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"Hamptons Diary"
By: Dan Kadison, Marsha Kranes, Braden Keil, & Aly Sujo
(July 5th, 2003)

"Piano Man" Billy Joel says the docks are his.

The grizzled ivory thumper has been squabbling with Sag Harbor officials since he started using floating docks in the South Fork town last year to tie up some of his boats.

Joel put up "Private Property" signs on the docks near the Sag Harbor Yacht Club thinking they were part of his South Fork spread, but locals say he's wrong.

Lawyer Dennis Downes, who represented Joel when he bought the property, said the docks came with the spread.

"The village has no interest there," said Downes. "Those docks belong to [Joel's property] and they have for 100 years."

"Billy, Elton Dominate 2003 Concert Sales To Date"
Show Attendance Jumps 24 Percent
(July 10th, 2003)

Elton John and Billy Joel's latest "Face 2 Face" Tour is drawing a lot of faces in music venues.

According to music industry tracker Pollstar, the double-headliner tour has picked up $52.7 million in concert ticket sales from January 2003 to June 2003.

Coming in second were the Rolling Stones with $37.4 million in sales, and the Dixie Chicks are in third place with $35.1 million.

The fourth place concert tour wasn't even a tour: Celine Dion's show in Las Vegas has so far brought in $33.2 million. Cher's farewell tour is currently in fifth place with $31.7 million in ticket sales.

Concert attendance jumped 24 percent in the first half of this year, with $13.1 million tickets sold to the top 50 concert tours, according to Pollstar.

Rounding out the top 10 are Tim McGraw ($30.6 million), Fleetwood Mac ($28.3 million), the Eagles ($27.2 million), Bon Jovi ($26.9 million) and Kenny Chesney ($24.4 million).

"Hamptons Diary"
By: Dan Kadison, Braden Keil, & Marsha Kranes
(July 12th, 2003)

Billy Joel, relaxed and deep in thought, was busy making a list when Diary happened upon him aboard his boat, the "Alexa," in Sag Harbor yesterday.

"I'm a licensed captain, and I've got to keep track of what needs to be done for the boat," he said as he studied his list.

"This boat has a great profile. She's a Maine lobster boat. I took years picking out this hull," he said proudly.

He's had the "Alexa," which he named for his daughter, since 1990, he said.

He bought the 36-foot boat because he loves fishing and wanted to catch and sell swordfish. But he lost his commercial fishing license in the mid-'90s when the state law changed and commercial fishermen were required to earn half their income from fishing.

So now he just goes cruising on the Alexa - taking guests out on Peconic Bay, often heading for Block Island or Gardiners Island.

Joel no longer goes fishing because he believes "killing an animal for sport is immoral."

"You should either eat the animal or sell the animal to feed your children or clothe your children," he said, citing Native American philosophy.

The "Piano Man" is one of a group of celebs who've donated items for auction at tonight's benefit for the Children's Museum of the East End at the Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton.

Joel has given an autographed electric Yamaha keyboard that's part of a "music legend" package that also includes a signed Paul Simon CD set and a Sir Elton John songbook from his "Face 2 Face" Tour with Joel.

"Hamptons Diary"
By: Adam Miller, Dan Kadison, Braden Keil, Marsha Kranes, & Erin Calabrese
(July 13th, 2003)

The "Piano Man" wants to set the record straight.

Talking to The Post as he surveyed the waters of Northwest Bay from his 36-foot boat, the "Alexa," he idly massaged his goatee and said, "My life is good, I have no complaints." But, he added. And there were quite a few buts.

Of the East Hampton car crash last year that fueled his notoriety, he said, "It was blown so far out of proportion, it was insane."

Photos of his Mercedes-Benz wrapped around a tree "made it look much worse than it was. I had no injuries. Nobody was hurt. No alcohol was involved."

On the subject of the media, he noted: "My girlfriend is not the maitre d' at Jeff and Eddie's."

His reference was to news accounts that Kate Lee, his new squeeze, works at a popular new Sag Harbor restaurant.

"She's the fishmonger in a fish store," he said.

"She wants to learn about local regional food. She's a potential chef. How better to learn about fish than in a shop that sells fish?"

"Hamptons Diary"
By: Braden Keil & Dan Kadison
(July 14th, 2003)

More a boating enthusiast than a polo fan, Billy Joel nonetheless showed up to hobnob at the Bridgehampton Polo Club. The Guyland's favorite son made the scene in the VIP area of the Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge tent Saturday afternoon, along with actor Peter Boyle, Star Jones of "The View," rap impresario Russell Simmons and "Sex and The City" vixen Kim Cattrall. Joel showed up with his much younger girlfriend Kate Lee, who sells fish at a local fish store.

"She was very insistent on meeting Kim [Cattrall]," one tentmate said of Lee. "She was very excited and star-struck."

For her part, Jones appeared just as thrilled to greet Joel. Jones jumped up with such force when she spotted Joel that her chair flew into pieces. "She broke the chair in half when she got up to say hi," said a witness. "I've never seen her move that fast."

Publicity princess Lizzie Grubman presided over a table of about 15 people at Jean Luc East on Saturday. Billy Joel's girlfriend was there, too, although the singer was nowhere to be seen. The most noticeable member of Grubman's party was her beefy bodyguard, who was wearing something under his shirt that resembled a Glock semiautomatic handgun.

Word was he donned the hardware because Grubman would later be heading to Ja Rule's party at The Tavern in Southampton.

"Annual Polo Challenge Not Really About The Game"
By: Robert Kahn
(July 14th, 2003)

"Well, I feel a little silly being here," Billy Joel said Saturday, surveying the opening-day crowd at the Bridgehampton Polo Club, which included Kim Cattrall, Russell Simmons, Angela Bassett, Star Jones and Peter Boyle.

"I am so not a horse guy, but my girlfriend's friends are here...and they wanted to see the Hamptons," explained Joel.

"It's all just too...too," the singer continued, eyeing 25 year-old galpal Kate Lee across the table. "But the girls are having a blast, and I did get a preferred-parking pass. So that's a pretty big deal."

The kick-off of the Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge draws a crowd that spends more time looking at one another than paying attention to the "chukkas," or periods, that make up a full match.

"This is really about networking, trading cards and promoting business," noted Russell Simmons. "When I was single it was also about meeting girls."

One guest taking the event a tad more seriously was Star Jones. "I come every weekend...to watch the athleticism," said the Wainscott resident.

OK, we challenged Jones: Name a polo term.

"You see those clumps?" Jones said, pointing out to the field. "Those are divots. When the mallet hits the ground, it knocks up a clump of grass and that's called a divot."

Humbled, we sidled - or saddled? - over to Kim Cattrall. Are you here for the horses or the people watching, Kim?

"I don't know anything about polo," purred the "Sex and The City" star.

Cattrall admitted to having a better time this year than in years past. "I'm just glad there's a breeze," she said. "Because otherwise you'd smell the horses."

"Hot Plate: Jeff and Eddy's"
Lizzie's New Hamptons Spot
By: Beth Landman Keil
(July 14th, 2003)

Are Jeff and Eddy friends of Nick and Toni? Nope. Jeff is restaurateur Jeff Resnick, and Eddy is attorney Eddie Burke Jr., who represented Lizzie. Guess who the restaurant's publicist is?

I can't imagine. Hey, Billy Joel got seated before me! Well, his girlfriend, Kate Lee, works in the fish store. He calls her (ick-factor alert!) his fishmonger. Here, have a fried oyster. Very New England.

Fine, but I don't remember paparazzi in Falmouth. Or the "Piano Man," for that matter.

"Side Dishes"
By: Suzanne Rozdeba, Ben Widdicombe, & M. George Stevenson
(July 20th, 2003)

Billy Joel ran into ex-girlfriend Trish Bergin the other night at Jeff & Eddy's restaurant in Sag Harbor, LI.

The "Inside Edition" reporter introduced the "Piano Man" to her husband, environmental lawyer Randy Weichbrodt, and their infant son, Skye. Joel, 54, introduced them to his 25 year-old girlfriend, Kate Lee. "Everybody looked a little uncomfortable," says a spy.

"Trump Sails & 'Piano Man' Wails Into Town"
By: All Hands
(July 26th, 2003)

This ain't the Hamptons, yet, and thanks for that.

But yes, that was Donald Trump enjoying the ideal summer weather from the deck of his rented yacht off 10 Pound Island Sunday. And yes, that was Billy Joel at the piano of the Patio on Saturday night, after supping at the Rudder where he likes to eat on his sort-of annual pilgrimage to this vacation location from his summer base in the Hamptons.

Trump's staging, naturally, was more monumental than the Piano Man's.

He sailed into town - actually he stopped in the outer harbor off Ten Pound Island - on the "Lone Ranger," a 255-foot converted German sea-going tug, which Power Magazine and Motor Boat Magazine lists as the 24th largest yacht in the world.

The massive, deep draft, steel-hulled craft dared not come further, though with its 4,400 motors, it could go pretty much where it wants in deeper water.

But Trump seemed serene strolling around the deck, far away from the crew of 18 at about 4:30pm when he waved a hearty hello to Bob and Mary Lee of Magnolia, who were returning to port after a Sunday cruise in their comparatively puny Gulfstar-44.

"We sailed past the stern of the 'Lone Ranger,' and there was this tall guy with blond hair waving to us," says Bob Lee, a vice president of Axiam, Inc., which makes jet engines at Blackburn Industrial Park. "As we passed, our celebrity came out on deck and we waved to each other. He was the same as he looks on TV."

Lee said his Trump siting was confirmed by Harbormaster Jim Caulkett later in the day. Caulkett told the Times he had been informed of Trump's presence by an aide who'd bumped into - not literally - one of Trump's folks on the waterfront.

Trump could have commandeered from his rented palace either the 31-foot trimaran or the 38-foot power boat had he wished to come ashore, but he seemed content to loll about. The "Lone Ranger" set sail Monday for ports unknown.

As for Joel, he did Rocky Neck on Saturday night with a friend, whom the scuttlebutt tabs as a friend of the female persuasion.

As he does when he gets to town, which he tries to do every summer, he ordered dinner at the Rudder and then strolled the neck, stopping into the Patio, where he played the piano for a while - the hot number was Elvis' "All Shook Up" - but stayed away from his own stuff.

Afterward, he returned to his modest powerboat, which he had tied up at the State Fish Pier, his usual mooring during his retreats from New York power-summers, which also left with the end of the weekend.

"They're Still Standing"
By: Glenn Gamboa
(July 27th, 2003)

Billy Joel and Elton John fans are still keepin' the faith. Though the duo's days of radio dominance have essentially come and gone, their fans keep coming back for more.

According to the latest issue of Billboard, which ranked the Top 25 moneymaking concerts from

December 2002 through May 2003, Joel and John are still masters of their domain.

The duo was responsible for 14 of the 25 biggest grossing shows in the world, topping out at $4.67 million for two shows at the Palace of Auburn Hills outside Detroit and $4.46 million for two shows at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. Shakira came in third with a $4.05 million take for her two shows in Mexico City.

The non-Joel/John shows making the list: Atlanta's Music Midtown Festival (#5), Euro-rockers Clouseau's nine shows in Belgium (#6), The Eagles (#7 & #8), Dixie Chicks (#9), the Allman Brothers 13-show homestand at the Beacon Theater (#12), Aussie rocker John Farnham in Brisband (#13), Fleetwood Mac (#17) and Bon Jovi (#23).

"'Buried' Treasure"
By: Chris Michaud
(July 30th, 2003)

Nassau County, 11771?

While Centre Island might not sound the glamorous note of "Beverly Hills, 90210," the humble-sounding, cape-like community on the placid North Shore is the nation's fifth most expensive ZIP code - and tops in New York state.

Besting better known and fashionable addresses such as East Hampton and the Upper East Side, little Centre Island boasted a median home price of a cool $2 million in 2002, according to Forbes magazine's first-ever list of most expensive residential real estate.

The tiny community - no more than a speck of land jutting into Cold Spring Harbor and Long Island Sound - is home to rocker Billy Joel, who bought a $22 million mansion last year.

New York's runner-up was the North Shore enclave of Upper/Old Brookville, which made the top 10 most expensive list with a median home price of $1.7 million - more than 10 times the national median home price of $158,300, according to Forbes.

Topping the national list was Jupiter Island, Florida - a bucolic 17-mile barrier island with a population of just over 600 very wealthy, mostly old-money residents and home to golfer Greg Norman.

Palm Beach - another playground for the rich and famous - came in fourth place.

And what about Manhattan's tony Park, Madison and Fifth Avenues? You have to go down to number 67, with a median price of a mere $727,500, to find the Silk Stocking district.

As for the Hamptons, the East End enclaves of Sagaponack and Quogue fared better at numbers 31 and 44, respectively, and fifth and sixth place statewide.

Beverly Hills, home of 90210, came in at number 24 nationwide. Real-estate agents said prices like the $22 million the Piano Man shelled out spiked Centre Island's standing.

"There are so few sales there," said Sandy Binder, executive vice president of Luxury Homes International, a division of Century 21. "Last year maybe six sales started at $1.8 million at the low end."

Another agent, Georgia Ioannou of Coach Realtors, said values in Centre Island's few square miles had boomed in recent years.

The state's other top towns include Purchase, Rye, Bedford, Armonk, Pound Ridge and Harrison, all in Westchester.