P. Diddy's clothing store opens up in New York

P. Diddy's clothing storeopens up in New York
NEW YORK -- Midtown Manhattan isn't that far from the Harlem neighborhood where Sean "P. Diddy" Combs grew up, but as Combs christened his new Sean John flagship store on Fifth Avenue, the rapper-designer said he felt like he was worlds away from where he started.
"This is beyond a dream come true," Combs said Thursday night as he watched celebrities Naomi Campbell, Vivica Fox, Nicky and Paris Hilton, and fellow designers Tommy Hilfiger and Zac Posen file into the store for a champagne toast during New York Fashion Week.
The look of the store was quite serene compared with the scene outside, as scores of onlookers tried to peer over the many bodyguards watching over Combs and his friends.
Combs isn't holding a preview of his spring 2005 collection, saying he wants everything to be perfect when he returns to the catwalk -- probably February 2005.
"I've been designing the show for two years and I'm waiting until everything is absolutely right," he said.
A fashion show isn't the only thing on Combs' radar: He said he plans to open up his next Sean John store in Beverly Hills, Calif., followed by Houston, Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta, and then London, Paris and Japan.
Capitol Records to release2 new John Lennon CDs
NEW YORK -- John Lennon will have two new compact discs out this fall.
Capitol Records announced it was releasing a 17-song disc, "Acoustic," which collect some of the quieter post-Beatles work, including "Working Class Hero," "Watching the Wheels" and "Dear Yoko," by Lennon, who was murdered in 1980.
Seven of the tracks will be available for the first time. An acoustic version of the harrowing "Cold Turkey," a live take on "Imagine" and a nonsweetened "Real Love" are part of the package.
Capitol is also repackaging Lennon's 1975 album, "Rock 'n' Roll," his homage to the music of his youth. They include four bonus tracks: "To Know Her is to Love Her"; "Angel Baby"; "Since My Baby Left Me"; and "Just Because."
Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, supervised the projects, which will be issued Nov. 2.
Today's birthdays
Actor Earl Holliman is 76. Movie director Brian De Palma is 64. Rock musician Mickey Hart (The Dead) is 61. Singer-musician Leo Kottke is 59. Rock singer-musician Tommy Shaw (Styx) is 51. Actress Kristy McNichol is 42. Actress Virginia Madsen is 41. Musician-composer Moby is 39. Singer Harry Connick Jr. is 37. Rapper Ludacris is 27.