for BlackBerry's new Tour smartphone at the Thompson LES. (The bait—a complimentary Tour along with three months of free Sprint Service—probably helped.) Turning out for the occasion, despite the weather: Brooke Shields, Chloë Sevigny, Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford, Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz and Mark Indelicato, Erin Lucas and Olivia Palermo from The City, designer Nicole Miller, and IMG senior veep and reality TV judge, Fern Mallis. Not everyone was planning to use their new phone to tweet away, though, as Cityfile correspondent Douglas Marshall found out when he chatted with Shields ("No, I'm not a Twitterer"), and Sevigny ("I'm not really into any of that. No Twitter. No Facebook. No MySpace. None of it"). Mark Indelicato was an exception. After the jump, the Ugly Betty star on his obsession with texting and tweeting.

New York's most important issue is Saving the Beatrice Inn. But alas, it looks like the return of the elitist coke den is not meant to be. Chloe Sevigny may not be the city's biggest power broker, after all.

Kim Cattrall standing in front of Le Bilboquet on East 63rd Street .... Jessica Alba going to dinner at the Waverly Inn ... Jennifer Lopez on the set of her new movie, The Back-Up Plan ... Stephanie Pratt shopping in SoHo ... Bruce Willis watching Paul McCartney's concert at the Ed Sullivan Theater with wife Emma Hemming ... Chloe Sevigny walking on Central Park West ... Jesse Jackson on Fifth and 48th ... Drew Barrymore leaving her trailer on the set of her new movie ... Pierce Brosnan standing on the set of Remember Me in Brooklyn ... and Edie Falco getting out of a car.

[The lovely and talented actress at some sort of event for Swarovski crystals last night; image via Splash]

"Nightlife Preservation": The political cause you can support by sniffing coke in the Beatrice Inn bathroom! Is it possible to support a cause in theory while wishing its supporters would shut up, in practice? In this case, yes.

• Here's a sign that people are shopping again (or else Victoria Beckham has gone on another shopping spree): Hermès says it's experiencing such "massive over-demand" for its handbags, it's been forced to set up its own crocodile breeding operation in Australia just to keep up. [Reuters via Cut]
• Esteban Cortazar appears to be parting ways with Emanuel Ungaro. It appears he plans to sue Ungaro, too. [WWD]
• Do you control a major luxury brand? Are you a fan of Chloe Sevigny? If you answered yes to both questions, give her a ring. She's willing to talk. [SF]
• A "couture" tattoo shop has opened in the Flatiron district. [W]
• The DKNY mural at Houston and Broadway is officially gone. [BB]

• Public Fare, Danny Meyer's concession stand at the Delacorte Theater, will be open for the debut of Shakespeare in the Park on June 10. [Zagat]
• Shea Gallante, the chef at Cru, will be leaving at the end of the month. [NYT]
• Daniel Boulud's DBGB is accepting walk-ins prior to its 6/8 opening. [GS]
• Flex Mussels on the UES gets a single star in the Times today. [NYT]
• Noah Tepperberg's Avenue opened last night. Wass Stevens and the Beatrice Inn's Angelo and Todd manned the door, Paul Sevigny provided the music, sister Chloë was in the house, and a jack and coke costed $19.20. [GS]

[Chloe Sevigny in Soho today; image via Bauer-Griffin]

Rihanna shopping in Soho, and later standing under an umbrella outside Bar 89 on Mercer Street ... Chloe Sevigny carrying a bunch of shopping bags downtown ... Kate Bosworth walking with James Rousseau on the Lower East Side ... Venus Williams getting in a taxi outside of Whole Foods ... Chace Crawford hanging out on the set of Twelve with Emma Roberts ... Chanel Iman talking on her cell phone ... Kim Kardashian walking into the Gramercy Park Hotel ... Bethenny Frankel heading into a book signing at the Time Warner Center ... Jessica Biel walking downtown ... and Victoria Beckham going shopping in Chelsea.

• Mayor Bloomberg has pronounced it "Sparkle Week" in NYC as part of an effort to give a boost to the jewelry industry. They sure could use the help: Retailers in the Diamond District report that sales have dropped by more than 50 percent over the past year. [NYM, Crain's]
• Jil Sander's new Madison Avenue store has opened its doors. [Racked]
• Lauren Hutton was injured while surfing a couple of weeks ago, but she's still hoping to make it to the Costume Institute ball. [NYM]
• Is Chloe Sevigny single-handedly trying to bring back the sandals-and-socks look, or was the combo of sun and booze at Coachella to blame? [Frisky, JJ]

• Ian Schrager is bringing in some firepower to the Gramercy Park Hotel: Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality will take over space formerly occupied by Wakiya, and David Rockwell will handle the design, although the "Italian-inspired" restaurant doesn't have a chef or name just yet. [NYT]
• In a chat with the Observer, Meyer says he's "intrigued by the possibilities" of working with Schrager. He also says he has no plans to take over the Rainbow Room, and remains undecided about a bid for Tavern on the Green. [NYO]
• Rumor has it Todd English is out at The Libertine at the Gild Hall hotel. [TFB]
• Keith McNally's Minetta Tavern has added a late-night menu. [GS]
• A group of sad Beatrice Inn regulars gathered at the Cooper Square Hotel on Friday night. In attendance: one-half of the Olsen twins, Chloe Sevigny, and "some skinny guys with mustaches," naturally. [DBTH]
• The sandwich shop Crosby Connection opened on Bleecker today. [Eater]
• The best street food in NYC, at least according to the Post. [NYP]

Kate Moss, in town for the Topshop debut, stepping out of a car in Soho ... Chloe Sevigny hailing a cab in the East Village ... Mario Batali carrying his kids' backpacks in the West Village ... Sean Connery apparently doing a little shopping at Wireless Warehouse on Third Avenue ... Claire Danes walking with a cup of coffee in Soho ... Anthony Bourdain and his wife Ottavia Busia eating lunch at Da Silvano ... Willem Dafoe and Giada Colagrande carrying grocery bags in the West Village ... Hilary Duff walking around with a shopping bag from Barneys ... Ed Westwick checking his phone on the set of Gossip Girl in Foley Square ... and Whitney Port leaving La Esquina.

• Diane von Furstenberg had a really lovely Oscar weekend, thanks so much for asking. [DVF]
• Rachel Zoe is denying that clients Cameron Diaz and Debra Messing have abandoned her. "Styling is still her number one priority," a "source" says. [SW]
• Layoffs: Neiman Marcus is cutting 450, Valentino is downsizing its NY office, and there are rumors Coach is trimming staff, too. [WWD, WWD, Racked]
• Thakoon reflects on last week. [NYO]
• Chloe Sevigny's second collection for Opening Ceremony hit London on Sunday evening. [WWD]
• Reports from London Fashion Week as it winds down. [Vogue UK, NYT, AFP]
• The gloomy mood in Bryant Park last week appears to have made its way to Milan: Just Cavalli has cancelled its runway show for Thursday. [NYM]

[Actress Chloë Sevigny at the "Big Love" premiere in Los Angeles last night; image via WENN]