Welcome back to Good Gossip, a compilation of fun celebrity news and interesting tidbits from various magazines. We’ve filtered out the mean-spirited stuff so you can enjoy the gossip minus the guilt. We’ve got local gossip, too, and you’re welcome to submit tidbits of your own. If you don’t want to toot your own horn (although who’s gonna know except us, really), why don’t you send us a shout-out about a friend who had some good news of her own: had a baby, won a much-trained-for race or started a cool new biz in Northwest Arkansas. Let’s dish!

Celebrity Dish

Jessica Simpson’s favorite franchise foods include the chicken fajitas at Chili’s, the Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps at P.F. Chang’s, and the Pasta Bolognese and grilled skirt steak with mashed potatoes at The Cheesecake Factory. Her food philosophy? “Just eat it! And do an extra mile on the treadmill.” The mamas say Amen to that. (Source: US Weekly, August 11, 2008 issue)

On Good Morning America last month, Diane Sawyer dipped her feet into a basin of warm water swarming with 100 tiny Turkish carp, known as “doctor fish.” The fish nibble away at calluses and dead skin. After 15 minutes, the feet emerge baby-smooth. The “fish pedicure” is the newest beauty treatment and was pioneered by the Yvonne Hair & Nails salon in Virginia. (Source: US Weekly, August 11, 2008 issue)

On the season finale of Desperate Housewives – in the surprising “flash-forward” scene – Eva Longoria Parker’s character appears with short hair. Her stylist, Ken Paves, made her husband Tony Parker do the first cut, saying “Tony, you’re going to do the first cut, so she can’t be mad at me…”. (Source: US Weekly, August 11, 2008 issue; Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Rebecca Romijn of Ugly Betty and husband Jerry O’Connell are expecting twins this winter. The couple married in Los Angeles in July 2007. (Source: US Weekly, August 11, 2008 issue)

Cameron Diaz, 35, was Hollywood’s top-earning actress of 2007, according to Forbes, with $50 million. Will Smith, 39, topped the guys with $80 million. (Source: US Weekly, August 11, 2008 issue)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are enjoying their expanded family — six kids between the ages of three weeks and 7 years — at Chateau Miraval in Provence, France. Angelina said when she found out she was having twins: “We were in shock and could not stop laughing.” And when they were born? “I knew they would be premature, so when I saw they were big and screaming with healthy lungs, I was at peace,” she said. She also told People that the babies are nursing every three hours and she’s getting better at holding them both for simultaneous feedings. (Source: People Magazine, Aug. 18, 2008 issue)

Tim Russert’s son, 22-year-old Luke Russert, will help cover the upcoming Democratic and Republican conventions for NBC. A recent Boston College grad, Luke’s work will appear on NBC Nightly News, Today, MSNBC and msnbc.com. He’ll focus on youth issues. Tim Russert died on June 13 of a heart attack. (Source: People Magazine, Aug. 18, 2008 issue)

Jessica Seinfeld hosted a Baby Buggy luncheon at her Hampton’s home earlier this month. The shopping event raised money for her charity, which gives gently used baby gear to moms in need. (Source: People Magazine, Aug. 18, 2208 issue)

Local dish:

Updated to add: Padma will be reading excerpts from her book at a reception at Nightbird Books (557 S. School) on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m. She’ll soon embark on a 10-city book tour, including Fayetteville.

Northwest Arkansas mom, short-story writer, playwright and former freelance journalist, Padma Viswanathan, has written her first novel. You’ll see her work, The Toss of A Lemon, on bookshelves beginning in early September. Padma said of the new book, “It was inspired by stories that my grandmother told me about her grandmother.” Starting in 1896, the story follows a young girl through marriage and widowhood, weaving in information about the intense political and social change in India.

Originally from Canada, Padma has two children, Ravi, 3 1/2 and Mira, 10 months. Padma said she and her family moved to Fayetteville two years ago for her husband to take a teaching post at the University of Arkansas. He’s a poetry and translation teacher in the MFA Creative Writing program. Padma has a Creative Writing MA from Johns Hopkins and an MFA from the University of Arizona.

I’m going to suggest The Toss of A Lemon to my book club!

Heather Hays of Fayetteville, mom to two sons and a daughter, is baking pies and other homemade desserts for the new restaurant, Gullett’s Gourmet at 326 N. West Avenue near Dickson Street. A friend’s son, Grant Gullett, wanted to have homemade desserts at his new restaurant and after tasting her samples, gave Heather the thumbs up to start baking at the restaurant. “It’s great because the ingredients are all there and there’s someone to clean up the dishes. Every mother’s delight,” she said. Gullett’s Gourmet has sandwiches, burgers, paninis and gourmet entrees like pork tenderloin. They’re also set up to sell entrees and sides to go. They just started a frozen comfort food section for quick take-out and heat up, Heather said. The best thing: KIDS EAT FREE every day! (They’re open M-Sat) They also cater, Heather said. Gullett’s Gourmet can be reached at 479-444-0096.