Shoshanna Lonstein’s appearances at the Sixth on Seventh fashion shows used to be nothing more than as a decorative accessory for QC grad Jerry Seinfeld.

Shoshanna is now the show.

Lonstein(left) at the launch of her swimwear line, plunged herself into the Fashion Week hoopla as a fledgling designer. Her swimwear made a big splash.

Def Jam’s Russell Simmons of Hollis, and the especially attentive "Party of Five" star Scott Wolf helped Shoshanna celebrate at B Bar, sans Seinfeld.

Lonstein finally had the last laugh.

For anyone who might’ve thought that the recent death of South Queens businessman "Pooor Freddie" Dil would also be the death of his tire and auto centers, be assured that he taught his children well and the business will continue.

At the services at Allen AME Cathedral, the casket sat among countless oversized wreaths, and among them were two "tires" made of sprayed flowers. Two wreaths stood out among the dozens of others, however. At the head, in the company color of yellow and blue, was a wreath that spelled "Pooor" and at the foot, another wreath that spelled "Freddie."

Placed under the sign where at least 1000 mourners could plainly see it was a metallic sign that read: "Pooor Freddie’s new computerized alignment center," with the address and telephone number.

He’s baaaack!

In the 1980s, Hollis, Queens produced two of rap’s most prolific acts, Def Jam Records’ L.L. Cool J. and Run D.M.C., as well as the record company’s co-founder, Russel Simmons. It also gave the world a non-Def Jam rapper, Young M.C. These rappers proved to be a different breed in that they stayed away from the violent image of much of rap.

L.L. slithered onto the scene with rap’s first hit romantic ballad, "I Need Love," and Run D.M.C. gave us rap’s only Christmas carol to date, "Christmas Time in Hollis, Queens."

Young M.C.’s "Bust A Move" was more folklore than Hip Hop.

But the latest rapper to come from Hollis to Def Jam is different. Ja Rule is well at home with the violent, money grubbing, truck-load-of-women-hugging style of the gangster scene.

His 1999 debut single, "Holla, Holla," boasts, "It’s Murda."

Ja is also part of a rap group, Cash Money Click. And if you never heard of it, it is because the Click was only able to release one single, "4 My Click," before one of the members, Chris Black was incarcerated.

Black is expected to be released from jail this year, and there are plans for a Click album . . . if no one else goes to jail.

This is not a problem that Run D.M.C. had. Rev Run is alive, well, has written for the PRESS of Southeast Queens and preaches to his minions right here in Queens.

While his son tries to land himself in the City Council, Joseph Liu managed to land himself in the big house.

The father of prominent civic activist and candidate for 20th District Flushing Council seat John Liu (senior)was recently convicted along with three bank associates for misapplying funds and falsifying records at Flushing’s Great Eastern Bank.

The case, investigated in part by the New York State Banking Department, found that the bank made a $1 million lease payment to the Seven Giants Company, which owned the property Great Eastern was renting.

It was later discovered, however, that the four defendants and the owners of Seven Giants simply split the cash and pocketed it. The elder Liu faces up to 30 years in prison.

Until now, John Liu, the activist candidate, was perceived as the frontrunner in the crowded field.

Political pundits are speculating just how the conviction will impact junior’s campaign and if some of the $130,000 he’s raised, more than any other City Council candidate in Queens, stems from papa Liu and his shady banking pals.

Very interesting.

It ran in Newsday well after Stern's,
the department store giant, announced
that it will soon cease operations.

So what does she say? "Darling,
let's register our future with Stern's."

And what does he reply? "Surely honey pie,
I never liked long engagements anyway."

And her mother just finds the whole thing
too much to take. "We could eat on
paper plates when you invite me over."

After their second straight 90-plus game winning season, National League Championship Series and World Series appearances last season, fans of the hometown New York Mets don’t need much convincing for them to believe.

After blowing out their opponents in the division series and the NLCS, losing only one game in each, the Amazin's were obviously robbed by the gods in the fall classic, losing each game by slim margins and in painful ways.